Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40186187›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

"Each one of us did the best we could for the community, while also supporting each other": community residents' perspectives on community health worker (CHW) response during the COVID-19 pandemic - a community science worker-led qualitative study.

Melina Michelen, Beatriz Lopez Galeana, Salvador Zárate, Sora Park Tanjasiri, Lindsay Donaldson, Patricia J Cantero, Noraima Chirinos, Rocio Salazar, Mary Anne Foo, Samantha Peralta and 4 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Melina MichelenJoe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA. mmichel3@hs.uci.edu.
Beatriz Lopez GaleanaJoe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
Salvador ZárateDepartment of Anthropology, School of Social Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
Sora Park TanjasiriJoe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
Lindsay DonaldsonClaremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, 91711, USA.
Patricia J CanteroLatino Health Access, Santa Ana, CA, USA.
Noraima ChirinosLatino Health Access, Santa Ana, CA, USA.
Rocio SalazarLatino Health Access, Santa Ana, CA, USA.
Mary Anne FooOrange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, USA.
Samantha PeraltaOrange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, USA.
Pilar Lara de CortezRadiate Consulting, Santa Ana, CA, USA.
Guadalupe CapistranRadiate Consulting, Santa Ana, CA, USA.
John BillimekDepartment of Family Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
Alana M W LeBrónJoe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.

Funding

Univ.of Calif., Irvine Cancer Center Support GrantP30CA062203 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI Melanie Funes · 1994 to 2026
$57.9M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA062203
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the health and social wellbeing of the United States population, disproportionately affecting low-income, immigrant communities of color. In Orange County, California, community health workers (CHWs) were essential to addressing multilevel community needs among impacted communities. However, little is known about how communities and CHWs responded to meet their needs amid pressing challenges.

methodsCHWs completed a popular education qualitative methods program under a Community Science Worker (CSW) model to design and facilitate four semi-structured focus groups and three interviews with 32 residents in Orange County, California, to understand their pandemic experiences and interactions with CHWs. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an adapted flexible coding approach to derive data-driven themes.

resultsResidents described how they supported one another, advocated for their communities, and fostered livelihood and resilience. Four main themes detail the community's response: (1) facing a chain of interconnected challenges; (2) connecting with CHWs and accessing the services they facilitated; (3) fostering a community of care, a mutuality often inspired by interactions with CHWs; and (4) reinforcing foundations through a whole-of-community approach, including strengthening social policies.

conclusionsEngaging community members is crucial for comprehensively understanding the CHW model. Given the enormous ongoing community challenges post-pandemic, these findings call for increased CHW presence, additional support and resources for health and socioeconomic needs, and improved information dissemination to bolster community resilience. Findings center mutual aid, emphasizing the importance of supporting communities in this crucial work. Additionally, engaging with residents who CHWs supported is vital for understanding the full impact of CHW models.

Indexed as

Community Health WorkersCommunity SupportCOVID-19AdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCaliforniaCommunity Health ServicesDelivery of Health CareFemaleFocus GroupsHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedCommunity health workerCOVID-19 pandemicImmigrant healthLatino, Latinx, Vietnamese, KoreanMutual aid

Identifiers

PMID40186187
PMCPMC11969703

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.