Community Health Worker Education for COVID-19

Overseen By Rakale C Quarells, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Morehouse School of Medicine

Disqualifiers: Terminal cancer, Chronic kidney disease, Pregnancy, Severe psychological disorders, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to boost COVID-19 vaccine confidence and improve diabetes management in underserved communities. Community Health Workers (CHWs) will visit the homes of African American or Latino adults with diabetes or prediabetes who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. They will educate these individuals and their families about diabetes, COVID-19, and vaccines, while also checking blood sugar levels. Those identifying as African American or Latino, having diabetes or prediabetes, and remaining unvaccinated might be a good fit for this trial. As an unphased study, this trial offers a unique opportunity for personalized health education and support in managing diabetes and vaccine concerns.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on education and outreach rather than medication changes.

What prior data suggests that this CHW intervention is safe?

Research has shown that using Community Health Workers (CHWs) to educate people about COVID-19 vaccines is both safe and effective. In previous studies, CHWs shared vaccine information with millions, significantly increasing vaccination rates. Their educational efforts reported no safety issues or negative effects.

CHWs play a crucial role in disseminating health information, particularly in communities with limited healthcare access. They help people understand the importance of vaccines and how to manage health conditions like diabetes. This approach has been well-received by the community and has enhanced public health.

Overall, employing CHWs is a safe method to build trust in vaccines and improve health management. No known risks are associated with their educational activities. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Community Health Worker (CHW) home deployment strategy because it offers a unique approach to boosting COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake. Unlike traditional methods that rely on public health campaigns or clinical settings, this intervention involves CHWs visiting homes, providing personalized education and support. This direct, community-based approach is designed to address individual concerns and misinformation, potentially leading to higher vaccine acceptance rates. By fostering trust and tailoring information to the needs of each household, this method could significantly impact public health outcomes, especially in communities with lower vaccination rates.

What evidence suggests that this community health worker intervention is effective for improving COVID-19 vaccine confidence and diabetes management?

This trial will evaluate the impact of Community Health Worker (CHW) interventions on COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake. Research has shown that CHWs can significantly increase COVID-19 vaccination rates. In one study, CHWs raised vaccination rates from 44% to 76% in a year by sharing vaccine information with community members 18 million times. This result demonstrates a strong link between CHWs' efforts and higher vaccination rates. By educating people and encouraging positive changes, CHWs can build trust and confidence in vaccines. This method shows promise for increasing vaccine uptake in communities that need it most. ^{1 3 4 5 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Rakale C Quarells, PhD

Principal Investigator

Morehouse School of Medicine

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for African American or Latino adults under 50 with uncontrolled diabetes or prediabetes, who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 (for Phase 1) and are patients within the AAPHC community sites. It excludes those with severe psychological disorders, terminal cancer, chronic kidney disease stages 4-5, pregnant women, and individuals unable to consent.

Inclusion Criteria

I have received care for high blood sugar or prediabetes at an AAPHC site.

You consider yourself to be African American/Black or Latino.

You have not received the vaccine for Phase 1 (but have been vaccinated for Phase 2).

Exclusion Criteria

Not meeting the Inclusion Criteria

Enrolled in the parent RADx-UP Project PEACH study

Unable or unwilling to provide informed consent to participate in the study (i.e., incarcerated individuals and children)

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

CHW Intervention

A six week CHW home-visit behavioral intervention examining changes in diabetes outcomes and COVID-19 vaccine confidence

6 weeks

Weekly home visits

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in blood glucose levels and COVID-19 vaccination confidence after the intervention

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Impact of Community Health Worker Home Deployment on COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence and Uptake

Trial Overview The study tests a Community Health Worker intervention in rural areas to boost COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake among high-risk groups. It also aims to improve diabetes self-management. Participants will receive home visits for education on diabetes and COVID-19 vaccines.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: CHW Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A six week CHW home-visit behavioral intervention examining changes in diabetes outcomes.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Morehouse School of Medicine

Lead Sponsor

Trials

22

Recruited

16,300+

Citations

1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40146972/

Community Health Worker Influence on COVID-19 Vaccine ... CHWs provided vaccine information to community residents 18 million times and increased community vaccine uptake from 44% to 76% (P < .001) in 1 year.

2. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/392330894_Community_Health_Worker_Influence_on_COVID-19_Vaccine_Uptake_in_New_York_City_2021-2022

(PDF) Community Health Worker Influence on COVID-19 ... CHWs provided vaccine information to community residents 18 million times and increased community vaccine uptake from 44% to 76% (P < .001) in 1 year.

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X25007844

The partnership for vaccine confidence This paper describes our community-based participatory research process using a Listen, Plan, Act, and Evaluate process.

4. bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-024-11165-y

Community health workers' dissemination of COVID-19 ... We noted a lack of empirical data demonstrating CHWs' impact on community COVID-19 vaccine uptake. In Liberia, CHWs were reported to prepare ...

5. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06156254

Community Care Intervention to Decrease COVID-19 ... This study examines whether a CHW intervention can be effective in increasing vaccination rates by providing education, help with behavior changes, and ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11161953/

Community health workers' dissemination of COVID-19 ... We described how CHWs supported the dissemination of COVID-19 information and services during the early pandemic response.