Addressing the health of a marginalized population in the U.S.: impact and policy implications for community health workers

The relationship between marginalization and health is clear, those in marginalized communities suffer poorer and worse health outcomes than those who are not. Addressing health determinants that affect vulnerable communities is sometimes best done when the influence of trusted and respected people providing outreach, assessments and intervention is present. The purpose of this article is to share the process of effectively working with community health workers (CHWs) in a marginalized community under the framework of community based participatory research (CBPR). This policy brief will discuss an intervention where CHWs participated in a community health assessment (CHA), the impact of the CHA, lessons learned and policy implications on the use of CHWs as research partners [or co-researchers] when working in a marginalized community.