Eastside Village Health Worker Partnership
| Funding Source | CDC 1st Cycle: $595,108 (Direct); 1995-99 2nd Cycle: $1,017,163 (Direct); 1999-2003 |
| Goals & Objectives: | To test a conceptual model of the stress process for understanding social determinants of health affecting women living in an urban community, using a community-based lay health advisor intervention. |
| Communities Involved: |
Eastside Detroit residents, primarily African American women and children. Approximately 6,000 households. |
| Partners: | Detroit Health Department, Eastside Parish Nurse Network, Friends of Parkside, Henry Ford Health System, Islandview Department Corporation, Village Health Workers, Warren/Conner Development Coalition, UM School of Public Health. |
| Intervention: | Approximately 70 community members trained as volunteer VHWs provide education/advocacy for community residents with a focus on 5 priority areas: community-police relationships, child caregiver support, economic development, access to quality health care, and diabetes/CVD. |
| Outcome Indicators: | Individual level: raised knowledge re: community resources, Organizational level: raised agency coordination; Community level: lowered stressors (e.g., physical safety); Policy level: raised knowledge about policy change and enforcement. |
| Methods & Analyses: | Pre-post community survey of east side Detroit women (base-line '96 n=700; f/u '02, n=366). In-depth interviews; annual process questionnaires; participant feedback; field notes; evaluation to assess partnership effectiveness. |
| Results: | Baseline survey had 80% response rate. Findings (e.g., 36% of respondents concerned about police response time) used to identify priority areas for VHW intervention. F/U survey data analysis ongoing. Numerous basic research articles published from data. |