Community Health Worker Progrm

Community Health Worker Program, Glendora, MS

The College of Nursing & Health Sciences (CNHS) is working to expand global outreach to include national efforts, specifically in Glendora, MS, with a goal of improving access and coordination of health care. CNHS works with Partners in Development, which has established a Family Health and Wellness Program in the Mississippi Delta region that works to change disparities in health care in the community.

CNHS is supporting the development and implementation of a community health worker program with the Mississippi Health Department to improve health care access and patient care coordination for residents of this low-income rural community in the Mississippi Delta. The program is supported by the Julia R. Plotnick and Jeanne M. Leffers Travel Fund for nursing students and is staffed by teams of nursing faculty, doctoral students, and undergraduates from UMassD.

Background

The Mississippi Delta region holds some of the highest percentages of poverty and some of the lowest health ratings in America.

Mississippi ranks last, or close to last, in almost every leading health outcome. The leading causes of death are cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and cancer. Access to health care is a major disparity for Glendora and Tallahatchie County residents, driven by limited health insurance, geographic barriers, and low health literacy. Located in rural Mississippi with no access to public transportation, Glendora’s primary health care providers are located approximately 13 miles away, accessible only by car.

These social determinants of health, along with geographic barriers to healthcare access, impact the health outcomes for residents of Glendora. The CNHS at UMass Dartmouth is committed to providing health education and health screenings on an ongoing basis to support the residents of this underserved community. During fall and spring faculty-led trips, teams of students and nursing faculty visit Glendora to conduct community health screenings and assessments, and to support efforts to promote health in the community.