Family Perception of Community Health Worker Cultural Competence: An Analysis of Patient Satisfaction Surveys

We analysed 346 family satisfaction surveys to explore the relationship between community health worker (CHW) cultural competence, family understanding of their responsibility for their child’s health care management, and family comfort in discussing well-child care. We collected surveys as part of an enriched medical home program offering navigation services by trained CHWs to “at risk” families in Suffolk County, New York. We found a strong, positive correlation between these variables (s-rho = 0.540, p < 0.000, and s-rho = 0.585, p < 0.000) with high levels of CHW cultural competence associated with high levels of family understanding responsibilities and comfort in discussion. Our findings provide support for training programs to develop CHW cultural competence, as well as continued development of tools to measure cultural competence.

Keywords: Community Health Worker, Patient Navigation, Health Literacy, Culturally Competence Care, Health Education, Family.