Patients’ Perspectives on the Acceptability and Effectiveness of a Community Health Worker-Led Intervention to Increase Chronic Kidney Disease Knowledge and Screening among Underserved Latine Adults: The CARE 2.0 Study

Abstract

In the United States, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) affects approximately 1 in 7 adults. Despite its significant impact, CKD awareness, education, and screening are often lacking among underserved Latine populations, leading to poorer health outcomes and higher mortality rates. Various studies highlight the crucial role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in improving health outcomes within minority communities both domestically and globally. However, there remains a gap in research on the acceptance and effectiveness of CHW-led interventions targeting CKD. This prospective intervention study employed a pre-post quasi-experimental design to evaluate a CHW-led educational program aimed at enhancing CKD knowledge, screening, and monitoring among Latines with low health literacy and English proficiency. CHWs utilized a culturally tailored CKD Flipchart, and 100 underserved patients received the intervention. Feedback from 85 participants who completed post-intervention surveys indicated high satisfaction with the program’s relevance and the professionalism of the CHWs. Importantly, 85% expressed a positive intention to seek kidney care following the intervention. Preliminary analysis of medical records before and after the intervention showed improvements in glycemic control (median change = −18.0, p = 0.014) and triglyceride levels (median change = −29.0, p = 0.035), suggesting the program’s effectiveness in managing CKD risk factors. These findings highlight the potential of CHW-led interventions to reduce kidney health disparities among underserved communities.