Resources for Community Health Workers

The resources on this page are designed to help community health workers (CHWs) bring science-based, easy-to-understand information on heart health to community members in an engaging way.  These heart health toolkits are tailored for several different ethnic communities.  

About the Materials

• Comprehensive and evidence-based. The materials are based on data from the National Heart Lung and Blood Insititue's decades of research on effective approaches to preventing and controlling heart disease risk factors and to promoting heart-healthy behaviors.
• Great for adult education. The format of these materials is based on research about how adults learn. The materials have activities that get people to work with and motivate each other. All the information and activities build on each person’s life experiences, creating an open environment where everyone can teach, share, and learn.
• Culturally appropriate. The materials showcase each community’s ways of engaging in physical activity, heart-healthy eating, food preparation, and overall wellness.
• Flexible. CHWs may use one or more sets of the materials or may combine them in a way that best addresses their community’s unique needs.

Who Can Use the Materials?

The materials can be used by trained CHWs and other health professionals (such as dietitians, nurses, or health educators).

About the CHW Materials

These teaching and evaluation tools can be used to train CHWs, conduct community education classes, and work with a healthcare team to educate and help community members reduce their risk factors for heart disease.

Manual - The heart health manuals are designed for minority and underserved communities. Each manual contains culturally appropriate and user-friendly information on heart disease risk factors (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight/obesity, diabetes, and physical inactivity) and lifestyle choices for healthy living.

Picture Cards & Handouts - The companion picture cards include colorful illustrations and talking points to reinforce key heart health messages. Handouts included in each session can be used to teach group education classes or for individual patient education to enforce the topics within each session.

Evaluation - Evaluation is an integral part of a thriving program. An evaluation session is included in each manual to collect information on self-reported changes in heart health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among participants to help CHWs evaluate the effectiveness of the program. This session guides CHWs and evaluators in planning, implementation, and evaluation. 

It provides:

• Ideas for tracking activities 
• Tools for measuring changes in participants’ behaviors and clinical values 

These ideas and tools will show CHWs whether the activities worked and will help them improve the quality of the program. Having this tracking data will be useful in discussions with organizations that support CHW work.