Document Type

Capstone Experience

Graduation Date

12-2024

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Department

Health Promotion

First Committee Member

Dr. Shannon Maloney, PhD, Assistant Professor, UNMC College of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion

Second Committee Member

Dr. Analisa McMillan, PhD, MSEd, Director, Teaching and Learning, UNMC College of Public Health

Third Committee Member

Angel Keyes, MHA, CCHW, HR and Special Projects Manager, Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance

Fourth Committee Member

Dr. Mary Janevic, PhD, MPH, University of Michigan School of Public Health

Abstract

Community health workers (CHWs) are frontline public health workers who are embedded in their own communities and as linkages to care, decreasing health disparities for underserved individuals. The goal of this capstone project was to identify Michigan CHWs' knowledge gaps in the area of preconception healthcare. Through administering a training needs assessment to a sample of community health workers, the goal was to characterize knowledge gaps and make recommendations about what type of training would be most useful to them. The results of this needs assessment showed that the general state of self-reported knowledge about preconcept health among Michigan community healthcare workers is low. However, the barriers to incorporating preconception health into their work were also low. This needs assessment provides a foundation of information for developing the appropriate training for community health work workers to address preconception health concerns and raise awareness about the importance of preconception health in their communities.

Included in

Public Health Commons

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