Community Health Champions: Evidence Review

Abstract

This evidence review looks at the evidence base for community health champions and similar roles where community members, either as volunteers or paid community health workers, undertake health promotion activities within the neighbourhoods and communities where they live and work. The evidence review was commissioned as part of the evaluation of the Altogether Better programme, a five-year programme funded through the BIG Lottery that aims to empower people across the Yorkshire and Humber region to improve their own health and that of their families and their communities. The main purpose of this evidence review is to provide an overview of relevant evidence on community health champions and similar roles. It has been written to help inform those commissioning, managing and supporting programmes involving community health champions. It is hoped that the evaluation will help build a strong body of evidence for 21st century UK public health practice. The findings presented in this report are based on a rapid review of evidence on: • definitions of community health champions • types of role and activities • impact on the health & well-being of community health champions • impact on individuals and communities • key issues for programme implementation