Community Health Workers Against COVID19

Randomized controlled trial among patients from family practices at risk of psychosocial suffering due to social distancing measures. Patients from the intervention group receive support from community health workers. contacted at least 8 times by community health workers. Evolution of psychosocial wellbeing is evaluated by questionnaires at time 0 and after 6 weeks of intervention. Psychosocial outcomes are compared between control and intervention groups. Process evaluation will be done through in-depth interviews.

Patients vulnerable for psychosocial suffering due to social distancing measures are recruited by family practitioners in the City of Ghent. The recruited patients are randomly selected into a control and intervention group. Based on the validated Promis instruments, all participants are interviewed face to face on their mental and social health at time 0 and after 6 weeks of intervention. Patients from the intervention group are contacted by Community health workers after the first interview. Community health workers offer emotional support to the patients through at least 8 contacts over 6 weeks. The control group receive care as usual and are offered support by community health workers after the second interview. In depth interviews (qualitative study) will be conducted among community health workers and patients after finalizing the post-intervention questionnaires. Research questions: What are the psychosocial consequences of social distancing for at-risk groups? Can community health workers reduce the psychosocial impact of physical distancing measures isolation? Relevance: Understanding community-based psychosocial support for vulnerable people during and after health crises. Keywords: Community health workers, psychosocial, health crises

usual care by professional primary care providers + emotional support by trained community health worker

The PROMIS Emotional Support questionnaire assesses perceived feelings of being cared for and valued as a person;

The PROMIS Social Isolation questionnaire assesses perceptions of being avoided, excluded, detached, disconnected from, or unknown by, others.

Change in patient-reported Ability to participate in social roles and activities (based on the PROMIS® ability to participate in social roles and activities instrument)

The PROMIS adult Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities questionnaire assesses the perceived ability to perform one's usual social roles and activities.

The PROMIS Anxiety questionnaire assesses self-reported fear (fearfulness, panic), anxious misery (worry, dread), hyperarousal (tension, nervousness, restlessness), and somatic symptoms related to arousal (racing heart, dizziness).

Inclusion Criteria: patients recruited by family practitioners based on anticipated psychosocial impact of physical distancing measures Exclusion Criteria: Patients with severe psychiatric diseases (psychosis, severe depression)