Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a vital role in supporting adolescents to complete well-child visits and stay on track with their immunizations. Here’s how CHWs can contribute to improving health outcomes, which in turn can boost school attendance and academic performance:
- Education and Awareness: CHWs can educate adolescents and their families about the importance of well-child visits and immunizations. By explaining how these preventive health measures help avoid illness, CHWs can encourage families to prioritize health care.
- Scheduling and Reminders: CHWs can assist with scheduling appointments and provide regular reminders to ensure adolescents attend these visits. Timely vaccinations and health checks reduce the risk of illness, leading to fewer absences from school.
- Overcoming Barriers to Access: CHWs can offer support in overcoming barriers—such as arranging transportation or helping navigate insurance and payment options—CHWs ensure that adolescents can complete their well-child visits and receive immunizations without difficulty.
- Emotional Support and Encouragement: CHWs can provide emotional support, helping to alleviate fear and promote positive attitudes toward health care.
- Follow-up and Monitoring: After well-child visits and immunizations, CHWs can follow up with adolescents and their families to ensure they received the appropriate care and answer any questions.
- Building Trust within the Community: CHWs often have strong relationships with adolescents and their families. This trust makes it easier for them to engage young people in health care.
By assisting adolescents in completing well-child visits and receiving immunizations, CHWs help reduce preventable illnesses and absences, which directly contribute to better school attendance and improved academic outcomes.