New evidence shows that community health workers (CHWs) can help low-income adults stay healthier and reduce costly hospital stays by providing personalized support tailored to each person’s needs. In a large study, adults from low-income areas were randomly assigned to receive either usual care or weekly support from CHWs, who helped them set health goals, provided coaching, and connected them with needed resources — even delivering food when necessary. After six months, those supported by CHWs had significantly fewer total days spent in the hospital and were more likely to have at least one primary-care visit compared with those receiving usual care, suggesting stronger ongoing engagement with preventive health services. While emergency department visit rates didn’t change much, the jump in primary care use and drop in inpatient days point to how addressing social needs and offering continuous support can transform health outcomes and cut back on expensive hospital use. These results highlight how integrating CHWs into health teams could be a scalable way to improve health and reduce inequities in care.
