The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community health workers from HIV care organizations in the mid-south

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a fundamental shift in the delivery of services by community health workers to people living with HIV. This qualitative study sought to understand how community health workers who work with people living with HIV in one Mid-South community were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and ways in which these changes affected them. Virtual qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 community health workers and supervisors across five organizations from April to July 2020. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The five themes discovered were (a) virtual service delivery’s impact on the community health worker-client relationship, (b) the use of technology to communicate with clients, (c) increased work responsibilities, (d) the need for support and self-care; and (e) the extra layer of trauma that the murder of George Floyd added. Recommendations for supporting and strengthening the community health workforce are offered.