One Pager: Engaging Community Health Workers to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

Resource Summary

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends interventions that engage community health workers to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is strong evidence of effectiveness for interventions that engage community health workers in a team-based care model to improve blood pressure and cholesterol in patients at increased risk for CVD.

There is sufficient evidence of effectiveness for interventions that engage community health workers for health education, and as outreach, enrollment, and information agents, to increase self-reported health behaviors (physical activity, healthful eating habits, and smoking cessation) in patients at increased risk for CVD.