TY - JOUR
KW - Adult
KW - Alcohol Drinking/psychology
KW - Body Mass Index
KW - Data Collection
KW - Directive Counseling/methods
KW - Female
KW - Follow-Up Studies
KW - Food Habits/psychology
KW - Health Behavior
KW - Health Promotion/methods
KW - Health Status
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Michigan/epidemiology
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Primary Health Care/organization & administration
KW - Random Allocation
KW - Referral and Consultation/organization & administration
KW - Smoking/prevention & control/psychology
KW - Telephone
AU - J. S. Holtrop
AU - S. A. Dosh
AU - T. Torres
AU - Y. M. Thum
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and risky alcohol use are leading causes of preventable death. As there are many barriers that prevent primary care clinicians from effectively assisting patients with these behaviors, connecting patients with health behavior resources may reduce these unhealthy behaviors. METHODS: A new adjunct role in primary care practice, the community health educator referral liaison (CHERL), was tested in 15 practices in three Michigan communities. All practices were advised how to access this liaison, and nine practices were randomly selected to receive support to develop a systematic referral process. Adult patients needing improvement in at least one of the four unhealthy behaviors were eligible for referral. The CHERL contacted referred patients by telephone; assessed health risks; provided health behavior-change counseling, referral to other resources, or both; and sent patient progress reports to referring clinicians. Data were collected from February 2006 through July 2007. RESULTS: The CHERLs received 797 referrals over 8 months, a referral rate of 0%-2% per practice. Among referred patients, 55% enrolled, and 61% of those participated in multiple-session telephone counseling; 85% were referred to additional resources. Among patients enrolling, improvements (p<0.001) were reported at 6 months for BMI, dietary patterns, alcohol use, tobacco use, health status, and days of limited activity in the past month. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that through relationships with practices, patients, and community resources, these liaisons successfully facilitated patients' behavior change. The CHERL role may fill a gap in promoting healthy behaviors in primary care practices and merits further exploration.
BT - American Journal of Preventive Medicine
C5 - Education & Workforce; HIT & Telehealth
CP - 5 Suppl
CY - Netherlands
DO - 10.1016/j.amepre.2008.08.012
IS - 5 Suppl
JF - American Journal of Preventive Medicine
N2 - BACKGROUND: Tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and risky alcohol use are leading causes of preventable death. As there are many barriers that prevent primary care clinicians from effectively assisting patients with these behaviors, connecting patients with health behavior resources may reduce these unhealthy behaviors. METHODS: A new adjunct role in primary care practice, the community health educator referral liaison (CHERL), was tested in 15 practices in three Michigan communities. All practices were advised how to access this liaison, and nine practices were randomly selected to receive support to develop a systematic referral process. Adult patients needing improvement in at least one of the four unhealthy behaviors were eligible for referral. The CHERL contacted referred patients by telephone; assessed health risks; provided health behavior-change counseling, referral to other resources, or both; and sent patient progress reports to referring clinicians. Data were collected from February 2006 through July 2007. RESULTS: The CHERLs received 797 referrals over 8 months, a referral rate of 0%-2% per practice. Among referred patients, 55% enrolled, and 61% of those participated in multiple-session telephone counseling; 85% were referred to additional resources. Among patients enrolling, improvements (p<0.001) were reported at 6 months for BMI, dietary patterns, alcohol use, tobacco use, health status, and days of limited activity in the past month. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that through relationships with practices, patients, and community resources, these liaisons successfully facilitated patients' behavior change. The CHERL role may fill a gap in promoting healthy behaviors in primary care practices and merits further exploration.
PP - Netherlands
PY - 2008
SN - 1873-2607; 0749-3797
EP - 72
EP - S365+
T1 - The community health educator referral liaison (CHERL): a primary care practice role for promoting healthy behaviors
T2 - American Journal of Preventive Medicine
TI - The community health educator referral liaison (CHERL): a primary care practice role for promoting healthy behaviors
U1 - Education & Workforce; HIT & Telehealth
U2 - 18929983
U3 - 10.1016/j.amepre.2008.08.012
VL - 35
VO - 1873-2607; 0749-3797
Y1 - 2008
ER -