CHW-Community Partnered Health Fairs to Increase Healthcare Access for Residents of 77031 ZIP Code

Within the 77031 ZIP code, the community members are disproportionately affected by lack of access to healthcare due to barriers such as no health insurance (45.2% of adults and 18.0% of children), high unemployment rates (8.1% of residents ages 16 and older), low socioeconomic status (21.4% residents living <100% below the federal poverty level; 39.8% living <200% below FPL), and language barriers (50.7% of households are non-English-speaking). As a result, 36.3% of residents lack access to a primary care provider and have a higher prevalence of chronic illness and mental distress. Community members should be aware of their options regarding methods of care and health care services available to them, and they should be able to discern information given to them to make the best decision for their well being. This project aims to gather bilingual CHWs and partner with local community centers to hand out translated brochures and CHW contact information, raise awareness on free and low-cost clinics and hospitals, and help community members with registration for existing resources and programs (i.e. Medicaid and Medicare).