• E Lee Rosenthal, Hendrik de Heer, Carl H Rush, and Lisa-Renee Holderby.
• University of Texas, El Paso, College of Health Sciences.
• Prog Community Health Partnersh. 2008 Jan 1; 2 (3): 183-184, 225-35.

ProblemResearch articles describing community health worker (CHW) programs often focus on program activities and short-term outcomes, failing to assess CHWs' long-term contributions to improving individual and community health. Reflecting this, CHWs are supported by short-term public and private funding.PurposeTo inform policies that will potentially increase support and funding for CHW work, specific research is needed providing evidence of CHW effectiveness. This article describes the development of a CHW research agenda by and for the field.Key PointsCHWs, researchers, and stakeholders (policy makers, funders, others) collaborated during and after a conference to develop and refine a 164 question agenda targeting six areas (Table 1).ConclusionsKey research areas identified by the agenda development participants include: * CHW impact on health status; * CHW cost effectiveness; * Building CHW capacity and sustaining CHWs on the job; * Funding options; * CHWs as capacity builders; and * CHWs promoting real access to care.

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