New Publication in collaboration with Geetha Sivasubramanian, MD, Infectious Disease physician at UCSF Fresno and Kaivalya Kasturi, Senior at North Clovis High School

This publication describes a framework for addressing gaps in infectious disease prevention and care for California agricultural workers, with an emphasis on coccidioidomycosis. 

Community Health Workers and Promotores de Salud: A Tiered Framework for Infectious Disease Prevention and Care Among California Agricultural Workers

UCM Public Health faculty, Nancy Burke in collaboration with Geetha Sivasubramanian, MD, Infectious Disease physician at UCSF Fresno and Kaivalya Kasturi, Senior at North Clovis High School, explored how agricultural workers face a high burden of infectious diseases but often have limited access to healthcare, making community health workers (CHWs) and promotores de salud an important bridge to prevention and care. Evidence supports CHW involvement in COVID-19 vaccination, tuberculosis treatment, HIV prevention, and hepatitis screening, but programs remain fragmented, with a notable gap in coccidioidomycosis prevention. The authors propose an integrated, three-tiered CHW framework focused on prevention, screening and treatment support, and stronger integration with healthcare and public health systems.

Read this full publication on the Frontier of Public Health.