Health Impact in Motion: How Two Community Health Workers Are Changing Lives

Community Health Workers (CHWs) form a critical component of the public health workforce. Their direct contact with community members builds trust in a unique way, bridging the gap between health systems and the community. At the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Center for Health Equity (CHE), two CHWs, Adriana Cardenas and Edith Davila, serve high-risk pregnant mothers on the Produce RX project at Their dedication to providing care to this group is entrusted with compassion and connection.

Adriana Cardenas

Adriana Cardenas obtained her CHW certificate in 2011 and has worked with community-based organizations, research institutes, and health systems ever since. At the start of her career, she created and presented education materials to prevent childhood obesity. Working as a research coordinator from 2012 to 2015, she visited hospitals to inform patients who had experienced a diabetic ketoacidosis crisis, a potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes where the body cannot produce enough insulin, about treatment opportunities in the health system’s specialized outpatient clinic. Her other responsibilities included recruiting patients for a study and connecting patients’ feedback to the research team.

From 2015 to 2023, Cardenas worked at a cardiology clinic where she scheduled appointments for the Congenital Heart Disease Clinic and provided support to patients including helping them navigate prescription assistance programs, applying for financial assistance, and connecting them with other resources.

She joined the CHE as a CHW at the start of 2024. The fast-paced nature of research and prior collaboration with CHE director, Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD, attracted her to the position. Cardenas adds Sharma’s “professional and enthusiastic approach to research aligned with my own goals.”

Her current responsibilities include recruiting and enrolling eligible patients into the study along with helping patients complete research forms and surveys. As a native Spanish-speaker, she also translates and revises any patient-facing documents. She connects participants with community resources to help them address needs outside the scope of the study and serves as a liaison between participants and the research team by communicating any concerns or needs.

For Cardenas, a truly rewarding aspect of being a CHW includes the direct impact she has on people’s lives. “It's incredibly fulfilling to help community members with their immediate needs, but the most important reward is the feedback they provide. When a patient or study participant tells you that you helped them resolve a problem or that you were instrumental in their access to food, clothing, prescription discounts, etc.., it provides an invaluable sense of accomplishment.”

Edith Davila

Edith Davila obtained her CHW certification at a training program offered at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in 2016, led by Rosalia Guerrero, CHWI, MBA, Director of Vulnerable Populations Core at Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI)  and Senior Manager at the CHE.

Starting in 2018, Davila actively used her CHW training at a health promotion program offered through UTHealth Houston. From 2019 to 2023, she worked at UT Physicians on a care coordination team comprised of a case manager, social worker, and community health educator.   

While on the care team, Davila connected patients to resources such as transportation, food assistance, and financial aid. After making referrals, she followed up with community members ensuring they were able to access the resources. She also served as a literal and figurative interpreter between patients and providers. Proficient in Spanish, she translated for non-English speaking patients, explaining treatment plans in a way that resonated well with them.

Since joining the CHE in November 2024, Davila plays an essential role in the Food Rx program where she coordinates home deliveries and maintains regular contact with study participants, checking on food quality and preferences, relaying this feedback to the research team. She follows up with patients encouraging them to complete surveys, relaying that survey responses play a critical role in shaping the future of the Food Rx program.

Davila sees herself as a bridge between healthcare and patients. “Being the middle person allows me to communicate with empathy and make complicated or frightening information more understandable,” she says. She also speaks from personal experience. Having overcome personal health setbacks through diet and exercises, she encourages the pregnant moms in the study to set realistic goals and make small, progressive steps towards healthier living.

Conclusion

CHWs are highly effective in building trust with our communities and connecting them to critical healthcare and services they need. Both Cardenas and Davila embody the mission of the CHE of building sustainable solutions that promote health. Through their dedication, compassion, and cultural understanding, they empower individuals to take steps toward healthier lives and transform public health, one relationship at a time.

Learn more about the CHE’s commitment to supporting CHWs through a dedicated resource hub, ongoing training, and workforce support efforts by visiting our page here.