摘要：Objectives. We developed a process through which community outreach workers, whose role is not typically that of a trained researcher, could actively participate in collection of qualitative evaluation data. Methods. Outreach workers for a community-based intervention project received training in qualitative research methodology and certification in research ethics. They used a Voice over Internet Protocol phone-in system to provide narrative reports about challenges faced by women they encountered in their outreach activities as well as their own experiences as outreach workers. Results. Qualitative data contributed by outreach workers provided insights not otherwise available to the evaluation team, including details about the complex lives of underserved women at risk for poor pregnancy outcomes and the challenges and rewards of the outreach worker role. Conclusions. Lay health workers can be a valuable asset as part of a research team. Training in research ethics and methods can be tailored to their educational level and preferences, and their insights provide important information and perspectives that may not be accessible via other data collection methods. Challenges encountered in the dual roles of researcher and lay health worker can be addressed in training. Lay health workers are an increasingly important component of many community-based public health intervention efforts. Systematic literature reviews summarize evidence for the effectiveness of lay health workers in improving health access and outcomes with respect to a wide variety of health concerns, including childhood immunization, breastfeeding, infant and child mortality, and pulmonary tuberculosis. 1 , 2 Community outreach workers are lay health workers who typically have close ties to the communities they serve and establish trusting relationships with clients and study participants. These qualities not only account for outreach workers’ effectiveness in connecting with hard-to-reach populations but also make them valuable partners in program evaluation because of the depth of their knowledge and insights into community members’ complex lives, including impediments to and facilitators of healthy living and full access to care and services. 3 However, there are few examples in the literature of the community and client-focused knowledge held by outreach workers being systematically documented and integrated into research or program evaluations. We describe how one program used Internet-based technology and qualitative methods to enhance the participation of community outreach workers as community-based researchers in the evaluation of a public health intervention.
