Public health skills for a lay workforce: findings on skills and attributes from a qualitative study of lay health worker roles

SummaryObjectivesTo present a typology of attributes associated with lay health worker (LHW) roles drawn from a qualitative study of lay roles in the delivery of public health programmes.Study designQualitative research study of case studies of public health projects.MethodsFive case studies of public health projects were undertaken, reflecting diverse roles, public health issues and populations. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with a sample of 136 stakeholders, including commissioners, practitioners, LHWs and service users. Thematic analysis was conducted within and across cases.ResultsFindings on the pre-eminence of social skills associated with LHW roles were consistent across all five projects. Being approachable, non-judgemental and responsive to community needs were critical attributes that enabled LHWs to undertake outreach and communicate successfully with programme recipients. Experiential knowledge and cultural understanding were also important qualities. A typology of attributes associated with LHW roles is presented.ConclusionsSocial skills, the ability to connect with a community, and the ability to develop respectful relationships are fundamental qualities for LHW roles. Further research would be required to produce a comprehensive map of LHW skills; however, the paper questions assumptions that lay skills are necessarily of a lower order than the professional skill set.