“I was not Invited to be a [CHW] … I asked to be one”: Motives for Community Mobilization among Women Community Health Workers in Mexico

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Abstract
Despite health educators’ revitalized interest in community mobilization for health, little attention has been given to participants’ motives for mobilizing. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the understanding of community mobilizing by analyzing the motives for mobilization among a group of women community health workers (CHWs), members of a community-based organization in Mexico. The study is guided by critical feminist and social constructivist theories. It aims at identifying the categories of motives used by women CHWs and exploring how these motives are created while presenting women’s own voices. Women’s motives fall into four categories: getting out, serving, learning, and women’s betterment. These motives blend personal and public motives. The analysis suggests that mobilization for health may be enhanced by addressing both the personal satisfaction of individuals and the accomplishment of public goods. The study of motives may be useful for the recruitment and retention of participants in community mobilization efforts.

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