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Community Health Worker

Healthcare

Promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Allied HealthNursing

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Perform basic diagnostic procedures, such as blood pressure screening, breast cancer screening, or communicable disease screening.
  2. 2Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  3. 3Advise clients or community groups on issues related to diagnostic screenings, such as breast cancer screening, pap smears, glaucoma tests, or diabetes screenings.
  4. 4Advise clients or community groups on issues related to risk or prevention of conditions, such as lead poisoning, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), prenatal substance abuse, or domestic violence.
  5. 5Administer immunizations or other basic preventive treatments.
  6. 6Identify the particular health care needs of individuals in a community or target area.
  7. 7Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
  8. 8Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management.
  9. 9Conduct home visits for pregnant women, newborn infants, or other high-risk individuals to monitor their progress or assess their needs.
  10. 10Transport or accompany clients to scheduled health appointments or referral sites.
  11. 11Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women.
  12. 12Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
  13. 13Distribute flyers, brochures, or other informational or educational documents to inform members of a targeted community.
  14. 14Refer community members to needed health services.
  15. 15Advocate for individual or community health needs with government agencies or health service providers.
  16. 16Report incidences of child or elder abuse, neglect, or threats of harm to authorities, as required.
  17. 17Advise clients or community groups on issues related to sanitation or hygiene, such as flossing or hand washing.
  18. 18Teach classes or otherwise disseminate medical or dental health information to school groups, community groups, or targeted families or individuals, in a manner consistent with cultural norms.
  19. 19Collect information from individuals to compile vital statistics about the general health of community members.
  20. 20Assist families to apply for social services, including Medicaid or Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
  21. 21Advise clients or community groups on issues related to social or intellectual development, such as education, childcare, or problem solving.
  22. 22Provide basic health services, such as first aid.
  23. 23Interpret, translate, or provide cultural mediation related to health services or information for community members.
  24. 24Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
  25. 25Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups.
  26. 26Advise clients or community groups to ensure parental understanding of the importance of childhood immunizations and how to access immunization services.
  27. 27Develop plans or formal contracts for individuals, families, or community groups to improve overall health.
  28. 28Provide feedback to health service providers regarding improving service accessibility or acceptability.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • BHW
  • CHW
  • Promoter
  • Navigator
  • Contact Tracer
  • Guest Advocate
  • Peer Navigator
  • Wellness Coach
  • Health Advocate
  • Nurse Navigator

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BiologyDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
ChemistryDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Customer and Personal Service90%
  • English Language79%

    English

  • Education and Training76%
  • Administration and Management74%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Medicine and Dentistry72%

    BiologyChemistry

  • Psychology71%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentOften
  • Time walking or movingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

28%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.38%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: School / Career Counsellor

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Community Health Workers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org