CHWS study guide
CHWS · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Health and Wellness Specialist (CHWS) credential is designed for practitioners who help people adopt and sustain healthier behaviors: wellness coaches, community health workers, worksite wellness coordinators, fitness and nutrition professionals extending into coaching, and educators building health programming. It signals that a candidate can translate general wellness principles into practical, ethical, person-centered support rather than one-size-fits-all advice. The CHWS study guide has 9 sections and about 2,414 words.
01Health and Wellness Foundations
Community health workers operate from a wellness model, not just an illness model. Know the difference between health (a state of physical, mental, and social well-being) and wellness (an active, ongoing process of choices toward that state).
307 words, about 2 min02Behavior Change and Coaching
Effective coaching is person-centered : the client sets the agenda, the CHW asks open questions, reflects, summarizes, and affirms. Know the difference between motivational interviewing (evoking the client's own reasons for change) and advice-giving (telling the client what to do).
288 words, about 1 min03Nutrition and Physical Activity
Know the broad strokes of dietary guidelines : emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and limited added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. Understand energy balance (calories in versus out), macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat), and micronutrients of concern (iron, calcium, vitamin D, folate).
300 words, about 2 min04Stress, Mental Health, and Sleep
Understand the stress response (acute versus chronic) and the difference between eustress (motivating) and distress (harmful). Know evidence-based coping strategies: problem-focused (change the stressor) versus emotion-focused (regulate the response), plus relaxation techniques, social support, and physical activity.
258 words, about 1 min05Chronic Disease Prevention and Risk Reduction
Know the risk factors and prevention basics for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and common cancers . Understand modifiable risk factors (tobacco, diet, inactivity, alcohol, weight, blood pressure) versus non-modifiable ones (age, family history, genetics).
244 words, about 1 min06Health Education and Communication
Understand that health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand health information to make decisions. It is not the same as intelligence or education.
271 words, about 1 min07Program Planning and Evaluation
Know the standard program cycle: assessment → planning → implementation → evaluation . Familiarize yourself with needs assessment methods (surveys, focus groups, key informant interviews, secondary data) and the importance of involving the community in planning.
238 words, about 1 min08Professional Ethics, Scope, and Referral
Know that a CHW's role is to educate, support, navigate, and refer - not to diagnose, prescribe, or provide clinical treatment. Stay within training and role boundaries.
254 words, about 1 min09Diversity, Equity, and Cultural Humility
Distinguish equality (same treatment) from equity (treatment matched to need). Understand cultural humility - a lifelong process of self-reflection and openness, not a checklist of facts about groups.
254 words, about 1 min