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The differences between lay health advocates and advocates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a lay health advocate, becoming an advocate takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an advocate has an average salary of $39,497, which is higher than the $35,126 average annual salary of a lay health advocate.
The top three skills for a lay health advocate include patients, social work and substance abuse. The most important skills for an advocate are CPR, customer service, and developmental disabilities.
| Lay Health Advocate | Advocate | |
| Yearly salary | $35,126 | $39,497 |
| Hourly rate | $16.89 | $18.99 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 62,717 | 74,970 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A lay health advocate helps the patients prepare for medical appointments, update and organize physicians' information. After the medical appointments, a lay health advocate offers follow-up care services by monitoring patient conditions and ensuring they follow all treatment recommendations. They assist patients in scheduling additional appointments and arrange their medications. These professionals advise patients on the best ways to maintain control over medical care and prevent more medical issues like fall injuries.
An advocate is a voice for the voiceless. It is their responsibility to speak on behalf of an individual or a particular cause. Most of the duties will vary depending on the line of organization or duty involved; however, an advocate must have extensive knowledge or background on the subject matter. Furthermore, an advocate must be present at gatherings regarding the cause, assist in the negotiation and mediation processes involving contracts and legal documentation, provide or convey accurate information, and defend what they represent.
Lay health advocates and advocates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lay Health Advocate | Advocate | |
| Average salary | $35,126 | $39,497 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $44,000 | Between $26,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Johnston, RI | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | New York |
| Best paying company | NRDC | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a lay health advocate and an advocate in terms of educational background:
| Lay Health Advocate | Advocate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between lay health advocates' and advocates' demographics:
| Lay Health Advocate | Advocate | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.9% Female, 74.1% | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 6.0% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.2% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 21% | 11% |