Community health assessments are a dynamic process undertaken by community stakeholder groups to identify the health status, needs and resources of the community. Using a variety of data sources and methods, these assessments enable communities to establish priorities and facilitate planning directed toward promoting healthier communities. New Jersey is typical of other states in its community assessment activities. Virtually every county in the state has conducted at least one community assessment during the 1990’s. With support from the New Jersey Hospital Association and the New Jersey Society for Community Health Assessment (NJSCHA), we were able to identify 24 New Jersey community health assessments and key informants associated with these assessments. Through telephone interviews using an open-ended question guide, we were able to characterize these community assessments (in terms of their geography, leadership, funding, grassroots involvement, and methods, among other factors) as well as explore key informants’ perceptions of their outcomes in terms of either development of new or expanded health service programs/ initiatives or development of lasting community health partnerships/networks. In addition to interviews, copies of final reports produced by these assessments were also reviewed. Research suggested three broad types: “implementation” assessments for which informants could point to specific health program outcomes that were implemented as a result of the assessment; assessments for which the “partnership” itself was viewed as the most significant outcome; and finally, assessments which produced no outcomes save for an opportunity to enhance the stature of a sponsoring agency within the community.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, the participant will be able to recognize characteristics associated with three broad types of community health assessments and apply these types to characterize the assessment(s) with which they are articipating
Keywords: Community Health Assessment,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.