Listening to the underserved: Vision care needs assessment across 3 different rural community-based clinics

Purpose: Community health centers (CHC's) were created to meet the health care needs of the underserved, yet only 18% of the nation's CHC's make provisions for eye care. Local needs assessment is a requisite first step on the road to understanding local needs and values. Survey results described herein will be used to develop A Collaborative Community Eye-care Service (A.C.C.E.S.), a partnership between Family Health Care (FHC), a rural community health center (CHC), and the Michigan College of Optometry. Methods: Over 900 adult and child patient surveys were distributed (non-systematically) across multiple days and weeks to FHC patients within 3 separate rural clinics. Items included patient demographics, vision and medical insurance status, ocular and visual health, medical health, access to care, frequency of utilization, and barriers to care. Several items were borrowed directly or adapted from the vision care module of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Results: Results are forthcoming. Discussion: The process of listening to the underserved does not occur in a vacuum, nor does it end with a survey of needs. A commitment to developing a sustainable intervention program that might meet the community's needs requires a process of shared problem solving and decision-making. Furthermore, community representation should be present in the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of such programs. Responding to the unmet needs of the community is requisite if academic and community partnerships are to appreciate significant local impact and credibility.