169667 Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP): Framework for a community's health needs assessment

Monday, October 27, 2008: 8:30 AM

Audrey J. Kemp, PhD Candidate , Health Promotion Education/Learning Sciences & Technologies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
The present study involved a collaboration between the New River Health District and Virginia Tech in implementing a comprehensive, strategic planning tool, Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP), to quantitatively and qualitatively uncover the health needs of insured and under-/uninsured residents (N = 2,000) in New River Valley (NRV), Virginia. The current study represents the initial implementation of MAPP in its entirety in Virginia. Preliminary data indicate that greater than half (56%) of the sample report an overall good quality of life (e.g., ample green space, safe neighborhoods), with an urgent need for healthcare reform, affordable insurance, and transportation, particularly for after-hours care. The final results will be compared to those of a previous health needs assessment conducted in 2000 in NRV to determine how the community's health needs have changed over time. Secondary aims of the current study include informing state and federal legislation, and guiding other communities across the United States in implementing the MAPP tool to identify and address residents' most pressing health needs.

Learning Objectives:
O1: List five benefits and five challenges of using MAPP in conducting community health needs assessments via the examination of a real-world example/case study. O2: Identify and prioritize five current health needs in your own health district or community based on the presented MAPP framework. O3: Articulate your responses to the following three questions to develop a vision for improving your community’s overall health status: (1) What does a healthy community mean to you? (2) What are the characteristics of a healthy community? (3) Where do you see the local health system in the next five to 10 years?

Keywords: Community Health, Assessments

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: the data that I will present is in fulfillment of my dissertation project.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Advances in CBPH: The Application of Innovative Methods, Strategies & Tools
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