MAPP: An assessment of a vulnerable community

Background: Gainesway is a small community of 23,433, located within a mid-sized city in the Midwest. Gainesway has a low median household income (approximately $18,000/year) and high rates of single parent households. Approximately 70% of students at the local school qualify for free or reduced lunches. Key informants in the area identify crime as a major cause of early morbidity in the area. Numerous national and international studies have demonstrated a link between neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation, social disorder, and adverse health outcomes. Additionally, numerous families in this vulnerable community are without transportation, and the community is isolated from health care providers, pharmacies, supermarkets and physical activity centers. Methods: Utilizing the Mobilizing for Action Through Planning and Partnership (MAPP) process, we are partnering with the community to conduct an assessment, identify the most pressing problems, discuss potential goals/strategies, and empower the residents to take action. We are currently in the assessment phase of this process and have established a community MAPP committee, and are conducting windshield surveys, key informant interviews, and analyzing existing data sources. We will focus the assessment on identifying: local needs/strengths, existing public health resources, and available health indicators for the area. Focus groups are planned for the near future to begin the “visioning” process with the community. An “Elder Council” of community members will be assembled to advise the MAPP committee throughout the process, from assessment to implementation. Results: The assessment is currently in progress. However, based on our limited results, it appears that teenage pregnancy, alcohol/drug use, and physical inactivity/obesity are crucial public health problems facing the Gainesway area. Conclusions: The MAPP process is an assessment tool that empowers the community to be actively involved. This presentation will include a description of the MAPP process and present data on an assessment and intervention in a vulnerable, socioeconomically deprived area.