A Needs Assessment for a Center for Health Promotion in Kansas: What do Key Stakeholders Want?

The state of Kansas ranks 23rd in overall state health rankings. However, smoking prevalence increased 12% from 2006 to 2007 and the overall position is indicative of a 6 point drop in ranking from the previous year. In the past year the number of uninsured increased and the number of children living in poverty has increased by 38% since 1990. In that same period infant mortality increased 27%. Kansas ranks second in military deployments. In addition, racial disparity assessments indicate a differential of 70% when assessing premature deaths of blacks in relation to whites.

A center for health promotion located at a college with a chiropractic and health science focus could conduct research, outreach, and support a university education mission that reaches out to the citizens of Kansas aiming at improvement of health outcomes. The aim of the project is to determine the feasibility of such a center by holding a series of 3 focus groups in the state. These will help determine central themes among public health, health care providers, and other stakeholders in the state facilitated through the Kansas Public Health Leadership Institute. An expedited IRB has been granted and these focus groups are being held in January, April, and July in various parts of the state of Kansas. Results are reported based on the analysis of themes from the three focus groups carried out around the state.