Using qualitative methods to conduct community health assessments

Understanding the health needs of a community is necessary to address population health, but because little is known about how community residents prioritize health issues, an open and exploratory approach may be needed in addition to quantitative data to meaningfully understand the health needs of a community.

Using a community-based participatory research approach, the Rhode Island (RI) Department of Health has partnered with key stakeholders to conduct community forums at different locations in the state to learn more about the health priorities of community members. Stakeholders include community leaders, the YMCA, the Hospital Association of RI, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI, The Providence Plan, RI KIDS COUNT, the RI Public Health Institute, and Brown University. Stakeholders were brought together to form the Community Health Assessment Steering Committee.

Community locations were identified through the Steering Committee, with the goal of reaching communities in each geographic area of the state. Qualitative methods were used to study the health concerns of the communities through recording focus group discussions and using the perspectives of the participants as the basis for understanding a certain issue or problem.

To date, five communities have been visited. Examples of emergent themes included “Create opportunities for healthy living”, “Address safety and drug use in the community”, and “Increase access to mental health and primary care.” After the communities have had time to review the disseminated results, follow up with each community will be arranged to discuss how to address their community-specific health issues.