Residents Invited to Rate Health Issues in Community
The Partnership for a Healthy Community, comprised of partnering agencies with local area health systems, organizations, and health departments in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties invites residents to provide their perceptions of the most pressing community health issues in our area through a new online survey. The survey is an effort to include community members in the year-long process of identifying strategic public health initiatives. Individuals will rate factors that influence a healthy community such as access to medical care, exercising for health, and healthy eating.
The survey is available online at: https://bradley.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9LxawcbVHTZrWAu (English) https://bradley.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0IN08gbIHzFQ1rU (Spanish)
Health Systems partner Dr. Keith Knepp encourages participation, "At UnityPoint Health - Central Illinois, we are encouraging all community members to fill out the Community Health - Needs Assessment Survey. During a time when the health of our region has a heightened value to us all, it's important to make our voices heard on the issues that most affect us. Please spend the few minutes it takes to complete this confidential survey and weigh in on where you'd like to see local health leaders focus most."
“Gathering input from our community members is essential as we collaborate with the Health Departments and other Health Systems to ensure we are meeting as many of the needs in our community as possible” says Robert Anderson, President of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center.
Monica Hendrickson, Administrator at Peoria City/County Health Department, explains the public health approach. "The survey is just one part of our region’s strategic planning initiative based on MAPP, or Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships, a tool developed by the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It will help us identify strategic community strengths and the issues that the public thinks we should address in the next several years."
“The survey attempts to gauge the community’s awareness and concern about diseases including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and about behaviors like drug and tobacco use,” states Amy Fox, Administrator for Tazewell County Health Department. "We will be reviewing results for the region and then drilling down for results in each County. We want a better understanding of exactly what our residents view as a healthy community.”
Hillary Aggertt, Administrator for Woodford County Health Department adds, “The goal of the strategic planning process is to create a much stronger infrastructure for communities."
The survey is available online: https://bradley.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9LxawcbVHTZrWAu (English)
https://bradley.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0IN08gbIHzFQ1rU (Spanish)
For more information on the Partnership for a Healthy Community, visit https://healthyhoi.org/ .
