Montgomery County released its first Community Health Assessment report this week guiding the development of a plan to improve residents’ health, writes Emily Neil for the WHYY.
Last year, over 3,300 people responded and participated in focus groups by the county’s Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health. Community responses help identify health concerns and shape the profile of local health and wellness.
Christina Miller, administrator of the Office of Public Health, presented the report on Thursday at the Montgomery County Commissioners meeting.
“As the health department, we see a lot of data about health statistics, what has already happened, what exists,” she said. “But you all know that often our residents see and experience things way before they show up in health statistics. So this [assessment] helps us to understand a little bit more about what our residents are seeing and experiencing in their lives, to help prevent some of those health statistics from rising.”
The report addresses topics such as health status; maternal, parental, and infant health; substance abuse and alcohol use; health care access; health conditions; social needs and social determinants of health; and quality of life.
Read more about the Community Health Assessment report in the WHYY.
