TY - JOUR
T1 - Conducting a Hispanic Health Needs Assessment in rural Kansas
T2 - Building the foundation for community action
AU - Bopp, Melissa
AU - Fallon, Elizabeth A.
AU - Bolton, Debra J.
AU - Kaczynski, Andrew T.
AU - Lukwago, Susan
AU - Brooks, Alicia
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was funded by a grant from the Sunflower Foundation of Kansas and supplemental funding was received from the Center for Engagement and Community Development at Kansas State University . We would like to thank our community partners in southwest Kansas, notably Linda Beech, Ethel Schneweis, and Kathy Bloom from Kansas State University Research and Extension Service, the Health Departments of Ford, Finney and Seward counties, the United Methodist Mexican American Ministries, the Community Health Coalition and Community Services Council of Garden City, the Liberal Coalition for Families, Dodge City Community College, and the Colvin Adult Learning Center. This project would not have been possible without the commitment and hard work of Rachel Jack, Samuel Ornelas, and Anthony Garcia.
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - Healthy People 2020 states ethnic health disparities are a priority for the US. Although considerable national statistics document ethnic-related health disparities, information specific to rural areas is scarce and does not provide direction for implementing chronic disease prevention programming. Therefore, the purpose of our project was to use the Hispanic Health Needs Assessment (HHNA), a tool designed by the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (NAHH), in culturally diverse, rural Southwest Kansas. Our focus areas included: access to healthcare, heart disease, diabetes, overweight, nutrition, and physical activity. Methods: The assessment followed six steps: (1) developing the assessment team, (2) data gathering using community member surveys, existing statistics and community leader interviews, (3) assembling the findings, (4) formulating recommendations for action at individual, institutional, community and policy levels, (5) sharing findings and program planning, and (6) sharing findings with NAHH. We identified several challenges collecting health related data in rural communities, but overall, the HHNA was a comprehensive and useful tool for guiding a community level health assessment. Conclusion: This process has provided our community partners with locally relevant statistics regarding the current status of health, health behaviors, and perceived community needs to inform resource allocation, program planning and applications for new funding initiatives.
AB - Healthy People 2020 states ethnic health disparities are a priority for the US. Although considerable national statistics document ethnic-related health disparities, information specific to rural areas is scarce and does not provide direction for implementing chronic disease prevention programming. Therefore, the purpose of our project was to use the Hispanic Health Needs Assessment (HHNA), a tool designed by the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (NAHH), in culturally diverse, rural Southwest Kansas. Our focus areas included: access to healthcare, heart disease, diabetes, overweight, nutrition, and physical activity. Methods: The assessment followed six steps: (1) developing the assessment team, (2) data gathering using community member surveys, existing statistics and community leader interviews, (3) assembling the findings, (4) formulating recommendations for action at individual, institutional, community and policy levels, (5) sharing findings and program planning, and (6) sharing findings with NAHH. We identified several challenges collecting health related data in rural communities, but overall, the HHNA was a comprehensive and useful tool for guiding a community level health assessment. Conclusion: This process has provided our community partners with locally relevant statistics regarding the current status of health, health behaviors, and perceived community needs to inform resource allocation, program planning and applications for new funding initiatives.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2012.02.002
DO - 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2012.02.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 22417673
AN - SCOPUS:84857936540
SN - 0149-7189
VL - 35
SP - 453
EP - 460
JO - Evaluation and Program Planning
JF - Evaluation and Program Planning
IS - 4
ER -
