Evaluation of Community Health Assessment in Kansas

Abstract

This article evaluates the status of community health assessment in Kansas. It describes community characteristics associated with community health assessment completion, factors contributing to success, as well as barriers and limitations that prevented Kansas communities from initiating a community health assessment or completing the process. Survey findings show that certain community characteristics such as interagency cooperation, history of success at problem solving, and shared decision-making power are strongly associated with completion of a community health assessment. Results also indicate that factors such as lack of leadership, money, and time as well as poor functioning coalitions may hinder the completion of community health assessment.

Factors Affecting the Progress of Community Health Assessment and Improvement Activities in Kansas

“…8 Community characteristics including interagency cooperation, history of success at problem solving, and shared decision-making power were strongly associated with CHA completion, while communities with incomplete CHAs reported having less representation of community leaders in their coalitions. Communities in which a CHA was not initiated reported barriers including a lack of community interest, time, and money.…”

“…18 The types of community stakeholders represented in CHA-CHIP activities paralleled those reported previously. 8,9,17 Most participating counties, which were predominantly rural, reported being in the early stages of the CHIP and had identified 3 community health priorities. Curtis 8 reported that 50% of the communities that completed the CHA prioritization process selected more than 3 health problems.…”

“…8,9,17 Most participating counties, which were predominantly rural, reported being in the early stages of the CHIP and had identified 3 community health priorities. Curtis 8 reported that 50% of the communities that completed the CHA prioritization process selected more than 3 health problems. Counties that reported progress in their CHIP process indicated that new CHIP-related interventions were consistent with activities that the LHD had planned to address, a finding not previously reported.…”

“…8,9 By 2013, participants indicated that many of the barriers reported previously had been reduced. 17 However, concerns about the sustainability of CHA-CHIP activities voiced in 2012 remained and were predominantly associated with public health system development.…”

Being, Becoming and Belonging

“…McFarlane and Roach (1999) suggest ongoing communication, balancing the needs of both government and non-profits, a consistent tendering process, empathy for the needs of non-profit agencies and a clear sense that both partners are committed to helping people in need. Others have identified barriers to and facilitators of collaboration or partnerships in community health (Scott & Thurston, 1997;Curtis, 2002;van Eyk & Baum, 2002). There is consensus in the literature that there is willingness for all service providers to collaborate for the purpose of addressing client needs but a lack of knowledge or training on how to do so.…”