Reach
What are the needs of your community? Who is your target population? What are the barriers to implementing these programs and what are the resources available?
Begin by identifying the demographic and health issues for your county, and then use the questions and resources below to guide you in a needs assessment for your county and facility.
Additional information and tools for REACH
2010 Health Objectives
Demographic Information
- What percent of the county population is age 65 and over? What percent of the population is under the age of 17?
- These numbers indicate if there are enough younger people available to help sustain the economy and to provide care for the elderly.
- The average older adult has at least 3 chronic conditions. If 25% of your county population is over the age of 65, there will be many health care needs.
- What percent of the population is either at or below the poverty level?
- Individuals with low incomes have more chronic health conditions, more medical care use, and worse outcomes than individuals at mid and upper income levels. * What percent of the population 65 and over reports two or more disabilities?
- Disabilities are linked to chronic health conditions
- Do the health promotion programs currently offered in my county address these diagnoses?
- What percent of the population lives in rural vs. urban settings?
- Individuals in rural settings tend to have less access to care and often more chronic conditions than individuals in urban settings
- How do the demographic statistics of the county compare to the state as a whole?
- Are there unique demographic issues in my county? Examples include: Racial distribution, number of Code Red or Code Orange Days, Access to transportation, etc.
County Specific Information
- Identify barriers to implementing health promotion programming
- Examples include: largely rural population, large percentage of poverty, greater proportion of minorities, cultural barriers, linguistic barriers, limited access to transportation.
- Which evidence-based health promotion programs would best meet the needs of the older adults in my county? EBHP in NC or Other EBHP
- Who is offering these programs in North Carolina?
- If no other counties are offering programs that would meet the needs of my older adult population, are the programs available in other states?
- Are there any funding opportunities to help me start a new program?
Data Matrix Questions
- Are there health conditions that I see routinely at my facility? For example, arthritis or diabetes.
- Is there a database that will provide me information about that health condition? Who is the contact person for the database?
- Is there a way to compare my county to other counties?
- Is the health condition included in the North Carolina 2010 Health Objectives? (arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease/stroke, overweight/obesity)
With this information, you can identify a health condition that should be addressed in your community and locate the appropriate health promotion program.
Facility Questions
- Do you have the space and the resources required to implement an EBHP program?
- Do your clients have the interest and the resources to participate?
- Will I be REACHING those who will benefit the most with this program?
- To expand the REACH do I need to partner with other facilities/organizations? If so, who?
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TiffanyShubert - 2009-09-19
