A community health needs assessment is vital as it provides information upon which action to improve the overall health of a community can be based. It provides the health status of a community describes the factors influencing health and identifies the available resources that can be channeled towards the improvement of the community’s health. The assessment, therefore, identifies health challenges and ensures that resources are applied towards the solution of these challenges. I conducted a mini needs assessment for my county, Orange County California.
Orange County covers 398 square miles and is located in California. Its population has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few decades. The median age is 36.3 years while 51.1% of the …show more content…
It is usually expressed as the number of fatalities per 1000 live births. It is linked to factors such as socioeconomic status, health literacy, and access to adequate prenatal care and health beliefs. High rates of infant mortality indicate the existence of other problems relating to maternal and child healthcare. Infant mortality rates have been on a decline for the past two decades. Overall mortality rates are used as indicators of overall health and well-being of a community. Mortality rates are expressed as deaths per 100000 people for a specific gender, age group and cause of mortality. Premature deaths are caused by intentional and non-intentional factors. Obesity and smoking are the leading cause of preventable premature deaths (Nguyen, …show more content…
The quality of life of people is determined by various economic, social and political aspects of the community. The high quality of life usually results in more satisfaction, community stability and longevity of life. The quality of life is improved by meeting human needs through envisioning social norms, formulating and implementing policies geared towards creating opportunities for meeting these needs. Health is a determinant of the overall well-being of a person. Residents of Orange County enjoy living with a high quality of life as demonstrated by the findings of this assessment. Orange County is one of the healthiest in the state with 87.2% of residents with good health ratings. The leading causes of death are diseases and unintentional injuries. The life expectancy is quite high at around 80 years.
Community capacity is the ability of a community to develop, implement and sustain solutions to various problems affecting the community. Building this capability involves creating self-controlled, sustainable and resilient outcomes. Needs assessment takes into account the potential of a community to tackle the challenges facing it in attempting to meet its needs (Hubbell, 1989).
Despite steps to address health issues, Orange County still has several areas that need priority. These include access to healthcare insurance, focus on mental health,
Orange County covers 398 square miles and is located in California. Its population has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few decades. The median age is 36.3 years while 51.1% of the …show more content…
It is usually expressed as the number of fatalities per 1000 live births. It is linked to factors such as socioeconomic status, health literacy, and access to adequate prenatal care and health beliefs. High rates of infant mortality indicate the existence of other problems relating to maternal and child healthcare. Infant mortality rates have been on a decline for the past two decades. Overall mortality rates are used as indicators of overall health and well-being of a community. Mortality rates are expressed as deaths per 100000 people for a specific gender, age group and cause of mortality. Premature deaths are caused by intentional and non-intentional factors. Obesity and smoking are the leading cause of preventable premature deaths (Nguyen, …show more content…
The quality of life of people is determined by various economic, social and political aspects of the community. The high quality of life usually results in more satisfaction, community stability and longevity of life. The quality of life is improved by meeting human needs through envisioning social norms, formulating and implementing policies geared towards creating opportunities for meeting these needs. Health is a determinant of the overall well-being of a person. Residents of Orange County enjoy living with a high quality of life as demonstrated by the findings of this assessment. Orange County is one of the healthiest in the state with 87.2% of residents with good health ratings. The leading causes of death are diseases and unintentional injuries. The life expectancy is quite high at around 80 years.
Community capacity is the ability of a community to develop, implement and sustain solutions to various problems affecting the community. Building this capability involves creating self-controlled, sustainable and resilient outcomes. Needs assessment takes into account the potential of a community to tackle the challenges facing it in attempting to meet its needs (Hubbell, 1989).
Despite steps to address health issues, Orange County still has several areas that need priority. These include access to healthcare insurance, focus on mental health,