The 2022 Lake County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) is now available online at https://www.lcghd.org/reports/healthdata/. Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) and University Hospitals Lake Medical Centers collaborated to collect local, state, and national data to identify and evaluate Lake County’s health-related needs to give local agencies information about current health status and issues. This information is helping to develop a community health improvement plan (CHIP) by justifying how and where resources should be given to best meet Lake County’s needs.
Methods used to collect data included using a community resident survey, conducting several targeted community focus groups, and convening community stakeholder organizations for discussions on key topics.
Data were analyzed by Conduent Healthy Communities Institute, a consulting company specializing in community and population health solutions. Nine significant health needs were identified, including:
- Access to Healthcare – having the ability to see a qualified health provider within a reasonable period of time
- Built Environment – all of the physical parts where we live and work, such as houses, buildings, streets, open spaces, and infrastructure.
- Cancer
- Chronic Disease – conditions that last one or more years and require ongoing medical attention, limit activities of daily living, or both.
- Economic Concerns
- Infectious Disease
- Mental Health
- Substance Use and Misuse
- Unintentional Injury and Accidents
In May 2022, over 50 Lake County community stakeholders met to prioritize the nine significant health needs based on scope, severity, and ability to impact. Access to Healthcare, Chronic Disease, and Behavioral Health (Mental Health and Substance Use and Misuse) were chosen as the top priorities and will be included in the 2023-2025 Lake County CHIP. Community leaders, local healthcare providers, and non-profit organizations are currently working together to identify health improvement strategies that can be implemented over the next three years. The release of the Lake County CHIP is planned for the end of 2022.
“On behalf of LCGHD, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of our partners who actively participated in the CHNA,” commented Lake County Health Commissioner Ron Graham. “To accomplish such a grand task would not have been possible without the expertise and experience that all participants brought to the table.”
LCGHD will be continuously enhancing the CHNA over the next three years, and will be seeking opportunities to share its findings with the community. For more information on the CHNA, please contact Jessica Wakelee at (440) 350-2939 or jwakelee@lcghd.org.
