To address gaps in data for populations historically un- or underrepresented in existing sources, community-led data collection was incorporated into Kent County’s 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process. Twelve organizations were paid to lead surveying efforts in their communities, resulting in a diverse convenience sample and disaggregated data for priority populations.
Your voice, and your vote, are vital for shaping healthier communities. This blog post explores the connections between democracy and health, as well as ways to promote civic engagement.
Well-resourced civic infrastructure and active civic participation can improve health. Both allow communities to tap the collective knowledge, wisdom, and action priorities of residents. Strengthening democratic processes and assuring access to civic and voter participation is necessary to advance health and racial equity.
As COVID-19 deaths decline, overdose deaths continue to rise, with death rates spiking in communities of color (AMA, 2023), where fentanyl has entered the drug supply of stimulants as well as heroin.
As we draw our second health literacy conference to a close, we will work with attendees on the action items they developed during our conference in the following months to assist public health-focused organizations in becoming more health literate while improving community engagement and access to care. Striving to provide educational opportunities resulting in calls to action is key to reducing barriers and creating more health literate organizations.
Investments in community-led initiatives, strategies, and solutions are crucial to build the power and capacity of populations most impacted by health and social inequities. The Well Black Woman® Institute (WBWI) is an innovative leadership development program for Black women in Wisconsin. WBWI builds the knowledge, skills, and capacity of Black women to become health equity advocates, leaders, and change agents within their communities and across the state.