Assessing Community Health Needs in the Rappahannock Region
The Rappahannock Region Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) was the
result of collaboration between Mary Washington Healthcare and the Healthy
Communities Institute (HCI) to determine health needs in the City of Fredericksburg
and the counties of Caroline, King George, Orange, Prince William, Spotsylvania,
Stafford, and Westmoreland.
Through interviews with residents and health experts and public forums
that gathered community input, unmet health needs and gaps in service
were determined, particularly among vulnerable populations such as the
economically disadvantaged, racial and ethnic minorities, the uninsured,
and low-income children.
In October 2015, Mary Washington Healthcare and a Steering Committee of
local experts and community members prioritized the findings and identified
the top five priorities:
- Obesity – adult and childhood
- Access to health services
- Substance abuse – with emphasis on tobacco or illicit drug use, particularly
among teens and young adults
- Behavioral health – with emphasis on teens, young adults, and seniors
- Cancer (breast, lung, and prostate)
Next, Mary Washington Healthcare and the Steering Committee agreed to first
address obesity as a community collaborative. It’s a health issue
affecting a significant portion of the population across all age, racial,
and ethnic groups, and it can have significant impact on the other identified
health needs.