Community Health Assessment

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Community Health Assessment

Community Health Assessment 2009

Connecting The Dots …

Behind every health story in Central Region lies a complex set of factors that influences whether people are “as healthy as can be.”

A “community health assessment” is a dynamic, ongoing process undertaken to identify the strengths and needs of the community, to enable the community-wide establishment of health priorities and to facilitate action that will improve community health and quality of life. In conducting the 2009 Community Health Assessment, we attempted to capture the main influences in Central Region and to provide a picture of the health of its people.

The 2009 Community Health Assessment Report illustrates the relationship between the determinants of health and the health of population groups in Central Region. A summary of the 2009 Community Health Assessment provides key findings at a glance (will be available shortly).

To obtain a disk with the complete Community Health Assessment 2009 document, please email info@rha-central.mb.ca and provide your mailing address.

Chapter 1 - Introduction

In the big picture, what does health in Central Region look like? What patterns can we see? Determined by many factors, the portrait of our community’s overall health is indeed complex in its detail and cannot be examined from a small, focused perspective. There are innumerable questions that can be asked about health and, in isolation, each answer is but a random dot on information. Our challenge lies in connecting the dots to see the emerging patterns. As we gather new evidence and gain insight from the community, an image slowly comes into focus. The seemingly random dots begin to tell a story.

Chapter 1-Introduction [pdf, 6.0 MB]

Chapter 2 - Summary of 2009 CHA Findings and Key Themes

Chapter 2 summarizes key findings from the data collected through the 2009 CHA process. While the other chapters provide more detailed information and context, this chapter begins to “connect the dots", to see the emerging patterns, and to paint a portrait of Central Region’s overall health. An overview of selected findings, key themes and areas of opportunity are considered.

Chapter 2-Summary Findings & Key Themes [pdf, 6.0 MB]

Chapter 3 - Determinants of Health and Well-being

While painting a picture of health in Central Region, we recognize that a complex set of personal, social, economic and environmental factors or conditions influence whether people are “as healthy as they can be". These factors are most often referred to as the 'determinants of health'. In Chapter 3, we begin connecting the dots by examining how some of these factors shape the image of health in Central Region.

Chapter 3-Det of Hlth & Well-being [pdf, 5.8 MB]

Chapter 4 - Health Status

As we begin connecting the dots, we see emerging patterns. Our canvas now offers an unfolding story about outcomes. Measuring population health status identifies emerging health issues, long-term challenges and informs the choice among competing priorities. Measuring population health status answers the questions:

“How healthy is the population and is their health improving?"
“Who is healthy and who is not?"
“What can we learn from current trends in health status to help prepare for the future?"
“What are the key health issues?"

Chapter 4-Health Status [pdf, 4.8 MB]

Chapter 5 - Health System Characteristics

Health services, as a determinant of health, contribute to population health and present another dimension to assessing the health of a population. There are vital connections that exist among people and processes in the health system that influence eventual outcomes. This chapter examines the characteristics that define how, in the big picture, the system functions and impacts on health in Central Region.

Chapter 5-Health Stystem Characteriscs [pdf, 2.8 MB]

Chapter 6 - Health System Performance

Our insight into connecting the dots about what makes and keeps people healthy in Central Region continues. In this chapter, the challenge of interconnectedness between individuals and systems is finally considered in relation to performance in key areas. In particular, this is where we begin seeing a portrait of our health system performance regarding accessibility, safety, continuity of service and effectiveness.