Macon County Launches the Community Health Assessment Survey to Help Better Understand Resident Health and Opportunities for Improvement

PRESS RELEASE (04-23-2024)
MACON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Franklin, N.C.–Over the next few weeks, Macon County residents will play a crucial role in helping Macon County Public Health (MCPH) identify important health needs in our community and the surrounding area. We have collaborated with the national research firm PRC based in Omaha, Nebraska, to conduct the Community Health Assessment (CHA) survey with western North Carolina (WNC) residents between April and October of this year. The confidential survey will ask about residents’ health, behaviors, and experiences. Randomly selected households will receive a call from “WNC Health” and the survey will take around 20 minutes to complete.

Macon is one of eighteen counties participating in the CHA across WNC. The survey covers various health-related factors, including demographics, socioeconomics, health status, disparities, behaviors, clinical care, physical environment, and quality of life. This data is the basis for our efforts to prioritize and address health challenges over the next three years.

Macon plays a vital role in the regional CHA strategy, which is led by the WNC Healthy Impact initiative, a collaborative endeavor involving hospitals, health departments, and dedicated partners committed to enhancing community health across the region. The Community Health Assessment is generously supported by the hospitals of western North Carolina and bolstered by contributions from the Dogwood Health Trust, and aims to collect comprehensive data essential for understanding and addressing regional health challenges. The WNC Community Health Assessment survey, made possible through this collective funding, equips stakeholders, including our valued funders, healthy impact partners, and policymakers, with invaluable insights to guide targeted public health interventions for the betterment of residents across WNC. MCPH encourages all residents to take part. Jen Germain, Community Health Promotions Coordinator said, “We strongly encourage everyone to respond if contacted. This initiative gives our community the chance to provide information that helps us address the most important health needs in our area. The insights from the survey will help us identify areas that need attention and guide efforts to improve services and support systems for the health of all Macon County residents.”

Residents can also contribute through an online survey option. Ms. Germain added, “Residents of Macon County can also share their input by accessing the survey online at www.prcsurvey.com/begin/WNC2024.”

*This project is made possible through the generous contributions of WNC Hospitals and The Dogwood Health Trust. Hospital partners include:

● AdventHealth Hendersonville
● Cherokee Indian Hospital
● Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital
● Harris Regional Hospital
● Haywood Regional Medical Center
● Mission Health
● Rutherford Regional Health System
● St. Luke’s Hospital
● Swain Community Hospital
● UNC Health Pardee