Volunteers will canvas Durham County neighborhoods for health information

Durham, NC - May 1, 2019 - Community volunteers will hit the pavement starting May 29, 2019, to assist the Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) and Partnership for a Healthy Durham (PHD) with the 2020 Community Health Assessment. Conducted every three years, the assessment identifies community assets, needs and health priorities in Durham County.

Volunteers will travel door-to-door to randomly selected addresses throughout the county on May 29-June 1 and June 5-8 from 10 a.m-6 p.m. to conduct the Community Health Opinion Survey (CHOS) via an interview that will take approximately 20 minutes. Surveys will be conducted in English and Spanish. Daily location assignments are given on the day of assessment.

"Houses are selected at random to ensure we reach a representation of the entire Durham population," said Gayle Harris, DCoDPH Director. "The data collected allows us to hear directly from community members about their health concerns. Working with the community helps us to prioritize health and health-related issues that need to be addressed."

Questions asked on this survey will include identifying the most important community and health problems in the county, access to healthcare and personal demographics. All data collected in this survey is anonymous and will not be linked to any individual. To ensure the safety of residents, Public Health staff will be in uniform, wearing identical blue t-shirts and name badges. Students and partners who will assist will not have badges.

The CHOS is the first step in the 2020 Community Health Assessment. In addition to the survey, local, state and national data will be collected on the leading causes of death, incidence of diseases, current health priorities, and participation in healthy lifestyle behaviors, among many others. Durham County's current health priorities include: Affordable Housing, Access to Healthcare, Poverty, Mental Health and Obesity, Diabetes and Food Access. A comprehensive report detailing the new findings will be released to the community in spring 2021.

To view the 2017 Community Health Assessment document or executive summary, visit www.healthydurham.org or contact Marissa Mortiboy, Coordinator, Partnership for a Healthy Durham at 919-560-7833 or [email protected] . For questions about the CHOS, contact Denver Jameson at 919-560-7832 or [email protected].