SVMC Community Health Needs Assessment 2021 - Catalog - Page 15
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A sum of the votes garnered by each topic across all five forums can be found in the chart below. Forumspecific listings of topics discussed, as well as forum-specific voting results, can be found in Appendix C
(pages 86 through 90).
What Are the Top Three Health Needs That You Feel Should Be
Prioritized and Addressed In Your Community?
Mental health
39
Substance use
27
Affordable housing, homelessness
25
Transportation
15
Access to care
12
Food security
10
Community cohesion, gathering
7
Environmental health
4
Primary prevention, healthy behavior
2
Domestic violence
1
LGBTQ health
1
Sum of responses from all forums (n=53)
0
5
10
15
20
Votes
25
30
35
40
Forum Limitations
Information collected from the community forums should be understood in the context of a number of
limitations:
•
•
•
•
The virtual meeting platform was likely intimidating, challenging to navigate, or difficult to
access for a number of community members. An explanation of the site’s features (such as
digitally raising one’s hand) was included at the beginning of the session to help orient those
new to the platform.
The forums were all held at the same time (6:00pm to 7:00pm) which may have stopped some
from participating due to work or family obligations.
The forums were geographically based, rather than centered around a particular topic or
population. Individuals wishing to discuss stigmatized or sensitive health topics (e.g. sexual
health or domestic violence) may not have felt comfortable attending a forum to share that type
of information. Members of historically marginalized and/or minority populations may also have
felt uncomfortable attending a general community forum. Efforts were made to help put
attendees at ease, and to make the session a comfortable space for sharing.
Subject matter experts and community members attended the same forums, which may have
constrained the sharing of community members for fear of judgment. Equal attention was given
to all participants who wished to answer the discussion questions, regardless of professional
status.
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center
Community Health Needs Assessment 2021