Results of the New Town Porch-to-Porch Survey Released

In partnership with Baptist Health and the New Town Success Zone, the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida recently completed the much anticipated New Town Health Project Porch-to-Porch Health Assessment.  This 8 month, community based participatory assessment was funded through aJessie Ball duPont Fund grant. 

New Town is located in a small census track within zip code 32209 in Jacksonville's urban core.  While it is true that county and zip code level data is readily available to assist health planners and researchers to better understand population health status and social determinants of health, it is also true that it's sometimes inappropriate to generalize data findings across large counties and zip codes as there are frequent clusters of diverse populations living within the counties and zip codes.  Additionally, peer reviewed journals are now writing on the failings of telephone surveys as a viable methodology for collecting community level data.  Therefore, one of the emerging best practices for collecting sound community level data is to ask the community residents themselves using a door to door survey approach.

The Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida was contracted with Baptist Health to conduct the community based participatory research (CBPR) assessment.  The goals of the New Town Health Project were:

• Mobilize and recruit Health Builders!
• Build a trusting and cultural competent partnership between the residents of New Town Success Zone and the health care community
• Train Health Builders! to conduct community focus groups and survey administration
• Collect comprehensive community level data via Health Builders!
• Empower Health Builders! to assist in survey and focus group development, administration, and understanding of the information
• Share the results with New Town partnering organizations and decision makers
• Engage Health Builders! to assist with the healthcare program development and execution

 The Health Planning Council developed a 5 phase approach for assessing the 1600 household community.

• Phase 1- Mobilize the Community
• Phase 2- Health Builder! Kick-Off
• Phase 3- Health Builder! Training
• Phase 4- Focus Groups Implementation and Survey Development
• Phase 5- Porch to Porch Surveys, Canvassing and Recommendations

Over the course of 8 months, Health Builders! conducted 10 focus groups and collected 665 porch-to-porch surveys.  Staying true to our core value of collaboration, the Health Planning Council videotaped each phase and posted them toYouTube (proper consent was gathered)so we could continue to share our knowledge with others and build community capacity in our region.    

To learn more about the assessment and the survey findings, click here (2010 New Town Success Zone- Porch-to-Porch Health Assessment)

 

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