Community Health Needs Assessment
Community Health Survey Methodology
A Community Health Survey was conducted as a part of the Roanoke Valley Community Health Needs Assessment. This survey was used to gauge the health of the community and identify potential areas to target improvements. Input and oversight of survey development was provided by the CHAT and the Data and Information Work Group. The survey was developed using community survey samples from the following: • National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships Community Themes and Strengths Assessments; • YMCA’s Community Healthy Living Index; • Center for Disease Control’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; • Community Health Surveys from Montgomery and Giles County, Virginia; • Martin County Community Health Assessment, Martin County, North Carolina; and • Roanoke Valley Community Health Needs Assessment, 2000. A 24-question survey was developed that asked questions about an individual’s access to medical, dental and mental health care. The survey also asked questions about chronic illness, healthy and risky behaviors, insurance status, and basic demographic information. Both an English and Spanish version of the survey was available. (The survey tool, in both English and Spanish, is included in Appendix 8: Roanoke Valley Community Health Survey.) Populations targeted for the survey were residents 18 years of age and older and included: •
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General Population o All residents living throughout the Roanoke MSA including the cities of Roanoke and Salem, and the counties of Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke Target Populations o Low-income and/or uninsured residents; minority populations; and residents living with chronic illness o Residents living in the MUAs of the city of Roanoke
A nonprobability sampling method, which does not involve random selection of respondents, was used.3 This method is often used for social research. Although surveys were made available to all residents living in the Roanoke Valley, oversampling of the target populations occurred through targeted outreach efforts. Oversampling methodologies involve data collection for particular subgroups of the population that may be underrepresented in a random sample survey. 3
Research Methods- Knowledge Base, Nonprobability Sampling, Web Center for Social Research Methods, www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/sampnon/php
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