Letting Community Input Drive Health Improvement in Rural Colorado
In 2024, we worked with the Las Animas-Huerfano Counties District Health Department (LAHCDHD) to conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) and develop the bi-county region’s 2025-2030 Public Health Improvement Plan. To identify community needs, we developed, piloted, and administered a survey that was completed by over 400 community residents. It is important that surveys are administered in a way that makes them accessible to as many community members as possible, so based on the bi-county regions’ demographics and unique needs, the survey was made available in English and Spanish (the primary languages spoken in the bi-county region), and paper surveys were distributed throughout the community due to the limited broadband access in the area.
In addition to the primary data collected for this project, we also reviewed relevant population data (e.g. age distribution, education, insurance status, access to healthcare), data from previous community needs assessment, and information about community assets and resources (e.g. recreation opportunities, medical community)
Though paper and computer surveys can be a great way to collect individual insights, we also used focus groups to support identification of health priorities. Our focus groups followed a nominal group technique, a multi-step process that begins with clarifying the aim of the focus group. For the first prompt, participants were asked to independently brainstorm ideas. After all the ideas were recorded as a group, they were discussed to ensure mutual understanding and categorized into themes. Finally, each participant was given three stickers and asked to vote on their top priorities. These stickers could be placed on one theme, or spread between different themes, allowing participants to reflect their priorities. This process was then repeated to identify other community priorities.
It is important for us that data collected from a community is able to be used and shared with that community. As a part of this project with LAHCDHD, OHI staff conducted multiple community presentations across the bi-county to share survey data with community members and stakeholders. Those data are also available to community members through the health department’s website, along with the final 2025 - 2030 Public Health Improvement Plan.
Learn more about our work.