A Community-Engaged Approach to Collecting Rural Health Surveillance Data

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community Health
• Health Surveillance

Background:

• Rural communities face unique challenges in health surveillance, including limited county-level data and underrepresented populations.
• Existing state and national systems often do not adequately address local health concerns in rural settings.
• Accurate health status data is crucial for data-driven decisions on resource allocation, services, and interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To employ a community-engaged approach for collecting population-based health status data in a rural area.
• To address the specific challenges faced by rural communities in health data collection.
• To improve the quality, relevance, and utility of health surveillance information.

Main Methods:

• A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was utilized.
• Over 1,500 residents were randomly selected across 6 rural and frontier counties using a stratified, multistage cluster design.
• Surveys were primarily administered via telephone.

Main Results:

• Response rates varied by county, ranging from 59% to 80% (overall 66%).
• While males and younger adults were underrepresented, Hispanics, low-income residents, and cell phone-only users were adequately represented.
• Prevalence rates for chronic diseases and health behaviors demonstrated variation across counties.

Conclusions:

• Engaging stakeholders enhances the quality, relevance, and utility of collected health surveillance data.
• Community-engaged efforts can successfully reach populations that are typically difficult to access.
• Improved health status data accuracy supports better data-driven decision-making for community health priorities.