The 2012 Litchfield County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) represents the collaborative efforts of the Litchfield County Community Transformation Grant (CTG) Coalition to begin to assess and prioritize health needs in our community and to collectively develop strategies and mobilize resources to improve the health of county residents.
The leading health issues in Litchfield County, as in the state and the nation, result from many underlying factors which can be controlled or modified. Harmful lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, overeating, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, and substance abuse have major impacts on individual health. Economic and language/cultural factors present barriers to access and utilization of medical care and preventive health services. Income, employment status, educational attainment, housing, and other social factors impact health or limit access to care. Uncontrollable factors, including inherited health conditions or increased susceptibility to disease, also significantly influence health.
Poverty underlies many of the social factors that contribute to poor health. Differences for many health indicators are also apparent by gender, race/ethnicity, age, and geographic area of residence. This information will be used to guide the development of programs and services to meet identified health needs.
Document:
charlotte_hungerford_hospital.pdf
