GAINESVILLE - More Hall countians are seeing doctors on a regular basis, according to a new health assessment.
The Healthy Hall 2003 Community Assessment found that 94 percent of those surveyed report seeing a doctor in the past three years and 82 percent said they see a physician on a regular basis. That's up from the numbers from the last assessment which was conducted in 1998.
"There's been a lot of emphasis on people knowing how to contact the health department, there's the Good News At Noon program, as well as a new program called 'health access'," said LeTrell Simpson, vice president for corporate development at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, in commenting on why more people seem to be seeing doctors.
The survey was conducted of 500 randomly selected homes in Hall County, according to a brochure detailing the results of the assessment. Focus groups conducted among a cross-section of Hall County groups, including youth, senior adults, South Hall countians and major ethnic groups; a written survey of youth behaviors and attitudes toward alcohol and drug use, administered by Hall County schools; and, secondary data from a variety of sources such as U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Health Statistics and others were also used.
According to the study, those who were surveyed feel pretty good about their health - and, compared to southerners, overall, fewer of them feel their health is only "fair" or "poor."
The $50,000 project was funded by the medical center, which uses it for strategic planning purposes, according to Simpson.
"We have chosen to fund this assessment because it benefits the medical center, but it also is a significant education tool."
In addition to health, the study also quizzed Hall Countians about their safety and security, connections to community, and confidence in the future.
Tuesday
May 7th, 2024
2:16AM
