HEALTH MAPPING: DEFINITION

Health MAPPING begins with an overall vision of a healthy community encompassing healthy people. This leads to a desire to improve the overall health and well-being of community residents by participating in the MAPPING the Future of Your Community's Health program. During the process a needs assessment of the community is conducted utilizing primary and secondary resource data. This information is presented in the "Where are we now?" session of the Health MAPPING process, which includes assessment of access and availability of health care services, the health education component available to the community, and the environmental health of the community. These three areas contribute to the health and economic vitality of the community.

Access and availability of health care services are issues in rural areas. The availability of primary care, emergency services, specialist, dentist, mental health services, and many other service issues continue to plague these areas for many reasons. Services in a region may be bountiful, but there continue to be barriers preventing rural residents from receiving health care services. This includes transportation issues, financial issues, staffing issues and many other contributing factors.

Environmental factors can contribute to the health and well-being of a community. Air and water pollutants are causative factors for certain types of cancers. Lead-poisoning is another health problem related directly to environmental factors due to housing. The incidence of cancer and other illnesses directly impact the cost of health insurance for communities, which can be a contributing factor in participating in health care services.

A health education component is essential in providing information on a variety of health topics to a community. This encompasses information on healthy lifestyles and behaviors, occupational safety issues, and awareness of health problems in the community. Many rural communities are providing this essential component, however the barriers associated with health care services also apply to health education.

Environmental health, health care services, and community health education all directly or indirectly impact the economic vitality of a community. Health care services, such as hospitals, are major employers in rural areas; a closure or downsizing of an organization can directly impact the economic vitality of a community. This can impact small business and other retailers, because shoppers who work at the hospital may use a local bank, get groceries in town before heading home, and use other businesses and services in the community. Businesses and retailers are also indirectly impacted by an unhealthy population, through the number of sick days paid, the lost productivity of employees, and the cost associated with providing health insurance to employees. Therefore, health is not only an issue for health care professionals, but also a community concern.

MAPPING the Future of Your Community's Health Program:

• Aids in the assessment of your community's current health status
• Helps communities envision a healthier community
• Facilitates a brainstorming process to identify high-priority goals and projects
• Provides technical assistance to help make those projects happen