One of the Largest Regional Health Surveys in the U.S. Expands to Centre County

Residents Asked to Answer the Call to Improve Local Healthcare and Social Services

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 24, 2009
Contact: Jamie Arehart (267-350-7699 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

PHILADELPHIA-Throughout this July and August, Centre County residents will be able to help their county better plan and improve health services by sharing information about their health and health care experiences. Public Health Management Corporation's Community Health Data Base (CHDB) will conduct its Household Health Survey, a major survey now reaching Centre County.

Since 1983, CHDB has surveyed Philadelphians and, since 1991, all of Southeastern Pennsylvania, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. In 2008, the survey reached still further to Berks, Lancaster and Schuylkill counties. It now comes to Centre County for the first time.

CHDB will contact Centre County residents at random by telephone, including a sample of 150 cell phone users. CHDB keeps all interviews and individual information confidential. Some topics include:

  • Insurance status (both medical and dental) with focus on the uninsured
  • Transportation barriers to care
  • Cost barriers to care
  • Access to emergency medicine and medical specialists
  • Chronic conditions (including asthma, diabetes, hypertension)
  • Obesity status
  • Tobacco usage and exposure
  • Mental health
  • Physical activity

Area hospitals, government agencies, universities, managed care organizations and others can access CHDB data to better assess community health needs, address community health concerns, and plan and evaluate programs.

CHDB's Household Health Survey is one of the largest regional health surveys in the country. The Pew Charitable Trusts, The William Penn Foundation, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and over 350 local agencies from the health, government, nonprofit, and academic sectors help to support the CHDB. To view previous data news releases, please click here. For more information, please visit http://www.phmc.org/chdb.