307601
Utilization, Satisfaction, and Self-Reported Barriers to Obtaining Health Services: Voices of Community Residents through HealthStreet, a Community-Based Site
HealthStreet reached 901 participants with 2,673 referrals for a 30 day follow-up, among 1,267 persons eligible. 118 (13.1%) respondents reported utilizing 171 services, with 92% reporting being satisfied with one or more of the services obtained. Among 783 respondents not obtaining a service, top reasons included a personal reason such as not needing the service yet, using another option, forgetting, or not calling (55%), structural barriers including not having time or transportation (25%), encountering agency related barriers (5%), and having an upcoming appointment (2%).
The results of this analysis show that efforts to engage the community in health promoting activities can be highly successful, with a large majority of community members satisfied with the increased access to services through referrals provided. A minority reported structural obstacles and may require additional efforts to overcome those barriers. While few universities engage community members directly, such methods may provide substantial value.
Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health educationConduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Epidemiology
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Provision of health care to the public
Learning Objectives:
Evaluate utilization of service referrals after 30 days
Assess barriers to obtaining services among community members
Keyword(s): Accessibility, Community-Based Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Linda B. Cottler, PhD, MPH, is Dean’s Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Florida (UF). Cottler’s 30 years of research has focused on community efforts in public health and has spanned the globe. She is Founding Director of HealthStreet, which expanded to Florida in 2011 when she moved to UF, and has led the Sentinel Network, consisting of several sites assessing community needs in real time.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.