Brunswick County Health Services officials recently released the findings of their 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment.

The survey came from data collected last year. As a result of the information, the Brunswick County Steering Committee created a list of their outlook on the county’s top five health needs. Those were:

1. Chronic disease
2. Mental health
3. Access to health care
4. Health insurance
5. Elder care options

“This assessment is vital in identifying the health needs of our residents,” Brunswick County Health Services Director David Howard said in a news release. 

The Community Health Needs Assessment is conducted every three years to determine the community’s needs and develop programs to address health priorities, the release stated.

From June to September 2022, the county’s health services department, Dosher Memorial Hospital and Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center collected health data from residents through interviews, focus groups and a survey. “The three months of data collection resulted in 795 survey responses, 48 interviews and two focus groups involving 36 residents, for a total of 879 community touches,” according to the release.

In the coming months, community partners, stakeholders and public health leaders will develop the 2023-26 Community Health Improvement Plan for Brunswick County.