Tag: survey

LENOWISCO Health District Pediatric Cancer Data Being Evaluated

November 12, 2025
Media Contact:  Linda Scarborough, Western Region PIO, linda.scarborough@vdh.virginia.gov

LENOWISCO Health District Pediatric Cancer Data Being Evaluated
Results expected to be released by year end 

GATE CITY, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Virginia Cancer Registry (VCR) is currently evaluating pediatric cancer data recently collected by the LENOWISCO Health District. Results from the survey data are expected to be completed by the end of this year. The information being reviewed by VCR will determine if a potential cancer cluster may exist. Once any conclusion is made, the details will be shared with the local community.

The investigation began when a group of Scott County residents contacted the Virginia Cancer Registry. They were concerned about the number of children with cancer in their area. In response, LENOWISCO Health District began collecting information from affected Scott County residents as a first step to investigating the concerns.

To be included, the patient must be:

  • 19 years of age or under.
  • diagnosed with any form of cancer between 2015 and 2023
  • a resident of Scott County prior to the cancer diagnosis.

“Once the survey was completed by the LENOWISCO Health District, the VCR began conducting an assessment of the 2015-2023 cases submitted to us. We are continuing to review the data and it is our hope to complete this process by the end of the year. We will also continue to monitor trends of recently reported cases as more information becomes available,” said VDH Division of Population Health Data Director Dane De Silva, PhD, MPH.

A cancer cluster is defined as a greater than expected number of the same or related cancer cases that occur within a group of people in a geographic area over a specific period of time. Overall, cancer clusters have proven to be extremely rare. To date, Virginia has no proven cancer clusters, and only a few have been identified within the United States.

“Causes of childhood cancer are very difficult to determine,” said Dr. De Silva. “However, we continue to review environmental concerns to evaluate if a concern warrants additional follow-up. Currently, we have not found any urgent environmental concerns in Scott County. We encourage community members to continue to share any environmental concerns they feel may be useful to this investigation.”

For more information about the Virginia Cancer Registry or the investigation process, visit: www.vdh.virginia.gov/virginia-cancer-registry/cancer-clusters/.

Local Health Officials Canvass Door-to-Door to Support Community Health Survey

June 30, 2025
Media Contact: Stephanie Hudson, stephanie.hudson@vdh.virginia.gov

Local Health Officials Canvass Door-to-Door to Support Community Health Survey
Cities of Franklin & Suffolk and Counties of Isle of Wight & Southampton

FRANKLIN, Va. – To better understand and serve the health needs of the community, the Western Tidewater Health District (WTHD) will be conducting door-to-door surveys as part of its 2025 Community Health Assessment.

Health department staff will be knocking on doors in Southampton County and Franklin City on July 8, 2025, followed by another day of going door-to-door in Isle of Wight County and Suffolk City on July 10, 2025. Public health professionals will carry identification and informational flyers about the survey.
“Our goal is to hear directly from residents about the most important health challenges they face,” said Angela Tillery, Western Tidewater District Health Director. The results of this assessment will guide the planning and programs over the next few years to ensure they reflect the needs of the whole community.

The Community Health Assessment survey asks residents about their experiences, access to care, health concerns, and barriers to good health. Responses are confidential and will help identify key health issues and inform future initiatives and funding priorities.
Participation is voluntary, and residents are encouraged to complete the survey when a team visits their home.

“This effort is about making sure every voice is heard—especially in communities where access to traditional resources may be limited,” said Dylan Evans, Local Health Emergency Coordinator.
Click here to complete the survey online.

 

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Rappahannock Area Health District and Mary Washington Healthcare Seek Community Input for Health Assessment

November 21, 2024
RAHD Media Contact: Allison Balmes-John, Allison.Balmes@vdh.virginia.gov
MWHC Media Contact: Eric Fletcher, Eric.Fletcher@mwhc.com

Rappahannock Area Health District and Mary Washington Healthcare Seek Community Input for Health Assessment

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) and Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC) invite community members aged 15 and older to take a quick, anonymous survey about important health issues. The survey is open to those who live in the City of Fredericksburg and Caroline, King George, Orange, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Westmoreland counties.

“This is a great opportunity for community members to make their voices heard about the biggest health issues facing our area,” said RAHD Director Olugbenga Obasanjo, M.D. “We use this feedback to guide decisions about programs and services that are prioritized in our area. The results are taken very seriously by the health department, the healthcare system, and many other community-based organizations.”

The survey can be completed in English at https://redcap.link/CHAsurvey_PD16, or in Spanish at https://redcap.link/CHAencuesta_PD16 . Questions ask respondents to share their thoughts on the biggest health concerns facing the community as well as the greatest opportunities for health improvements. Demographic information is requested to ensure responses from different groups and geographic areas, but no identifiable information is requested. Upon completion of the survey, respondents will have the opportunity to enter a raffle for one of 20 $25 gift cards.

“We want to hear from as many community members as possible through this process,” said Xavier Richardson, senior vice president for MWHC. “Our residents see things impacting the health of our community that we may not see, and this is a great chance to help bring to light things not shown in other data sources.”

This survey is part of the broader Community Health Assessment (CHA) effort, which examines health issues including rates of disease, access to care, patterns of behavior, and social factors that contribute to health. Assessment results will inform the development of a five-year Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) based on community priorities.

Additional opportunities for feedback are also available through a series of focus groups taking place through mid-December. To learn more about focus group opportunities, please contact 540-899-4797 or rahd_callcenter@vdh.virginia.gov.

For more information on the previous CHA and CHIP, please visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/rappahannock/fy23-fy25_cha-chip or www.marywashingtonhealthcare.com/foundations/community-benefit-fund.

The Central Shenandoah Health District, in partnership with Sentara RMH Medical Center and Church World Service, to conduct Community Health Assessment

September 16, 2024

Media Contact: Rachel Dumene, Rachel.dumene1@vdh.virginia.gov, 540-480-4998

The Central Shenandoah Health District, in partnership with Sentara RMH Medical Center and Church World Service, to conduct Community Health Assessment

STAUNTON, Va. – The Central Shenandoah Health District (CSHD), along with Sentara RMH Medical Center and Church World Service (CWS), will be conducting a Community Health Assessment (CHA) over the next two months within the counties of Rockingham, Page, Shenandoah, Augusta, and the City of Harrisonburg.

This assessment is a process that collects and analyzes data about the health status of our community. The data is then used to determine health-related strengths and weaknesses, identify health disparities, and influence health improvement programs and services within our service area.

This CHA will consist of a survey that can be completed individually on paper or on a participant’s electronic device or computer. In addition to distributing the survey at local community events, CSHD, Sentara RMH Medical Center, and CWS will be hosting community focus groups in early 2025 to supplement the data collected from the survey.

The survey is available in both English and Spanish online and can be provided in Arabic and Russian on paper to those who need it. The survey will be open through November 22, 2024.

“Through surveying people in our district, we hope to identify areas that are in need of extra support to improve the health of the community. We can use this information to enhance healthcare access and community resources. Participation from a broad range of community members is important to ensure we deliver care to those who need it most,” says Dr. Allison Baroco, health director of CSHD.

“The health needs assessment helps guide us in expanding and developing services and targeting resources where they can be most impactful for our community,” says Doug Moyer, president of Sentara RMH Medical Center. “This survey is critical in helping us work with our community partners to dismantle barriers to healthcare services and provide greater access to those resources.”

The survey can be accessed on the Central Shenandoah Health District website, or at the following link: https://redcap.link/13vtsosu

 

6/17/2024
Media Contact: Rachel Dumene, Rachel.Dumene1@vdh.virginia.gov, 540-480-4998

Central Shenandoah Health District to Conduct Rapid Community Assessment

STAUNTON, Va – The Central Shenandoah Health District (CSHD), along with our local healthcare partners, will be conducting a Rapid Community Assessment (RCA) over the next month.

A Rapid Community Assessment is a process that collects data from a community. That data is then used to influence programs that are created based on healthcare needs in the area.

The goal behind this assessment is to identify the healthcare needs in areas or among populations that face barriers or challenges when accessing care, and to build the relationship between the local health district and local health providers with rural populations through the development of future healthcare services.

The RCA will consist of a survey that will either be facilitated by CSHD’s Community Health Workers or can be completed individually on participant’s smart devices. CSHD plans to canvas door-to-door with this survey throughout the district, and to visit local businesses seeking participants.

The survey is available in both English and Spanish online and can be provided in Arabic to those who need it.

“Through the collection of data from people within our district, we hope to identify areas that are in need of extra support. We can use this information to improve healthcare access to allow our community to thrive,” says Dr. Allison Baroco, Health Director of CSHD. “Participation in this survey is crucial for us to deliver care to those who need it most.”

To see what services your local health departments currently offer, look on the CSHD website: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/central-shenandoah/health-services/

To participate in this Rapid Community Assessment, find the survey here: https://redcap.vdh.virginia.gov/redcap/surveys/?s=JDAXHCJA39MWH7MD

If you live in Martinsville or Henry County, we want to hear from you!

December 15, 2022
Media Contact: Nancy Bell (540) 488-5004 or nancy.bell@vdh.virginia.gov

If you live in Martinsville or Henry County, we want to hear from you!

MARTINSVILLE, Va.- The West Piedmont Health District (WPHD) and its partners are looking for vital feedback from residents. Through a brief online survey, area residents will be asked to share their input on quality-of-life issues. The public’s comments will serve to guide important decisions made within three years. It is important to know where residents feel available funding should be invested, as well as the issues needing the most focus. The survey can be accessed via social media at WPHD Facebook, on the West Piedmont Health District website, and through this link: Community Equity Survey.

“We want to give everyone the opportunity to have a voice by sharing their opinions about the priorities needing the most attention over the next few years,” said Project Leader Pamela Chitwood, Population Health Community Coordinator for the West Piedmont Health District. The survey will be available in English and Spanish. For census purposes, respondents will be asked to provide a street address. This will not be used for any type of identification as this information will remain confidential.

“We are striving to get an overwhelming response to this survey as it will serve as a guide to indicate what is most important to our residents,” Chitwood said. “We are hoping the community will help us spread the word about this opportunity,” she added.

Once all survey results are collected and analyzed, the results are expected to be shared during the spring of 2023. For information about the Henry County Equity Collaborative or the survey, please contact: Pamela Chitwood at pamela.chitwood@vdh.virginia.gov or (540) 484-0292 Ext. 223.

Central Virginia Health District to Host National Health Survey

August 8, 2022

Media Contact: Kim Foster, MHA, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov

Central Virginia Health District to Host National Health Survey 

The Central Virginia Health District (CVHD) announces that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is coming to Campbell County and Lynchburg, VA, beginning on August 20, 2022.

NHANES is the most comprehensive survey of the health and nutritional status of the U.S. population.

Why Campbell County and Lynchburg? All counties and cities in the United States have a chance to be selected for the NHANES and, this year, portions of Campbell County and Lynchburg were picked as one of 15 areas selected to be part of this initiative. Each year, only 5,000 residents nationwide are chosen to participate in NHANES, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“We gladly encourage selected residents to participate in the NHANES process,” said Dr. Kerry Gateley, Health Director, CVHD. “NHANES provides us in public health with valuable information for creating, directing and improving programs that serve our communities.”

Since 1960, NHANES has had a prominent role in improving the health of all people living in the U.S. NHANES data address critical health concerns, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.  Public health officials, legislators, and physicians use this information to develop sound health policies, direct and design health programs and services, and expand the health knowledge of the nation. NHANES data also help produce national references and standardized growth charts used by pediatricians across the country.

NHANES collects a broad range of data that affect the lives of everyone in the country, regardless of age, addressing everything from air quality to vaccinations and the low-fat and “light” foods found in grocery stores. Now more than ever, collecting timely information on the status of the nation’s health is critical.  An NHANES team of health professionals, nutritionists, and health technicians is heading to Campbell County and the City of Lynchburg and urges everyone who has been selected for the survey to participate.

Residents will have an invitation-only opportunity to participate in NHANES. Addresses are randomly sampled within the area selected. By selecting participants this way, when combining data from all counties visited this year, NHANES data can more accurately represent the U.S. population.

Households will be sent one or more letters inviting them to be part of NHANES by completing a brief online questionnaire to see if anyone in their home is eligible to take part. Those eligible will be contacted by an NHANES representative to set up a telephone health interview at a convenient time, followed by a health examination that takes place in the NHANES mobile examination center.  While no medical care is provided directly in the mobile examination center, a report on physical findings is given to each participant, along with an explanation of those findings from survey medical staff. Participants will be provided local referral sources, if needed, in order to follow-up on findings. All information collected in the survey is kept confidential and individual privacy is protected by law.

NHANES provides important national data on critical public health issues. “NHANES serves as the nation’s ‘health check-up’ by going into communities throughout the country to collect health information,” said Brian C. Moyer, PhD, Director of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). “The survey provides a wealth of important data about many of the major health and nutritional issues affecting the country.”

NHANES is taking all precautions needed, as recommended by the CDC, to keep survey participants and staff safe by following guidelines on social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, handwashing, and sanitation of the mobile examination center and all equipment.