This community health needs assessment was initiated in 2002 by the leadership of the former Advocate Ravenswood Medical Center, in partnership with the Ravenswood Health Care Foundation and in conjunction with a wide array of community health and social service agencies, to provide documentation of the priority health needs of the Ravenswood community. In 2006, the Ravenswood Health Care Foundation convened community-based health care and social service agencies to review and revise these priority health needs. They affirmed the priority areas as listed, and their expertise informed the revised descriptions listed below.
Five clinical conditions are identified as the priority needs for the Ravenswood community area. A variety of programs already exist to address these issues, but strong coordination and focus is needed. This is expressed as the overarching category of "Access and Education."
Access and Education
1. Behavioral Health
2. Diabetes
3. Asthma
4. HIV/AIDS
5. Breast Cancer
ACCESS: Overarching need addresses access to general medical healthcare and prescription medications as well as oral health and vision care, specifically for the under- and uninsured. Also addresses the need for culturally competent and language-appropriate care, demonstrating an understanding of patients’ cultural and social backgrounds including ethnicity and sexual orientation.
EDUCATION: Overarching need addresses age- and language-specific issues, and providing health information in the community. Specific topic areas include health conditions and prevention, informing residents of available services in the community and assistance with navigating the health care system.
BEHAVIOR HEALTH including substance abuse: Community members perceive that behavioral/mental health issues area inadequately addressed within the current local health care delivery system and constitute a family health priority. Gaps include: substance (alcohol) abuse, STD and sex education for adolescents, stress management, services for refugees and their families, and poor access to inpatient care for behavioral health and substance abuse.
DIABETES: Many community members cited managing diabetes as a family health priority. Concerns extend to diabetes among children and adolescents, particularly among Latinos.
ASTHMA: Community members feel that asthma is an especially important issue among children and adolescents, noting an apparent increased prevalence of childhood asthma in schools and churches.
HIV/AIDS: The risk of HIV-related mortality in Uptown is six times the US norm. More services may be needed, and more education may be needed to inform people of the services already available.
BREAST CANCER: The risk of mortality from breast cancer is significantly higher than average in sections of the greater Ravenswood area. Priority should be given to clinical screening and mammograms.
OTHER HEALTH CONCERNS: Obesity; tuberculosis; heart disease; addressing high inpatient and emergency department utilization; and housing, specifically for the medically needy homeless.
