Official Site of The State of New Jersey
How can the data available in HCP-NJ be used by LHDs to improve the health of your community?
Data can be used to promote public and environmental health in the following ways:
1. Using HCP-NJ municipal-level data for grant applications.
Many grant applicants can use the demographic data available within HCP-NJ for their municipality in grant applications as these data are often requested. Most public and environmental health grants require background demographics, and HCP-NJ provides a quick, reliable, and citable source of these data. In addition, HCP-NJ indicator values can be used to demonstrate where a community has unmet needs and document the specific target areas that require improvement. Counties can select specific municipalities to target for intervention funding. HCP-NJ provides links to potential grant opportunities and ideas on projects that can be proposed.
2. Set priorities and determine actions regarding where to focus resources for health improvement.
The HCP-NJ Summary Report can help a Local Health Department visualize how their municipalities indicators compare with their county and the state overall. This page can be shared with local government officials and can spur a discussion whether they want to focus on any of the statistically significantly elevated health indicators. Health Departments may also choose to focus on a specific indicator that while not elevated, is of concern in their community. For example, although a community might have a smoking prevalence below the state overall, the community may choose to launch a smoking prevention/cessation campaign and utilize the suggestions in the HCP-NJ resource sections.
A local health department might note that their municipality’s rate of asthma Emergency Department visits was elevated above the state rate overall and decide to conduct activities to improve the situation. An example might be for LHDs to reach out to local physicians regarding incorporating poor air quality (such as from wildfires) within the patient’s asthma management plan.
3. Consider using HCP-NJ data for CHIPs/CHAs/CHNAs, or Hospital System, Health Collaborative, and Regional Health Hub CHNAs.
Community Health Assessments (CHAs), Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), and Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs) require local-level data for their community that identify high-priority public health needs. HCP-NJ provides readily accessible, citable demographics and environmental health indicators at the municipal and county level.
How can LHDs use the resources contained in HCP-NJ to take actions to promote a healthy community?
In the full report, each indicator has two sections: A background page that provides general information on health and environmental outcomes along with a municipality’s status on that indicator. The second section, entitled, “Turning Data into Action,” provides indicator-specific information and resource links regarding the promotion and improvement of this topic in your community.
1. Taking Action for Local Government and Community Groups
Local Health Departments (LHDs) can adopt Turning Data into Action suggestions for establishing partnerships and health improvement campaigns. For example, an LHD might create a partnership with local schools to implement asthma management programs through the American Lung Association’s Asthma Friendly Schools Initiative. HCP-NJ provides information and links to these and other resources to help facilitate these types of partnerships and health improvement campaigns.
Local Health Departments can use the information and graphics in HCP-NJ to create awareness campaigns (e.g., on social media, newsletters, at health fairs), to match action/awareness weeks and months. For example, May is National Stroke Awareness Month. HCP-NJ lists several ideas for Local Government and Community Groups regarding risk reduction of stroke, such as promoting access to parks and recreation spaces and the promotion of smoking cessation.
HCP-NJ also provides numerous links to the resources developed by NJDOH, CDC, and other government agencies, which provide fact sheets and suggestions for health promotion campaigns. For example, HCP-informs and links users to the Million Hearts™ campaign, which is a national initiative to prevent heart attack and stroke.
2. Taking Action for Residents
Local Health Departments can conduct outreach and education to inform residents on prevention of specific health outcomes. For example, Local Health Departments can raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, and to know what to do in the event of these dangerous situations. HCP-NJ provides links and ideas on where to begin this type of health education.
