The Farmington Valley Health District (FVHD) is the local health department that serves the town of Granby. It has recently released a community health assessment which uses data from more than 20 different sources to describe the health status of the population of Farmington Valley.
The assessment examines topics such as health behaviors, health outcomes, youth health and social determinants of health. An advisory group of subject matter experts in a variety of areas helped guide the work. The health assessment will be used to develop a community health improvement plan that will outline strategies to improve health in the areas of greatest significance. The complete assessment is available at fvhd.org
While residents of the Farmington Valley on average enjoy overall better health compared to Connecticut as a whole, the health assessment identified a number of areas for improvement. Falls among older adults, low seasonal flu vaccine uptake, high household radon levels, high levels of overweight and obesity, and poor mental health and substance use were some of the most pressing issues the assessment identified. In addition, the report includes a wealth of information on a variety of topics, including educational attainment, income and poverty, employment, housing, transportation, and access to care.
Community members are encouraged to review the findings and offer comments and suggestions through the feedback form linked on fvhd.org. Over the next few months, the health district will be sharing the data and developing working groups in each of the priority areas. Individuals and organizations with an interest or expertise in priority areas are encouraged to participate in the working groups and can either sign up at the fvhd.org website or by calling the health district at 860-352-2333.