Sioux Falls community health status report, plans for improvement released

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - The newest Sioux Falls community health status report and plans for improvement have been released.

The Sioux Falls Health Department, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Avera Heart Hospital, Sanford USD Medical Center, and the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System presented findings from a collaborative Community Health Assessment collaborated to create a Community Health Assessment (CHA). The CHA is a process for understanding the residents in the Sioux Falls area’s state of health, according to a press release from the city.

Community organizations and local health partners also collaborated under “the Sioux Falls Community Health Partnership” to produce the 2022–2025 Sioux Falls Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). The partnership will take the CHA findings a step further by setting and pursuing collective community health improvement goals.

Findings from the CHA report show a number of significant concerns, which were grouped into the following categories:

· High burden of chronic diseases, mental health disorders, and injuries

· Poor oral health, especially in school-age children

· Health disparities

· COVID-19 and other communicable diseases

The assessment followed a rigorous process with various forms of data collection in 2021, including a community resident survey, a focus group with community stakeholders, and a review of existing health data from state and national sources.

With consideration of factors such as scope, urgency, resources and community assets, potential impact, and value, the CHIP partners identified priority areas to pursue collaboratively across all community sectors for the next three years. These priorities and their respective goals include:

· Active Living: Get people to move more

· Healthy Eating: Increase the consumption of healthy foods

· Mental Health and Substance Use: Reduce deaths due to intentional and unintentional injuries

· Oral Health: Improve oral health through the reduction of dental diseases

· Preventive Care: Increase utilization of preventive care services

“We appreciate the many community members who participated in this thorough and worthwhile health assessment process, as well as our partners who have been and who will be involved in the planning and implementation of the Community Health Improvement Plan,” said Dr. Charles Chima, Public Health Director for the City of Sioux Falls. “We look forward to the positive impact that this coalition and its activities will have on the health of our community.”

A copy of the CHA report, CHIP, and related resources, as well as information about the implementation of strategies, will be available at siouxfalls.org/community-health.