In 2012, the province of New Brunswick released the Primary Health-Care Framework for New Brunswick, highlighting Community Health Needs Assessments as an integral first-step to improving existing primary health-care services and infrastructure in the province. Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) is a dynamic, ongoing process that seeks to identify a defined community’s strengths, assets, and needs to guide in the establishment of priorities that improve the health and wellness of the population. CHNAs conducted within Horizon communities are guided by the population health approach, which endeavors to improve the health of the entire population and to reduce health inequities by examining and acting upon the broad range of factors and conditions that have a strong influence on our health, often referred to as the determinants of health. The process used by the CHA Team resulted in the identification of six priority issues in the Moncton and surrounding area, detailed in their report.
Author/Origin:Horizon Health Network