Vision Statement

The Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) provides the foundation for improving and promoting good health in our community. The CHNA process gives key stakeholders in Sampson County the opportunity to work together to understand and address the most important community health issues. With this process, our goals are to identify and address key health needs/issues, plan health and disease prevention services, and improve health, partnerships, and communication. Together, Sampson County stakeholders will create a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). 

Leadership

Sampson Regional Medical Center (SampsonRMC) and Sampson County Health Department (SCHD) work together to complete the Sampson County Community Health Needs Assessment. SampsonRMC and SCHD have a positive and productive working relationship and are committed to continuing their work together to improve the health of the citizens of Sampson County. Along with SampsonRMC and SCHD, the NC Extension Agency plays an integral part in the leadership team. The leadership team includes:

• Robin Palmer, M.B.A., Community Wellness Coordinator - Sampson Regional Medical Center
• Sydney (Luke) Smith, B.S., Public Health Educator II - Sampson County Health Department
• Sydney Knowles, M.A., Health Education – NC Extension Agent, Sampson County

Partnerships/Collaborations

Community wellness stakeholders have been engaged throughout the data results presentation and follow-up meeting to discuss and confirm Sampson County’s health priorities. The following are some of the community leaders involved in the process:

• Jerol Kivett - Sampson County Commissioner
• Ed Causey - Sampson County Manager
• Nancy Dillman - Sampson County Human Resources Director
• Jonathan Allen - Clinton Recreation and Parks Director
• Shelvia Ashford - Clinton City Human Resource Director
• Mary Rose - Clinton City Planning and Development Director
• Marvin Rondon - SCC Acting Dean of Student Services
• Anthony Davis - Clinton City Interim Chief of Police
• Wesley Johnson - Clinton City Schools Superintendent
• Shirley Williams - SHAC Chair, CCS Director of Student Services
• Jennifer Daughtry - SHAC Chair, Director of Secondary Ed.
• Jared Barrier - YMCA Director
• Diane Barwick - Coordinator-CCS Healthier Lives and Beyond
• Melissa Reese - Community Relations Specialist, Eastpointe
• Lauren McCallum - Asst Director, Nutrition Education, Poe Center
• Veronica Stevens - Director of Nursing, SCC
• Kristy Bland - Business Development Liaison, SampsonRMC
• Deanna Joyner - Sampson County Substance Abuse Coalition

Regional/Contracted Services

Sampson County is part of Health ENC, which is a program of the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation (FHLI), a nonprofit organization focused on improving health in North Carolina. Health ENC is a collaborative of more than thirty counties that works together to identify health issues and concerns across eastern North Carolina (ENC).

Theoretical Framework/Model

A Population Health Model guides the CHNA process and is being used to improve the health and wellness of communities across eastern North Carolina.   This simply means using a model that focuses on health equity and the many distinct factors that drive health outcomes, including health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic and physical environment factors. These are important because they all contribute to health and wellness. Knowing which factors or combination of factors contribute to poor health outcomes can provide critical information for developing prevention and intervention strategies to improve health. 

Collaborative Process Summary

The most recent Community Health Needs Assessment began in the Spring of 2021.  The Community Health Survey was distributed in April 2021 and was available through June 2021. Both primary and secondary data were share by Health ENC as a PowerPoint presentation in October 2021. There were errors and edits, the presentation was recalled, and an updated version was sent in December 2021. The information was shared with community stakeholders in February 2022 and health priorities were set. The final report will be completed by June 2022.

Key Findings

The Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) uses both primary and secondary data to identify health trends, needed resources, and opportunities related to improving the health of Sampson County.  The primary data includes the Community Health Survey.  The list of community issues that were ranked by residents as most affecting the quality of life in Sampson County are:

• Low income/ Poverty was the most frequently selected issue.
• Drugs (Substance abuse) were ranked second by survey respondents.
• Lack of Community Resources ranked as the third issue most affecting quality of life in Sampson County.

The secondary data includes leading causes of death and socio-economic factors like poverty, unemployment, and education. Some of the significant health indicators and determinants of Premature Death in Sampson County include adult smoking rate, adult obesity numbers, number of teen births, leading causes of death, percentage of the population that is uninsured, and percentage of children living in poverty. Knowing which factors or combination of factors contribute to poor health outcomes can provide critical information for developing prevention and intervention strategies to improve health.

Health Priorities

The Premature Death rate (years of potential life lost before age 75) in Sampson County is significant and much higher than the NC state rate and it encompasses many issues that factor into good health and mortality. Because there are so many factors that drive health outcomes (like Premature Death rate), a population health framework is being used to improve health and wellness. This simply means using a model that focuses on the many varied factors that drive health outcomes including health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic and physical environment factors. These are important because they all contribute to health and wellness.  This aligns with the Healthy NC 2030 action plan, which uses this population framework approach to direct State and local efforts to improve community health. In the past, Healthy NC plans have focused on individual health topics, which we aligned with in previous community health improvement plans. 

Next Steps

Community health stakeholders, who were positively engaged in the data findings report meeting, met to discuss the best ways to collaborate moving forward. Discussion continued about Sampson County health issues, along with a proposal and confirmation of the three specific health priorities. Community health stakeholders will break into sub-committees to address each specific health priority. The ultimate goals are to:

• Collaborate to ensure our county resources are best utilized and that the health concerns are addressed in the most efficient and effective way 
• Communicate, support, and promote each other’s programs, so our community is aware of and utilizes our resources
• Improve the health, partnerships, and communication within our community

As a guide, a logic model will be used.  A logic model represents a picture of how your effort or initiative is supposed to work.  It explains why your strategy is a workable solution to the problem at hand.  Effective logic models make an explicit, often visual, statement of the activities that will bring about change and the results you expect to see for the community and its people.  A logic model keeps participants in the effort moving in the same direction by providing a common language and point of reference.

• Obesity, through exercise and nutrition. When obesity is addressed, chronic diseases (affected by exercise and nutrition) are also impacted.

• Substance Use

• Teen Pregnancy