CherokeeCounty-2021-CHA-Final_1.pdf

Community Results Statement

The vision of the Cherokee County Health Department is to promote, nurture, and protect the health of our community. This vision along with the combined efforts of our local hospital partner Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital and other community partners will help create a healthy and safe Cherokee County.

Leadership and Partnership for the Community Health Assessment Process

During 2021-2022, the Cherokee County Health Department facilitated the development of this comprehensive Community Health Assessment by engaging multiple organizations and community members; by outlining the need for certain decisions and interventions; and by creating a positive environment for discussion and change.

Regional/Contracted Services

Our county received support from WNC Healthy Impact, a partnership and coordinated process between hospitals, public health agencies, and key regional partners in western North Carolina working towards a vision of improved community health. We work together locally and regionally to assess health needs, develop collaborative plans, take action, and evaluate progress and impact. 

This innovative regional effort is coordinated and supported by WNC Health Network. WNC Health Network is the alliance of stakeholders working together to improve health and healthcare in western North Carolina. Learn more at www.WNCHN.org.

Theoretical Framework/Model

WNC Health Network provides local hospitals and public health agencies with tools and support to collect, visualize, and respond to complex community health data through Results-Based Accountability™ (RBA). RBA is a disciplined, common sense approach to thinking and acting with a focus on how people, agencies, and communities are better off for our efforts.

Collaborative Process Summary

Cherokee County’s collaborative process is supported on a regional level by WNC Healthy Impact.

Locally, our process is to share our Community Health Assessment Primary and Secondary data with our CHA team and Board of Health to identify and prioritize health issues. Phase 1 of the collaborative process began in January 2021 with the collection of community health data. For more details on this process see Chapter 1 – Community Health Assessment Process.

For more details on this process see Chapter 1 – Community Health Assessment Process.

Key Findings

Issues such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and COPD continue to cause a major burden on our health status. Lifestyle behaviors and health status such as inactivity, obesity, and lack of proper nutrition are continuing to be an issue facing our community.

Health Priorities

1. Cancer Control and Prevention
2. Chronic Disease Control and Prevention
3. Access to Healthcare

Next Steps

CHA leadership and partners will work with community members to better understand the story and root causes behind our priority health issues. New and existing partners will be engaged to help to do better on these issues.

We will identify what works to do better through research on evidence-based strategies, observing what is working in other communities, and engaging priority populations. Strategies will be selected, as well as performance measures to ensure that residents are better off because of them.