Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford Counties are now joined together in the state’s first regional health assessment.
Health departments are required to complete a community health assessment every three years. Now, the three counties will submit the data jointly.
The new Partnership for a Healthy Community is centered on the idea that counties have overlapping public health needs.
“People don’t just stay in one county, they cross the border, they travel around, they all share hospital systems,” Scott said. “So it’s very important for us to look at the needs of the whole community.”
The collaborative assessment of the three-county region identified shared areas of concern, including mental health, obesity and reproductive health.
The report says cases of gonorrhea in the region are five times greater than the state average. In Peoria County alone, the number of teen pregnancies is more than double state and national figures.
“What’s underlying public health is really those social determinants of health: poverty, housing, education, jobs, the workforce,” Scott said.
The initiative also aims to reduce the prevalence of preventable diseases in the region, by partnering with other sectors.
“We need to be on the same page,” Monica Hendrickson, the Peoria City/County epidemiologist, said.
Public health specialists from the Tri-County region met Thurs. to discuss the findings. Several said at that meeting the next challenge is getting people to change behaviors, like choosing healthier food options. The assessment says two thirds of area residents are obese.
The full assessment can be viewed here.