Needs Assessment Survey Results

In January, members of our bargaining unit participated in a survey that was the product of a partnership between OHSU Family Medicine and AFSCME Local 328.

The intent of the survey was to learn more about the health needs of our members, and how they could be connected with community health workers. CHWs are trusted members of a community who help people become healthier by teaching them about healthy eating, exercise and self-care; they also help people find services they need, like low-cost food, affordable housing, employment services and financial counseling. CHW services are associated with better health outcomes and reduced health-care costs; making these services available through employers may also lead to increased job satisfaction.

Efforts were made to reach as broad an audience as possible, with paper surveys and non-English options available; the survey was also promoted at team huddles with employees who lack access to a computer during their work day. Nearly 2,000 of our represented employees took the survey.

More than 43% of respondents stated that they would be very or somewhat likely to use CHW services; of those employees:

• 65.1% stated they would use a CHW to help them find counseling or emotional support.

• 57.5% stated that would be interested in advice on how to eat healthier, lose weight or quit smoking

• 36.4% stated they would use such a service to help them with access to food, housing or financial resource

Click here for the full survey results.

What’s next? OHSU Family Medicine is working to develop a pilot program for OHSU to provide CHW services to employees. They will be reaching out between now and July to learn what other ideas employees have for programs to support them. They want this pilot program to be developed and driven by employees and hope to have your support going forward.

If you have any questions about the survey data or the development of the pilot program, please email Dr. Brian Frank at frankb@ohsu.edu.