Statistics and Assessments

DOH-Indian River is committed to improving the health and wellness of those in Indian River County. We utilize data to identify and focus on crucial issues affecting community health.

Community Health Needs Assessment

Tools we utilize to assist in our improvement efforts include the Community Health Assessment for Indian River County (CHA) which is a comprehensive, county-wide assessment used to evaluate the health needs in Indian River County. This collaborative effort with community stakeholders and partners is part of an ongoing broader community health improvement process.

Assessing and Improving Walkability in Indian River County

In early 2018, Florida Department of Health in Indian River County, in partnership with the Environmental Learning Center (ELC), created a community-wide survey to assess the walkability of Indian River County.

This collaboration is a product of the county Community Health Improvement Plan, which brings together community partners to address the greatest health concerns facing our community. One such concern is the epidemic of obesity and overweight, and the chronic diseases that stem from this growing problem.

Increasing physical activity is one of the most important actions people can take to achieve a healthy weight and improve overall health. Often, however, people find it difficult to maintain a minimum level of physical activity because many communities are not designed around pedestrians; in other words, they are not “walkable,” so residents find little opportunity to increase their activity levels. The results of this walkability survey will help identify barriers to walking and physical activity throughout Indian River County, find solutions to barriers, and can be used to craft new policies and recommendations with walkability as a priority.

The Housing Crisis, a Public Health Issue

Housing is an important determinant of health. It is one of the many disparities that affect underserved populations and contribute to a multitude of health problems. Access to affordable, safe housing has decreased over time in Indian River County fueled by the effects of the pandemic, rising inflation, wage stagnation and demand for housing due to population increases.

Climate and Economic Justice

In January of 2021, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) developed a new tool called the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool.
The tool has an interactive map and uses datasets that are indicators of burdens in eight categories:

• climate change
• energy
• health
• housing
• legacy pollution
• transportation
• water and wastewater
• workforce development

The tool uses this information to identify communities that are experiencing these burdens.
These are the communities that are disadvantaged because they are overburdened and underserved.

Data Sources for Community Assessments and Plans

The Florida Department of Health utilizes data from the Florida Community Health Assessment Resource Tool Set (CHARTS) webpage and Florida Environmental Public Health Tracking. Both are excellent resources for Florida public health statistics and community health data, providing statistical data for a wide variety of health indicators in Florida, including:

• Communicable Diseases
• Chronic Diseases
• Maternal and Child Health
• Environmental Health
• Injury & Violence
• Social and Mental Health
• Health Resources Availability
• Population Characteristics
• Air and Water Quality
• Community Profiles
• Housing