(HAP) Low Income Study

Health Assesment Survey

The Low-Income Health Assessment survey was initiated as a project of the Healthcare Access Program (HAP) and funded by HAP Members: the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health, Parkview Hospital Community Benefit Program, The Lutheran Foundation, and the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation. The mission of HAP is to convene local low-cost, no-cost healthcare providers to serve as a Center of Excellence in organizing and administering programs that increase the quality and efficiency and reduce the cost of healthcare for the uninsured and underinsured residents of Allen County, Indiana.

The purpose of this survey was to identify the health status, health behaviors, and access (utilization and barriers) to health care services of Allen County residents with household incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty level. This information should be used to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improved health care delivery for low-income residents of Allen County to improve the health status of our community.

Interviews were randomly conducted with 454 low-income residents age 18 and over in the following zip codes in Allen County, Indiana: 46802, 46803, 46805, 46806, 46807, 46808, and 46816. The survey results represent a maximum error rate of plus or minus 4.6% at the 95 percent level of confidence. A minimum of 100 surveys were completed for both African-American and Hispanic respondents.

Areas Covered by the Survey.

Identified Areas for Significant Opportunity to Impact

While data gathered will be helpful to many programs in the community, the following "areas of opportunity" represent recommended areas of intervention, based on the information gathered through this Low-Income Health Assessment and the guidelines set forth in Healthy People 2010:

• Cancer Screenings
• Lead Poisoning Risk
• Child Overweight
• Tobacco Use
• Affordable Prescriptions
• Specific Source for Medical Care

If you would like to participate in any ongoing conversations and/or research in the above area, please contact the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, at (260)969-2001 ext. 201, or any of the HAP Partners.

On-line Access to Database, Reports, and Findings

The study was facilitated by Dr. Meg Wilson, of the University of St. Francis, and conducted by Professional Research Consultants, Inc. (PRC), a nationally recognized healthcare marketing research firm. PRC hosts the data and reporting for community-wide access through its data portal, www.PRCEasyView.com. Through this site, you will be able to:

• View the results of the 2006 Allen County Low-Income Community Health Survey
• Segment survey findings by demographics (e.g., age, gender, race), response characteristics (e.g., overweight adults, smokers, adults with asthma, etc.) or combinations thereof.
• View, download and/or print the full report generated for this study in Adobe Acrobat.
• View, download and/or print the PowerPoint presentation file.

To View Findings:

1. Log on to https://www.prceasyview.com/ using the following Username and Password:
2. Username = Allen County
3. Password = low-income
4. Scroll down to "My Studies"
5. Select the Low-Income Health Assessment from the Study drop-down menu
6. Select the Reports button below for access to the report (Adobe Acrobat) and presentation (PowerPoint) files, or select the Results button for survey data.

If you have any difficulty accessing this site, please send an e-mail to PRC through its corporate website at www.PRConline.com, or call PRC at (800) 647-3322 for assistance. You may also contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Executive Director of St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, at 260-969-2001, Ext. 201.

Low-Income Study Sponsored by:

• Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health
• Parkview Hospital Community Benefit Program
• The Lutheran Foundation
• St. Joseph Community Health Foundation