51����

The Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service at 51���� is leading the charge in assessing Ohio’s health challenges.

The school is crafting the latest for the Ohio Department of Health (ODH).

This document is brimming with information that will serve as a vital compass for the state’s planning efforts to ensure healthier lives for all Ohioans. It was compiled from multiple surveys, discussion groups and a review of secondary data as well as community needs assessments and improvement plans from all Ohio counties.

The upcoming SHA is not just a routine update. It's a response to monumental events that have significantly impacted health and well-being since the last assessment in 2019. For the new SHA, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) specifically requested the Voinovich School and the project partners assess two critical areas: The health of Ohioans living with a disability and a comprehensive review of health in the state’s 32-county Appalachian region. These are priorities requiring immediate attention and action.

“They’ve recognized that those two groups are priority populations,” says Linda Holmstrand, a senior research manager at the Voinovich School and one of the primary architects of the new SHA. “Many of their health outcomes are worse than the state average.”

Access to quality health care and the transportation required to receive it are two significant factors in Appalachia. Residents are often miles away from a primary care doctor, let alone a specialist.

“For someone needing cancer treatment or even just to get a screening, you have to drive,” says Holmstrand. “Then look at the transportation options. There are fewer in Appalachia, so how do you get there? It’s a domino effect.”

Access is a huge factor for people with disabilities as well. This population may experience significant delays in getting care because they’re often more isolated and unable to make it somewhere to receive assistance. There are other elements at play as well.

“Twenty-five percent of persons with disabilities have food insecurity,” says Margaret Hutzel of the Voinovich School, who spearheaded the research for the disabilities addendum. “The state average is only 6.5%, and that’s just one of the issues.”

With the ODH placing a substantial focus on disabilities and the Appalachian region, Holmstrand and Hutzel are optimistic that there will be a heightened emphasis on positive health outcomes at the local level.

“I firmly believe the SHA will profoundly impact policy and practice,” says Hutzel. “There’s a real opportunity to enhance the level of care and make it more accessible for all Ohioans.”  

Partners assisting the Voinovich School with the State Health Assessment include OHIO’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, and faculty from the University of Toledo and the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center.