2007 Statistics

Adults who smoke

5+ fruits & vegetables

Adults who are obese

Adults who are active

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Community Needs Assessment

A comprehensive Community Needs Assessment is conducted every five years to update information on the prevalence of risk factors and behaviors that contribute to illness and leading causes of death to help in identifying and prioritizing areas of greatest need for health intervention and in planning effective health promotion and disease prevention programs. The most recent Assessment, Summary of Key Findings: Health Status of CHNA 25, was published in January 2014. The 2014-2019 Five-year Action Plan was developed using this data. In addition to the information contained in this Assessment, other sources can be identified.

In August, 2014, working in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Center for Policy Analysis, launched a comprehensive on-line data source, HealthDataSouthCoast.org. This source compiles current data from a variety of sources, including local reports that do not appear in any other on-line source. 

An excellent source of data is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), an ongoing, random-digit dial statewide telephone survey of adult residents age 18 and older. The BRFSS is currently conducted in all states as a cooperative effort between the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments. The BRFSS includes questions about a wide variety of health issues from personal behaviors and access to medical care to opinions on health-related policy issues.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) provides special reports that summarize results from the BRFSS for selected cities, including Fall River. To access these reporrt or to create your own reports click here for the Massachusetts Community Health Information Profile (MassCHIP). This is a dynamic, user-friendly information service that provides free, online access to these and many other health and social indicators. With MassCHIP, you can obtain community-level data to assess health needs, monitor health status indicators, and evaluate health programs.