Abstract
Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) has the twin goals of generating data and shaping policy decisions, yet examples that combine these goals are scarce in the literature. We describe how a community-based survey was created and used to help develop a county health plan. The Genesee Health Plan (GHP), a community-initiated non-profit organization, provides primary care, prescription drugs, and specialty care to uninsured, low-income adults through a network of independent physicians, clinics, and hospital systems. As part of an advocacy effort, GHP supporters used results from the Speak to Your Health! Community Survey to gain financial and political support for GHP. Our study, which used CBPR principles, was created by the community, local health department, and university partners. As a result, Genesee County became one of the first counties in the United States to make basic health care available to nearly all of its uninsured, low-income adults.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Israel, B.A., Eng, E., Schulz, A.J. and Parker, E.A. ( 2005 ) Methods in Community-Based Participatory Research for Health . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass .
Manderson, L. and Hoban, E. ( 2006 ) Cervical cancer services for indigenous women: Advocacy, community-based research and policy change in Australia . Women & Health 43 (4) : 69 – 88 .
McCroskey, J. ( 2007 ) Using child and family indicators to influence communities and policy in Los Angeles County . Social Indicators Research 83 (1) : 125 – 128 .
Giang, T., Karpyn, A., Laurison, H., Hillier, A. and Perry, R. ( 2008 ) Closing the grocery gap in underserved communities: The creation of the Pennsylvania fresh food financing initiative . Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 14 (3) : 272 – 279 .
Institute of Medicine . ( 2004 ) Insuring America's Health: Principles and Recommendations . Washington DC: National Academies of Science .
Herrick, D. ( 2009 ) Crisis of the Uninsured: 2009 . Dallas, TX: National Center for Policy Analysis .
U.S. Census Bureau . ( 2001 ) Census 2000 Summary File 3 . Washington DC .
O'Leary Morgan, K., Morgan, S. and Boba, R. ( 2009 ) City Crime Rankings, 16th edn. Lawrence, KS: Morgan Quinto Press .
Pestronk, R.M. and Marcia Franks, M. ( 2003 ) A partnership to reduce African American infant mortality in Genesee County, Michigan . Public Health Reports 118 (4) : 324 – 335 .
Pestronk, R.M. ( 2000 ) Community-based practice in public health . In: T.A. Bruce and S.U. McKane (eds.) Community-Based Public Health: A Partnership Model . Washington DC: American Public Health Association, pp. 71 – 82 .
Selig, S. and Pestronk, R. ( 1995 ) Working toward community-based public health: The experience of Flint, Michigan . The Link 7 : 1 – 6 .
Cook, M.L. and Rafferty, A.P. ( 2004 ) Health Risk Behaviors in the State of Michigan: 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Survey . Lansing, MI: Michigan Department of Community Health .
Genesee Health Plan . ( 2009 ) Yes You Can: Covering Your Community's Adult Uninsured . Flint, MI .
Hepker, C. ( 2008 ) Michigan's ‘one state recession’ . BBC News, 1 May, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7378492.stm .
Zimmerman, M. ( 2000 ) Empowerment theory: Psychological, organizational and community levels of analysis . In: J. Rappaport and E. Seidman (eds.) Handbook of Community Psychology . New York: Plenum Press, pp. 43 – 63 .
Zimmerman, M. ( 1990 ) Taking aim on empowerment research: On the distinction between psychological and individual conceptions . American Journal of Community Psychology 18 (1) : 169 – 177 .
Israel, B., Schulz, A., Parker, E. and Becker, A. ( 1998 ) Review of community-based research: Assessing partnership approaches to improve public health . Annual Review of Public Health 19 (1) : 173 – 202 .
Minkler, M. and Wallerstein, N. (eds.) ( 2008 ) Community-Based Participatory Research for Health: From Process to Outcomes . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass .
Butterfoss, F. ( 2007 ) Coalitions and Partnerships in Community Health . San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons .
Kelly, J. ( 1971 ) Qualities for a community psychologist . American Psychologist 26 (10) : 897 – 903 .
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
A community-based survey in Michigan (USA) helped the authors design a county health plan and a community-initiated non-profit organization–to provide primary care, prescription drugs, and specialty care to uninsured, low-income adults through a network of independent physicians, clinics, and hospital systems.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kruger, D., Hamacher, L., Strugar-Fritsch, D. et al. Facilitating the development of a county health coverage plan with data from a community-based health survey. J Public Health Pol 31, 199–211 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2010.8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2010.8