123 - A story to tell: Telling the richness and complexities of a community using data.

Abstract Information: Storytelling is a powerful tool that has been used for centuries to convey important messages and ideas. In the context of evaluation, it is essential as it allows evaluators to communicate complex findings and data in an understandable, relatable, and memorable way to stakeholders. Storytelling helps to contextualize data, engage stakeholders, provide a narrative arc, and highlight human impact. Let us tell you a story. Zip code 78043 is in east Laredo, Texas and it is the locality of several Colonias. Colonias are relatively undeveloped communities that may lack some foundational infrastructure like running water, electricity, or paved roads. Zip code 78043 tells a story of a high poverty rate, higher older adult population, lower educational attainment, and a higher percentage of community residents that are likely to not have insurance. This story emerged from the 2022-23 Community Health Needs Assessment in Laredo. This project looked at five zip codes in the City of Laredo and identified priority health and social determinants of health needs. This project used quantitative data, both publicly available and a robust bilingual community survey, and centered it on qualitative data, leading to a rich and robust story of a community. The data is anchored in the local context and uplifts the lived expertise of community residents. The last three years have had long-term implications for health, the systems that shape health, and community capacity and resiliency. As a result, even the most recently available quantitative data is unlikely to capture fully emerging health needs of communities most heavily impacted. This project highlights the importance of grounding quantitative data in qualitative insights, and the value of a community survey that is context-responsive and tailored to local culture. During this presentation, you will hear from the lead evaluators and the City of Laredo Public Health Department.

Relevance Statement: At Texas Health Institute (THI), we are driven by a commitment to health equity in all of our work, including our research and evaluation portfolio. Our commitment to health equity centers everything we do and how we do it. By taking a place-based approach, we aim to fully understand the health disparities that exists within the communities we work with. We are intentional in exploring the social determinants of health, amplifying the assets and resources of the community, and identifying critical health issues that affect the underserved and marginalized. THI collaborated with the City of Laredo Public Health Department. The City of Laredo Public Health Department is committed to proactive healthcare, preventing issues before they arise to increase the likelihood of healthier and longer lives for our community members. We continuously improve our community outreach, patient care efficiency, and the education and expertise of our public health workforce. With the goal to achieve advanced health equity levels in the Laredo community, ensuring that every person has access to their full health potential, regardless of social position or other circumstances. Together we are amplifying impact by sharing best practices and sharing stories of communities across the Nation through data. The abstract highlights a story. A story of a community that constantly battles with challenges and most importantly a story of a resilient strong community that unites around the goal of improving community health. The methods for this Needs Assessment were carefully designed. The qualitative component included: 1) a series of focus groups targeting different demographics in the community from age to geographic location and 2) a series of key informant interviews with community leaders representing different sectors. The quantitative component included: 1) a deep dive looking at 80 key indicators selected by the community using publicly available data and 2) a widely distributed community survey, which was translated and tested to meet local needs, strategically monitored to represent demographics, geographic location, educational attainment and insurance accessibility in order to align with Census data. Utilizing these two methodologies to collect and analyze data completed a full and rich picture of the strengths and complexities of the community. This work is improving the field of evaluation by promoting a promising approach to improving community health through culturally relevant evaluation. This approach focuses on improving the health of a community and its community members by understanding health from their perspective and lived experiences. Needs Assessments elevate community engagement and ultimately empower communities. The results from Needs Assessments conducted by THI are easily accessible, culturally relevant, context-responsive, community facing, and actionable.