From Listening to Action

This quarter, we've been focused on analyzing the input  we gathered throughout 2022 and compiling summaries for each location that synthesize the relevant quantitative and qualitative data. Thanks to Orange Sparkle Ball and the voting tool we implemented at community events throughout fall and winter this past year, we were able to narrow our focus to a couple of top issues in each county to develop action plans with communities. This process is still ongoing, with elected officials, non-profits, service providers, and residents attending and participating in the development of an action plan for their county!

Interactive survey tool where residents cast their vote for the issue that mattered most to them.

Residents interacting with survey tool choosing their top issues.

Realigning With the Provider Network

Over the last quarter, we also met with our provider network partners to provide spatial data analysis and see how their client base has shifted over the last year. Overall, providers reported that these visualizations and research were useful and will help guide their outreach. In Fayette, Fulton, and Henry Counties, there was a notable increase in services for clients from the lowest life expectancy tracts!

What We’re Learning From

A recent study, published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, caught our eye for discussing spatial health equity. Researchers found that directing Naloxone to areas of high need and targeting populations who injected drugs reduced recorded overdose related deaths by around 25% and was far more cost efficient compared to other approaches. This strategy also reduced geospatial inequity in overdose related deaths. Hopefully such innovative programs continue to be developed as place-based approaches are integrated into broader public health campaigns.