FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Aug. 16, 2022

South Carolinians asked to take a short survey to help guide public health resources

COLUMBIA, S.C. ― Public health officials are asking residents to provide input about which mental and physical health resources matter most to them. By completing a short, anonymous survey residents can help guide the Live Healthy South Carolina coalition in its mission to improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians. 

Live Healthy South Carolina is a collaboration between the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina, and many other partners around the state. The partnership began in 2016 with the purpose of identifying and addressing South Carolina’s greatest public health challenges. South Carolina currently ranks 45th in nation for health outcomes, according to America's Health Rankings, and South Carolina consistently ranks among the lowest states in the nation in other public health reports and analyses as well.

“The goal is to take actions that move us up those rankings until South Carolina is one of the best states in the nation for listening to our residents about their needs, making strategic changes, then providing the services, resources, and education that empower all South Carolinians to live healthier, happier lives,” said Dr. Kobra Eghtedary, DHEC's State Health Improvement Office Director. “How can we know what our communities need if we don’t give them the chance to inform us?”

The S.C. Community Health Needs Assessment survey is open now, and all residents are asked to take it. The survey is available online at livehealthy.sc.gov/community. Anyone needing assistance with completing the online survey, which takes about 10 minutes, is asked to reach out to a trusted family member or friend, or they can visit their local DHEC health department for a paper copy of the survey. The survey asks questions about the individual’s county, age, race, gender, and occupation, but no one will be asked to provide their name or address. Other questions will ask how the individual feels about the overall health of their community.

By collecting and analyzing health data provided by residents through the S.C. Community Health Needs Assessment survey, the Live Healthy South Carolina coalition can develop the state’s second State Health Improvement Plan and begin working with partners across the state to put the plan into action. The first five-year State Health Improvement Plan was published in 2018.

"The member organizations of the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina are positioned to provide information regarding the health challenges faced by our neighbors across the state,” said Shawn Stinson, MD, Chair of the Alliance for a Healthier SC. “It will take all of us together to identify areas of concern, particularly those that involve disadvantaged persons who so frequently don’t have the opportunity to speak for themselves."

Some of South Carolina’s greatest public health challenges include high obesity rates, premature death rates, and prevalence of chronic conditions among residents. Live Healthy South Carolina also is making it a top priority to reduce health disparities, where certain populations or communities experience poorer health outcomes due to inequities such as less access to health resources than others.

DHEC is South Carolina’s public health agency and is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board. The agency and its staff provide public health services at health departments in all 46 counties and are committed to improving the quality of life for all South Carolinians by protecting and promoting the health of the public and the environment.

The Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina is a coalition of more than 60 diverse organizations across the state working together to ensure that all people in South Carolina have the opportunity for healthier bodies, minds, and communities while reducing the future cost of care. 

Take the survey and learn more about Live Healthy South Carolina at livehealthy.sc.gov.

###