Community Health Assessment
The Knox County Health Department’s Community Health Assessment offers a detailed look at the state of health in Knox County and is released every five years. KCHD conducted its first Community Health Assessment in 2010 and the third Community Health Assessment was released in 2020.
The 2019/2020 Community Health Assessment is the culmination of more than one and a half years of data collection and evaluation by KCHD's epidemiology and health planning staff, a formal process based on a national model to improve community health. The 2019/2020 assessment can be found in the link at the bottom of the page, as well as the 2014/2015 Assessment.
“The significance of the Community Health Assessment cannot be overstated,” said KCHD Senior Director and Public Health Officer Dr. Martha Buchanan. “Releasing this report is a crucial step in raising awareness of key health issues our community is facing while informing our path to building a healthier community.”
In the most recent report, health outcomes in ten different topic areas are covered, bringing together county-level data from dozens of sources. Topic areas include active and healthy living, chronic disease, mental health, among others. The report includes official data reported to KCHD and the Tennessee Department of Health from hospitals and other organizations, self-reported survey data and information about how the community perceives health issues. It is important to note that the data in this report was compiled before the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. As such, this report represents the pre-COVID-19 baseline for our community.
The Community Health Assessment is a key part of KCHD’s strategic plan to improve health in Knox County and will be used to inform and monitor the organization’s efforts. The assessment is also used by a variety of groups, including medical providers, nonprofit organizations, and hospitals, to inform their work as well. In addition, this report will serve as the basis for the Community Health Council's health improvement plan, which lists priority health issues for Knox County, as well as how best to address them as a community.
- Click here to download the 2019/2020 Community Health Assessment.
- Click here to download the 2014/2015 Community Health Assessment.
- Click here to download a printable version of the 2014/2015 assessment.
