Regional health assessment: 402 Revere survey responses so far; housing, behavioral health, economic stability and environment remain top concerns

Vanessa Gurdado Menhevar, regional epidemiologist working on a community health assessment for Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop, presented preliminary findings to the Revere Board of Health and outlined next steps toward a community health improvement plan.

Menhevar said the assessment uses surveys, focus groups and interviews to identify priorities with an emphasis on populations experiencing inequities. As of the presentation she reported 402 survey respondents from Revere and seven focus groups, including an Arabic-speaking focus group and groups with health workers and regional mental health teams. She said the steering committee includes roughly 20 active members and that Cambridge Health Alliance and other hospitals are partners to avoid duplicative outreach.

Demographic results from the preliminary Revere sample included: about 38% reporting a primary language other than English; about 68% identifying as…