Needs Assessment and Capacity Flashcards

A health educator wants to determine the gap between a community's current health status and a desired health status. Which term best describes this gap?

Answer: Health need

A health need is defined as the gap between the current state and a desired or optimal state of health.

Which data source would be MOST appropriate for obtaining existing community health statistics during a secondary data review?

Answer: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

BRFSS is a national secondary data source that provides existing state-level and community health behavior and risk factor data.

During a needs assessment, a health educator discovers that community members lack knowledge about diabetes prevention. This finding represents which type of need?

Answer: Felt need

Felt needs are those perceived or experienced by individuals themselves, such as lacking knowledge about a health topic.

A health education specialist uses nominal group technique during the needs assessment phase. What is the PRIMARY advantage of this method?

Answer: It ensures equal participation and prioritization among group members

Nominal group technique ensures all participants have equal input and uses structured voting to prioritize needs without group pressure.

Which of the following BEST exemplifies community capacity in the context of a needs assessment?

Answer: The community's assets, skills, and resources available to address health issues

Community capacity refers to the combination of assets, skills, relationships, and resources a community can mobilize to address its own health needs.

An asset mapping exercise is conducted as part of a community needs assessment. What does this process primarily identify?

Answer: Existing strengths, resources, and supports within the community

Asset mapping identifies existing community strengths, resources, organizations, and informal supports that can be leveraged for health improvement.

A needs assessment reveals that a high-risk population has access to health services but does not use them. This discrepancy MOST likely indicates a need for assessment of:

Answer: Cultural, linguistic, or structural barriers

When services exist but are underutilized, the assessment should explore cultural appropriateness, language barriers, stigma, or structural access issues.