Community Health Needs Assessment Released For Southwest Michigan

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hospital-safe-1-53

A new report from Spectrum Health Lakeland takes a look at the health disparities among different areas throughout southwest Michigan. The 2022-2024 Community Health Needs Assessment is based on studies and surveys taking a look at mental health, social cohesion, healthcare access, nutrition, environment, and safety. The assessment finds significant inequities in age-adjusted mortality rates and life expectancy around the Spectrum Health service area. The study breaks down Berrien and parts of Van Buren and Cass counties into census tracts, finding the tracts with the lowest life expectancy are in Benton Township and Benton Harbor, while the tracts with the highest are in Oronoko Township and Lincoln Township. Spectrum Health Vice President of Health Equity Lynn Todman says at least 80% of a community’s health outcomes can be attributed to social conditions. She says the healthcare system is aiming to address those conditions to help ease the health disparities. You can see the report here.