Social Assessment: Cuyahoga County

Cuyahoga County
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Cuyahoga County
The community health needs assessment (CHNA) refers to a territorial health evaluation that enumerates key health needs and issues through methodical, extensive data gathering and analysis. This CHNA will entail a systematic investigation of the health status indicators for Cuyahoga County to identify critical key health assets and problems. The ultimate goal of the CHNA is to guide health policymakers in developing strategies to address identified community health needs and issues, thereby reducing health inequity in the county. Cuyahoga County is situated in the northern region of Ohio and south of Lake Erie. It was founded in 1810 by the Ohio government and took its name from the Native American word “Cuyahoga,” which means “crooked river” (Ohio History Central, 2018). Cuyahoga County is Ohio’s most populous county and the second-largest county in Ohio by area. The county seat is in Cleveland, which is one of the most populous urban areas in America.
Social Assessment
Economy
The economy of Cuyahoga County was, for the most part, dominated by the manufacturing industry. However, the industrial restructuring of steel and railroad industries of the 60s to 90s cost the county economically, although the growth of other industries has shifted the county’s economy. For instance, the construction of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland and other major cultural institutions, over and above, the three Major League professional sports franchises continue to boost the county’s tourism economy (Ohio History Central, 2018). Other industries that have made up for the decline in manufacturing industries include higher education, insurance, and technology (Exner, 2020). Healthcare is one of the largest earners in the county and the biggest sector of the local economy.
Industry
Approximately 45 percent of residents in Cuyahoga County earn their living by working in the service industries, particularly the health care, financial services, biomedical, and communications industries. Almost another 50 percent of the county’s employment openings are in the manufacturing and sales industries. A significant proportion of Cuyahoga County’s residents also work in the coal, shipping, steel, and iron core sectors spread across the Great Lakes (Ohio History Central, 2018). The tourism sector, particularly in Cleveland, is another industry that provides placement opportunities for a large number of county dwellers.
Vibrancy
Cuyahoga County has a vibrant arts and culture scene to support inclusive cultural experiences that are critical to the county’s residents’ health and vitality. The county continues to invest millions of dollars every year in the arts and culture industry to strengthen the community and challenge the complex web of inequities. However, structural racism continues to be the biggest barrier to interaction. Racial and economic discrimination resulting from historical policies like redlining continue to create divisions among community members and result in poorer health outcomes for minority groups (Chris...