Beginning September 21, 2022, Durham County volunteers in partnership with the Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH), Partnership for a Healthy Durham and Duke Health will go door-to-door in the county to ask questions about the community’s health. These survey responses are collected and will be posted in the upcoming 2023 Durham County Community Health Assessment. This information helps public and elected officials best identify, address, and strengthen key and health issues of the community. The survey covers health and wellbeing, community strengths, areas for improvement, and much more. Volunteers will go door-to-door to hear directly from Durham County residents to learn what they love about their community, areas for improvement, and how they feel their health is affected by their community.  

Teams of two volunteers will approach randomly selected homes within the county every Wednesday through Saturday from 10am-6pm beginning September 21, 2022 and ending when 630 surveys have been collected. The survey takes approximately 20-25 minutes and will be conducted in English and Spanish. All participants completing the survey will receive a thank-you gift. Questions asked on this survey will include identifying the most important community and health problems in the county, access to healthcare, physical activity, nutrition, housing and personal demographics. All data collected in this survey are anonymous and will not be linked to any individual. To ensure the safety of residents, DCoDPH staff will be in uniform, wearing identical blue t-shirts, and name badges. Students and partners who will assist will wear matching shirts but will not have badges. 

These surveys are the first step in the 2023 Community Health Assessment. In addition to the survey, local, state, and national data will be collected on the leading causes of death, incidence of diseases, current health priorities, and participation in healthy lifestyle behaviors, among many others. Durham County’s current health priorities include Affordable Housing, Access to Healthcare, Mental Health, Poverty, and Obesity, Diabetes and Food Access. A comprehensive report detailing the new findings will be released to the community in spring 2024.  

To view the 2020 Community Health Assessment document or executive summary, visit www.healthydurham.org or contact Savannah Carrico, Epidemiologist, Durham County Department of Public Health at 919-251-1578 or scarrico@dconc.gov. Savannah can answer any questions you may have regarding the survey. More information is also available at DCoPublicHealth.org/CHAsurvey2023.