Abstract
Accurate estimates of health risk factors and outcomes are difficult to obtain for certain ethnic populations. The health of Jewish individuals is particularly hard to determine because of the small group size and because health data rarely include information on religious affiliation. Furthermore, local level health information (for any population subgroup) is limited. To assess health risk factors and outcomes, as well as issues related to access to care, within a Jewish community in Chicago, a group of community agencies and researchers initiated a unique, population-based health survey. Specifically, a three-stage sampling design was used to select a representative sample of 201 adults and 58 children in the most concentrated Jewish neighborhood in the city. Nearly 500 questions were asked, covering a wide variety of demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related topics. The findings revealed that these Jewish individuals were generally as healthy (or healthier) than the average residents of Chicago and the U.S.; however, many serious health concerns still existed. In particular, health problems such as obesity, depression, disability, and domestic violence were common and, in some cases, more prevalent than in the general population. This local level information provides the first accurate estimates of key health variables for the estimated 23,000 Jewish individuals living in this community. This type of data is essential because it enables the efforts and priorities of health and social service providers to be focused on the most pressing health problems. Moreover, this project provides an example for other population subgroups (based on residence, ethnicity, religious affiliation, country of origin, or other characteristics) who would benefit from local level health information.
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Notes
Sources: Jewish Community Health Survey 2003 and NHANES, 1999–2000. Note: NHANES data is for children 2–11 years of age.
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Acknowledgments
The project described in this paper was supported by generous grants from the following foundations: Polk Bros. Foundation, Jewish Federation’s Fund for Innovation in Health (supported by the Michael Reese Health Trust), Irvin and Ruth Swartzberg Foundation, and the Fel-Pro Mecklenberger Supporting Fund.
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Maureen R. Benjamins, PhD is an Epidemiologist and Steven Whitman, PhD is the Director of the Sinai Urban Health Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, 1500 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608, USA. Dana M. Rhodes, MSW is the Director of Grants and Community Service and Joel M. Carp, ACSW is the Senior Vice President Emeritus for the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, 30 S. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60601, USA.
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Benjamins, M.R., Rhodes, D.M., Carp, J.M. et al. A Local Community Health Survey: Findings From A Population-Based Survey Of The Largest Jewish Community In Chicago. J Community Health 31, 479–495 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-006-9025-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-006-9025-5