Ethnographic insights into health disparities in Tompkins County
Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH), which integrates the county’s public and mental health departments, completes a community health assessment (CHA) every three to five years. The report sums up the community’s health status, contributing factors and available resources.
For the next CHA, to be published in fall 2025, the health department is working with Cornell Public Health and Ithaca nonprofit Civic Ensemble to enhance the report’s quantitative data with qualitative insights. The goal is to document the values and experiences of Tompkins County residents, identify what contributes to health inequities in our county, and determine how existing resources are (or are not) leveraged to address those inequities.
The student team will receive training in rapid ethnographic assessment. They will co-conduct interviews based on TCWH priority areas, serve as observational notetakers and conduct data management and analysis. They will also develop summary reports of their findings with evidence-based recommendations, and work with partners at the Civic Ensemble to use theater and storytelling techniques to share findings with the community. The work will help inform the strategies and priorities of the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan.
Ethnographic insights into health disparities in Tompkins County
Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH), which integrates the county’s public and mental health departments, completes a community health assessment (CHA) every three to five years. The report sums up the community’s health status, contributing factors and available resources.
For the next CHA, to be published in fall 2025, the health department is working with Cornell Public Health and Ithaca nonprofit Civic Ensemble to enhance the report’s quantitative data with qualitative insights. The goal is to document the values and experiences of Tompkins County residents, identify what contributes to health inequities in our county, and determine how existing resources are (or are not) leveraged to address those inequities.
The student team will receive training in rapid ethnographic assessment. They will co-conduct interviews based on TCWH priority areas, serve as observational notetakers and conduct data management and analysis. They will also develop summary reports of their findings with evidence-based recommendations, and work with partners at the Civic Ensemble to use theater and storytelling techniques to share findings with the community. The work will help inform the strategies and priorities of the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan.
- Elizabeth Fox: Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Anthony Un: Masters of Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Caroline Yancey: Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Community Partners: Tompkins County Whole Health, Civic Ensemble
Providing seed support for a wide range of community-engaged learning projects