Needs Assessments

Needs Assessments

Community health assessments are used by health planners to identify, and prioritize health problems within a given community. To prioritize health programs and their development, a needs assessment is used. There are four types of needs that should be considered in a needs assessment. Although there is no single way to conduct a needs assessment, the basic steps to conducting a needs assessment can be identified.

Using the South University Online Library or the Internet, research about needs assessments and the types of health needs in your community. Based on your research, create a 4- to 5-page Microsoft Word document that:

• Describes the four types of needs and compares them. Explains the interaction of the four types and the role of each type of need in the community assessment process.
• Selects one of the four needs and provides an example of how this need can be applied to a health issue in your community. Describes the potential pitfalls of focusing a needs assessment on a single need. Provides examples to support your assertions.
• Identifies and describes the basic steps of conducting a needs assessment and also explains the importance of each.
• Describes any additional steps that should be considered in the assessment process.