New Bedford residents age 12 and older are being encouraged to complete a statewide health equity survey that state officials will use to help shape future public health decisions.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Community Health Equity Survey is available online through the end of November, according to a community announcement. The survey is designed to help the state better understand experiences in communities across Massachusetts and inform decisions involving funding, resources, programs and policy changes aimed at reducing preventable differences in health outcomes among groups.
People who participate can do so anonymously. The survey does not request names, addresses or contact information. Instead, it asks demographic questions and includes topics related to residents' experiences.
Communities that receive enough responses will gain access to both local and statewide survey data, according to the announcement. Local officials can use that information to support community planning efforts, guide policy decisions and help determine how resources are allocated.
The New Bedford Health Department is encouraging residents to participate so the city can benefit from data specific to its community.
The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and is available in 11 languages: English, Arabic, Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Haitian Creole, Khmer, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
State officials also plan to make the survey available in American Sign Language.
Residents can take the survey or learn more by visiting mass.gov/HealthSurvey.
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This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford residents are encouraged to take health survey