Needs Assessment Key Findings

Sarah D. Hohl, PhD, MPH, Hazel Behling, BA, and Savanna Kiefer, MPH, conducted interviews, analyzed data, and drafted briefings.

Between 2022 and 2024, the OCH Rural Health Team conducted a needs assessment to inform the OCH’s strategies in advancing health in rural Wisconsin. They interviewed 36 representatives of community organizations, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and DFMCH physicians to identify shared priority health issues, factors that influence those health issues—i.e., determinants of health—and resources to address them. To find out more about some of the key priority health issues and social determinants, click on the links below.

Why rural Wisconsin? Over 25% of the Wisconsin population resides in rural areas, compared to just 20% in the U.S. Inequitable access to resources results in a disproportionate burden of morbidity and premature mortality in rural Wisconsin, issues that community, academic, and clinical organizations are actively addressing.

Key Findings

Respondents identified 4 key shared priority health issues:

  1. Mental Health (PDF)
  2. Substance Use (PDF)
  3. Nutrition & Chronic Disease (PDF)
  4. Reproductive Health (PDF)

They also described 8 key factors they perceive to influence the health of rural Wisconsinites:

  1. Community Connection
  2. Cultural Responsiveness* (PDF)
  3. Access to Care
  4. Trust
  5. Economic Opportunity
  6. Divisiveness
  7. Transportation
  8. Housing

* Cultural responsiveness was chosen due to the direct impact it has on each topic area and key factors