Between August 2018 and February 2019, the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) worked with Alliance for Health Equity partners to hold a total of 57 focus groups with priority populations such as veterans, individuals living with mental illness, communities of color, older adults, caregivers, teens and young adults, LGBTQ+ community members, adults and teens experiencing homelessness, families with children, faith communities, adults with disabilities, and children and adults living with chronic conditions such as diabetes and asthma. The focus groups included 31 focus groups conducted by IPHI and 21 Learning Map Sessions led by West Side United and Rush University Medical Center with notetaking by IPHI.
Community input from all 57 focus groups and learning map sessions, was combined and included in the assessment. Focus group questions asked participants about the underlying root causes of health issues that they see in their communities and specific strategies for addressing those health needs. (abbreviated author introduction) #P4HEwebinarMay2023