PHMC'S COMMUNITY HEALTH DATA BASE SOUTHEASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSEHOLD HEALTH SURVEY

About the Survey
PHMC's Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Surveys are extensive health surveys that provide timely information on more than 13,000 residents - children and adults - living in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. The survey has been conducted since 1983-in 1983, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004. The survey targets key information about health status, personal health behaviors, and access to and utilization of area health services. These data are available at the census tract, ZIP code, county and regional level.

The Household Health Survey provides primary data on a broad range of health topics such as health status, access to care, utilization of services, personal health behaviors, health screening information, health insurance status, women's health, child health, and older adult health and social support needs. For a full description of the topic areas of the survey, please view the 2006 Household Health Survey Major Topic Areas.

These data are used within organizations to:

• Assess a community's health status

• Identify current and future health needs

• Provide baseline information to monitor progress toward goals, including many Healthy People 2010 goals

• Target, develop and market programs and services to meet the needs of the community

Survey Methodology
The survey includes responses from more than 10,000 households in the region, representing more than 13,000 adults and children.

• Interviews are conducted by telephone using a random-digit dial methodology.

• Adult & child respondents are selected randomly using the "last birthday" method.

• Interviews about the selected child are conducted with a child proxy, who is the person most knowledgeable about the child's health.

• The survey includes an oversample of persons 60 years of age and older.

• The survey includes an oversample of Asian households.

• Interviews are conducted in English and Spanish, when needed.

Quick Citation