2025 Children's of Alabmama Community Health Needs Assessment

HEALTH ISSUES

Issue #1: Mental and behavioral health Issue #2: Healthcare access Issue #3: Child abuse

Mental and behavioral health emerged as the most pressing concern, with a mean rank of 2.6 and more than 73% of respondents placing it in their top three concerns. The second issue was healthcare access, with a mean of 3.6 and a median of 3. Just over half of respondents listed the issue in the top 3.

Finally, child abuse, with a mean of 3.6 and a median of 4 is the third issue. Almost 50% listed the issue in their top 3.

Healthcare access and child abuse also scored low mean ranks, signaling broad concern about access to basic medical care and the safety of children. Issues such as infectious diseases and other health issues were ranked lower on average, suggesting they are perceived as less immedi ate threats compared with mental health and basic healthcare access.

Table 5. Health Issues Ranked Rank Issue

n Mean Top 3 Count

Top 3%

1 Mental/behavioral health

788 2.6 788 3.6 788 3.7 788 4.4 788 4.4 788 4.4 788 5.3 788 7.6

579 407 373 290 286 254 138

73.5 51.6 47.3 36.8 36.3 32.2 17.5

2 Healthcare access

3 Child abuse

4 Accidental injury/trauma

5 Childhood obesity 6 Childhood hunger 7 Infectious diseases

8 Other

37

4.7

Focus groups—from rural Pickens County to Birmingham schools—described stress, anger, and grief showing up in classrooms and clinics. Providers see “kids who didn’t get help when they were young” now acting out; stigma still keeps some families from seeking counseling. Mental health is the top concern of almost every subpopulation, though the means vary. The only exception is those who do not work with children, who cite child abuse as their number one issue.

Table 6. Top Health Issue by Age of Respondent Age Band n Top Issue

Mean

Under 18 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 to 74 75 to 84

12 Mental/behavioral health 20 Mental/behavioral health 103 Mental/behavioral health 215 Mental/behavioral health 153 Mental/behavioral health 150 Mental/behavioral health

2.5 2.7 2.8 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.3

79 26

Mental/behavioral health Mental/behavioral health

Children’s of Alabama, 2025 CHNA

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