Alexandria Emberson, a U of A public health major, is gaining professional experience in her field this summer as she helps identify the top needs of underserved populations in Northwest Arkansas.

Emberson is working with Dr. Lisa Low, Mercy Hospital's medical director of community health, to create and distribute a community health needs survey to improve care and programs in the region. Mercy is leading the effort and is joined by a variety of community partners, including Arkansas Children's Northwest, the Arkansas Department of Health, the Marshallese COVID-19 Task Force, NWA Council, Washington Regional Medical Center and Whole Health Institute.

Emberson created flyers in three languages and recently began distributing them to health facilities and businesses across Northwest Arkansas, Low said. The flyers include a QR code so participants can go directly to the online survey. The survey is anonymous and includes 30 multiple choice, fill in the blank or "select all that apply" questions. The survey will be open for participation through Aug. 31.

The online survey is available in English, Spanish and Marshallese.

Emberson will help analyze the survey data to determine how effectively the region's healthcare and social service agencies are meeting the needs of area residents, especially as they relate to the Latinx and Marshallese minority groups, Low said. After the needs are determined, Mercy and other healthcare organizations will re-focus efforts where they're most needed.

This summer's needs assessment is a follow-up to the first one conducted in 2018. The top three health needs identified then were obesity, mental health issues and Type 2 diabetes.

"The current needs assessment will build on the 2018 results," Emberson said, noting that new insights will help improve Northwest Arkansas's overall wellness.

Emberson, who's a senior in the U of A College of Education and Health Professions, has enjoyed delving into her chosen major this summer. She's dedicated to helping people and is excited to see where public health takes her after graduation.

She hopes her first stop is a job at the Arkansas Health Department. She's particularly interested in helping people in parts of the state who "suffer in silence."

"I want to help my state by creating better healthcare access, lowering the prevalence of food deserts and findings solution to numerous other problems that plague Arkansas," she said. "The entire population of Arkansas deserves a voice. I hope to create a path to better overall wellness for my home state."