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Initiated by Adelphi University President Robert A. Scott in 2004, Vital Signs is a multi-phase project that systematically identifies, tracks, and analyzes the social health of populations and communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island. Its primary objective is to develop a centralized resource to help inform policy and service provision in an effort to reduce social health disparities. Led by School of Social Work Assistant Professor Suzanne Michael and Project Director Sarah Eichberg, this campus-community partnership reflects Adelphi's ongoing commitment as an "engaged university."
Primarily developed as a residential area after World War II, Long Island is now a mature suburb facing many of the challenges traditionally associated with urban centers, including an aging population, scarce unused land, traffic congestion, lack of affordable housing, increasing ethnic and racial diversity, and growing income inequalities.
Created in response to these challenges, Vital Signs seeks to:
- identify and make more visible the populations and communities challenged by, or at risk for, poor social health
- identify factors that contribute to poor social health
- assess Long Island's capacity to address existent and emergent social health needs
- establish benchmarks and track trends
- stimulate collaborative research and service partnerships
- facilitate dialogue among stakeholders
- inform the allocation of resources and the development of health and social service policies and services.
Each phase of Vital Signs focuses and informs the next phase of data collection and analysis. For its inaugural report (June 2006) Vital Signs focused on 25 social health indicators analyzing regional and national secondary data sets to identify and track trends over time. In its second report (June 2007), Vital Signs examined 12 indicators to profile mental health and well-being on Long Island. In its latest report (January 2008), Vital Signs conveys findings from The Long Island Health Care Survey, a collaborative partnership with Nassau Health Care Corporation’s Institute for HealthCare Disparities and the Office of Strategic Planning of North Shore-LIJ Health System. The bilingual (English/Spanish) telephone survey of over 1,500 Long Island residents focused on health status, insurance coverage and experiences accessing and using health care.
Drs. Michael and Eichberg have presented at a refereed conferences including the International Society for Quality Life Studies; Eastern Sociological Society, Hofstra University’s Conference on New Visions of Suburban Life, and Community Indicators Consortium, as well as at regional conferences and forums. They have also provided testimony at hearings of the Suffolk County legislature.
Vital Signs data have been used in a variety of reports (e.g. New York State Berger Commission on Hospital Closings), public hearings and grant applications to enhance the regions’ capacity to serve the needs of its residents. Vital Signs has also been quoted in the media including articles in the New York Times, Newsday and The Nation.
Media coverage of Vital Signs has included articles in the New York Times and Newsday.
The collaborative activities of Vital Signs have been supported by an Advisory Board and other community stakeholders who work in conjunction with Dr. Suzanne Michael and Dr. Sarah Eichberg to facilitate data collection and dialogue about the critical social health issues impacting Long Island.
Financial support for Vital Signs activities has been provided by: Bank of America Foundation; Nassau University Medical Center; Office of Strategic Planning of North Shore Health System; the United Way; the Honorable New York State Senator Kemp Hannon; the Honorable New State Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli; and the Adelphi University Presidential Fund.
Contact
For additional information, please contact:
e - vitalsigns@adelphi.edu
This page last modified on January 17, 2008.
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