Identifying At-Risk Populations

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Tips for Identifying At-Risk Populations

• There are several sources of county-level demographic information (see Resources). Use these data to create an accurate picture of at-risk groups in your county.


• Contact local utility companies to determine if they have lists of customers who are dependent upon electricity for medical reasons, and whether they would be willing to share the list during an emergency.


• Contact the Veterans Administration hospital, clinic, or outpatient facility in your region to identify needs of at-risk veterans in the area.


• Determine whether other agencies have existing registries or lists of individuals at risk. Some agencies that may maintain such lists are the local department of social services, home health agencies, local emergency management, etc.


• Work with local churches to identify at-risk individuals within their congregations.


• Connect with local community health centers to identify at-risk groups.


• Foster the creation of networks within neighborhoods to identify at-risk individuals and provide support during an emergency. One example is the Neighbor-To-Neighbor (N2N) Network in Platte County, Missouri.


• When gathering information directly from at-risk groups who do not speak English as a first language, use forms in the native language of these groups. See examples in Spanish and Russian from Buncombe County, North Carolina.

Recommended Planning Activities from ASTHO

• View Recommended Planning Activities (PDF) for identifying at-risk populations.

Excerpted from: At-Risk Populations and Pandemic Influenza: Planning Guidance for State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local Health Departments.