Lessons learned from two community health assessment surveys in the “most diverse square mile in America”

Purpose The purpose of this study is to briefly describe the methods for two community health assessments (CHAs) conducted in one of the largest refugee resettlement sites in the USA and share lessons learned for the benefit of academic researchers and community-based organization staff interested in conducting similar CHAs. Design/methodology/approach The first CHA, in response to requests from the Clarkston City Council, was conducted in the fall of 2021 to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on a variety of social determinants of health so that decisions regarding the allocation of funds at the city and county level could be evidence-based. The second CHA, conducted in the Summer of 2023, focused more on community-level factors such as social capital/social cohesion, neighborhood violence and stigma/discrimination. Findings CHAs are effective in finding out the needs of a particular community or people. This study described how the survey development, recruitment and implementation process could have been more effective while working with a diverse community like Clarkston. These lessons learned may provide valuable guidance to researchers planning or just starting to work with the refugee, migrant or immigrant (RIM) populations. Originality/value There is a dearth of published research on CHAs with RIM populations, broadly, and little guidance about best practices for conducting CHAs with this population, specifically.