UW-Green Bay a research partner in Wello 2021 Community Health and Well-Being survey of Brown County

‘Wello’s Community Health and Well-being Survey is a bi-annual measurement effort in Greater Green Bay (Brown County, Wisconsin) to collect local data on residents’ perspectives of their physical and psychological health, social relationships and the environments in which they live, work and play. The survey represents a shift in how our community defines health. Rather than using a narrow definition emphasizing individual factors like risk behavior and genetics, this broader view considers a range of health-promoting factors that are known as the social determinants of health. These determinants include objective factors like economic status, race, educational attainment, access to safe housing and transportation as well as subjective factors like sense of purpose and sense of belonging. Most importantly, research repeatedly shows such factors drive as much as 80% of health outcomes.

The results of this survey will inform community action through Wello’s strategic objectives and is available to community partners working to address the social determinants of health by providing valuable insight into the most pressing needs of our neighbors. This project seeks to improve health outcomes for those most at risk or in need by changing the policies, systems or environments that contribute to poor health and well-being.

This report shares the results of our 2021 Wello Community Health and Well-Being Survey and identifies some of the key trends that have emerged since we last surveyed our community in 2019. In addition, it will provide additional insight into how our region is moving from data to action across multiple sectors of well-being and how a well-being measure can not only provide data, it can also foster healing, trust and a shared goal of community conditions that are fair and just, resulting in high levels of well-being for all.

COVID-19 Pandemic

It is important to recognize that between the 2019 and 2021 survey, a worldwide pandemic had significant impacts on health and well-being, many of which are yet to be fully understood. Future Wello studies will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic on our local residents.’