Cook County Health Survey Summary

Launched in 2022, the Cook County Health Survey (CCHS) is a survey that asks questions about demographics, access to health services, civic engagement, childhood experiences, chronic health conditions, COVID-19, diet, financial security, food security, mental health, neighborhood conditions, physical activity, safety, substance abuse, violence as well as other social characteristics, health status, and risk behaviors from a representative sample of suburban Cook County residents.

CCDPH sends out survey invitations to obtain municipal-level, demographic, and geographic information that will be used to inform and monitor the health status of our communities. The CCHS data will be used to provide health, exposure, and health behavior indicator data that will help identify where health disparities exist in suburban Cook County, as well as inform policy, program development, community health education initiatives, and public awareness campaigns.

About the Survey

This annual survey was launched in 2022 by CCDPH to better understand the health of suburban Cook County residents.

Information from the CCHS is used to:

Identify health concerns for suburban Cook County
Understand environmental, neighborhood and social factors associated with health
Support the implementation and development of public health interventions and policies to address health inequities

Data & Reports

Reports & Data

For more information:

Results from the CCHS are shared on the Suburban Cook County Health Atlas and published in reports and briefs. Data are provided for suburban Cook County overall and the over 120 municipalities within CCDPH jurisdiction. You’ll also find data stratified by demographics.

To request a customized data analysis, please complete and submit this form: Epidemiology Unit External Data Request Form

Requests for a de-identified, public use dataset can be made by completing the Cook County Health Survey Dataset Request Form.

Survey Content & Focus

The CCHS includes exposure, behavior, access, and health outcome questions that provide information to support the CCDPH Strategic Plan, Community Health Assessment and public health programming.

The questions include the following topics: general health status and mental health, access to health and mental health care services, diet and food insecurity, physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, cancer screening, chronic conditions, adverse childhood experiences, active transportation, distracted driving, emergency preparedness, experiences of discrimination, financial security, neighborhood safety, prescription opiate misuse, sexual behavior and social cohesion.

The CCHS is a cross-sectional survey with a sample of randomly selected suburban Cook County residents aged 18 and older. The paper and web-based versions of the survey are available in English and Spanish. All data collected are self-reported.

View a sample of the survey here

Survey Letters & Postcards

Did you receive a letter or postcard in the mail asking you to participate in the Cook County Health Survey? Those invited to participate can complete the Cook County Health Survey here .

If you were selected to participate, you might have some questions. Find answers to some of the most common questions below in the FAQ section.

If you have questions or concerns about this survey, please call us toll-free at 1-800-844-4587 or email us at [email protected]

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is this survey about?

The Cook County Health Survey is being conducted by the Cook County Department of Public Health to collect information about the health of suburban Cook County residents.

Why was I contacted/selected? Why did I receive a letter/postcard?

Your address was selected using an address-based sampling (ABS) method in suburban Cook County. By participating in the survey, you are representing your community.

What kinds of questions do you ask?

The survey asks questions about various aspects of your health and your community, including physical and mental health, health conditions, health behaviors (such as physical activity or fruit and vegetable consumption), access to healthcare, health insurance, COVID-19, and neighborhood safety.

Are my responses going to be confidential? What will you do with my information?

Your answers to the survey are all completely confidential. At the conclusion of the study, survey responses will be combined and analyzed at the aggregate level, which means that no one person’s answers will be reported. The Cook County Department of Public Health will not sell your information. RTI, International, who is conducting the survey on behalf of CCDPH, will only use contact information for contacting you to complete the survey and for sending your incentive. Contact information will be kept separate from survey responses.

How long is this survey?

The survey takes about 25 minutes to complete and it does not need to be completed in a single sitting. You may answer a few questions at a time over several days, at your own convenience.

How will you use this information?

Data collected from the survey is used to help the CCDPH assess the health-related needs of the county population and to guide the Department in planning programs to improve the health and wellbeing of county residents.

I’m in good health. Do I have to participate in this survey?

The Cook County Department of Public Health wants to include a diverse representation of residents in the County, including people in good and poor health, as well as people who represent a variety of backgrounds across race, ethnicity, gender, age, insurance status, and employment status.

What if multiple people live in my household? Can more than one person participate?

We only need the survey completed by one person from each household. The survey should be completed by a member of your household age 18 or over.

Can I volunteer to participate? Can someone I know participate in the study?

We appreciate the interest in volunteering to take the survey, but unfortunately only people who have been invited can complete the survey. If you receive a letter or postcard about the survey, your household is eligible to participate.

Communicable Diseases

Communicable
Diseases

Vital Statistics

Vital
Statistics

Youth Health Status

Youth
Health Status

Risk Factors

Risk
Factors

Community Health Status Assessments

Community Health
Status Assessments

Population Characteristics

Population
Characteristics

Community Profiles

Data
Briefs

Cook County Data Portal

Cook County
Data Portal

Updated July 31, 2023, 1:57 PM

Cook County Health Survey Summary