O'Neill, Valentine Focus Groups Examine Minority Race Healthcare

There are two minority health focus groups coming up in the North Central Nebraska District Health Department.

The focus groups aim to stimulate conversation about health status and barriers to healthcare for Native Americans, Hispanic people, African Americans, and people 65 and older.

Nicole Wall with the health department said minority populations have been more vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the future with other, you know, health issues that pop-up, we need to be prepared as much as possible to help these vulnerable populations in our district,” Wall said.

On November 8, North Central District Health Department will host a focus group in Santee, Nebraska, and on November 10 they’ll organize another discussion in Valentine, Nebraska.

Based on the area's demographic, healthcare for Native Americans will be discussed extensively. Santee Sioux Native American Tribes have a reservation located in Santee, and there’s a Sioux-Lakota Native American reservation in Valentine.

Additionally, North Central Health will conduct a community health assessment on November 12 in O’Neil, Nebraska.