Using a community-based health survey as a tool for informing local health policy.

BACKGROUND: The Speak to Your Health! community survey is a biennial community-based survey designed and implemented by the Prevention Research Center of Michigan whose central mission is to strengthen the capacity of the community to improve health. METHOD: The survey was developed collaboratively by the university and community partners that comprise the Prevention Research Center of Michigan and focuses on health and social issues at the heart of the community of Genesee County, Michigan. FINDINGS: The results of this survey have been used to shape policy changes and strategic planning at the county health department and in local health intervention programs. CONCLUSIONS: This project has demonstrated that useful quantitative data for addressing local public health policy and planning can be collected using the principles of community-based research.