NIH conducts public ‘listening session’ to help set policy for improving public health in Hagerstown

HAGERSTOWN, Md. ( DC News Now ) — The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is partnering with the Washington County Department of Health to conduct a project in Hagerstown and along Maryland’s eastern shore.

The project is an innovative approach to public health. Focus groups with the community will ask what residents think will make for a healthier, stress-free lifestyle.

“We really want to hear diverse voices of the community,” Dr. Yukiko Asada with the NIH, said. “People worry about climate change, that has come up in these sessions, and challenges in family relationships and employment affect health.”

A meeting was held on Monday, which was the first of four the Institute is conducting.

The Institute will release a report on their findings this fall.

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