Survey Results and Analysis

TPMA, as directed by the coalition, drafted and implemented two surveys. The surveys were designed to gather community input concerning the needs of LaPorte County. One survey was a random telephone survey, which contacted residents from all over the county. The second survey was a written survey, which was distributed throughout LaPorte County with the intent of including, by self selection, those who could not attend focus groups and were not included in the telephone survey. Both surveys were voluntary and anonymous in nature. This section of the report summarizes the findings and analysis of both surveys.

Phone Survey

To involve the greatest cross section of citizens possible, a phone survey was conducted to assess the needs of LaPorte County. Calls were made at random to over 2,600 LaPorte County residents between July 31, and August 10, 2000, which resulted in 600 completed surveys. The survey has a margin of error of +3.38%.

Below is a breakdown of demographic data on the survey respondents.

Additional demographic data from telephone survey:

· Average age was 53.4 years
· 61% were female; 39% were male
· 84% indicated that they were the decision-maker in their household
· 60% represented two-person households
· 24% represented households with either one or two children under the age of 18
· 89% were white, 4% were black, 1% were Hispanic, 1% were Asian/Pac. Islander
· 45% had an annual income between $25,000 & $75,000
· 91% were high school graduates
· 50% were "satisfied" with the United Way of LaPorte County

Most Pressing Needs
Those surveyed were asked to rank, in order of importance, the categories representing the most pressing needs facing LaPorte County. The answers given illustrate the intensity of those categories. The issues were rated by what they identified as the number one most pressing need. The chart on the following page illustrates the respondents' answers.

Three categories stand out as the most pressing needs facing LaPorte County. These include Medical Care & Wellness (21%), Transportation (19%) and Health & Human Services (19%).

When all needs mentioned, regardless of rank, were tabulated to identify the needs most commonly named, the top four were: Job Opportunities (14%), Education (13%), Transportation (12%) and Medical Care & Wellness (12%).

Surveyors asked the respondents to rate how important each one of the ten categories are to the quality of life in LaPorte County. With a scale of 1-5 ("5" being very important and "1" being not important at all) the average of those scores are ranked as follows:

#1 Education 4.78
#2 Public Safety 4.68
#3 Medical Care & Wellness 4.61
#4 Job Opportunities 4.55
#5 Environment 4.55
#6 Health & Human Services 4.47
#7 Housing 4.46
#8 Transportation 4.11
#9 Recreation 4.11
#10 Arts & Culture 3.61

The phone survey also recorded the respondents' specific answers when asked what they believed to be the most pressing needs facing LaPorte County. The top issues in each of the ten categories are included as the "Phone Survey Verbal Compilation" in the appendices of this document.

Effectiveness of Services
Respondents were asked to rate how well the services that are currently available are meeting their needs. On a scale of 1-5 ("5" being very well and "1" being not being met at all), the following indicates the average of those scores, ranked from highest to lowest:

#1 Public Safety 3.83
#2 Environment 3.57
#3 Recreation 3.48
#4 Education 3.48
#5 Medical Care & Wellness 3.46
#6 Health & Human Services 3.44
#7 Housing 3.42
#8 Arts & Culture 3.29
#9 Job Opportunities 3.18
#10 Transportation 3.17

The average of all responses fall within the "satisfied" ranking. This is consistent with what was discussed in focus groups and stakeholder interviews. People are, for the most part, generally satisfied with how their needs are being met by existing services indicating that the effectiveness of these services is adequate; however, it was also clear that some of the existing problems exceed services currently available.

While the average range of satisfaction with current services falls within the "satisfied" category, there is a range in level of satisfaction. From the highest rated issue of public safety (3.83) to the lowest, transportation (3.17), there is a difference of .66. This difference translates into a 20% swing in the level of satisfaction.

Transportation stands out as the issue rated lowest in satisfaction concerning the effectiveness of current services. This is consistent with what was shared in the focus groups, written surveys and the inventory matrix. There is simply not enough transportation available, and what is in place is not effective.

Other selected highlights concerning the satisfaction with current services by category of respondent include:

· Females tend to rate the importance of issues higher than men (60% / 40% margin)
· Middle-aged men are more apt to give education a low rating
· Females by a 69% to 31% margin give recreation the lowest rating

Where people obtain their information
Those surveyed were also asked where they currently obtain their information to access services. The graph below illustrates the respondents' answers:

· Media is the primary way people currently obtain information

· Word of mouth is the second most frequent means

· The Internet was only used by 1%

· Print brochures were used by 6% seeking information on Medical Care & Wellness

· Overwhelmingly respondents indicated they would like to obtain information via media outlets, which is consistent with how they currently obtain their information

· Word of mouth, as a source for information, went from the second most popular currently in use, to the third (and in some cases fourth) most popular as a preferred method

· Print brochures were the second most popular source of information in the areas of Health & Human Services, Medical Care & Wellness, and the Environment

· The Internet was slightly more popular (5%) when seeking Job Opportunities and Health & Human Services