Weebly



Windshield SurveyFerris State UniversityElizabeth JunemannWindshield SurveyCommunityCommunities can be observed in every neighborhood in every city. Community can be defined as, “a group of people with diverse characteristics who are linked by social ties, share common perspectives, and engage in joint action in geographical locations or settings” (MacQueen et al., 2001, p.1929). This definition can be applied to my neighborhood in Lansing, Michigan. Community HealthThe health of a community is determined by many aspects. Community health nursing is defined as, “The use of systematic processes to deliver care to individual people, families, and community groups with a focus on promoting, preserving, protecting, and maintaining health” (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012, p. 9). The purpose of community health is to promote the health of a population by focusing on the individual, families, and communities. Community as ClientIn the nursing field the people in a community are viewed as clients. A definition of community as client is, “Community as a client refers to the concept of community – wide groupof people as the focus of nursing services” (KSU, n.d., para 1). Nursing focused on the community as the client helps the population in a unique way. Focusing on the community can have a greater impact on the health of a population rather than just an individual. Healthy People 2020 Leading Health IndicatorThe Healthy People 2020 leading health indicators are goals set forth to improve the health of the population by initiating interventions and monitoring progress. One of the leading health indicator for 2020 is regarding substance abuse, specifically adults engaging in binge drinking during the past 30 days (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013, para 3). This health indicator is of great importance to the health of the community. Ingham County has many college students that attend Michigan State University. Binge drinking is a real problem in this area. Not only is it a problem for college students, but also for other adults in the community. Binge drinking not only impacts the health of the individual but also the health of others in the community. This form of drinking could lead to drunk driving, poor decision making, and other negative consequences that impact the community. Nurses can have an impact on this leading health indicator through education, prevention, and implementation of interventions. Providing proper mental health care is also important when focusing on this health indicator. Some other interventions include; raising taxes on alcohol sale, reducing the amount of time alcohol may be sold, increase enforcement of law prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors, increase the penalty for those that sell alcohol to minors, sobriety checkpoints for drivers, and behavioral screening to identify those at risk for alcohol abuse (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). Nurses that are knowledgeable about this topic can help educate those in the community in need. The nurse can also help point individuals to community resources available to help with alcohol and substance abuse. ConclusionThere are many areas within my community that I can see as potential health risks. Such risks include; substance abuse, lack of primary and preventative care, homelessness, and tobacco use. Identifying these risks and developing interventions is vital for a health community. Implementing some of the interventions mentioned in the Healthy People 2020 could benefit the community in some aspects. Also, education can play a great role in prevention and awareness. Overall, community health is very important as it is something we are all impacted by and have the opportunity to improve. ReferencesHarkness, G.A. (2012). Community and Public health nursing practice: Evidence for Practice Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia Kansas State University. (n.d.). Community as a client. Retrieved from , K., McLellan, E., Metzger, D., Kegeles, S., Strauss, R., Scotti, R.,…Trotter, R. (2001). What is community? An evidence-based definition for participatory public health. American Journal of Public Health, 91(12), 1929-1938. Retrieved from . Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). 2020 LHI topics: Substance abuse. Retrieved from . Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Substance abuse: Interventions and resources. Retrieved from and zoningThe houses are older and most of them built in the 1920s. Many of them are two stories. Most are in good repair. Most of the houses also have air conditioning units. The houses are close together, many with small fenced in yards. TransportationThis is a quiet neighborhood with little traffic. Many people are observed walking. There are few bus stops throughout the neighborhood that some people use. Most driveways have at least one car in good repair present. Two major highways are close by for convenient travel. Race and ethnicityThere are people of many different ethnicity and race observed throughout the neighborhood. The most common race seen is white and African American. There are a few Hispanic and people of Asian descent living in the neighborhood. Open spaceThere is very little open space noted. Houses are close together many with small fenced in yards that are about ? of an acre. There is an elementary school on the street with a large playground and open space. The area is not scenic and is without open spaces as most backyards face other houses. Service centersThere is an urgent care less than one mile away from this neighborhood. Sparrow hospital is also about one mile away from this neighborhood. There is an elementary school with a library on this street. Additionally, physicians affiliated with Sparrow hospital have offices about a mile away. Religion and politicsWithin two miles there are two Christian churches, one Catholic church, one Greek Orthodox church, one Spanish Seventh Day Adventist church, and one Lutheran church. There is a lot of diversity surrounding religion in this neighborhood. There are also both democratic, republican, and independent political views represented. BoundariesThe East Neighborhood of Lansing is identified with a sign near the neighborhood. There are no other identifying signs of the area. This neighborhood is divided from the southern part of the East neighborhood by a busy street, Michigan Ave. The neighborhood is in good shape with little trash or liter noted. Stores and street peopleThere is a large shopping area less than one mile from this neighborhood. It includes a Kroger grocery store, gym, restaurants, hardware store, craft store, and housewares stores. The neighborhood is close to downtown with a few bars and restaurants less than one mile away. There are little to no street people noted. Health and morbidityThis area seems to be relatively healthy. There are many younger families, college students, and middle aged people in the neighborhood. There are many people observed walking dogs, playing in the nearby school yard, and biking. CommonsThere is a nearby playground at an elementary school for the community to enjoy. The downtown area and MSU are less than two miles away with many community events for all to attend. Signs of decayThere are very little signs of decay noted in the neighborhood. There are no abandoned houses; however, some houses could use a fresh coat of paint and landscaping. Otherwise, houses are in good repair with grass kept cut and snow shoveled out of the way. MediaThere are a few satellites mounted to some of the houses in the neighborhood. Most houses have cable and internet. The most common local newspaper is the Lansing State JournalNeighborhood Boundaries- North-East Neighborhood of Ingham County, Francis Ave. Lansing, MI 48912 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download