Running head: Windshield Survey

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Windshield Survey Karla Tennant Ferris State University

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WINDSHIELD SURVEY Community According to Harkness & DeMarco (2012), community is “A group of people sharing common interests, needs, resources, and environment; an interrelating and interacting group of people with shared needs and interests” (p. 175). Community Health Dictionary.com, LLC defines community health as “the study and improvement of the health of biological communities” (2015). Harkness & Demarco (2012) defines the community health nursing as “The use of systematic processes to deliver care to individuals, families, and community groups with a focus on promoting, preserving, protecting, and maintaining health” (p. 3). Community as Client The nurse will care for a community as the client. According to Harkness and Demarco (2012), the nurse will provide “Minor acute and chronic care that is comprehensive and coordinated” (p. 3). The nurse will treat the entire community as her client by examining the overall health of the community and implementing interventions for improvement. Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicator One of the leading health indicators is to reduce cigarette smoking by adults. According to Healthy People 2020, “20.6 percent of adults aged 18 years and older were current cigarette smokers in 2008.” In Allegan County 21.9% of the community smokes tobacco (Allegan County Health Department). “Tobacco kills more people in Allegan County than AIDS, alcohol, auto accidents, cocaine, heroin, murders and suicides – combined” (Allegan County Health Department).

WINDSHIELD SURVEY The nursing role to lower the number of residents that smoke tobacco starts with education. The education should clearly demonstrate the dangers of smoking and provide the reader an understanding of their options to quit. One resource that the nurse can provide is the Michigan tobacco quit line. According to Allegan Country Health Department, “26.1% of all Quit Line enrollees, have reported being tobacco-free seven (7) months after enrollment” The quit line is an excellent resource that more residents should be aware of. Another intervention is that the nurse can help provide the client with education regarding cessation treatments and refer them to different programs that may offer reduced cost of the treatments. The nurse may also arrange different community outings that promote a healthier community, such as a barbeque for families that is “tobacco free” and celebrates the individuals that have positively changed their lifestyle. Aside from tobacco usage in adults being a health risk to Allegan citizens, substace abuse is also a health risk. Allegan County is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program because of the amount of individuals that are using substances. Accoridng to the Michigan drug control update, “In designated HIDTA counties, the program provides agencies with coordination, equipment, technology, and additional resources to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of the United States.” Another health risk is the percentage of obesity. A statistic regarding the percentage of obese citizens in Allegan was not able to be obtained, however it was observed that a large portion of the community is obese. The Center for Disease Control (2012), states that “More than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese.” Obesity is unfortunately a trend among the US and Allegan should strive to lower the percentage of the obese population.

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WINDSHIELD SURVEY According to the City of Allegan, “Allegan is a predominantly white community. Approximately 12% of the population of Allegan is of a racial minority.” This statistic is potentially troubling because it could lead to unfair bias, judgments, and mistreatment of minorities in Allegan. Conclusion The four areas that a community health nurse should focus on for Allegan is tobacco usage, substance abuse, obesity, and racial minorities. The community health nurse will use evidence based practice recommendations, including Healthy People 2020, as the structure for promoting positive change in the community setting. Allegan is a small community and will be able to positively improve their overall health status once the attention and expertise of a community health nurse is applied.

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WINDSHIELD SURVEY Housing and Zoning

Transportation

A broad mix of housing types throughout the City characterizes Allegan. Multi-family units are mixed in the singlefamily units. Owneroccupied homes neighbor rental properties. This provides a good balance in many neighborhoods and improves stability. The homes in Allegan have long been the source of pride for local residents. Much of the housing stock is older and beautifully maintained. These homes are a good indicator of long-term financial and social investment in the community.

People in the community may walk, ride their bikes, or drive cars. The roads are either paved, dirt, or gravel. There are several busier interstates that are accessible: M-40, M89, M-222, and A-37. There are school buses in the community. There is a small airport that is mostly utilized for private flights.

There are 1,947 housing units in the City. Of those 106 (5.5%) were vacant during the 2000 Census count. Generally, when housing vacancy rates exceed 5%, there is some concern for neighborhood stability. If vacancy

There are no options for public transportation. This could negatively impact the health of Allegan as it may be more difficult to the community to access healthcare and educational resources.

Race and Ethnicity Allegan is a predominantly white community. Approximately 12% of the population of Allegan is of a racial minority. (City of Allegan) The lack of diversity could potentially attribute to unfair bias and prejudices among the community.

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WINDSHIELD SURVEY rates exceed 10%, the neighborhood may be experiencing blight. The City has demolished vacant and rundown homes by ordinance in the past, although there is no formal housing demolition program. (City of Allegan) Open space Within the City there are 75.3 acres of parks, six schools with park facilities, and the Allegan County Fairgrounds. (City of Allegan)

Service Centers

Religion and Politics

There are several different options for healthcare services in Allegan. Allegan General Hospital provides both emergency and acute care services. There are also several different clinics that provide walk-in services as well as annual exams.

There are many different religious options to Allegan residents, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, to name a few Christian churches. There are not any religious options for individuals that do not practice Christianity.

There are many options for schools, including both private and public. The school district has a 96% graduation rate, indicating a strong commitment to education. (City of Allegan)

Allegan 54.6% republican, 43.5% democrat, and 1.9% independent. (Homefacts)

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WINDSHIELD SURVEY

Boundaries Allegan is located on both sides of the Kalamazoo River. 42.53°N, 85.85°W (City of Allegan)

Stores and Street People

Health and Morbidity

There are no street people in Allegan due to its small size. There are many different stores ranging from grocery, clothing, household items, and hair salons.

About 57.3% of the population falls in the 18 – 64 age group. The 20 to 64 years age group is important as it represents the prime wage-earning population and includes the sub-set for family formations. There are substance abuse issues, tobacco smoking, and obesity. (City of Allegan)

Commons

Signs of Decay

Media

There is a park for children to play, a dog park, and a skate park all within the city. There are also several different walking paths for residents. There is also the Kalamazoo River where fishing and relaxing are common.

There are no apparent signs of decay in the community. There are many older homes in the city, however, the City has developed a Downtown Façade Improvement Program that offers assistance for historic rehabilitation work.

Allegan is a smaller, rural community; therefore it is difficult for the community to have access to fast internet and cable TV.

(City of Allegan)

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WINDSHIELD SURVEY References Allegan County Health Department. (2011). Tobacco facts for Allegan county health department. Retrieved from http://cms.allegancounty.org/sites/Office/Health/Ed/SmokeFree/TobaccoFactSheets/Alle gan%20County%20Tobacco%20Factsheet.pdf Center for Disease Control. (2012). Adult obesity facts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html City of Allegan. (n.d.). Chapter 3 population. Retrieved from http://www.cityofallegan.org/reports/FINAL%20MASTER%20PLAN%20WITH%20M APS.pdf Community-Health. (n.d.). Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/community-health Harkness, G.A. & DeMarco, R.F. (2012). Community and public health nursing practice: Evidence for practice. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Healthy People 2020. (2015). Tobacco use. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/tobacco-use/objectives#5342

Homefacts. (2015). Allegan county, MI politics and election data. Retrieved from http://www.homefacts.com/politics/Michigan/Allegan-County.html

Michigan Drug Control Update. (n.d.). ONDCP high intensity drug trafficking area (HIDTA) county info. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/state_profile_-_michigan_0.pdf