Community Health Assessment Research Paper

Community Health Assessment and Diagnosis
Sukhpreet Kaur
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR 443: Community Health Nursing
November 2015

Community Health Assessment and Diagnosis
How can a community health assessment help its members recognize its negative affects?
A community assessment is a method that people collect health information about their town. The assessment information is than used to examine if the community is having health related problems. It involves all the different people living in the town and the people working in the community. Nurses working in the community setting use the nursing process to care for its members. A community assessment helps the nurse in finding out the advantages and
Community Overview

Carteret in a small town located in New Jersey. It is part one of the counties called Middlesex County. Carteret is a commercial town with lot stores, food market and restaurants. Carteret is occupied with people from different culture and race such as Whites, Hispanic, Africans and Asians. Majority of the people are middleclass and live a simple life. Carteret has four medical clinics in town and another medical clinic in process of building. It also has a library, community center, Waterfront Park and a concert hall. There is a ferry service to New York City and also a bus service available which runs 24X7 to New York City. Some people are not aware of the resources that are available in town. Carteret has three elementary schools, middle school, high school and a private school. There is a fitness center, multiple pharmacies, and parks. This town community also lacks some significant resources such as a hospital, nursing home and rehabilitation center.
Demographic Data
According to US Census Bureau, the population of Carteret is 24,114 as of 2014.

The population of Carteret is less comparing it to state population of 8938,175. The White population of Carteret is 50.7% comparing it to African Americans 14.9%, Asians, 19.0%, and Hispanics 30.9%. The housing units of Carteret are only 8,148. The house ownership rate is 60.0% which is very good compare it to state which is 65.6%.
Most of the populations of Carteret are middleclass families. The median household income is $60.353.There is decent public schools and a private school in my town. The reputation of the public schools is not so good and parents prefer to send their kids to private schools in town. The percentage of high graduates is 83.8% and as to state is 88.1%. The college bachelor’s degree and higher degree is 21.2% compare it to 35.8 % of

State.
Epidemiological
Carteret is part of Middlesex County in New Jersey.

Middlesex County ranks 5 out of 21 counties in overall health outcomes. The leading cause of illness deaths in New Jersey are caused by heart diseases. It has caused 18,460 deaths in one year making New Jersey the 21st state out of other states. The second leading cause of death is Cancer. Cancer has caused 16,315 deaths in a year. New Jersey is 34th rank in US. The 3rd illness to cause deaths is Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease which has caused 3,245 deaths in a year and ranks 47th state in US.
The other mortality rates are caused by the firearms deaths. Firearms deaths make up 506 deaths out to 33,636 deaths in U.S. deaths. Homicide is also one the factor that increases the mortality rates. Homicide has caused 419 deaths out of total 16,121 deaths U.S. deaths. One of the leading factors causing most deaths in New Jersey is drug poisoning. Drug poisoning has caused 1,294 deaths out of U.S. deaths 43,982. Most of the deaths are caused by an illness and still people are not able to afford health insurance. The rate of people without health insurance is 9.4% compare it to U.S. rate of

11.5%.
Windshield Survey
The windshield survey has made me recognize some important resources in my town that I was not aware about. My town has people from all over the world and everyone is very helpful to each other. Everyone in comes together to celebrate all the festivals together such as a Halloween parade, Christmas, 4th July, and more. Carteret has been rebuilding all the roads and being strict about keeping the town clean. The library in town offers different programs to all age groups such as reading time for kids, homework work, and English speaking classes to elders. Library offers help with filing health insurance applications. There are four soccer fields and two football fields. Carteret has their soccer association club for all the kids till age 14.Town has some good health resources that sometimes people are not aware of. The community is progressing by building more apartments, open more restaurants and renovating old buildings. Recently, Amazon has opened a big warehouse in town which has opened thousands of jobs for the residents and neighboring towns as well.
Carteret has many resources but it lacks in some. There is no big hospital in town and the schooling system is average comparing to other public schools. Public schools don’t offer teens any pregnancy prevention programs as I have seen many girls pregnant in high school. The health and wellness programs are not well defined in all the schools. There are two big hospitals in neighboring towns where the members have to go for major illnesses. There is not enough ways to spread information about town resources. There is no bigger chain store which is very important to increase revenue of my town which can help to grow and advance my town.
Problem Diagnosis
After the windshield survey, I have observed that the quality and proportion of schools is very important to overall health of community. An appropriate teaching is needed for everything we want to change. Education can make people realize how to live a healthy lifestyle and recognize their unhealthy habits. As Knapp has stated in his article that whatever students learning in school and in community they can apply in the community improve the community health process. My community schools do not offer the education that can prepare its future community members. According to healthy people 2020, topic and objective that is relevant to my problem is educational and community based program, ECBP-3 which illustrate the objective to maintain education standard of the community and enhance healthy behaviors, communication skill to enhance health and disease prevention of the community. Our society needs to see the future in younger generations and provide them with education which is going to make them our future leaders. Worton has stated in his article on pg.142 that evidence based practice has shown that early childhood development does not only help the children but it strengthens the families, community as well. Public schools with better education system will benefit the community and its future members.
Conclusion
Carteret community assessment states there are sufficient amount of resources for the community people. A little improvement doesn’t harm but it just makes it better. My community also needs improvement in their schooling education system. As the community is progressing, Carteret can have a hospital, nursing home or subacute rehabilitation center. There is a bigger medical clinic building in town which will help the community members. Carteret needs better public school to make better community to live. There is a need for exceptional educational programs and curriculum in school to prepare our younger generation. Community its self can play big role in preparing its future members.

References
Census.gov. (2014, July 1). Retrieved November 18, 2015, from http://www.census.gov/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Stats of the State of New Jersey. Retrieved
November 18, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/NJ_2015.pdf
Health Rankings. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2015, from http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/newjersey/2015/rankings/middlesex/county/fac
tors/overall/snapshot
Knapp, M. L., Bennett, N. M., Plumb, J. D., & Robinson, J. L. (2000). Community-based quality improvement education for the health professions: balancing benefits for communities and students. Journal Of Interprofessional Care, 14(2), 119-130. doi:10.1080/135618200406257
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2014). Healthy People 2020: 2020 Topics & Objectives. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicobjectives2020/.
Worton S.K., Caplan R., Nelson G., Pancer S.M., Loomis C., Peters R.D., Hayward K.(2014). Better beginnings, better futures: Theory, research, and knowledge transfer of a community-based initiative for children and families. Psychosocial Intervention, 23 (2), pp. 135-143.