The Importance Of Community Assessment

Community Assessment is defined “as an inventory of community attributes that identifies health needs, assets and capacities. It is a systematic examination of community attributes designed to help decision makers focus limited resources on specific mutually accepted community objectives and activities” (2015). This community assessment will gather vital data to help determine the needs of the elderly community in correlation with the increase of HIV infections. The highest population in The State of Georgia with increasing HIV rates is in the zip code of 30302. This assessment will determine the needs of the community in order the place precautions to help to decline the rate of infection. Gathering information is essential because it will

What has changed is the mode of transmission. In the early years of the HIV epidemic, blood transfusion was the major transmission mode among the senior population. Today, heterosexual contact and needle sharing among IV drug users older than 50 are the main causes of HIV infection in our seniors” (2015). Data indicates that there will always be a prevalence of HIV in this particular community because of the lack of knowledge of transmission of HIV. Many older adults do not think they are in one of the high risks group for contracting HIV. There are multiple indicators for HIV in the elderly community. Health determinants such as smoking, alcohol, iv drugs habits play a major role in the transmission of HIV in iv drug users. Health status is an indicator because elderly patients deal with other diseases and conditions and can overlay with symptoms of

They may be less aware of their risks for HIV than younger people, believing HIV is not an issue for their peer group. Thus, they may be less likely to protect themselves” (140). “Women who no longer worry about becoming pregnant may be less likely to use a condom and to practice safer sex. Age-related thinning and dryness of vaginal tissue may raise older women’s risk for HIV infection” (140). Lack of healthcare coverage and affordability correlates with the likelihood for a higher prevalence of HIV in older adults. To address HIV in the elderly community in zip code 30302 many recommendations can be made for awareness and the increased productivity of life after infection. Knowing one’s status will decrease the rate of