Running head: WINSHIELD SURVEY

Community Health: Windshield Survey Erin White Ferris State University

Windshield Survey Introduction A windshield survey is a method observation of a community while driving a car or riding public transportation to collect data for a community assessment (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012). While observing an area it will reveal particular aspects of the community such as available resources, community safety, communal relations, societal values, state of housing and zoning, the forms of ethnicity and race, open space and service centers, religion and politics, boundaries, stores, street health and morbidity as well as any common signs of decay media. This paper presents a windshield survey of Grand Rapids, Michigan; including northeast Fuller Avenue to west Leonard Street and west Leonard Street to northeast Plainfield Avenue. On September 1, 2013 a windshield survey was conducted in Grand Rapids, Michigan to observe positive and negative aspects of the community. Reflection A windshield survey is conducted by observing a community. A community is 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, McLellan, Metzger, Kegeles, Strauss, Scotti, Blanchard & Trotter, 2001). While conducting the windshield survey an observation of the community health was noted, community health is defined as use of systematic processes to deliver care to individuals, families and community groups with a focus on promoting, preserving, protecting and maintain health (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012). When nursing is focuses on a populations health it looks at indicators of the positive and negative in the community. When nursing is focused on the community instead of individual it is a preventative measure and promotes health to the well-being of the population who reside in the community. According to Keller, Strohschein, Hoagberg & Schaffer, to be

Windshield Survey useful in public health nursing practice, these systems should be integrated into population-based health promotion and disease prevention interventions (Keller, Strohschein, Hoagberg & Schaffer, 1998). Healthy People 2020 To effectively assist in the efforts aimed at positively influencing balance nutrition, increase physical activity and decrease obesity as a Healthy People 2020 indicator, community health partnership is imperative. According to the Healthy People 2020, Good nutrition, physical activity, and a healthy body weight are essential parts of a persons overall health and well-being (Healthy People 2020, 2013). As a nurse, my role would be education to the community starting within the school districts to offer balanced nutritional food to the children. I would also try to get more fresh produce, such as setting up with local farmers to have a farmers market one day a week and ask the farmers to discount the produce since the neighborhood I did my windshield survey was a low-income area. The open spaces located among my windshield survey would be great locations for a local park. This would increase physical activity among the community and meeting with a local township representative to implement a bike lane for commuters. During my windshield survey I documented over twenty fast food restaurants in the 8 mile radius. Educating the community about obesity and the risks of consuming high fat foods is a high priority in this community. Implementing a farmers market which would be discounted to this community would help control obesity and decrease fast food intake. Health Risks While conducting the windshield survey in Grand Rapids, Michigan the four aspects of the community that are possible health risks include numerous fast food restaurants, limited places for physical activity (parks, gym and bike lanes), limited access to medical centers and

Windshield Survey access to six alcohol stores. As seen in appendix A there is numerous fast food establishments and limited access for the community to participate in physical activity. In order to positively affect the nutrition, physical activity and obesity health indicator it is imperative to implement medical screening centers and activities to reach out and educate the community on health promotion.

Windshield Survey Appendix A Housing & Zoning: Transportation: Apartments City bus Rentals Personal vehicles Residential Bicycles Commercial Walking Subside housing Open space: Service centers: Empty lots Dental offices Park with only benches Chiropractic services Oil changes Gas Stations Michigan Works for employment Boundaries: Stores & Street people: Northeast on Fuller Convenient Stores Ave to Leonard Street Beer/Liquor Stores West on Leonard Family Fare Grocery Street to Plainfield store Ave Grand Rapids, Michigan Commons: Signs of decay: Small park (no Numerous vacant playground) stores and lots Overgrown lawns Plastic coverings over car windows Race & Ethnicity: Caucasian African-American Hispanic Asian Religion & Politics: Lutheran United Methodist Catholic

Health and morbidity: 20 fast food restaurants No medical services noted No screening centers noted

Media: No local media observed Billboards for advertisement noted

Windshield Survey Reference Harkness, G. A. & DeMarco, R. F. (2012). Community and public health nursing: Evidence for Practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Keller, L. O., Strohschein, S., Hoagberg, B. L., & Schaffer, M. (1998). Population-based public health nursing interventions: A model from practice. Public Health Nursing, 15(3), 207209. Retrieved from http://www.stolaf.edu/events/socialscience/Resources/PopulationBased-Public-Health-Nursing-Interventions.x.pdf MacQueen, K. M., McLellan, E., Metzger, D. S., Kegeles, S., Strauss, R. P., Scotti, R., Blanchard, L., & Trotter, R. T. (2001). What is community? an evidence-based definition for participatory public health. National Center for Biotechnology Information, 91(12), 1929-1931. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1446907/ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2013). Nutrition, physical activity and obesity. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/LHI/nutrition.aspx