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City of Hudson New York: Warren Street Windshield Assessment Survey Helen McDonald RN State University of New York Utica

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 2 Introduction Hudson New York is an older city which has become known for its many antique shops, restaurants and bars. It has steadily attracted a younger population with an artistic vibe and its night life. There is also a large gay and lesbian population which has been widely accepted and is thriving with their businesses in the community. Using surveillance data the demographics of the population will be broken down. The community will be described with a subjective evaluation. Three primary health concerns will be identified and discussed in detail. Demographics Hudson New Yorks zip code is 12534. The population size in New York State is 19,570,261 people. (U.S. Department of Commerce [USDOC], 2013) The population size of Columbia County is 62,499 people. (USDOC, 2013) The population size of Hudson is 6,657 people. (USDOC, 2013) Hudson is an urban cluster. An urban cluster is a group of residents with a population of 2,500 to 49,999. An urbanized area is defined as one with more than 50,000 residents. (U.S. Department of Transportation [USDOT], 2012) Hudson, New York experiences changes in climate with the seasons. The climate is described as damp and mild with periods of storm systems producing either a lot of snow or rainfall. Winter is the longest season with an average snow fall of 40 inches. (New York State Climate Office Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences [NYSCODOEAS], n.d.) The average precipitation is 2.2-3.5 inches per month. (NYSCODOEAS, n.d.) The Hudson area has seen tropical storms during the summer months. The average summer daytime temperatures range from 70s to the mid 80s. (NYSCODOEAS, n.d.) The average life expectancy in New York State from 1989 to 1991 was 74.68 years. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012) Men have an average life expectancy of 70.86 years: where white men live an average of

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 3 72.01 years and black men live an average of 63.86 years. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012)Women have an average life expectancy of 78.32 years: where white women live an average of 79.03 years and black women live an average of 74.34 years. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012) The average income for Columbia County per capita in the past 12 months (in 2011 dollars) from 2007-2011 was $32,259.(U.S. Department of commerce [USDOC], 2013) The average income for Hudson, NY per capita in the last 12 months from 2007-2011 was $22,656.(USDOC, 2013) The household median income in this time period was $56,185 in Columbia County. (USDOC, 2013) In Hudson, the median household income was $39,537. (USDOC, 2013) There was 9.3% Columbia County living below poverty level. (USDOC, 2013) In Hudson, there was 19.9% of the population living below poverty level. (USDOC, 2013) In New York State there was 14.5% of the population living below poverty level. (USDOC, 2013) In Columbia County in 2007-2011, 90.6% of the population ages 25 and older had a high school graduate diploma or higher. (USDOC, 2013) Of this population, 34.3% had a bachelors degree or higher. (USDOC, 2013) In Hudson NY, 74.8% of the population ages 25 and older had a high school graduate diploma or higher. (USDOC, 2013) Of this population, 24.3% had a bachelors degree or higher. (USDOC, 2013) According to the New York State Department of labor (2013), the unemployment rate for Columbia County is 8.0-8.9% and the New York State unemployment rate is 9.4%. (New York State Department of Labor [NYSDOL], 2013) In Columbia County the infant mortality rate was 7.4% in 2007-2009. (New York State Department of Health [NYSDOH], 2011a) In Albany County the infant mortality rate was 8.5% in 20072009. (NYSDOH, 2011a) In Columbia County the leading cause of death among Females in 2010 was heart disease followed by cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease. (NYSDOH, 2012b) In Columbia County the leading cause of death among men in 2010 was heart disease followed by caner and chronic

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 4 lower respiratory disease. (NYSDOH, 2012c) In Columbia County the average annual cases of lung and bronchial cancers in men were 40 and in females 29.2 in the years 2005-2009.(NYSDOH, 2012a) The average annual occurrence of melanoma of the skin in men were 9.6 and in females 6.4. (NYSDOH, 2012a) The average occurrence of breast cancer was 47.6 in females. (NYSDOH, 2012a) Prostate cancer average occurrence in Columbia County was 65.2 in 2005-2009. (NYSDOH, 2012a) The Average annual reported cases of invasive malignant tumors were 234.4. (NYSDOH, 2012a) Windshield Survey The city of Hudson has many older buildings; there are no new buildings around. A lot of work has been done to restore these buildings. Many buildings are in good repair. There are some that are currently being restored. There are few building that look vacant and in disrepair. Buildings are close together with no alleyways or very small alleyways. Some of the streets off of Warren Street have smaller houses that are in disrepair or vacant. For the most part, these houses and buildings are also pretty well maintained and in good repair. There are few buildings or houses for sale on Warren Street. Warren Street is full of life. There are store fronts down both sides of the street with single lane parking on either side. The store fronts are all well maintained and attractive. Above these store fronts there are apartments on the second and third floors. There are shared entrances for the apartments above. There are a few older mansion style houses on the Street that are very well maintained and are generally owned by law firms. Further down in Hudson there are four Section Eight Housing apartment buildings and lower income apartments. Around this area of Hudson the houses are more run down and vacant. Some buildings are boarded up. The streets are less maintained. The sidewalks are filled with garbage and

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 5 other unknown objects. There are no public garbage bins for waste. There seems to be an issue with people picking up their dogs feces. Warren Street is well maintained. There are plenty of street lights to light the sidewalks at night on this street. Side streets have less street lighting but have maintain sidewalks. There are traffic signs and signals all over the area. They are well maintained. There are many one way streets. Garbage removal is a problem throughout the city. Many residents complain about the smell of garbage. They also report a problem with rodents such as mice, rats, raccoons, and possums due to the garbage. Green space is limited to few privately owned richer looking houses with fenced in yards. The yards are very small. There are sidewalks on either side of the street with lots of people out walking and window shopping. There is a small, public, walk through park on the upper side of Warren Street. It has a water fountain. It appears well maintained, attractive and safe. Much of it is fenced in. There is ample lighting throughout the park. It is a small park and any recreation besides walking through it is impossible. The high school and middle schools on the outside of the Western end of the city of Hudson has ample green space for recreational sports. No one was seen playing in this area. Even further then the schools there is a playground with swings and slides. People are always taking their children here to play. It is a drive outside of the city. Transportation in the city is limited due to parking space. Many people drive and find municipal parking and walk. Some people are riding bicycles. The streets do not have a shared road way for bicycles. There are a limited amount of taxi services. There is a bus route. Amtrak train station is available at the furthest end of the city. There is a Police Station in the center of Warren Street. There are several police patrol cars around the area and are very present. A police officer stands guard at 5th and state streets twenty-four

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 6 hours a day seven days a week. This is an area of high drug trafficking. There is a fire department and local ambulance. Columbia memorial hospital is close to Warren Street. It is an acute care facility. It is voluntary, non-profit-private, emergency service hospital. The hospital is small but has recently expanded its emergency room services and added a parking garage. There is a public school district just outside of the city. There is an elementary, middle and high school. In the city there are no early child care services. In the more suburban areas of Hudson there are early child care services. In Hudson there are no parochial type school systems. The Hudson Library is very old looking and in need of many repairs. Warren Street is full of stores, restaurants, antique dealers and furniture stores. There is a CVS on the main street that looks small and dilapidated. The majority of the stores are antiques or little boutiques. The area is rich with history. The store owners seem to have wealthier backgrounds. Their clientele seem to have money as well. Most of the restaurants have an upper class vibe. There are bed and breakfasts that offer fine cuisine. There are some popular restaurants offering ethnic flavor such as the Mexican Radio. There are many bars on Warren Street that are well maintained and attract a young nightlife. There are several coffee shops. There are many artistic outlets with galleries and fine handmade jewelry and furniture. There are many second hand vintage clothing stores. Warren Street has many historic area churches. They are well maintained. There is one older small church that is vacant and for sale. There are Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal, and Reformed churches. These churches offer services to the community and engage the community with programs. They offer meals, shelter and prayer. They have Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and other rehabilitation connection groups.

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 7 There are not many vacant properties or signs of abandonment on Warren Street. There are some more run down looking houses closer to the southern end of the city of Hudson. These are lower income residential areas with section eight apartments. In this area there is a lot of crime and drug trafficking. This area does not appear to be safe and was not well explored due to this. The people on Warren Street look appropriately dressed, middle to upper class people. There are people of all ethnicities. Most of the people are either Caucasian or African American. The population seems to be between 25 and 45 years of age. The people seem to be of average height and weight. There were no individuals seen who were overly obese. There were many people observed smoking while walking or in their cars. There were no indoor smoking observed in public buildings. There are many services available in the area. There are post offices. There are several banks including The Bank of America and Trustco Bank. There one place that does Yoga but there is no gym in this area. There are a few Hair salons including a salon called Lisa Maries. There is no recreation center but there are lots of churches and bars for recreation. There are no billboards present in the area that were observed. Primary Health Concerns Bed Bugs A public health concern for the city of Hudson is pest control and bedbugs. Hudson has a higher risk of bed bugs because it is an urban area with lower income housing and close living quarters. Bed bugs are an important health issue in urban areas. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. environmental Protection Agency stated that bed bugs are a pest of significant public health importance. (Eddy & Jones, 2011) The public has decreased awareness of bedbugs and the risk for disease transmission. Bedbugs have a high prevalence rate in lower income housing and

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 8 areas with a high turnover such as in apartment complexes and bed and breakfasts or hotels. Bedbugs quickly infest residences in multi-unit housing through walls, heating ducts, and utility lines. (Eddy & Jones, 2011) They are also easily transmitted on objects such as clothing from one site to another. They are very difficult to get rid of once they are present. Many lower income families are unable to pay to properly exterminate them. The bedbug feeds off of the blood of a human host. It injects saliva into the skin after piercing it. The saliva contains an anticoagulant that helps the bug procure more blood from the host. About 70% of humans are allergic to the bedbugs bite. (Eddy & Jones, 2011) They can experience swelling, welts, and itching for up to days after a bite. (Eddy & Jones, 2011) Bed bug infestations can become severe and can lead to iron-deficient anemia in humans. (Eddy & Jones, 2011) Reactions can become severe and systemic such as asthma, anaphylaxis and generalized urticarial. People dealing with bedbug infestations can experience psychological stresses as well; they can suffer from anxiety, insomnia, and depression. Severe cases can put a person at risk to more common illnesses due to stress on the body. (Eddy & Jones, 2011) Bed bugs can contribute to the transmission of human diseases. A person can be contaminated by crushing an infected bug or coming into contact with the bugs feces. (Eddy & Jones, 2011) A person can also become ill if the bug regurgitates into its host. Hepatitis B has been found to be the most transmitted pathogen. (Eddy & Jones, 2011)The hepatitis B virus has been found in bugs and their feces for up to six weeks after feeding off infected blood. (Eddy & Jones, 2011) Public health jurisdictions are limited and unable to regulate policies in hotels and residential housing. Housing authorities nationwide have cut funding and have not responded to complaints of bed bugs due to lack of policy, funding and manpower. (Eddy & Jones, 2011)The bed bug epidemic will

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 9 continue to become an issue in lower income housing and urban areas with close living quarters. Local public health policies must be developed to help manage this issue. Alcohol Consumption The city of Hudson has a higher risk of Alcohol consumption health risks due to higher outlets for alcohol. A correlation between the geographical availability of alcohol and its consumption has been well documented. (Meng-Jinn & Grube & Gruenewald, 2010) The city of Hudson has countless amounts of bars, restaurants, convenient stores and liquor stores. High alcohol outlet densities are related to increased violent crimes, drinking and driving, motor vehicle accidents and adolescent drinking. Studies have concluded that alcohol outlet densities were the greatest predictor of violent crimes. Areas with higher outlets had higher violent crime rates. (MDCH, Bureau of Disease Control, Prevention & Epidemiology [MDCHBODCPE], 2011) Rates of Homicide and suicide increase in areas with higher densities of alcohol outlets. Intimate partner violence rates also increase in these areas. Younger people and females are more likely to be arrested for drinking under the influence with higher prevalence in higher outlet areas. (MDCHBODCPE, 2011) Large outlets for alcohol in an area increase the likelihood a minor will be influenced to use it. (Meng-Jinn et al., 2010) It also increases the availability to a minor. The best way to reduce the amount of underage drinking is to restrict access to this population. Training alcohol retailers and bartenders through programs focusing on enforcing this law are important. (Meng-Jinn et al., 2010) Law enforcement officers are responsible for monitoring and preventing the sale to minors. They use sting operations and test retailers for their compliance. Studies conclude that areas with higher alcohol outlets have minors with decreased parental monitoring allowing adolescents to become associated with more deviant behavior. Parents may be

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 10 spending more time in bars and less time monitoring their children. As a result, adolescents in these areas have a higher level of drinking and binge drinking.(MDCHBODCPE, 2011) Commercial outlets and social networks such as family and friends make alcohol more accessible to minors. (MDCHBODCPE, 2011) Lyme disease Hudson has a higher risk for Lyme disease due to a close surrounding of farm land and wooded areas, rodents in residential areas and decreased public awareness. Lyme disease is the most reported vector-borne illness in the United States. (Halsey & Abramson, 2000) In New York State more than 95,000 cases have been reported since 1986. Ticks spread the disease after feeding off of an infected animal. This animal is in most cases a deer but can also be in any number of small animals. (NYSDOH, 2011b) Hudsons population is at risk for Lyme disease because of the small animals such as possums and raccoons residing in the area looking for garbage. (Halsey & Abramson, 2000) They are also at risk around the green space they share at the local school and at the large open playground they use that is closer to the woods. This population may think they have decreased risk due to the area they live in and may need teaching on Lyme disease and its transmission. People need teaching on how to prevent exposure to ticks with repellents. They need teaching to check for ticks after playing in the high grasses of the playground or fields on themselves and their children. Many cases of Lyme disease go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Giving this population teaching and screening techniques can reduce the risk to this population. There is also a new vaccine available. Conclusion The city of Hudson New York is thriving. It has a young artistic population and hip night life. It has been rebuilt but retains its rich culture. Artists and antiques dealers are keeping the economy going.

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 11 There is a wide range of people, from rich to poor. Like any area, there are health issues which have been discussed.

References Eddy, C., & Jones, S.C. (2011). Bed Bugs, Public Health, and Social Justice: Part 1, a Call to action. Journal of Environmental Health, 73(8), 8-14. Halsey, N. A., &Abramson, J.S. (2000). Prevention of Lyme Disease. Prediatrics, 105 (1), 142. MDCH, Bureau of Disease Control, Prevetion & Epidemiology (2011). The Association of Increased Alcohol Outlet Density & Related Harms Summary of Key Literature. Retrieved from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/Outlet_Density_Associated_Harms_Summary 3.10.2011_373894_7.pdf Meng-Jinn, C., Grube, J. W., & Gruenewald, P. J. (2010). Community lcohol outlet density and underage drinking. Addiction, 105(2), 270-278. Doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02772.x New York State Climate Office: Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (n.d.) The Climate of New York. Cornell. Retrieved from http://nysc.eas.cornell.edu/climate_of_ny.html New York State Department of Health (2011) 2007-2009 vital statistics Data as of March 2011. Retrieved from www.health.ny.gov/statistics/chac/birth/information.htm New York State Department of Health (2011). Lyme Disease (tick-borne borreliosis, Lyme arthritis) http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme/fact_sheet.htm New York State Department of Health (2012) Cancer Incidence and Mortality for Columbia County, 2005-2009. Retrieved from http://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/cancer/registry/vol1/v1ccolumbia.htm

Running Head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY Page 12 New York State Department of Health (2012) Leading Causes of Death Among Females by county, New York State, 2010. Retrieved from www.health.ny.gov/statistics/leadingcauses_death/gender/women_by_county.htm New York State Department of Health (2012) Leading Causes of Death Among Males by County, New York State, 2010. Retrieved from www.health.NY.gov/statistics/leadingcauses_death/gender/men_by_county.htm New York State Department of Labor (2013) Unemployment Rates by county, New York State. Retrieved from www.labor.ny.gov/stats/PDFs/ur_map.pdf U.S. Census Bureau (2012) Statistical Abstract of the United States: Table 108. Life expectancy by Sex, Race, and State:1979-1991. Retrieved from www.vensus.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0108.pdf U.S. Department of Commerce. (2013) Columbia County, New York, QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/36021.html U.S. Department of Commerce. (2013)Hudson (city), New York, QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/3635969.html U.S. Department of transportation. Federal Highway Administration office of Planning, Environment and Reality. (2012) Census Urbanized areas and MPO/TMA Designation. Retrieved from http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census_issues/urbanized_areas_and_mpo_tma/faq/page0 cfm#Urban_Cluster_UC