The community of Pleasantville is located in Atlantic County. The city was initially incorporated a Borough and whose status was later changed to become a city following a referendum. The city is primarily urban, with a total area of 7.298 square miles. In addition, it is well endowed with facilities such as adequate road infrastructure. Pleasantville is a relatively small city, with the number of residents totaling around 20,000. The city is inhabited mostly by the African-American ethnic and includes compositions from Caucasian and Mexican residents. In this regard, according to the 2010 National Census, the number of African-Americans took up approximately 45.94% of the total population, while Caucasian totaled to approximately 24.33% (Truglio-Londrigan and Lewenson, 2013).
In addition, other races such as Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans made up the remaining 30% of the population. In comparison with the National Census carried out in 2000, the demographics of the city have grown. This is illustrated in the 2000 Census figures that indicated the population to be 19,012. As a result, the demographics have grown by approximately 6.5%, indicating a slow-growth trend (Truglio-Londrigan and Lewenson, 2013). The City has a total of seven schools with an enrollment of around 3,500 students and a student: teacher ratio of 8:1. According to Truglio-Londrigan and Lewenson (2013), the estimated median income totaled to $35,000 in 2013, in comparison with $36,913 in 2000. This is 36% lower than the national average, hence depicting a strained financial economy. As a result, the quality of life is affected by the declining income levels.
The health situation in the community is relatively stable. This is proven by a range of clinics that have a presence in the community. In this regard, there are an estimated 24 health institutions within a 60-mile radius. The clinics’ offerings range from treatment of behavioral issues such as drug rehabilitation, diabetes, and overall general consultations. Unfortunately, the region does not receive adequate support in improving the accessibility of health services. This may be attributed to the small population of the city in relation to its densely populated cities of New Jersey and Atlantic City.
My clinical site at North Main Elementary School in Pleasantville will allow the definition of my target population that is comprised of children who attend the school. The location will facilitate closer observation in order to enhance my understanding of the health issues confronting this target group. According to White and Zimbelman (2005), the health issues that affect the community include those of behavioral issues, chronic diseases, such as cardiac diseases, respiratory issues, and diabetes. The health concern confronting this target group is that of obesity. According to statistics by City-Data, the higher number of Pleasantville residents, in general, are obese. This situation is attributed to unhealthy eating behaviors and overall poor health choices.
The consideration of the rest of the population is guided by the fact that the target population in my community assessment is heavily influenced by the total population, by virtue of their status as children. According to City-Data, in comparison with the larger Atlantic County, Pleasantville fairs poorer in regards to diet health and weight. In this case, approximately 2.0 meals comprise of fast food such as pizza. This is in comparison with statistics from both Atlantic County and the state of New Jersey, at 1.8. in addition, those Pleasantville also has an average weight of 182 pounds in relation to Atlantic County at 179.1 and New Jersey, 178.1 and an average Body Mass Index at 30 in comparison to Atlantic County at 28.8 and the State at 28.6 (Truglio-Londrigan and Lewenson, 2013). In light of this information, the number of people who are obese accounts for approximately 42.3% of the population. This is considerably higher than compared to Atlantic County’s rate at 38.6% and New Jersey’s rate of 36.9%.
In relation to the statistics illustrated above depict a serious health issue that should be taken into consideration. In addition, it indicates the existence of an unmet need, one that is focused on the dietary concerns of the target population. In this regard, an appropriate program should be implemented focused on the needs of the target population. Therefore, such a program should be educational-based hence implemented in the school. The choice of this location is influenced by the fact that the children obtain their lunch from the school, and, therefore, would provide an ideal target for implementing the program. The obesity educational program would encompass two main areas. One is that involving dietary consideration. In this case, the school can increase the healthy options available as school lunch, such as, balanced diets, with more emphasis on vegetables and fruits. This would allow children make healthier food choices, as opposed to consuming fast food. The second area would involve physical activity. In spite of the existence of a Physical Educational program at school, the requirements for obtaining a pass should be stringent, to encourage children to take their exercise more seriously. Therefore, the implementation of such an educational program would meet the health issue gap in relation to the target population, in response to their needs.
References
Truglio-Londrigan, M., & Lewenson, S. (2013). Public health nursing: Practicing population-based care. Burlington, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
White, B. C., & Zimbelman, J. A. (2005). Moral dilemmas in community health care: Cases and commentaries. New York: Pearson/Longman.
