Northampton community, Virginia is usually regarded as a small town which has invested in sustainable rural development. Northampton County forms the gateway to the Chesapeake Bay, and it is the southernmost county in Virginia's Eastern Shore (Mitchell & walls, 2013). The county is characterized by beaches, marshes, tidal creeks, woodlands, historic villages, farms and a variety of marshes. In addition to the natural and cultural assets, the county has a diverse home for over 250 species of birds, fish, and wildlife. One of the most saddening facts is that the county is among the poorest in the entire Virginia state. The county comprises of thirteen zip codes with a total of sixteen townships. Through various partnerships with some government agencies, one health institution, one school, eight town halls and a total for community-based organization and child care centers were established. This paper focuses on community assessment of Northampton area with a motive of uncovering health problems affecting the community and proposing ways to handle the problems.
Community Overview
Northampton is situated in northeastern Carolina along the state's coastal plain and piedmont region. Its borders include the state of Virginia to the north and are surrounded by Halifax, Bertie, Warren, and Hertford. Southwest border of Northampton is determined by Roanoke River while the Meherrin River marks the boundary in the northeastern area. Northampton community was formed in 1741 from sections of Bertie County. It got its name from a noble English man by the name of James Crompton. The county is 90miles southwest of Virginia, 50 miles North of Rocky Mountains, 90 miles northeast of Raleigh. The Northampton community land area is approximately 536 square miles with cotton, corn, soybeans and peanuts among its principal crops. These plants grow along Roanoke River. The family homes of residents are well maintained in the neighborhood. Also, the town comprises of small businesses, groceries, and convenient stores approximately four miles from town. There are a variety of stores across the city that offers a variety of snacks. Another characteristic of this community is the availability of hospitals, urgent care centers, dentist offices and nursing homes situated at strategic points in the region. Lastly, there are several pharmacies and sufficient resources to address various health concerns.
Demographic data
Currently, Northampton County has a population of 12,155 (Flores & Aguilera, 2007). It is the 79th most populated county in Virginia State which consists of 95 counties. Northampton's population underwent a significant decrease in its population between 2010 and 2014. It recorded a massive 5.7% decline in population. The largest racial groups in the region are the whites who constitute approximately 54.2% of the population. The whites are followed by blacks that who represent 36.8% of the population. Lastly, the Hispanic is the minority ethnic group and takes 7.8% of the population share. The female population is 3.3% larger than the male population. Adults above 65 years are 8% higher in Northampton County than the state limit. High school graduation rates are 13.2% lower than other states while the poverty levels are 9.7% higher than the state level. Individuals living with disability recorded an eye touching the figure of 19.7% of the total population based on the research conducted between 2009 and 2013.Based on 2014 records, the household income of a Northampton resident was approximately 35,000 dollars. It also indicated that 24% of people in Northampton lived below poverty levels. Individuals under the age of 65 without health insurance are relatively high compared to other states. Also, the level of unemployment in Northampton County is greater than other states such as California. It is evident that the situation in Northampton is not conducive as other states as most people are poor and as a result, cannot afford necessary medical expenses. The high unemployment rate is the fundamental reason for such predicaments in the region.
Epidemiological data
Air pollution in Northampton results in various sicknesses that may lead to the death of individuals. Most of the heart attacks and stroke experienced by its population is associated with air pollution. Chronic bronchitis, asthma and lung cancer which are the leading causes of death in Northampton results from air pollution. Most of the residence in the region goes to emergency rooms with respiratory complications, asthma attacks and a range of respiratory illness leading to an unhealthy society. In addition to these effects, air pollution also results in damages of lung tissues leading to breathing complication. An average of 6,000 hospital admission and 2000 cardiovascular disease are reported annually in Northampton's health institutions (Healy, 2013). Recent research indicates that air pollution results in 1500 new asthma cases and 2500 chronic bronchitis in the region every year. Every year, air pollution is responsible for thousands of death in Northampton. Air pollution results in 3000 premature deaths in the area.
Among the three leading causes of death in the county are cancer, diseases of the heart and chronic lower respiratory diseases. In the county, approximately 3.4% of adults have a body mass index that is greater than 24. Cancer constitutes about 22.3% of the deaths, diseases of the heart result in 21.4% of the deaths while chronic lower respiratory diseases result in 6% of the deaths. An average of 16.4% of Northampton's residence receives an income of $ 10000 or less.
Windshield survey
High levels of poverty and unemployment also lead to death in the region. Many individuals cannot afford good health insurance contract which will otherwise assist them in getting better heath are and increasing their mortality by reducing illness in the society. Providing better and affordable insurance policies in the region are of vital importance to the individuals in the area.
Problem diagnosis
Poverty is one of the leading causes of the poor health of people in the county. Access to quality health care services by every individual in Northampton community will ensure an improvement in the quality of life of every person in the region. To achieve quality health sector we focus on four vital areas; coverage, timeliness, workforce, and services. Lack of availability, the high cost of treatment and lack of insurance cover has resulted in bad health conditions for residence in the county. It is, therefore, essential to ensure each gets proper and quality health care.
Environmental quality is of crucial importance to any society. Maintaining a healthy environment will play a pivotal role in ensuring a high quality of life and longer years of healthy life for people globally (Stokols et al., 2003). Most of the deaths in the county result from air pollution which in turn causes respiratory and heart diseases. To limit these deaths, it is essential to implement measures that will ensure a safe environment for people living in this region. Healthy people 2020, advocates for environmental quality and access to quality and affordable medical services which are essential in ensuring a healthy society.
Summary
The various health problems in Northampton area which lead to loss of life can be easily avoided by improvising several measures that will limit the problems from increasing. Creating an affordable insurance policy for the individuals in the region will ensure that every individual has access to health care. Also, the relevant authorities should ensure that the health sector provides high-quality services in a timely fashion. Furthermore, the health institutions should be highly accessible.
Poor air quality results in cancer, heart problems, and other respiratory diseases. Strict measures have to be put in place to ensure that Northampton County reduces or eliminate unhealthy air emissions. Maintaining healthy homes and community is also important in the maintenance of environmental quality. Maintaining a high-quality environment free from pollution and providing affordable and quality insurance cover will improve the life expectancy of the old population in Northampton County.
References
Flores, R. G., & Aguilera, R. V. (2007). Globalization and the location choice: an analysis of US multinational firms in 1980 and 2000. Journal of International Business Studies, 1187-1210.
Healy, J. (2013). Improving health care safety and quality: reluctant regulators. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Mitchell, J. C., & Walls, S. C. (2013). Nest site selection by diamond-backed terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) on a Mid-Atlantic Barrier Island. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 12(2), 303-308.
Stokols, D., Grzywacz, J. G., McMahan, S., & Phillips, K. (2003). Increasing the health promotive capacity of the human environments. American Journal of Health Promotion, 18(1), 4-13.
