A windshield or a walking survey is a way of observing the community to note its characteristics hence aiding in the assessment of the community. From such a survey, it is possible to better understand the general or specific conditions or an aspect within the community. This technique is useful when the area to be surveyed is large with limited personnel but the aspects to be observed should be seen from the road. This survey helps community health providers to identify the needs of the community especially those relating to health. This study is an observational assessment that aims at bringing into light community aspects such as the available resources, the safety of the community, values of the people, housing and zoning, politics, race and religion.
The windshield survey in this paper was conducted in villages found in Manhattan, New York City. This is a landmarked neighborhood in a historic district which is made up of more than 50 blocks. The houses found in the neighborhood are old and are arranged without any plan all over the place. From the observations, major health problems of the community will be outlined hence giving a community diagnosis. Some of the data were retrieved from online sources and administration buildings.
The Greenwich Village and West Village are located in Manhattan deep in the New York City. The boundaries of the villages are marked by trees lined in neat rows. Some of the boundaries are defined by streets. Uptown Manhattan, for instance, is the area above 59th street. Beyond the 96th Street is an area called Upper Manhattan. Downtown Manhattan is found below the 14th Street while Lower Manhattan refers to the region below Chambers Street. The area referred to as Midtown Manhattan is located between 34th Street and 54th Street. The Westside Village is the area west of the Fifth Avenue while Eastside is located east of the Fifth Avenue. The names of the neighborhoods and boundaries are not officially defined hence they are subject to change and variance from one time to another according to demographic and economic variables.
Housing is one of the important attributes of the area. Most of the houses are single story homes with large backyards and front yards. Most of the houses may be old but they are well maintained, and it is clear that some have been renovated in recent years. The houses seem to be bigger as one goes into the center of the city while they decrease in size going outwards. The neighborhood has different zones. Starting from the Central Business District at the heart of the city. Here, houses are big with large front and back yards. There are many businesses in this area with a few residential units. In midtown areas, the houses are relatively smaller compared to those in the CBD. In the outskirts of the city, many of the houses are poorly maintained, and they are small in size. This zone is also comprised of many industries and farms.
The community has some health resources that can be accessed by the people. It is evident that the health of the people is central to the community. The community has three established hospitals located in different areas. There are also private practitioners who own clinics in various areas within the community. The clinics offer outpatient services to patients which inpatient services can only be found in the big hospitals. There is an eye clinic within the Manhattan district to cater for those patients with eye problems. Some dentists have also opened clinics to handle the many cases of tooth problems.
Moving through the community while observing, it is clear that health promotion activities have been conducted. There are billboards which sensitize people on healthy living. One of the billboards particularly encourages people to increase the habit of washing hands using disinfectants always. Another promotion gives advice to the people to visit a hospital when they have a persistent cough. Health promotion is also accomplished by encouraging people to observe good hygiene practices. There are also pharmacies where the people can easily access medicine and other medical services.
The Manhattan community has a faculty of medicine that trains nurses and other health care providers. Occupational health services are also provided such as the surveillance of the environment at work and risk assessment of this environment. Health examination of community members is conducted at the health centers. The health care providers also provide the community with advice on the control of diseases and other preventive measures. The community is ready for emergencies as indicated through maintaining preparedness especially for first aid. The community members are taught and encouraged to participate in emergency preparedness. Occupational health is also done by a diagnosis of occupational diseases and keeping records.
Among the health resources of the community are official and voluntary health services. The community members participate voluntary health activities in collaboration with health providers and government officials. These activities include cleaning, waste disposal and helping the needy. In most of these projects, funds are provided by the government while others are funded through partnerships with non-governmental organizations.
The community members have come up with an initiative aimed at self-help. They have formed support groups which identify the needs of community members and try to offer help where possible. Some of these groups offer financial assistance for those who are not able to pay for their medical expenses. Beyond self-help groups, other organizations also provide medical services. They include non-governmental agencies such as faith-based organizations. The community has medical centers build by various churches to complement the faith-based programs. Here, health care is mostly provided by religious people who have been trained in the medical field.
The area has many stores owing to the fact that it is an urban area. Some of the stores provide services that are necessary for basic living. These include stores for food products such as groceries. Such stores are evenly distributed across the area. There are retail stores close to the residential areas where people can do their shopping with ease. Close to the CBD, some stores provide dry cleaning services. Other stores that can be observed in the region include drug stores and stores for agricultural produce. The common transportation means is by use of railroads. The area is also well connected with roads making it possible to access medical facilities using public transport or private means.
Health services will serve no purpose if citizen safety and protective services are not provided. The first step of ensuring citizen safety is the presence of police patrolling the neighborhood and accessible police stations. The safety of people has been guaranteed in case there is a fire disaster. There are trained fire extinguishers and emergency centers that are ready to deal with any disaster as well as prevent the occurrence of such catastrophes. There is a rescue center for victims of various types of abuse such as rape and domestic violence.
Senior citizens have not been neglected in the community when it comes to the health of individuals. There are homes for the elderly in which those who are unable to take care of themselves are taken care of. Most importantly, the senior citizens actively participate in contributing to the healthcare of the community. Paths have been made for those in wheelchairs to use. There are parks which are important for recreation.
References
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Sharyn, J. (2011). Community Health Nursing: Caring for the Public's Health. Mississippi: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
