Windshield Survey Summary and Reflection

Windshield surveys are conducted to observe different aspects of a community. The information obtained from driving through the community allows the observer to gain a better understanding of the community including culture, housing, and signs of decay just to name a few. This paper focuses on the family I selected, the overall impression of the family’s community and environment, and my observations about cultural diversity and vulnerable populations within this community. Three aspects of the community that affect residents’ health and one Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicator that is relevant to the community are also explored.
Community
Community is defined as “a group of people, often living in a defined geographical area, who may share a common culture, values and norms, and are arranged in a social structure according to relationships which the community has developed over a period of time” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012, p. 397). Community health focuses on a specific geographical area instead of concentrating on people with similar values and qualities. Community health nurses provide care that promotes the health and well-being of the community they serve. This fact encompasses the idea of community as a client. Oftentimes health related issues of individuals are similar to others in the community. By working with individuals, families and groups within a community, the nurse is providing care that will ultimately benefit the community as a whole. Partnership between the nurse and the community is essential. Community members must be vested in their care and the overall health of their community. “Partnership means the active participation and involvement of the community or its representatives in health change (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012, p. 403).
Family’s Community and Environment The family I chose to assess is a single parent household with three teenagers. The mother, L.M., is actively involved in the community. The community is Cimmaron Hills located in Colorado Springs, Colorado 80922. The boundaries are Stetson Hills Blvd to the North, Constitution Ave to the South, Marksheffel Rd to the East, and Powers Blvd to the West. The family lives in an older neighborhood with a few houses in need of renovations. They are surrounded by multiple grocery stores, fast food restaurants, clothing stores, and businesses. The community has three parks, a golf course, five churches, a community recreation center, one fire department, and one police department. The area seems relatively safe as there weren’t any homeless people or stray animals wandering around and no signs of decay or abandoned buildings. The environment seems very peaceful and quiet.
Cultural Diversity and Vulnerable Populations
The L.M. family resides in an area that is predominately Caucasian. The population was 26,325 in 2011 with 77% White, 5.6% Black, 5.5% Asian, and 11.7% that fall in other categories (City-data.com, 2013). The community does have multiple persons with disabilities as signs warning of blind persons were viewed in different locations. The family also includes a son with Asperger’s Syndrome and a daughter with depression, which puts both of them in vulnerable populations.
Aspects Affecting Resident’s Health Driving through the community, I noticed three aspects that could potentially affect the residents’ health in positive and negative ways. First, the area has multiple sites for physical activity. They have three parks, a golf course, and a fitness center. This is a positive aspect as the community members have ample opportunity to walk, exercise, and stay in shape. Living a healthy lifestyle is important in preventing many chronic diseases. A Whole Foods Store is located in this area as well. The second aspect that could affect health of the residents is the air quality and pollution. This can have a negative impact on health. This area’s air pollution index is 99 compared to the national index of 100. The carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide levels are higher than national average (City-data.com, 2013). This community has numerous bus stops that provide individuals the opportunity to take public transportation. Increasing exercise and reducing air pollution will have a positive impact on the lives of the residents, but the final aspect I noticed during my Windshield Survey that could be detrimental was the numerous liquor stores located every few blocks. The parking lots were full and the stores were extremely busy. Many residents may suffer from substance abuse in this community. Also, with the legalization of marijuana in the state of Colorado the chance of addiction or abuse might increase.
Healthy People 2020 The Healthy People 2020 initiative “emphasizes the concept of social determinants of health – that is, the notion that health is impacted by many social, economic, and environmental factors that extend far beyond individual biology of disease” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012, p. 17). The Leading Health Indicators (LIH) are priority health issues with the goal of decreasing health disparities and improving quality of life. The Healthy People 2020 LIH that is relevant to my family’s community is, “Reduce the number of days the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds 100, weighted by population and AQI” (HealthyPeople.gov, 2013). Respiratory problems including asthma, heart disease, and cancer have all been associated with the quality of outdoor air. Poor air quality has a direct impact on a person’s quality of life. Reducing air pollution is essential. As stated earlier, in L.M.’s community, the carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide levels are elevated. The environment plays a role in the chronic diseases of the residents in this community. Carpooling, bicycling, walking, or taking public transportation are all ways this area can reduce the air pollution.
Conclusion
Windshield Surveys offer insight into a community, the residents, and their quality of life. Although I have lived in Colorado for 25 years, I have never really looked out of a car window and simply observed what was going on around me. I never knew how much knowledge I could gain just by paying attention to my surroundings. Taking my time and surveying everything including houses, open spaces, businesses, schools, transportation, race, and culture really opened my eyes to how much you can learn about a community by being silent and observing. Studying my family’s community and how it relates to overall health and well-being for the residents and community as a whole was educational and enlightening.

References
City-data.com. (2013). 80922 Zip code detailed profile. Retrieved from http://www.city- data.com/zips/80922.html
HealthyPeople.gov. (2013). 2020 Topics and objectives. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/default.aspx Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public Health Nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (8th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby Elsevier.