Community Health Assessment: Data Gathering and Generation

Data Gathering (collecting information that already exists)

Demographics of the Community

• When demographic data are collected, it is useful to collect data from a variety of levels so comparisons can be made.
• If the population that is being assessed is located within a specific setting, it may be best to contact that agency to retrieve specific information about that population.
• The following resources provide a broad overview of the demographics of a city, county, or state:
• State and County Quick Facts—Easy access to facts about population, housing, economics, geographic data, business, based on U.S. Census data
• Obtain information about a specific city or county on these useful websites epodunk.com and www.city-data.com

• Healthy People 2020—this resource is published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It identifies health improvement goals and objectives for the country to be reached by the year 2020
• National Center for Health Statistics—this agency is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; this website provides statistical information about the health of Americans
  • National Vital Statistics System
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—The CDC website contains a large amount of information related to the health of the American population. The search engine within this website can be used to find relevant information
• Federal agencies with statistical programs
• Every state in the United States has its own specific health improvement plan and goals that are based on the Healthy People 2020 document. This information may be available on the state health department website.
• State and local health departments provide information related to vital statistics for the community.

Other Data Sources

• America’s Health Rankings—this website provides information about various health indicators for each state: https://www.americashealthrankings.org/
• Other relevant data sources may be found by conducting an Internet search related to the topic that is being examined through the community assessment.

After data are collected from various sources, it is important to review the information and to identify assets and areas for improvement in the community by comparing local data (if available) versus state and national data. This will facilitate organization of the information that has already been obtained and will provide direction for the next step of the process.

Data Generation (data are developed that do not already exist):

Windshield Surveys

With the use of public transportation or by driving a vehicle around the community, one can observe common characteristics of the community.

Examples of key observations to make when one is assessing the community through a windshield survey include the following:

• Age of the homes in the community
• Location of parks and other recreational areas
• Amount of space between homes and businesses
• Neighborhood hangouts
• Transportation in the community
• Quality and safety of streets and sidewalks
• Stores and other businesses
• People out in the community
• Cleanliness of the community
• Billboards or other media displays
• Places of worship
• Healthcare facilities

Participant Observation

Spend time observing the population that is being assessed. Through observation of interactions among group members, much can be learned about the community, including the following:

• Developmental level of the population
• Effectiveness of peer-to-peer interactions
• Respect for peers and others
• Safety in the environment
• Economic status

Informant Interviews

Informants could be people who are familiar with and interact with the population on a regular basis.

Examples of questions that may be asked of key informants include the following:

• Strengths/assets of the community
• Areas of improvement for the community
• Concerns of community members
• Access to health care
• Emergency plans for natural or man-made disasters

Focus Groups

Focus groups (usually small groups of 6-12 people) can be helpful when one is gathering information about specific areas of concern within the population. Use of a focus group involves open dialogue about the population, whereas an interview or survey yields only individual responses.

• Focus groups may be effective for assessing the following:
• Satisfaction with services provided
• Community resources used
• Transportation issues within the community
• Safety within the community
• General concerns of members of the population

Surveys

Surveys may be used to collect data from the community. Selecting a sample of the target population may prove helpful in the collection of data that are easier to analyze. It is important to ensure that the sample is representative of the target population.

A survey should be developed that takes into consideration the developmental level of the group that is being assessed. Questions should be written at the appropriate developmental level, so they are answered in a way that makes the data useful. Surveys might include closed-ended (yes/no), multiple choice (several responses to choose from), Likert scale (Strongly Agree/Agree/Neutral/Disagree/Strongly Disagree), or open-ended (“why”/“how”) questions.

Topics that may be addressed in a survey include the following:

• Demographic information
• Status of employment
• Safety within community
• Safety in environment
• Personal safety (seatbelts, helmets, etc.)
• Stressors/stress management patterns
• Risky behaviors
• Support systems
• Volunteer/community activities
• Rest patterns
• Nutrition
• Dental hygiene
• Health promotion activities

• N492 Project Concert Instruction for Students v2.docx
• N492 Signature Assignment Rubric v1.1
• Demographics of the Community
• When demographic data are collected, it is useful to collect data from a variety of levels so comparisons can be made.
• If the population that is being assessed is located within a specific setting, it may be best to contact that agency to retrieve specific information about that population.
• The following resources provide a broad overview of the demographics of a city, county, or state:
• State and County Quick Facts—Easy access to facts about population, housing, economics, geographic data, business, based on U.S. Census data
• Obtain information about a specific city or county on these useful websites: epodunk.com and www.city-data.com
• Information from Government Agencies
• Healthy People 2020—this resource is published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It identifies health improvement goals and objectives for the country to be reached by the year 2020
• National Center for Health Statistics—this agency is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; this website provides statistical information about the health of Americans
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—The CDC website contains a large amount of information related to the health of the American population. The search engine within this website can be used to find relevant information
• Federal agencies with statistical programs
• Every state in the United States has its own specific health improvement plan and goals that are based on the Healthy People 2020 document. This information may be available on the state health department website.
• State and local health departments provide information related to vital statistics for the community.
• Other Data Sources
• America’s Health Rankings—this website provides information about various health indicators for each state: https://www.americashealthrankings.org/

Other relevant data sources may be found by conducting an Internet search related to the topic that is being examined through the community assessment.

University Mission Goals:

• Exhibits self-directed learning that demonstrates professional behavior and ethics,
• Demonstrates professional performance through research by using evidence-based, and
• Leverages technology to produce high-value work products.

• Cultural Competence: Recognize the need for evidence-based knowledge and sensitivity to variables such as age, gender, culture, health disparities, socioeconomic status, race, and spirituality
• Research and Evidence-Based Practice: Use research findings and other evidence in designing, implementing, and evaluating care that is multidimensional, high quality, cost-effective and leads to improved patient outcomes
• Leadership/Advocacy: Work within organizational and community arenas to promote high quality patient care through organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement, and safety
• Technology: Design and implement measures to modify risk factors and promote healthy lifestyles, utilizing emerging advances in science and technology

• Explore historical, legal, social, cultural, political, and economic forces that influence the client, nursing practice, and the health caresystem 
• Evaluate strategies that can be used by public and community health nurses to improve the health status and eliminate health disparities of vulnerable populations.
• Predict trends in lifestyles that will affect the health of communities and the future challenges for nursing. 

Professional Standards

AACN Baccalaureate Essentials:

• Scholarship for evidence-based practice
• Clinical prevention and population health
• Professionalism and professional values

IOM Core Competencies:

• Patient-centered care
• Evidence-based practice
• Quality improvement

E_BOOK LINK IS BELOW AND REQ

https://drive.google.com/open?id=17XfzaYJQVncDD8g7nqgPRrwVwyo6Raro

Discussion Question:

Identify a Community Health Assessment Model. (This document from the CDC lists commonly used community assessment models: https://www.cdc.gov/stltpublichealth/cha/assessment.html ) What are some benefits of using a specific model to assess a community? What agencies should be included with the assessment? What is a reasonable time frame in which to complete a community wide assessment? What is the role of the public nurse in implementation of the chosen model?

Your initial posting should be at least 400 words in length and utilize at least one scholarly source other than the textbook.