Identifying a Vulnerable Population

A windshield survey is a motorized observation. You may drive in a car or ride on public
transportation to observe the community’s life and environment through the windshield.
It involves the generation of data which will help define the community, the trends,
stability, and changes that will affect the health of the community. This assignment
specifically focused on vulnerable populations to include the economically
disadvantaged, racial and ethnic minorities, the uninsured, low-income children, the
elderly, the homeless, those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and those with
other chronic health conditions, inducing severe mental illness. It may also include rural
residents, who often encounter barriers to accessing healthcare services. The vulnerability
of these individuals is enhanced by race, ethnicity, age, sex, and factors such as income
or lack of affordable health care. Their health and heath care problems intersect with
social factors, including housing, poverty, and inadequate education.

Assignment: Develop a 25 – 50 slide power point to cover the
following criteria:
? First slide must have location of community (city, state), include the
“neighborhood or streets assessed if there is not a “neighborhood name” Ex. it
can be a mile surrounding a specific apartment complex. The vulnerable
population to be addressed in the PPT and your name.
? Observe an area/community/neighborhood in a geographical area that you believe
has a vulnerable population
? Create a power point presentation and include several pictures that are
representative of the community and the vulnerable population selected in the
power point. Each topic below should be a slide (total 21) with talking points
bulleted. Or a picture of the best and worst in the neighborhood/community.
? Slide 1: Title slide (your name, (location) community that you visited, the
vulnerable population you are addressing).
Power point presentation between 25 – 50 slides, references in APA format.
? Summarize the following points and submit under “windshield survey” in the
assignment drop box as an attachment.

1. Boundaries Identify the boundaries for the entire community. Does the
   community have a name? Do you see it displayed? What signs indicate the
   community starts and ends? Ex. Physical (highway, gate), Economic (real estate
   changes) Housing to commercial.
2. Housing How old are the houses and are they of particular style and materials?
   How well are the homes maintained? What kinds of multiple family dwellings
   exist? Are there vacant houses? Is this an established community or is there new
   construction? Are there for-sale signs? What does the housing indicate about the
   income level of the residents? Any signs of despair – broken doors, windows,
   leaks.
3. “Commons” What are the neighborhood hangouts (schoolyard, 24 hour store,
   restaurants, bar) Are there parks and/or playgrounds? Are they being used? What
   is their condition? What recreational areas or facilities were observed?
4. Transportation What forms of transportation do you see people using? Is public
   transportation available, describe? Ex. busses, subways How well are streets and
   highways maintained? Is there traffic congestion? How do people get in and out
   of the neighborhood? Ex. Car, bus, bike, walk Any major highways near the
   community?
5. Health and social service agencies What social service agencies, including
   health care facilities, are in the area you surveyed? What gaps in services did you
   observe? Ex. Doctor, dentists, health department, clinics
6. Stores Where do residents shop? Shopping centers, Liquor stroes, clothes and
   food
7. Street People Who do you see on the street? Ex. Mother and baby, teenagers,
   unemployed men, animals, elderly, homeless
8. Signs of decay and/or pollution Identify if there are poorly maintained homes,
   trash in streets, garbage-filled vacant land, etc. Describe any evidence of water,
   air, and/or ground pollution. Is the neighborhood on the way up or down in
   improvements?
9. Race What race is represented? Is the area integrated?
10. Ethnicity Are there indexes of ethnicity – food stores, churches, private schools,
    primary language, bill boards
11. Religion List the number and denomination of religious facilities.
12. Health and morbidity – do you see evidence of acute and chronic diseases or
    conditions? How far is the nearest hospital, clinic, mental health facility
13. Politics Do you see any political campaign posters, local headquarters or party
    affiliation?
14. Economics List the location, number, and type of industries you observe. Who
    are the major employers?
15. Protective services What evidence do you see of police and fire protection;
    sanitation services; water treatment plants?
16. Schools List the location, type (e.g., private, public, vocational education), level
    (grammar, junior high, high school, college) and number of schools.
17. General Is there evidence of gangs? Describe.
18. Subjective feeling How do you feel, being in the community? Do you feel
    comfortable? Are people friendly? Would this area be one in which you would
    live and/or work? Explain.
19. Problem identification/ community needs Based on your observations in the
    Windshield Survey, comprehensively identify any presenting problems (including
    gaps in service) in the community you surveyed. Be sure to identify problems.
20. Community Strengths Did you observe any community resources that may
    address identified problems? Develop a comprehensive list of all community
    strengths that you observed during your survey.
21. Reference page (slide)
    Resources to help you with this assignment:
    ? Below are websites to help you find epidemiological and community data to
    examine populations at risk for your windshield survey assignment.
    ? resource for county health statistics: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/
    ? Put in your city and state to find data for your windshield survey
    ? Access Healthy People 2020 and identify a vulnerable population. Read the
    goal(s) and nursing intervention(s) for that selected population.
    ? View census.gov
    ? Search the internet and collect data about the population you selected at U. S.
    Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2020, United States
    Census Bureau, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and/or Robert Wood
    Johnson Foundation.
    ? Prepare a power point according to the health promotion practice experience
    windshield survey assignment using the community assessment tool (see below).
    Resource: How to make a power point presentation
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-GurtADi6Q
    2/18 AH