Running head: WINDSHIELD SURVEY

Windshield Survey
Amy Lewis
Ferris State University

Windshield Survey
This windshield survey was done in an attempt to correlate and describe what the
interaction of the physical environment has on a persons health as it relates to community
nursing (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012). Harkness and DeMarco (2012) have defined community
as a group of people sharing common interests, needs, resources and environment; an
interrelating and interacting group of people with shared needs and interest (page 175). A
community can be those who live close to each other, or share common interests and come
together for a reason besides geography.
Community
The community becomes a client of the nurse when there is a community-wide group of
people who are the focus of a nursing service, such as nutritional education programs or exercise
programs (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012). These offerings can also be related to bringing people

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in a community together for socialization as this affects the mental and social health of a
community.
While there are many aspects to the field of community health nursing, community health
is an area of study that works to improve the characteristics of health in communities, through
study, evaluation, education and improvement (Mulcahy, 2004). Assessment of the needs of a
community is an important first step in the assessment of community health and a windshield
survey is one way of doing this assessment and evaluation (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012).
Possible Health Risks
Details from the windshield survey can be seen in Appendix A. One possible health risk
noted in the areas surveyed was safety, as there was some inconsistencies found in the
connection of the bike paths present. There were times where the bike paths crossed busy roads,
and there were not signs present to indicate to drivers that there were pedestrians or bike riders
present. Another current possible health risk, given that it is winter, is that there was poor
maintenance of the bike baths. There was ice and snow present, making the paths unsafe and
impassible in areas. This could lead to safety issues and also inactivity during the winter months
when the paths are unusable.
Another area of concern is the distance that one has to travel to a hospital or urgent care
center. If there was an emergency, this distance could mean a great deal as far as a client
receiving health care quickly. There was a fire station present in the surveyed area, but it was a
Grand Rapids Township facility, and may not be available to respond in other jurisdictions within
the surveyed area.
The presence of numerous fast food restaurants, as well as the number of people
frequenting them, leads me to believe that nutrition is a health concern in this area. While this is

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a problem in many areas, the fact that there is such a heavy concentration of fast food restaurants
in this area is concerning regarding the health and nutritional status of this community.
Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicator
Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity is one of the Healthy People 2020 health
indicators that is impacted by the geographical issues in this area. Stores and banks are spread
out, and would mean that people would have to drive to them, leading to inactivity and
potentially obesity. Nutrition is impacted by the fact that there are multiple fast food restaurants
that were quite busy, indicating a poor diet and increased sodium intake. Community nursing
roles in this area could be to educate the residents on a healthy diet by offering nutrition classes
at the community center. An additional role for nurses could be to encourage physical activity,
by offering and publicizing exercise classes at the same community center, and this would help
with both the physical activity and obesity issue.
Conclusion
I was able to evaluate certain aspects of this community during this survey, but due to the
fact that it is winter time, I feel that I was not able to truly evaluate the potential uses of the bike
paths and parks that were present. With the amount of bike paths and outdoor areas present, it is
hopeful that the area residents would utilize these during the good weather as a form of exercise
and socialization. While there were a large percentage of the local residents on the larger to
obese size, this should certainly be a form of exercise that should be used when the weather is
amenable.
The community surveyed seems cohesive and friendly, with a community center
available for use by the residents. There are not any public health agencies present in this
geographical area, or a public bus system, which would be a way for clients to get to these

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facilities outside of the area. Nutrition, Physical activity, and Obesity are one of the health
indicators of Healthy People 2020 that were examined in this paper. Areas for improvement that
could be considered health risks in this setting are safety, inactivity, distance to hospitals, and
nutritional factors.

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5
References

Harkness, G. & DeMarco, R. (2012). Community and public heath nursing: Evidence for
practice. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Willimans and Wilkins.
Mulcahy, H. (2004). 'Vulnerable Family' as understood by public health nurses. Community
Practitioner, 77(7), 257.
U.S. Department for Health and Human Serivces, (2013, June 6). Nutrition, physical activity and
obesity. In Healthypeople.gov. Retrieved from
http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/LHI/nutrition.aspx

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Appendix A

Neighborhood boundaries surveyed: West: Forest Hills Avenue

East: Thornapple River Drive
South: Burton Street
North: Fulton Avenue
City/Townships in this surveyed area are Kentwood, Grand Rapids Township, Ada and Cascade

Housing and zoning

Houses vary in age
from new construction
to homes greater than
70 years old.
Residential areas do
not have businesses in
them. Mostly single
family homes, a few
duplexes, 2 retirement
communities.

Transportation
People are seen
driving cars or trucks.
No signs of public
transportation such as
buses. Health of
community could be
affected as there is no
public transportation
to doctor
appointments. Less
than a mile to 2
freeway on-ramps.
School buses are seen
during transport
times.

Race and ethnicity

Caucasian is the
majority race noted in
the neighborhoods. In
the stores there were a
small percentage of
blacks and people of
Asian decent
shopping. Lack of
racial diversity
residing in this area
may lead to people not
being exposed to
those of other races
and may lead to
intolerance and
racism.

Open space
The area is residential,
houses have small lots
in some areas, large
(up to 4 acres) in
other neighborhoods.
Some are gated
communities. No
evidence of seasonal
plants as it is winter
and everything is
covered with snow.

Service centers
There are no
government health
services in this
geographical area.
Nearest
hospital/urgent care
center is 4 miles away.
There are numerous
medical practices,
including specialists,
dental, orthodontic
and chiropractic
offices.

Religion and politics

There are Baptist,
Catholic, CRC, and
nondenominational
Christian churches in
this area. One
Kingdom Hall of
Jehovahs Witness
was seen. Lack of
religious diversity
may lead to
narrowness in
acceptance of people
of other religions.
There is a mix of both

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Republican and
Democratic political
party residents.

Boundaries
Natural boundaries
are the Thornapple
River on the East,
Railroad tracks just
north of Fulton Street
is what defines the
direction that Fulton
follows. Forest Hills
Ave. is a winding
road, due to wetland
areas and a freeway
overpass.

Stores and street

people
There are no street
people. Several
grocery stores, banks,
restaurants,
pharmacies and credit
unions. These are not
near the residential
neighborhoods, and
health could be
affected in the way
that you would always
have to drive to the
store, rather than walk
and get exercise.

Health and morbidity

Many people noted
were overweight or
obese. No one is
noted to be outside
walking or exercising
on the bike/walking
paths. Potential
problem of inactivity
leading to obesity,
diabetes, hypertension
and poor mental
health status. There is
a mental health
hospital right outside
the boundaries of this
survey, and it is 4
miles to the nearest
hospital. People in
the pharmacy are
checking their blood
pressure on the
available machine,
may indicate
hypertension.

There are 3 parks in

the area, all of them
open in the winter.
No cars parked there
or activities going on
in the winter.

Signs of decay
There are no obvious
signs of decay,
although there are
some areas that seem
to not take care of the
debris in their yards as
well as others. No
disabled vehicles in
the yards. There are
not many real estate
signs visible, although
there are a higher
percentage in the less
affluent
neighborhoods.

Media
There is one large cell
phone tower in the
area. Some homes
have a dish for
cable/internet
reception. Most
homes have
cable/internet through
Comcast or AT&T.
Many people are seen
driving in their cars
while talking on their
cell phones or texting.
Newspaper read is the
Grand Rapids Press

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Neighborhoods have
their driveways free
of snow.

which is delivered 3
days per week, but
can be viewed online
daily or purchased
daily. A small
percentage have the
USA Today delivered,
available 6 days per
week.