Running head: COMMUNITY XXX
1
Community XXX, Chicago, Illinois
Student Name
University of Illinois – Chicago
COMMUNITY XXX
2
Community Assessment
A community can be viewed like the human body. The life and structures within it tell a
story about how the community functions and how it thrives or deteriorates. In order to uncover
this story and determine the needs of a population in a particular community, one must conduct a
community assessment. This provides vital information for healthcare professionals so they can
provide better care to the people in their community. In this assessment of the Community XXX
community of Chicago (labeled as Community #), data has been obtained for the core and the
subsystems of physical environment and recreation. The information was collected from various
resources including a windshield survey and communication with various people living in the
community (Shuster, 2012). With these statistics and characteristics, it will be easier to paint a
picture of the strengths and weakness of the Community XXX of Chicago, Illinois and determine
the health needs of this population.
COMMUNITY XXX
3
Data
Comparative
Data: County or
State
Source
Comments
72,811
2,896,016
(Bocskay, HarperJemison, Gibbs,
Weaver, &
Thomas, 2007)
26,788.4 people per
square mile
12,722.5 people
per square mile
(City-data.com,
2014)
(United States
Census Bureau,
2010)
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
Male: 33,955 (46.6%)
Female: 38,856
(53.4%)
(Bocskay, HarperJemison, Gibbs,
Weaver, &
Thomas, 2007)
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
(Bocskay, HarperJemison, Gibbs,
Weaver, &
Thomas, 2007)
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
Hispanic: 3.9%
Asian: 6.1%
Black: 19.1%
White: 69.2%
Other: 0.3%
Multiple: 1.5%
Male: 1,405,107
(48.5%)
Female: 1,490,909
(51.5%)
<5: 218,522 (7.5%)
5-17: 541,318
(18.7%)
18-24: 323,710
(11.2%)
25-64: 1,513,663
(52.3%)
65+: 298,803
(10.3%)
Hispanic: 26%
Asian: 4.3%
Black: 36.4%
White: 31.3%
Other: 0.3%
Multiple: 1.6%
(Bocskay, HarperJemison, Gibbs,
Weaver, &
Thomas, 2007)
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
Median Household
Income: $83,909
Avg Household Size: 1.6
people
Below Poverty Level:
15.2%
Housing vacancies:
11.1%
Same place of residence
for 5 years: 37.3%
High School Graduates:
93.6%
Unemployed: 6%
Married: 24.8%
Married w/children:
32.4%
Never married males 15<
years: 24.1%
Never married females
15< years: 32.2%
Median Household
Income: $43,628
Avg Household Size:
2.6 people
Below Poverty Level:
19.6%
Housing Vacancies:
7.9%
Same place of residence
for 5 years: 54.4%
High School Graduates:
71.8%
Unemployed: 10.1%
Married: 31.3%
Married w/children:
20.4%
Never married males
15< years: 24.8%
Never married females
15< years: 24.6%
(City-data.com,
2014)
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
Age: 29.7%
Child: 14.3%
65+: 15.5%
Age: 57.6%
Child: 41.4%
65+: 16.3%
(United States
Census
Bureau, 2010)
Community Core
Demographics &
vital statistics
Population--total
Population
Density (either find it or
calculate it)
Population
Composition
a. Gender Breakdown
b.
Age Breakdown
c.
Race/ethnicity
Breakdown
Population
Characteristics
a. SES Breakdown
b. Marital status
c.
Dependency ratio
Mortality characteristics
<5: 2745 (3.8%)
5-17: 5256 (7.2%)
18-24: 6936 (9.5%)
25-64: 49197 (67.6%)
65+: 8677 (11.9%)
(Bocskay, HarperJemison, Gibbs,
Weaver, &
Thomas, 2007)
(City-data.com,
2014)
Percentages based
among all
households.
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
COMMUNITY XXX
4
a. Crude death rate
531.8/100000
703.8/100000
b.
6.5/100000
7.9/100000
c. Age-specific death
rates
1-14: 63
15-24: 89.2
25-34: 96.7
35-44: 213.2
45-54: 576.8
55-64: 1100.6
65-84: 6808.4
85+: 12709.3
1-14: 43
15-24: 83
25-44: 142
45-64: 613
65-84: 3669
85+: 14568
d.. Leading causes of
death
Diseases of heart:
192.4
Malignant neoplasms:
162.3
Cerebrovascular
diseases: 34.2
Accidents: 27.4
Chronic lower
respiratory diseases:
26.3
Diabetes: 22.8
Kidney diseases: 20.6
Septicemia: 18.9
Influenza/Pneumonia:
18.2
Assault(homicide):
16.3
Infant mortality rate
Morbidity Characteristics
(as applicable)
a.
Incidence (specific
disease)
b.
c.
Prevalence
(specific
disease)
Teen pregnancy
Rate
Values, beliefs & religion
Physical Environment
Physical
(City of
Chicago,
2014)
(City of
Chicago,
2014)
(City of
Chicago,
2014)
Community #
compared to the city of
Chicago
Diseases of heart:
193.8
Malignant
neoplasms: 187.2
Cerebrovascular
diseases: 41.6
Chronic lower
respiratory diseases:
40.7
Accidents: 30.9
Alzheimer’s Disease:
22.7
Kidney diseases: 20.3
Diabetes: 19.5
Influenza/Pneumonia
: 17.2
Septicemia: 14.5
(City of
Chicago,
2014)
(Illinois
Department of
Public Health,
2010)
All per 100,000
The city of Chicago
compared to the
state of Illinois
Child Obesity 3-7 yrs:
22%
Child Obesity 1013yrs: 28%
Child Obesity (high
school age): 21%
Child Obesity 2-5
yrs: 10.4%
Child Obesity 611yrs: 19%
Child Obesity (high
school age): 16%
(Yonek &
Hasnain-Wynia,
2011)
Child obesity is Chicago
compared to national
average. High school age
rates were not provided.
(Yonek &
Hasnain-Wynia,
2011)
HTN: 30.4%
High Cholesterol:
36.9%
Smokers: 19.4%
HTN: 28.4%
High Cholesterol:
37.3%
Smokers: 15.9%
Child obesity is Chicago
compared to national
average. Prevalence for
children under 14 was not
provided. HTN, high
cholesterol and smokers
are Chicago compared to
Cook County.
34/1000
57/1000
(City of Chicago,
2014)
Community # versus
Chicago
Catholic: 69.3%
Mainline Protestant:
9.3%
Evangelical: 8.7%
Orthodox: 1.6%
Other Denominations:
11.1%
Catholic: 56.4%
Mainline Protestant:
17.6%
Evangelical: 18.6%
Orthodox: 0.9%
Other
Denominations: 6.5%
(City-data.com,
2002)
Cook County versus
State of Illinois.
Percentage is
adherents of the
religion.
(Illinois
Department of
Public Health,
2013)
Community #
compared to the city
of Chicago
City of Chicago
compared to the
State of Illinois. All
are per 100,000.
Among cancers,
lung cancer is the
leading cause of
death (Respiratory
Health Association,
2014)
COMMUNITY XXX
Natural resources
Geography, climate, terrain
Biological & chemical
Water supply
Air (color, odor,
particulates)
Food supply (sources)
Pollutants, toxic substances,
Animal reservoirs or
vectors
Urban/suburban/rural?
5
Lake Michigan, 14
parks
Area: 2.718 square
miles
Elevation: 578.5 feet
above sea level
Avg January Temp:
21.3
Avg July Temp: 73.4
Avg Annual
Precipitation: 35.82
inches
Lake Michigan, 580
parks
Area: 228.4 square
miles
Elevation: 578.5 feet
above sea level
Avg January Temp:
21.3
Avg July Temp: 73.4
Avg Annual
Precipitation: 35.82
inches
(Chicago Park
District, 2013)
(City-data.com,
2014)
Community # versus
the city of Chicago
Lake Michigan via 12
pumping stations
Lake Michigan via
12 pumping stations
(City of
Chicago,
2014)
Community # versus
Chicago
Air Quality Index:
green (Jan 28th)
yellow (Jan 29th)
Ozone: 2.2%
PM2.5: 89.2%
PM10: 7.5%
SO2: 1.1%
NO2: 0.0%
CO: 0.0%
Air Quality Index:
green (Jan 28th)
green (Jan 29th)
Ozone: 41.9%
PM2.5: 58.1%
PM10: 0.0%
SO2: 0.0%
NO2: 0.0%
CO: 0.0%
(Environmental
Protection
Agency, 2014)
(American Lung
Association,
2013)
Community # versus
the city of Cary, my
hometown. I did this
to note that the smell
of exhaust is always
quite apparent
downtown Chicago
whereas in the suburbs
the smell of exhaust is
rare when in a
neighborhood.
Additionally, Cary
passed the State of the
Air test with a B
whereas Chicago
failed with an F.
Grocery stores: 2.77
Supercenters: 0.04
Convenience stores
(no gas): 0.93
Convenience stores
(with gas): 1.53
Restaurants: 6.67
Grocery stores: 2.24
Supercenters: 0.08
Convenience stores
(no gas): 0.75
Convenience stores
(with gas): 2.61
Restaurants: 6.86
(City-Data.com,
2012)
Per 10,000 pop.,
Cook County
compared to the
State of Illinois.
Nitrogen Dioxide
(0.02ppm), Carbon
Monoxide (0.4ppm)
Lead (0.03mcg/m3),
mercury
Rats, Mice,
Mosquitos (West
Nile), Bats (Rabies)
Nitrogen dioxide
(0.014ppm), Carbon
Monoxide (0.34ppm)
Lead (0.02mcg.m3),
mercury
Rats, Mice,
Mosquitos (West
Nile), Deer Ticks
(Lyme Disease), Bats
(Rabies
(Environmental
Protection
Agency, 2014)
Chicago versus the
state of Illinois
Urban
Urban
Community # versus
the city of Chicago
(USA.com,
2009)
(Illinois
Department of
Public Health,
2012)
Community # versus
Chicago
COMMUNITY XXX
6
Windshield Survey
The Community XXX, also known as community number #, is one of the 77
communities within the city of Chicago. It is located north of the blank community and is
bordered by the X River to the south and west, by Y to the east, and X Avenue to the north. Within this
community lies, seven neighborhoods: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The Community XXX has the largest
population count of the four communities considered to be a part of a section Chicago and it also
contains a particular landmark that would identify it. (“Community XXX, Chicago,” 2013).
Student had inserted a map of the community here, along with a citation for it.
Housing and Zoning
Neighborhood 1 and Neighborhood 2
Major Street A
consist of old mansions made of brick and cement that line
and the side streets of Major Avenue B. These buildings take up an entire city block or sit
directly next to another building. There are no yards or outdoor spaces as mansions are more of
a penthouse or condo style in a large building with other units. Mixed in with these luxurious 3
to 5-story buildings are many contemporary high-rises and skyscrapers made of glass and steel.
These structures house rental apartments, condos and single family homes as well as businesses.
There are large signs hanging from many of the buildings advertising places for rent or the base
amount at which one bedroom condos are sold. The sidewalks running along the homes on Major
Street A
are lined with trees and the older homes have landscaping with flowers and bushes.
Throughout most of this neighborhood, the trees are much smaller and younger looking, if they
are present at all, and many of the modern buildings have very light landscaping around them.
The Neighborhood 3 area consists mostly of old brick industrial buildings that have been
converted into loft spaces for art galleries, businesses, condos and restaurants. Some still have
old factory names etched into the cement and brick.
COMMUNITY XXX
7
There are, however, areas of this community that attempt to create a more suburban feel
among the large buildings and crowded blocks. The 4 neighborhood on the north and west side
of the XXX community used to consist of public housing, but now the area appears I the process
of being redeveloped with townhomes and row houses, though there is a large empty lot sitting
where public housing may have previously stood. Buildings here are mostly 3-4 stories and
made of brick with a grass parkway and very small front yard extending not much further than a
few feet from the front stairs to the sidewalk. These homes are fenced in with well-groomed
landscaping such as young trees and front shrubbery. In some cases, homes in this area have a
small backyard and 2 car garage located off the alleyways.
Nestled in between the 4 neighborhood and the 5 neighborhood is Section a. The buildings on the
main thoroughfare of this area, ABC Street, resemble old 3-4 story brick storefronts scattered
among newer brick condo buildings of 6-7 stories. The east side streets of ABC are lined with
large shady trees and 2 to 3-story Victorian style flats. Here lie some of the older residential
buildings in the area but are still kept up with to maintain their historical charm.
Land structure,
the
only one on the Chicago River, consists of mostly business and industrial buildings. They are only
a couple stories tall and range from being made of brick to what appears to be concrete. They
have parking lots for their employees and small lots of grass scattered about with trees.
Overall, the Community XXX has a wide array of homes and buildings. From 100-story
tall buildings to 2-story buildings that have been around for 100 years, it proves to mix history
with modern design. Most of the buildings in this community have central heating and air, but
there are some older buildings throughout the neighborhoods where a/c window units are visible.
In this case, most heating is radiator. It is assumed that modern plumbing is present in this
community.
COMMUNITY XXX
8
Open Space
Being an urban area, the Community XXX is rather short on open space. Many high
rises have concrete plazas surrounding them, or in some cases a small park. These plazas are
accessible to everyone and there are a few concrete benches to sit. There are some trees placed
along the sidewalks but there is no grass. Most blocks leave no room between buildings and in
some cases, buildings actually touch creating a solid mass on some blocks. There are a handful
parks including a baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts and dog parks located throughout
the community. XXX Street Beach is located in this community along with a larger park
situated between another Beach and landmark. The parks in the Community XXX are not like a forest
preserve. In most cases they are small, spanning a city block or less, with a couple benches, a
few trees and minimal landscape with a sidewalk through it. During the day, there is a wide
array of people relaxing in the small parks, but at night, due to spotty street lights, the parks were
observed to be without residents aside from the occasional dog walker.
The XX path along Lake Q is an area where according to one local, he likes “to relax, workout
and take in the scenery” (B. Campbell, personal communication, January 27, 2014). The XX path is
widely utilized in the day time but some residents are still spotted after dark taking strolls.
Compared with the a different community to the south which has a large park and another large park and the YYY
community
to the north which has the vast ZZZ Park, the Community XXX is limited in open space.
Commons
The Community XXX appears to be bustling.
Main
Avenue, known as the “nickname” is a
strip of high-end retail stores, department stores, a mall, luxury hotels and nice restaurants that
are always crowded. There are also more common retail stores such as H&M, Forever 21, Home
Goods and Marshall’s and create a more diverse shopping experience for more people.
Landmark A
COMMUNITY XXX
9
extends from B Avenue to C Avenue. There are also many bars and restaurants throughout Neighborhood A,
B, C, and D
that seem to attract both locals and tourists during all hours of the day. These are found
in strips along A street and B Avenue, C Street, D Street and scattered about the C and F neighborhoods. The majority
of people attracted to these areas appear to be 25-45 years old, and from all backgrounds and
budgets. There seems to be a little something for everyone, from swanky bars and clubs to
brewpubs and dive bars. These areas are well lit with the exceptions of the alleys in between
building that remain dark.
The streets of this community in Chicago are packed with taxicabs, city buses,
commercial trucks and personal vehicles. The personal vehicles range from sports cars to
minivans and possibly because many attractions are within walking distance in this community,
many people walk and can be seen on the streets. During the rush hours, this nurse observed the
streets crammed with commuters, buses, taxicabs and personal vehicles. Streets heading east to
the geographic formation and Landmark are crowded with vehicles and city traffic. Parking garages are
available on most blocks while street parking is hard to find and metered. The streets and
sidewalks are in good condition with accessible ramps to the street.
Chicago has a very large public transit system that tourists and locals can utilize to access
other communities and attractions. The Community XXX has bus routes that run down all the
main arteries as evidenced by the many buses and bus stops at most intersections. Some bus
stops intersect with the rail line or, the “L.” The color line has three stops within the community
and runs north to street name and south to around a town section. The color line has four stops within the
Community XXX running north to street name and south to XX Street servicing many of the
communities of Chicago with various spots to transfer to other lines. This nurse also noted there
COMMUNITY XXX
10
are many apps available for smartphones to track bus schedules and train schedules based on the
stop one chooses making travel around the community and city convenient and efficient.
Chicago has a new bike sharing program called Divvy and it seems to be used quite
frequently, as seen by many bicycles travelling the streets of the community. Dozens of docking
stations are scattered about the community for easy access to residents and tourists. There are
bike lanes on most main thoroughfares in the community, though there are not any on Main Avenue
or on any of the side streets in the community. Additionally, these bike lanes run with general
traffic and this nurse saw buses and taxicabs driving through the bike lanes to stop and pick up
passengers. Due to the amount of cars, buses and trucks that are on the roads in this community,
exhaust from the vehicles is the main odor when walking down the street.
Social Service Centers
The Community XXX is home to the MMM Hospital campus as well as PPP Hospital, the state-ofthe-art TTT Hospital and a large type of medical center that is the top center in the country (M. Girardi,
personal communication, February 3rd, 2014). Aside from the large hospitals themselves, there
were not any doctor’s offices visible from the street. Many of these practices reside within the
walls of large office buildings, and are noted on the directional signs at each building. A few
dentist offices were seen on a ground floor store front away from the east side of the community
and high rises. Throughout the community, in some cases every few blocks, there are various
drugstores and pharmacies. A community health center resides in the D neighborhood along
with a recreation center. The parks, as mentioned previously, are sparse but visible from the
streets and seem to attract locals and tourists. Numerous gyms and fitness centers are visible
from the street in all areas of the community. A few women were seen walking with yoga mats.
Stores
COMMUNITY XXX
11
The Community XXX community is certainly not short on one thing, and that is
shopping.
Main Avenue
and its surrounding streets provide an endless array of stores and even a
couple cost-friendly grocery stores. Recently, two grocery stores in the Neighborhood B went
out of business. Due to this shortage, more lines, more people, and less supply are seen at the
next closest grocery store Grocery stores in this area are much smaller compared to those found
in the suburbs of Chicago and in some cases, cost more money (J. Michniewicz, personal
communication, January 25, 2014). People on the east side of the community tend to purchase
what they can carry at stores as seen by people walking with grocery bags on the streets. Further
to the west, there are larger big box stores and grocery stores with parking lots where those with
cars can stock up. A couple stores have signs indicating they only organic foods, and most carry
both organic and nonorganic produce and products.
Street People and Animals
During the day, there are a lot of people on the street. There are many families with
children near Landmark and mother’s or nannies pushing strollers in most areas of the
neighborhood. Every few blocks or so, even on Main Avenue, there are homeless individuals asking
for money. On the lower streets, such as Lower Main Avenue, the homeless seem to see this as their
shelter, and it appears less crowded. After dark, the lower streets are lit, but only a couple people
are seen walking down them. They are still shadowed and set apart from most of the hustle and
bustle of the community n the other streets. There was a small group of people standing outside
of restaurants or bars smoking, as it is not allowed inside the buildings in Illinois. This made the
atmosphere smell like a combination of both car exhaust and secondhand smoke when walking
down the street in this community. There was only one specified dog park seen where owners
COMMUNITY XXX
12
can let the dogs off of their leashes, but in one regular park, a couple dogs were seen off of their
leashes with the owners nearby.
Condition of the Area
The Community XXX is maintained rather well. The sidewalks are clean and there is no
litter in the streets or on the sidewalks. Trash is kept in dumpsters at the base of buildings, in
garages, or in alleyways and not left on the sidewalks or main streets. There are also trash and
recycling receptacles located on street corners. The landscape is well maintained in the common
and residential areas. The lower streets, are lit, but still very much shadowed and damp from the
water dripping from the streets above. There is more garbage here and graffiti on certain walls
and metal beams.
Picture of a nice street in the area, with citation
Picture of a homeless person, with citation
Toward the west side of the community, there are still some empty lots and construction
being done in the E neighborhood. In the Neighborhood D area, a giant hole sits in the ground where a
building called the Name is supposed to be erected. It looks like it might now be abandoned or
closed down. It’s hard to tell what cars have been abandoned as many are already parked on the
street. There are many parking signs, however, that specify parking times and standing times
with threats of towing should the car remain outside of the specific parameters.
Race and Ethnicity
The majority of the community is predominately white, but there is quite a large mix
between African American, Asian, Middle Eastern and Hispanics. The language seen in print
and spoken in the Community XXX is English.
Religion
COMMUNITY XXX
13
There are many Catholic churches in the community with the largest being Large Church.
Catholicism dominates in this area with 7 churches. There are also places of worship for
Presbyterian, Lutheran, Jehovah’s Witness, Greek Orthodox and Episcopalian.
Health Indicators
MMM Hospital, TTT Hospital, PPP Hospital, and a special type of medical center
are located in the Community
XXX. There are doctor and dentist offices located throughout, but on the east side of the
community, they are harder to find as most are acually within high rise buildings, as noted by the
plaques on the buildings and in the lobbies. On the west side of the community, there is a
community health center for women as well as an outpatient center run by a hospital located in
another community. There are no identifiable mental health centers or centers for help with
substance abuse.
Politics
There are no signs around the community campaigning for politicians. City hall and
many federal buildings are located in the area and they do not have any banners or posters
referencing any individuals either.
Media
There are Redeye newspaper dispensers on most corners. This “cliff notes” version of
the Chicago Tribune seems to be popular among commuters as seen by many reading them on
the subway and busses. The Sun-Times, Tribune and Hoy also have newspaper stands located
on street corners for people to purchase. Occasionally, there was a stand for a free Apartment
Guide of available rentals in the community and city. Many of the people on public transit have
earphones in and some watch videos on their phones. Some also have electronic devices such as
tablets or e-readers. Many people are noted to be using their mobile phones.
COMMUNITY XXX
14
Business & Industry
The Community XXX consists of a very large amount of retail, both large and small
businesses as well as a significant hospitality industry with many restaurants and popular bars.
The high rises include major corporations as well as small corporations. When passing by, a
handful of small businesses and a bank had “Now Hiring” signs in their windows. Aside from
this obvious advertisement, it is very hard to tell where corporations are and whether or not they
are hiring. Some buildings are owned by the largest corporation residing there and this is shown
with large lit signs or logos on top of buildings.
Recreation Subsystem
The Community XXX has a wide selection of recreation for all ages and all budgets.
Though there is limited open space, residents and tourists can be seen enjoying the walking/bike path.
Runners and leisurely bikers are rarely found on busy streets and sidewalks unless it is headed
east toward the path. Bikes can be rented through various providers and small bike shops located
throughout the area, but most are concentrated near the path where most go for a scenic ride.
Recently, a kayak rental called Urban Kayaks has found a home in the area where residents and
tourists pay to rent a kayak and listen to a guide speak about the architecture of the community
and city of Chicago.
attractions.
Landmark
offers many activities for adults and children including a many
Most of the restaurants serve American fare and there is also fast food such as
McDonalds, American Dog and Hagen Das. McDonald’s is usually teeming with children and
families looking for a quick and familiar bite. Aside from landmark, the community attracts many
types of people to the hundreds of restaurants and bars, shopping and entertainment such as the
comedy clubs in Neighborhood C.
COMMUNITY XXX
15
Compared with a different community, the Community XXX has a lot less open space for people
to gather and children to play. In the other community, many people are seen walking, running, biking
and even picnicking in the large spaces. Additionally, there are 14 playgrounds in the other community
compared to 3 in the Community XXX according to the Chicago Park District (Chicago Park
District, 2013).
The Chicago Park District provides a lot of public programs and facilities to cater to the
community. In the Community XXX, there are various free programs for seniors 60 years old
and up such as low impact aquatic exercise and fit and strong wellness programs. For those 18
and older, there are programs like basketball, boot camps, boxing, circuit training, yoga/pilates,
and swimming lessons for prices ranging from $15 to $50. For teens, there are free programs
like teen club, volleyball, basketball boxing and seasonal sports. For children ages 3 to 6 years
old, there are after school programs including swim club and lessons, soccer, tumbling, tennis,
basketball, lacrosse and cheerleading that range in cost from free to $160 for an after school
program called Park Kids that includes various sports and art activities as well as homework
time. Children younger than 3 years old can attend programs with their parents such as Mommy
and Me classes and Mom, Pop and Tot interaction. There’s also swimming lessons and
gymnastics. The cost of these early childhood programs range from $25 to $60. There’s also
open family swim available at the pool facility on Fridays and Saturdays at 6:00pm. At HH Park there
is a basketball court that usually has people playing small pick-up games, a playground and
baseball fields for the public to utilize for intramural activities (Chicago Park District, 2013).
Though there are a significant number of options for people in the Community XXX at
the Chicago Park District, many of the classes are wide open with only a small number of people
registered for the programs. At the park district facilities in the other community, most classes are
COMMUNITY XXX
16
booked to capacity and even have waiting lists, such as the programs for young children and the
Teen Club for teens. There are also more options for seniors at the other community’s facilities such as
walking club, dance, stretching and step aerobics (L. Brown, Chicago Park District, personal
communication, February 23, 2013).
Aside from the public facilities the Chicago Park District and local attractions provide,
there are many private gyms and fitness centers in the community. LA Fitness, Equinox,
Formula Fitness Clubs, and Crossfit all have various locations through the community as well as
in other communities. A person must become a member and pay dues in order to use the
facilities. The most premier and expensive fitness center in the area, the Fancy Club, is also located
in the Community XXX. This facility houses golf, racquetball and numerous exercise equipment
and classes. There are also restaurants, physical therapy, dry cleaning and a children’s activity
center (Fancy Club, 2013).
Though there are a lot of recreational activities available to people in the Community
XXX, it seems most are geared toward nightlife, sight-seeing and shopping due to the abundance
of these features and the not so abundant parks and open space.
Conclusion
Assessing a community, just like a human body, can help paint a picture of health. By
looking at the core data and investigating the subsystems of physical environment and recreation
through a windshield survey, the information can now be analyzed to discover any potential
health needs of the community of the Community XXX of Chicago, Illinois.
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Community Health Diagnoses for Community XXX, Chicago, Illinois
After all the assessment data is collected, it is important to analyze the information in
order to reveal a bigger picture of the strengths and weaknesses in a community. When these are
identified, community health diagnoses can be created for the most serious of current or potential
health problems and concerns (Shuster, 2012). The following are the concerning characteristics
of the community as well as the health diagnoses for the Community XXX of Chicago, Illinois.
Areas of Concern
Respiratory Health
Cook County, including the Community XXX, failed the American Lung Association’s
“State of the Air” test receiving a failing grade for ozone, particle pollution in a 24 hour period
and particle pollution annually (compared to Cary, Illinois located in McHenry County which
received a “B” grade on all levels). This not only puts the entire population of the community at
risk for respiratory infections, diseases and lung cancer, it also puts those with asthma, COPD
and cardiovascular disease at a much higher risk for complications with their illnesses. One
example of particle pollution is that of the emissions from vehicle exhaust and when walking
throughout the Community XXX, exhaust is commonly smelled due to the amount of vehicles on
the streets (American Lung Association, 2013). This is also identified by noting the particulate
matter in this community (PM2.5: 89.2%) is high in comparison with Cary (PM2.5: 58.1%), a
suburb of Chicago (Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). The second leading cause of death
in the Community XXX is cancer, and the leading cause of cancer death is lung cancer
(Respiratory Health Association, 2014) which can be caused by air pollution according to the
American Lung Association (2013).
Child Obesity
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The children in this community are at risk for obesity and according to the high school
prevalence rate of 21% in Chicago versus 16% nationally, Chicago is at a higher risk than the
rest of the country. For children ages 3 to 7 years old, the incidence rate for child obesity is 22%
compared to that of 10.4% nationally for 2 to 5 year olds. For children ages 10 to 13, the
incident rate in Chicago is 28% compared to 19% nationally for that of children 6 to 11 years
old. These rates show that Chicago has almost double the incidence of child obesity compared to
that of United States (Yonek & Hasnain-Wynia, 2011). Obesity can increase the risk for
cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes so it is important for kids to stay active to help
combat this epidemic. Obesity has been linked to causing both in addition to strokes, type 2
diabetes, high cholesterol, certain cancers, breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea,
and even mental health disorders such as depression (United States Department of Health and
Human Services, 2002). Children who are obese are not only at risk for being obese in
adulthood, but they are at a much greater risk for falling victim to these diseases later in life as
well. In fact, by 2020, 44% of American women and 37% of American men at age 35 will be
obese and with that the prevalence of heart disease will rise by 16% and heart disease deaths by
19% between the ages of 35 and 50 years old (Sharples, 2007). Regular physical activity can
help combat obesity, however, the Community XXX lacks open space, large parks and
playgrounds for children to play (3 playgrounds in Community XXX community versus 14
playgrounds in Neighboring Community). Many of the children who live in the Community XXX
also do not have a backyard or front yard to play as many of the buildings are multi-dwelling
units attached to each other on city blocks that are crammed with buildings. The Chicago Park
District has sports programs and offers physical activities but compared to Neighboring Community
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where many of the classes are filled, the park district facilities of the Community XXX remain
open (Chicago Park District, 2013).
Bike Safety
With Chicago rolling out a new bike sharing program called Divvy, many more locals
and tourists have access to ride bicycles throughout Chicago. Though great for physical activity,
it can be dangerous without a helmet. Currently, the state of Illinois does not require all riders to
wear helmets. In the Community XXX, there are bike lanes on most main thoroughfares, but the
crowded streets of Main Avenue, for example, do not have bike lanes nor do many of the side streets
that are also very crowded with vehicles. Additionally, it is seen that taxi cabs and busses pull
over into the bike lanes to pick up passengers, creating a potentially dangerous situations if
cyclists and drivers are not aware of each other. Accidents caused by unintentional injury
include accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians and are the fourth leading cause of death in
Chicago (City of Chicago, 2014) compared to fifth in the state of Illinois (Illinois Department of
Public Health, 2010).
Diagnoses
Diagnosis 1
Risk for Ineffective Health Maintenance among community members, especially those
with respiratory ailments, related to environmental stressors as evidenced by high levels of air
pollution, high particulate matter in the Community XXX (PM2.5: 89.2%) compared with Cary
(PM2.5: 58.1%); a failing rating by the American Lung Association based on high levels of
ozone and particle pollution both in a 24 hour period and annually; the smell of vehicle exhaust
when walking through the community; cancer being the second leading cause of death with lung
cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths.
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20
Diagnosis 2
Risk for Imbalanced Nutrition, More than Body Requirements among children in the
community related to lack of physical activity as evidenced by an incident rate of 22% in
children 3 to 7 years old; an incident rate of 28% in children 10-13 years old; a prevalence rate of
21% in children of high school age; 3 playgrounds compared to 14 in Neighboring Community; a
lack of open space and yards due to buildings crammed onto city blocks leaving minimal room
for parks; lack of attendance at Chicago Park District sports programs.
Diagnosis 3
Risk for trauma related to increasing bicycle usage among community members,
especially daily commuters, as evidence by windshield survey data of many bikers observed on
the roads, increased accessibility to bicycles through the Divvy bike sharing program placed
every few blocks; unprotected bike lanes that buses and other vehicles drive through; bike lanes
lacking on side streets and some main roads.
Conclusion
Community XXX, though sometimes appears as a thriving and lively place, is no utopia.
Using the community assessment, data was gathered and analyzed to determine the strengths and
weaknesses that affect those within Community XXX. These characteristics helped determine
the most important community health diagnoses. With these concerns now realized, Community
XXX is one step closer to becoming a healthier and safer place through planning and
intervention.
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21
Plan for Healthier Living in the Community XXX, Chicago, Illinois
To combat some of the risks that are present in this community, a community health plan
needs to be devised. This particular community health plan focuses on the diagnosis of increased
risk for imbalanced nutrition, more than body requirements related to inactivity as evidenced by
an incidence rate of 22% in children 3 to 7 years old; an incidence rate of 28% in children 10-13
years old, a prevalence rate of 21% in children of high school age; 3 playgrounds compared to 14
in Neighboring Community; a lack of open space and large parks; lack of backyards as many
buildings are multi-dwelling units attached to each other and crammed onto city blocks; lack of
attendance at Chicago Park District programs as compared to neighboring community. The plan
will specifically address obesity and inactivity in adolescents at the high school level.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Chicago with a rate of 192.4 per 100,000
(City of Chicago, 2014). Additionally, hypertension in Chicago has a prevalence rate of 30.4%
compared to that of Cook County at 28.4% (Illinois Department of Public Health, 2013).
Obesity has been linked to causing both in addition to strokes, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol,
certain cancers, breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea, and even mental health
disorders such as depression (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2002).
Children who are obese are not only at risk for being obese in adulthood, but they are at a much
greater risk for falling victim to these diseases later in life as well. In fact, by 2020, 44% of
American women and 37% of American men at age 35 will be obese and with that the
prevalence of heart disease will rise by 16% and heart disease deaths by 19% between the ages
of 35 and 50 years old (Sharples, 2007). It has been shown that the lack of physical exercise
increases the risk for obesity and developing or dying from its comorbidities which happen to be
some of the leading causes of death in Chicago. Regular physical activity not only improves
COMMUNITY XXX
22
health but it helps to maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk for developing illnesses
associated with obesity and a sedentary lifestyle (USDHHS, 2002).
The CHN collaborating with this community health plan works with students at City
High School to help them make small lifestyle changes even if it does not result in huge weight
changes. She finds that students learn more and are willing to participate when it is on their
terms as opposed to being lectured on their weight at every visit. She provides them with
additional locations outside of the school-based health center with programs and resources but
finds that they are unable to visit these facilities due to busy schedules and not enough
independence to do so. She also believes they are more preoccupied with television and
computers than being active (J. Doe, personal communication, February 13, 2014).
Goal: Decrease the risk of obesity among adolescents at City High School by encouraging a
more active lifestyle through incorporating movement and exercise programs in everyday life.
Through primary prevention, this community health plan will provide the CHN and
school-based health center with additional resources and ways to reach out to and educate
students at City High School.
Objective 1: Educate the students on physical exercise in the form of walking and ways to take
more steps a day.
Strategy 1: Provide students with a pedometer to measure their steps per day and have them
record the number of steps in a log.

Investigate vendors and potential partnerships for supplying pedometers to the student
body.
Strategy 2: Start a contest between the students and staff to compete and achieve 100,000 steps
COMMUNITY XXX

The student or staff member to record 100,000 steps first wins

Prizes can be healthy eating cookbooks and workout DVDs
23
Objective 2: Educate the students on ways to move and be active when at home.
Strategy 1: Provide a brochure or pamphlet that illustrates workouts that can be done in a living
room or bedroom while watching TV or in front of a computer.

Workouts will be simple enough to perform with a couch, floor or chair and won’t
require extra equipment

Workouts will utilize body weight instead of free weights or resistance bands
Strategy 2: Provide a brochure or pamphlet that illustrates workouts that can be done at home
with a friend or family member.

Encouraging students to work out together will increase motivation and the likelihood
they’ll stick to working out and reach their fitness goals (Fit Day, 2013).

Workouts will include a routine that requires a partner and also include modifications
to perform the routine individually.
This plan will assist the CHN and the school-based health center in the core function of
assurance by educating the students on ways to become more physically active that will lead to
healthier lifestyles.
There is currently a problem with obesity in Chicago’s children in addition to a risk that it
will become an even worse epidemic. By incorporating a community health plan in
collaboration with a community health nurse and school-based health center, the students of City
School can begin to lower their risk for obesity and its associated health problems.
COMMUNITY XXX
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Implementation
This implementation strategy was created to help achieve a more active population at
City High School in Chicago, Illinois. It targets the students using a brochure (see appendix A)
that promotes activity and gives examples of exercises they can perform in the comfort of their
home to achieve healthier and more physically active lifestyles.
This method of implementation was chosen after reviewing data and determining that
childhood obesity in the schools of Chicago is a major health concern. My CHN works directly
with students at City High School in Chicago and expresses that she routinely educates teens on
health and wellness. She states that she attempts to help them make small lifestyle changes even
if it does not result in huge weight changes because small changes are easier to adhere to and
small goals are easier to achieve (J. Reidy, personal communication, February 13th, 2014).
Because these students have busy schedules and some are not independent enough to go to
facilities outside of the school-based health center, my CHN and I decided a brochure focusing
on a workout that can be done at home would best fit this population. Research shows that 44.9
percent of Chicago high school students, compared to 32.8 percent of high school students in the
nation, watch three or more hours of television per day (Yonek & Hasnain-Wynia, 2011). My
CHN and I believe that reaching out to these students in a manner that teaches them how to move
and be active while watching television would be most beneficial and most cost-effective by
stocking brochures in the health center and distributing them to the groups and students she
educates. Additionally, providing some exercises that can be done with a buddy will also be
effective in this population because by early adolescence, children spend more than 30% of their
social interaction with their peers. Friendships become increasingly important at this stage in life
because they feel a sense of support and comfort from those going through the same experiences
COMMUNITY XXX
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(Raising Children Network, 2012). Research also shows that working out with a buddy can help
achieve fitness goals, make exercise more fun, and provide motivation and support (Fit Day,
2013).
Lancaster (2012) states that printed materials should be easy to read and show examples
of the desired behavior. Further, the tone of the materials should be conversational and utilize
active voice, so the brochure is designed to be simple and to the point with an energized attitude
to inspire motivation. This will grab the attention of the learner, and keep it, to provide
maximum learning potential. Additionally, these students are busy with on-the-go lifestyles and
this may prevent them from sitting down to speak with someone about exercises and ways to be
active at home. Keeping this in mind, a brochure is easy to grab and take with them anywhere so
they can review on their own time. Printed materials can be very effective in the learning
process because people can refer back to them time and again (Lancaster, 2012). The exercises
provided in the brochure were obtained from a variety of fitness sites and organized to create a
unique and convenient workout for beginners that can be done at any time in the comfort of their
own home while they are watching television. It was designed taking an andragogical approach
because these students have some physical fitness knowledge as they attend physical education
classes at the high school (Lancaster, 2012).
Implementing a plan is an important step to help achieve a successful outcome in creating
a healthier community. By identifying the learning needs of this aggregate, my CHN and I were
able to choose the appropriate materials to effectively target the students (Lancaster, 2012). The
brochure will be distributed by my CHN to the students she educates, as well as providing them
in the waiting area, so we can begin to educate the students and encourage healthier, more active
lifestyles.
COMMUNITY XXX
26
Evaluation
When a plan is implemented, an evaluation must be strategized in order to determine the
effectiveness of the intervention. It can be evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively to find
out if the learner understands the content and how much of that content is retained by the learner.
This evaluation will seek to measure effectiveness through the long-term to determine if lasting
behavioral changes have taken place that will positively affect the overall health of students at
City High School (Lancaster, 2012).
The brochures that will be distributed via a rack in the waiting area will be hard to
evaluate aside from determining how many brochures have been taken. The CHN will place a
select amount of brochures in the rack each week, refilling if necessary, and count how many are
left versus how many were stocked to calculate the total distributed. As it would be difficult to
obtain a questionnaire from students that anonymously take a brochure in the waiting area, the
CHN will be providing brochures to the individual students she educates on wellness. Prior to
handing them the brochure, she will evaluate their current level of physical activity and
sedentary activity by requesting them to complete the questionnaire (see appendix B). This
questionnaire seeks to determine how often the students exercise, if at all, and how often they
watch television. By determining this baseline, we can then evaluate any improvement when the
questionnaire is later distributed to the same students two months later. The CHN will compare
the answers from the preliminary questionnaire to the answers provided in the follow-up
questionnaire to find any increases in activity or use of the exercises in the brochure.
Lancaster (2012) explains that an identifiable problem with this long-term approach is that it may
be hard to keep track of the clients over time to properly analyze the evaluation results as they
may lose interest or not return. Students that work directly with the CHN may skip appointments
COMMUNITY XXX
27
or fail to return to the school-based health center to complete the follow-up questionnaire. With
the results the CHN does obtain, she will determine whether or not the brochure has been
effective in increasing the physical activity of the students of City High School and if she should
continue to distribute them.
Evaluating a product is important in order to determine if it has accomplished the goal of
increasing knowledge and implementing positive behavioral change (Lancaster, 2012). A
questionnaire has been developed for this project in order to accurately evaluate the
effectiveness, or lack thereof, of the physical activity brochure distributed to students at City
High School.
COMMUNITY XXX
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Conclusion
Assessing a community within the realm of public health is just as important as
conducting a head-to-toe assessment on a patient. Details emerge that tell a story about the
strengths and weaknesses. This helps determine risks and threats that need to be further
investigated and improved to provide the best overall health (Shuster, 2012). The Community
XXX of Chicago, Illinois is far from perfect, but it is a beautiful community and with the help of
a local community health nurse, a health promotion plan was implemented and evaluated to
create an even healthier population that can thrive in the community.
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Appendix A
Brochure submitted to instructor
Scroll down for Appendix B
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Appendix B
Questionnaire
Please fill in the answers in the space provided. If you need further room, flip to the reverse side.
1) Question 1
2) Question 2
3) Question 3
4) Question 4
5) Question 5
6) Question 6
7) Question 7