BACKGROUND
COMMUNITY HEALTH
The health status of a defined group of people and the actions
and conditions to protect and improve the health of the
community.1
COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATOR
A professionally prepared individual who serves in a variety
of roles and is specifically trained to use appropriate
educational strategies and methods to facilitate the
development of policies, procedures, interventions, and
systems conducive to the health of individuals, groups and
communities. 1
COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATORS’
RESPONSIBILITIES2
Seven Areas of Responsibility:
Area I: Assess Needs, Assets and Capacity for Health Education
Area II: Plan Health Education
Area III: Implement Health Education
Area IV: Conduct Evaluation and Research Related to Health Education
Area V: Administer and Manage Health Education
Area VI: Serve as a Health Education Resource Person
Area VII: Communicate and Advocate for Health and Health Education
CONDUCTING WINDSHIELD TOURS USING
GOOGLE MAPS AND GOOGLE EARTH
November 3, 2010
Virtual Windshield Tours:
Integrating Google Maps and Earth
into the Health Education Classroom
Presenters
Melissa Haithcox-Dennis, Assistant Professor, Health Education
Allen Dennis, Graduate Assistant, Instructional Technology
The following virtual windshield tour was created for a teen pregnancy
needs assessment in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In order to conduct a windshield tour using Google Maps and
Google Earth, a health educator would follow the following steps:
1)Choose
a community and define your boundaries- city, county…
1)Gather
data collection tools like a map, GPS, paper, pens, camera,
recorder, windshield tour resource checklist
2)With
driving directions, map/GPS, and checklist in hand, drive to
your community site
3)Take
notes about what you see, hear, and feel. Take pictures,
video, and talk to people
4)Within
24 hours discuss your observations with your team, upload
or import pertinent data onto a Google map
1)Open
your Google Map in Google Earth and analyze the social,
physical, environmental, or any other aspect of the community
CLASSROOM USE

This activity is part of the final project for the
Community Health Needs Assessment, Program
Planning, and Evaluation Course
 The process of identifying a community’s most pressing

health issues, assets, and shortcomings.
 There are several methods used to complete needs
assessment such as surveys, interviews and the review
of existing data.
Students gain skills in data collection and analysis,
prioritizing health issues, and technology
integration

Students can also conduct tours completely online.
For example students in Greenville, NC can analyze
data from Milwaukee or South Africa and study about
urban health or international health respectively

Students are introduced to health geography,
epidemiology, environmental health, and
international health
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Collect data…
WINDSHIELD TOURS

In addition to the above, health educators often conduct
windshield tours to collect data for needs assessment.
A windshield tour is simply driving around town in a car
to see what is going on.
 Health educators record observations, talk to people, take
pictures, and even record video.
 The data from this process is then analyzed and
synthesized into a written document.
Create a Google Map and
add your data...
NEXT STEPS
Explore other online mapping tools
 Open Street Maps
 Planet Eye
 Map 24
GOOGLE MAPS & GOOGLE EARTH

Google Maps-Free web mapping service application and
technology provided by Google3
 Google Earth-a virtual globe, map and geographic
information program4
Handheld devices to collect data in the field
 Smartphones
 Tablets, Iphones, & Ipads
 GPS
Open it in Google
Earth and add
layers…
Incorporate online epidemiological data sources
 Bing health maps
 CDC.gov
 WHO.gov