Overview

Write a 2-4-page report on the concepts, processes, and tools needed to conduct a community health assessment, how to find the data, and how to validate the data. Explain the factors that can affect the health of a community, along with how to obtain that information.

Understanding community and state health care issues and concerns, the local resources available, and accessibility of those resources can inform health care practices and improve quality patient outcomes.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 2: Describe the concepts, processes, and tools required to conduct comprehensive health assessments for individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Describe the data necessary to make an informed community health assessment.

Explain how data helps determine the health care needs of a community.

Describe a strategy for obtaining data needed for a community health assessment.

Explain how to establish the validity and reliability of data used in a community health assessment.

Competency 3: Explain the internal and external factors that can affect the health of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Explain the factors that affect the health and wellness of a community.

Explain how to obtain information on the factors that affect the health and wellness of a community.

Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations of a nursing professional.

Write content clearly and logically with correct use of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.

Correctly format citations and references using current APA style

Context

Social and lifestyle behaviors can affect health. In fact, some would argue that many, if not most, health risks can be mitigated through lifestyle and behavioral changes. With this in mind, the health care provider must be aware of the socioeconomic factors and the lifestyle factors present in a population.

Both social and cultural factors influence many lifestyle factors. Living environment, housing conditions, employment factors, diet, and cultural beliefs all play a role in a person's levels of risk and resulting health. The nursing assessment must include these social influences as part of the domain necessary for evaluation and inclusion in the assessment approach, and integrate a framework for analysis, which includes all the social milieus associated with each dimension.

Evidence-based health assessments are done using health data from private and public organizations. There are many opportunities for gathering health data in a community, through public health systems and through private records, where approval has been obtained from participants.

Collecting primary data must involve informed consent. Secondary sources can also be used by obtaining aggregate data from health plans and health care providers that do not include personalized demographic data. Each of these data sources can be important to forming a picture of a community's health, which can then be compared to national standard data such as that provided through Healthy People 2020.

Understanding the current health status and the perceived needs of a community can help to provide the valuable information needed to set forth a plan which evaluates the current and future health needs of the community.

Questions to Consider

To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community.

What types of techniques and activities should be included in a community health assessment?

How can these techniques and activities help determine both assets and gaps in health care services in a community?

Suggested Resources

Like, R. C. (2011). Educating clinicians about cultural competence and disparities in health and health care. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 31(3), 196-206.

Estrada, D. M. (2011). A community risk assessment of the city of Santa Ana, California (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest database. (UMI Number: 1499248).

Johnson, C. V., Bartgis, J., Worley, J. A., Hellman, C. M., & Burkhart, R. (2010). Urban Indian voices: A community-based participatory research health and needs assessment. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 17(1), 49-70.

Nieto, F. J., Peppard, P. E., Engelman, C. D., McElroy, J. A., Galvao, L. W., Friedman, E. M., & . . . Malecki, K. C. (2010). The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), a novel infrastructure for population health research: rationale and methods. BMC Public Health, 10, 785-796.

Internet Resources

Access the following resources by clicking the links provided. Please note that URLs change frequently. Permissions for the following links have either been granted or deemed appropriate for educational use at the time of course publication.

Healthy People 2020. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/

Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI 2015). (2015). Retrieved from http://wwwn.cdc.gov/communityhealth

National Center for Health Statistics. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/

Bookstore Resources

Clark, C. C., &Paraska, K. K. (2014). Health promotion for nurses: A practical guide. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
Chapters 6, 7, and 8

Maurer, F. A., & Smith, C. M. (2013). Community/public health nursing practice: Health for families and populations (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.

Chapter 19

Assessment Instructions

Imagine you work for an organization that has decided to open a satellite facility in an underserved community. Your organization asks you to move to the new location and assist with some of the preliminary work. Part of this work is to determine the health care needs of the community. How will you do this? What information will you need to know? Where will you find the information?

Preparation

Search the library and the Internet for peer-reviewed journal articles on how to conduct a community health assessment. You will need at least 3 resources to use in this assessment.

Directions

Develop a plan for a community health assessment in which you complete the following:

Describe the type of data needed to make an informed community health assessment.

Explain how the data will help determine the health care needs of the community.

Describe your strategy for obtaining the necessary data.

Explain the factors that impact the health and wellness of a community. (Hint: This is a very broad list. Think outside the box on this one!)

Explain how you will obtain information on these factors for your specific community.

Explain how you will determine if the data and information you obtain is valid and reliable.

Format this assessment as a report that you would submit to a director or other organizational leader. You are still required to follow APA guidelines for in-text citations and references.

Additional Requirements

Include a title page and reference page.

Ensure your assessment is 2-4 pages in length.

Use double-spaced, 12-pt., Times New Roman font. (Recommended)