Clinical Action Plan: Community Assessment
Review Section 21. Windshield and Walking Surveys from Community Tool Box.
Review the Scorecard example provided in Section 18. Creating and Using Community Report Cards from Community Tool Box.
Review the Windshield Survey Resources activity in this week, which includes data analysis and plan/implementation activities to improve population health; this has been designed to apply course content in a practice setting.
Observe your family’s community by driving around the area. Consider aspects of the community that could affect residents’ health and any Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators that may be applicable to the community.
Conduct your own Windshield Survey. Be sure to include the following components:
• The age, nature, and condition of the community’s available housing
• Infrastructure needs
• Roads, bridges, streetlights, etc.
• The presence or absence of functioning businesses and industrial facilities
• The location, condition, and use of public spaces
• The amount of activity on the streets at various times of the day, week, or year
• The noise level in various parts of the community
• The amount and movement of traffic at various times of day
• The location and condition of public buildings
• The city or town hall, courthouse, etc.
• Walkability of community
• Are there walking paths/biking paths/safety?
• What is the proximity for walkability to community resources?
• Availability of public transportation
• It’s cost?
• It’s accessibility?
• Availability of community centers and public spaces, such as social service centers, public libraries, parks, churches, community centers, recreation centers
• Availability of health care facilities and resources, such as clinics and hospitals
• How many are there?
• Food options available and presence of nutrition
• Does the area have characteristics of food deserts?
• Are there grocery stores?
• The presence of homelessness
• Is there a homeless population?
• Are there homeless services?
• Police/Fire presence
• Schools in the area
• What is the location and physical condition of the schools?
As you compile your Windshield Survey data, be sure to include:
• Data overview of all community components as identified in the Community Tool Box Resource
• Strengths of community as evidenced by Windshield Survey
• Weaknesses (gaps in service) as evidenced by Windshield Survey
• 1 problem based on the identified gap in community resources as an indicator of potential poor health outcomes
Compile all your information into the Windshield Survey Template and complete the Data Summary questions at the end. (A Table is provided in the template, but you can create your own table in the document to display your information.)
Note: Remove all personally identifying information such as the family members’ names. Refer to family members by initials only
No reference citations required for Windshield Survey.
