Windshield Survey

: Windshield Survey Order Description   Windshield Survey – Explore your own neighborhood, town or city (approximately a 5 mile radius) and write a paper covering: 1. Description of location where survey took place (city, state, zip code) 2. Dates of survey(s) 3. The elements of a windshield survey of that area from list below (title and description). 4. Then, explain the top three areas that need attention from a community health nurses’ perspective based on your survey, and why? A Windshield Survey is the data collected as the observer drives through a community/neighborhood for an observational assessment of the community. This type of survey reveals such things as community resources, safety or “walk-ability” of the community, type of social interactions, and community values through symbols such as graffiti, billboards, home maintenance, etc. It is a composite of data collected through personal observation. These observations assist the community health nurse to identify objective data that may help identify trends, problems, needs, structures, processes, and status elements to determine the health of the community. This information can be analyzed against the components of Healthy Cities, for example. Windshield Survey Components (to consider – your area may have other components that you should explore that are different from these): 1. Housing and Zoning - What is the age of the houses, architecture? Of what materials are they constructed? Are all neighborhood houses similar in age, architecture? How would you characterize their differences? Are they detached or connected to others? Do they have space in front or behind? What is their general condition? Are there signs of disrepair—broken doors, windows, leaks, locks missing? Is there central heating, modern plumbing, air conditioning? 2. Open space - How much open space is there? What is the quality of the space—green parks or rubble-filled lots? What is the lot size of the houses? Lawns? Flower boxes? Do you see trees on the pavements, a green island in the center of the streets? Is the open space public or private? Used by whom? 3. Boundaries - What signs are there of where this neighborhood begins and ends? Are the boundaries natural—a river, a different terrain; physical—a highway, railroad; economic—difference in real estate or presence of industrial or commercial units along with residential? Does the neighborhood have an identity, a name? Do you see it displayed? Are there unofficial names? 4. “Commons” - What are the neighborhood hangouts? For what groups, at what hours (e.g., schoolyard, candy store, bar, restaurant, park, 24-hour drugstore)? Does the “commons” area have a sense of “territoriality,” or is it open to the stranger? 5. Transportation - How do people get in and out of the neighborhood - car, bus, bike, walk, etc.? Are the streets and roads conducive to good transportation and also to community life? Is there a major highway near the neighborhood? Whom does it serve? How frequently is public transportation available? 6. Service centers Do you see social agencies, clients, recreation centers, signs of activity at the schools? Are there offices of doctors, dentists; palmists, spiritualists, etc.? Are there parks? Are they in use? 7. Stores - Where do residents shop—shopping centers, neighborhood stores? How do they travel to shop? 8. Street people - If you are traveling during the day, whom do you see on the street - an occasional housewife, mother with a baby? Do you see anyone you would not expect - teenagers, unemployed males? Can you spot a welfare worker, an insurance collector, a door-to-door salesman? Is the dress of those you see representative or unexpected? Along with people, what animals do you see – stray cats, pedigreed pets, “watchdogs?” 9. Signs of decay - Is this neighborhood on the way up or down? Is it “alive”? How would you decide? Trash, abandoned cars, political posters, neighborhood meeting posters, real estate signs, abandoned houses, mixed zoning usage? 10. Race - Are the residents Caucasian, African-American, or of another minority, or is the area integrated? 11. Ethnicity - Are there indices of ethnicity - food stores, churches, private schools, information in a language other than English? 12. Religion - Of what religion are the residents? Do you see evidence of heterogeneity or homogeneity? What denominations are the churches? Do you see evidence of their use other than on Sunday mornings? 13. Health and Morbidity - Do you see evidence of acute or of chronic diseases or conditions? Of accidents, communicable diseases, alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, etc.? How far it is to the nearest hospital? Clinic? 14. Politics - Do you see any political campaign posters? Is there a headquarters present? Do you see an evidence of a predominant party affiliation? 15. Media - Do you see outdoor television antennas? What magazines, newspapers do residents read? What media seem most important to the residents - radio, television, print?