o Students will be conducting a windshield survey of a chosen community. The student will drive and walk as appropriate thorough the community.
o You may drive, walk, or take public transportation to move about your community to make systematic observations that will help you understand more about the characteristics and health status of the community.
During the tour, the student should look for and consider the following:
• Who are the people in this community? In other words, who do you see? Consider age, ethnicity, and family types.
• How do people travel and get around in this community? Do they use a car, train/bus (public transportation), bike, or walk? Horse and buggy? Are there safe biking/walking paths?
• What sorts of businesses and places of employment are in this community? What sorts of jobs are available?
• What types of signs are visible (e.g., political, homes for sale, advertisements, graffiti, handmade or professional signs)?
• Where do people get their groceries? What types of restaurants are available? Where do people shop? Chain stores? Locally owned stores?
• What types of organizations provide services for children and families (e.g., schools, churches/places of worship, youth centers, day cares, Head Start programs, libraries, places of higher education)?
• What types of housing is available in this community? Describe the housing conditions.
• What healthcare services and resources are available in this community? Full-service clinics? Retail clinics? Specialty clinics? Hospitals? Dental services? CAM (complementary alternative medicine)/CAT (complementary alternative therapy)?
• Look for the recreation and exercise opportunities in this community? Are there parks/green space/playgrounds? To what extent are these areas maintained?
• As you traverse through Knox County, consider the community’s assets and factors that impact the overall health of this community and its members. What characteristic(s) are the most influential to the PHN who works within this community?
• Construction – roads, housing, commercial.
• You should take ever opportunity to interact with the citizens of Knox County. Stop at local stores. Buy your lunch and or a cup of coffee at small out of the way places.
Develop a way to record and organize the data discovered during your Windshield Survey using the information from Assignment #1 as your guide. You will use this data to create a paper in which you will discuss the data discovered and contrast the data from various parts of your chosen commnity. Once you start writing your paper you may need to return to the community if you determine that your do not have adequate material to complete your paper.