Introduction of Community

The city under analysis is Miami, Florida. The community analyzed is the Hispanic population residing in East Little Havana. It is not far from the city’s downtown, and it has a massive residential area with public parks. The observation was carried out during a weekday and a weekend, as it is effective to observe the population in different settings and at different times (Nies & McEwen, 2015).

Windshield Survey

Vitality

The people are visible during weekends, but there are somewhat fewer people during weekdays, which is quite predictable since the majority of people are likely to be at work. At that, there still were several adults walking in the streets both males and females. The predominant age group of the population is adult people, followed by children and the elderly. The people are mainly Hispanic. The general appearance of the people observed was quite favorable. The people observed seemed healthy with no apparent physical or mental disabilities. The vast majority of people are well-nourished with some obese people. Many children observed were overweight. The tourists were not visible. No people under the influence of substance were not observed. Several women with young children were noticed.

Indicators of social and economic conditions

The majority of the homes observed were multifamily structures, but there were quite many single-family homes as well. The general condition of houses was satisfactory, but there were areas where domestic wastes were not removed. There also was quite a lot of litter on the streets. Public housing or any urban renewal was not noticed. Many families have cars, but there is also public transport available (buses). Homeless people were not noticed.

There are no factories or big businesses, but there are several healthcare facilities, small businesses (restaurants), educational establishments. Several men congregating in groups were noticed, and they seemed to communicate. This is an urban area, so no farms were observed. There were some women, adolescents, and children walking in the streets during a weekday. They seemed to go somewhere. Some of them were strolling. During the weekend, there were many strolling people. No interest in political campaigns was observed.

Health Resources

There are children’s hospitals and a family practice physician’s office in the community. There are two pharmacies. There is a non-profit organization addressing the needs of homeless people and another one assisting blind people, a social service facility addressing the needs of the elderly. The facilities available do not completely satisfy the needs of the population as there are no clinics or dentists’ (or other healthcare professionals’) offices. The proximity of the children’s hospital is beneficial for the community as this population is visible and needs significant attention.

Environmental conditions related to health

The environmental conditions are quite satisfactory. Apart from some wastes and litter, no obvious anti-sanitary features were observed. The majority of houses were clean, but many of them needed repairing. The condition of the roads is satisfactory as there are no potholes, but the roads are not perfect. There all the necessary signs and warning signals. The area observed was not heavily trafficked. There were only several houses with handicapped access. There are two schools, several daycare centers, two parks, a recreation center, and a baseball field. Children were observed playing in the parks and the streets during the weekend. There are plenty of restaurants, several supermarkets, but no street food.

Social functioning

Families (many single-parent families) walking in the parks were observed. No neighborhood meeting signs were observed. The area has two evangelical churches, two Catholic churches, a Baptist church, and a Jehovah’s witnesses’ facility. No signs of some social problems were observed.

Attitude toward healthcare

No evidence of folk medicine was noticed. No alternative medicine professionals were observed. No advertisements or signs concerning health-related events or clinics were observed.

Vulnerable population

The elderly and disabled people can be regarded as a vulnerable population. Some facilities are addressing these people’s needs. However, houses are mainly lacking the necessary features to ensure handicapped access. The community reveals no interest in these people’s lives and needs as no advertisement or signs on the matter were observed.

Conclusion

The community can be characterized by satisfactory environmental and social conditions. The community seems to pay a lot of attention to children as there are daycare facilities, schools, and hospitals. Recreational areas are also appropriate for meeting the needs of this population. Adults form the basis of the population of the community. They seem quite healthy with some cases of overweight people. Elderly people are quite a visible group.

It is possible to assume that the community is likely to face such health issues as the rise in cardiovascular disorders and chronic disorders. Adams-Leander and Rector (2013) note that cardiovascular disorders and cancer are some of the major risk factors for this population. Although Rowe (2014) states that extensive alcohol consumption and related health issues are common for Hispanic adult males, the corresponding behaviors were not observed. At that, it is necessary to pay more attention to children’s health and their lifestyles with the focus on diets. Quite a significant number of overweight children were observed.

References

Adams-Leander, S., & Rector, C. (2013). Transcultural nursing in the community. In J. Allender, C. Rector, & K. Warner (Eds.), Community & public health nursing: Promoting the public’s health (pp. 115-151). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2015). Community/public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations. St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier.

Rowe, G. C. (2014). Epidemiology: Unraveling the mysteries of disease and health. In F. A. Maurer & C. M. Smith (Eds.), Community/public health nursing practice: Health for families and populations (pp. 161-189). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Health Sciences.