windshield survey nursing example of Manhattan Valley in New York, United States.

What is a windshield survey?

Windshield and walking surveys are systematic observations of a community from a moving vehicle and on foot (Rabinowtiz, 2021). Windshield and walking surveys are an important part of a community evaluation, as they are crucial in determining community characteristics by understanding its general/specific conditions such as physical, social, or economic characteristics. The windshield survey nursing example below presents a Windshield and walking survey of the Manhattan Valley in New York, United States.

windshield survey nursing example of Manhattan Valley

Data	Strengths	Weaknesses
The age, nature, and condition of the community’s available housing.	Most houses are 60 years old but in good condition. The houses are mostly concrete, while the architectural design varies due to preferences and economic conditions. Homes are spacious, with sidewalks on the front and back. New affordable housing projects.	A few run-down buildings and rows of dilapidated tenements. Several low–income apartments. Several homeless families.
Infrastructure needs – Roads, bridges, streetlights, etc.	Most roads, streetlights, sidewalks and badges are in functional condition.   Accessible two subway lines.	A few damaged roads with potholes, nonfunctional streetlights and damaged sidewalks.
The presence or absence of functioning businesses and industrial facilities	Several small, medium and big business premises. No business/industrial parks but has access to neighbouring business parks.	Few businesses in substandard buildings.
The location, condition, and use of public spaces	The neighbourhood is in the northern part of the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York City. Several gathering squares and Children’s playgrounds	Most public places are occupied, leading to traffic jams and human congestion during rush hours.
The amount of activity on the streets at various times of the day, week, or year	There is lots of activity during the morning (7 am – 10 am), evening hours (5 pm – 10 pm), and holidays.	More street activities during the day (7 am – 6 pm) and warm months. This increases crime rates.
The noise level in various parts of the community	There are quiet and moderate noise levels in residential apartments, health facilities, and high-end residential blocks.	High noise levels are along major highways, in restaurants, bars, and low-income neighbourhoods.
The amount and movement of traffic at various times of day	The movement of traffic includes individuals going to and from work daily.	Traffic movement is high during rush hours.  During warm months, the amount of traffic and movement increases. An increase in traffic is associated with a high crime rate.
The location and condition of public buildings: The city or town hall, courthouse, etc.	The neighbourhood has running and effective schools, post offices, museums, community centres, a police station, and a library.	The neighbourhood lacks courthouses, town/city halls, consulates, and embassies.
The walkability of the community:  Are there walking paths/biking paths/safety?	Most community resources are within walking distance away. There are well-maintained walking paths/biking paths path.	A seasonal upsurge in crime rates prevents individuals from walking in some areas.
What is the proximity for walkability to community resources?	Most community resources are a few blocks away.	Walkability is limited during the winter and rainy seasons.
Availability of public transportation: What’s the cost? Is it accessible?	Public transportation is available via bus, rail or subway operated by MTA. The average cost of transport is about $2.75 for most people. Express buses cost $6.75. Rail fare varies with time. Disabled people are eligible for a reduced fare. Children under 44 inches tall ride for free. Subways operate 24/7. Enhanced overnight bus service available	Social distancing due to pandemics has reduced operation capacity. No shared rides. Low-income households cannot use public transport.
Availability of community centres and public spaces, such as social service centres, public libraries, parks, churches, community centres, recreation centres	Several communities and public service centres are Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan, Holy Name of Jesus St. Gregory the Great, etc. Bloomingdale Library. Frederic Douglass Centre. Franciscan Community Centre	Most of these community centres and public spaces have specific operating times, conditions, and costs. The COVID-19 pandemic limitation of gathering has affected the functionality of these centres/spaces.
Availability of health care facilities and resources, such as clinics and hospitals. How many are there?	There are three health centres for women and children: Riverside Health Centre, Ryan Health Centre, and Ryan Health. There are two clinics, Riverside Sexual Health Clinic and Northwell Health-GoHealth.	Big hospitals are in the neighbouring communities. This increases the risk of death in critical cases. Most homeless and uninsured families’ access to these healthcare institutions is limited.
Food options available and presence of nutrition: Does the area have characteristics of food deserts?	There are several food options available for both low-income and high-income residents.	Organic and healthy food options are expensive, and affordability depends on family income. Perishable and fresh food desserts are common among middle and high-income households.
Are there grocery stores?	There are various grocery stores accessible to most households.
The presence of homelessness: Is there a homeless population?	Homelessness is on the rise.	Homelessness predisposes individuals to various health factors, including cold and microorganisms. Homeless people are also exposed to significant cases of communicable diseases, HIV, and insecurity.
Are there homeless services?	There are homeless services, including Trinity Place Shelter	An increase in homelessness is associated with increased crime.
Police/Fire presence	There is a police and fire department presence in the neighbourhood.	The neighbourhood is overpopulated and cannot be optimally served by a single police and fire presence.
Schools in the area	Schools include Montclare Children’s School, Holy Name School, Public School 163, Schechter Manhattan, BASIS Independent School, Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School, The Alfred E. Smith School, Morningside Montessori School, The Bloomingdale.	There are no public universities or private higher institutions in the neighbourhood. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the normal in-attendance learning method.
What are the location and physical condition of the schools?	Schools are uniformly distributed in the neighbourhood. The schools are in an appropriate state in terms of structures and facilities.	Segregation between high and low-income students in schools is prominent.

Data Summary for Windshield and Walking Survey

Please summarize your data by responding to the following: 

Describe the strengths of the community as evidenced by the Windshield Survey. 

The strengths of the community rely on the availability of community and social services for its population. These resources, both public and private, serve to promote healthy living and in meeting certain needs. According to DeSalvo et al. (2017), community resources and services are crucial for socioeconomic and environmental conditions that affect health and health equity. For instance, local schools serve as learning centres, churches serve as places for spiritual growth, health centres provide clinical services, and police stations provide security.

Describe the weaknesses (gaps in service) as evidenced by the Windshield Survey. 

The community’s weakness is the upsurge in the crime rate attributed to increased homelessness and low-income levels. Another significant weakness in the community is the lack of high-level hospitals to meet critical needs, e.g., accidents. Statistics show that the population density in Manhattan Valley is 88,223 people/mi² against 27,486 people/mi² in the wide New York state (City-Data.com, 2020). Lack of these vital services predisposes individuals to disparities, which can encourage crime rates, as is the case in the neighbourhood. Increasing homelessness is also associated with more cases of COVID-19 infections. Consequently, the lack of high-level hospitals has led to the conversion of hotel rooms to isolation centres for covid-19 patients.

1. Identify one problem, based on the identified gap in community resources as an indicator of potential poor health outcomes.

A significant gap in the Manhattan Valley neighbourhood is homelessness – a social health determinant (Healthy People, 2020). With the upsurge in homelessness, most people are predisposed to poor living conditions and food insecurity.  When sick, homeless patients often face relapse due to inadequate conditions and exacerbating factors. Safe homes and neighbourhoods constitute healthier people (Rolfe et al., 2020).  Besides, the places where people live affect their health. In Manhattan Valley, homeless individuals live in food deserts and have meagre incomes.

Sources

• City-Data.com, (2020). Manhattan Valley neighbourhood in New York, New York (NY), 10025 detailed profile. Available at http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Manhattan-Valley-New-York-NY.html (Accessed 10 June 2021)
• DeSalvo, K. B., Wang, Y. C., Harris, A., Auerbach, J., Koo, D., & O’Carroll, P. A Call to Action for Public Health to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century. 10.5888/pcd14.170017
• Healthy People 2020. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/leading-health-indicators/2020-LHI-Topics (Accessed 10 June 2021)
• Rabinowtiz, P. (2021). Chapter 3: Section 21. Windshield and Walking Surveys. Community Tool Box. Available at https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/windshield-walking-surveys/main (Accessed 10 June 2021).
• Rolfe, S., Garnham, L., Godwin, J., Anderson, I., Seaman, P., & Donaldson, C. (2020). Housing as a social determinant of health and wellbeing: developing an empirically-informed realist theoretical framework. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09224-0