Community Needs Assessment

Assignment:
You will conduct a community needs assessment by choosing a specified population or
community. Grades will be based on the guidelines listed. Papers submitted must be
typed using APA format. A PowerPoint presentation of community needs assessment
needs to be submitted through the drop box.
Community_____________________ Date______________
I) Overview
A) Description of the Community
i) History
ii) Type of community: urban, suburban, rural
II) Physical Environmental Considerations: The Community As a Place
A) Description: general identifying data
i) Location
ii) Topographical features
iii) Climate
B) Boundaries, area in square miles
C) Environment
i) Sanitation: water supply, sewage, garbage, trash
ii) Pollutants, toxic substances, animal reservoirs or vectors, flora and fauna
iii) Air quality: color, odor, particulates
iv) Food supply: sources, preparation
v) Potential disaster in the population
vi) Extent of disaster preparation in the population2
D) Housing
i) Types of housing (public and private)
ii) Condition of housing
iii) Percent owned, rented
iv) Housing for special populations
(a) Near homeless
(b) Homeless
(c) Frail elders
E) Leading industries and occupations
III) The People of the Community
A) Population profile
i) Total population for _________(year of last census)
ii) Population density
iii) Population changes in past 10 years
iv) Population per square miles
v) Mobility
vi) Types of Families
B) Biological Considerations/Vital and demographic population characteristics
i) Age composition
ii) Sex distribution
iii) Race distribution
iv) Ethnic group composition and distribution
v) Mortality Characteristics
(a) Annual Birth and crude death rates
(b) Age-specific death rate
(c) Infant mortality rate
(d) Maternal mortality rate
vi) Cause-specific death rate (specific health area)
vii) Leading causes of morbidity
(a) Incidence rates (specific diseases)
(b) Prevalence rates (specific diseases)3
C) Psychological Considerations
i) Significant historical events
ii) Future economic prospects
iii) Formal and Informal Communication Network
iv) Rates of Suicide and Homicides for specific subgroups within the population
v) Adequacy of protective services
vi) Common sources of Stress (e.g. unemployment , lack of affordable housing)
D) Sociocultural Considerations: The Community As a Social System
i) Socioeconomic status
(a) Income of family
(b) Major occupations
(c) Estimated level of unemployment
(d) Percent below poverty level
(e) People retired
ii) Educational level
(a) Religious distribution
(b) Marriage and divorce rates
(c) Language
E) Government and Leadership
i) Type of government (mayor, city manager, board of commissioners)
ii) City offices (location, hours, services, access)
F) Education
i) Public educational facilities
ii) Private educational facilities
iii) Libraries
iv) Services for special populations
(a) Pregnant teens
(b) Adults with special problems
(c) Children and adults who are developmentally disabled
(d) Children and adults who are blind and/or deaf
G) Transportation
H) Behavioral Considerations
i) Consumption patterns (general nutritional level of the population)
ii) Leisure pursuit
iii) Other health-related behaviors (e.g. frequency of seat belt use)4
I) Health System Considerations
i) Identify existing services
ii) Assessing current level of performance
iii) Availability and accessibility of specific types of health care services
iv) Health needs lacking services
v) Extent to which health care services are overused and underused
vi) Financing of health care