Palatine is a village located in Cook County, which is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Its population in 2013 consisted of 69,350 individuals, and the number of males and females was almost equal (48.8% and 51.2% respectively) (Palatine, Illinois, 2015). In comparison, the very Cook County had 5,246,456 citizens in 2014 (51.5% females) (Cook County, Illinois, 2015). Palatine is a village where people of different races leave; still, the majority of them are white (65.4%) as well as in Cook County, where the number is 65.8%. Such results prove that Palatine community is not very different from the whole county and that the results related to healthcare are likely to be applied not only to the investigated village but also to the larger entity.
To gather the assessment data, the key people in the community were interviewed. The information from the windshield survey and these interviews were compared and connected, as it allowed analyzing the health condition of the community. The mailman, owner of a local shop and an elderly couple met on the street answered several questions and allowed to define the main issues faced by Palatine population. They mostly had similar views on the health conditions of their community. The owner of a shop, who has a big family, and the elderly couple underlined that the flu virus affects them rather often regardless the age, race, and sex (P. Johnson, personal communication, October 1, 2015; Kauffman & Kauffman, personal communication, October 1, 2015). The report made by the Cook County Department of Public Health (2015) also paid attention to this issue claiming it to be the main current problem faced by the citizens, which proves that the situation is really crucial. One more issue was mentioned by Adams, the mailman. According to his words, some citizens are addicted to alcohol, which he believes to be a great problem (R. Adams, personal communication, October 1, 2015). During the windshield survey, no one who seemed to have problems with alcohol was mentioned, and the police claimed that Palatine is a calm place where nothing threatens people’s lives. Still, when attending the meeting at the Palatine club, it was found out that many individuals visit AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings.
The information gained during the research allows identifying main community diagnoses. Thus, there is an actual risk of altered body temperature among the Palatine population related to frequent lapsing into influenza as evidenced by the people’s condition (including fewer and dry skin) during the windshield survey and interviews with the representatives of the community. The goals for the nurses include regaining of the normal temperature, maintaining decent fluid and electrolyte balance and proving the sense of comfort. Influenza is a problem that is critical for the community, as it is faced by the majority of the population of the whole Cook County. To cope with it on the community level, the medical personnel (in hospitals, schools and other establishments) and the representatives of the Palatine club are to encourage the general public to take vaccinations and provide the citizens with the information about preventative measures. The websites of the Department of Public Health is to have this information available for everyone also. The places where the vaccine can be found should be gathered in some list and be available at the mentioned facilities and online.
The problem with alcohol abuse was also mentioned during the interview, and it is considered one of the priority issues in the community, as the population realizes it and wants to cope with it. The Palatine club organizes AA meetings for a long time already, which proves that the problem exists. The community diagnosis regarding this issue is the ineffective individual coping among the diverse Palatine population related to hereditary, previous ineffective coping skills, and personal vulnerability and evidenced by verbalization of inability to deal with the problem by oneself and low ability to cope with stress. The goals set for the community include the prevention of complications, maintaining of sobriety and attending group therapy. To manage them the representatives of the community are to organize AA meetings, medical personnel should teach people how to cope with the dependence and provide needed treatment (vitamins, etc.).
There are several community-based interventions that could be implemented to address the goals related to coping with influenza. They are to consider the ways to control the virus and protect the population. The citizens are to be informed about the danger of the flu virus, possible complications, and comorbidities as well as symptoms. Thus, the meetings are to be scheduled at schools, kindergartens, and working places. The advantages of vaccination are to be highlighted as well as other ways to limit the spread of flu. The information is to be gathered in the booklets and be available online. The places where the vaccinations can be found are to be mentioned for the clients to refer to them directly. The vaccination options are to be affordable for the diverse population. The sources of the additional information are also to be mentioned.
To reach the goals set to cope with alcohol dependence the nurse should review the expectations and the steps that are to be undertaken for the clients to be informed and be willing cooperate. It is crucial to make a kind of a guideline that people can use to handle the problems they face. The consumers are to realize their responsibility and get to know what skills they need. Some limits and restrictions, as well as executes, (cleaning the territory, etc.) are to be established for the clients to control their lives. The people should be encouraged to express their feelings and attitudes, as it will help in solving their issues. It is important to provide the clients with the knowledge regarding coping strategies, as they might not know them. The activities aimed at the streamlining of the recovery (such as AA meetings) are to be structured. The peer support or superior is to control how the client manages new style of life. The consultations with the physician are to be scheduled to receive needed medication.
Mentioned interventions are linked to the Healthy People 2020 (2011) goals, as they tend to eliminate disparities and enhance health condition of the whole Palatine population. They are aimed to create the environment that promote good health and better quality of life, which also has the positive influence on the health condition and encourage healthy behavior.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions, the interviews and surveys will be conducted and the rates of people who face mentioned problems measured. The community leaders will be in charge of the promotion of the healthy environment, especially organizing meetings and gathering information. The assessment of the interventions that are related to flu will be done at the end of the flu season and related to alcohol dependence every two months.
References
Adams, R. (2015). Community Health Assessment [Personal interview].
Cook County Department of Public Health. (2015). Current Public Health Issues. Web.
Cook County, Illinois. (2015). Web.
Healthy people 2020. (2011). Web.
Johnson, P. (2015). Community Health Assessment [Personal interview].
Kauffman, L., & Kauffman, D. (2015). Community Health Assessment [Personal interview].
Palatine, Illinois. (2015). Web.