Observations
Demographic Observations
The purpose of this paper is to provide the results of the windshield survey of Sentinel City. The population is divided almost equally between men and women – 50,1% to 49,9% respectively. There are four major ethnicities comprising the race distribution of Sentinel City – white, Hispanic, African American, and Asians. 54,2% of the population is composed of white citizens, such as Julia Benjamin in Acer Tech Center and Dwayne Thomas in Industrial Heights. They are followed by Hispanic people, the total proportion of whom is 29,9%, including Charles Cruz in Acer Tech Center and Iracelys Mendez in Lake View. 9,2% is comprised of African American citizens, featuring Anna Jordan in the Nightingale Square and Michael Adams in Industrial Heights. Asians make up 3,7% as exemplified by Zaira Abdallah in Acer Tech Center and The Pham Family in Nightingale Square.
Four major age cohorts can be identified in Sentinel City – children younger than 5 years, adolescents younger than 18 years, adults younger than 65 years, and elder people over 65. 62,6% of the population is composed of young and middle-aged adults between 18 and 65 years including Rebecca Cook of The Rally Family in Lake View and Brody Dolan in Lake View. The second cohort by size is adolescents and children between 5 and 18 years, such as Duong Pham of The Pham Family and Andre Rally of The Rally Family, making 19,8% of the populace. They are followed by elder people as Larry Bass in Lake View and Anna Jordan in Nightingale Square, who amount to 11,5% of the population. The remaining 6,1% are filled by children younger than 5 years, such as Karla Jean Graham of the Graham Family and twin sons of Jeremy Sims in Casper Park District.
Economic Observations
Judging by the appearance of buildings and the number of displaced people, wealth disparity is evident. All houses and facilities look modern and clean, indicating a proper dwelling maintenance. However, numerous homeless people can be found in different areas. One such girl is sitting in the vicinity of Casper Senior Living Center and drinking a beverage in a coffee cup. One block away from her a man is sitting on the ground, who is also begging for financial and other types of assistance. There is also a camping in Casper Park, where homeless people find shelter in tents. One of its residents, Gary Johnson, complains that the authorities are indifferent to the problems of displaced individuals.
Sentinel City has a number of occupational groups in every area. Retail groups are represented by Joe’s Grocery in Nightingale Square and Home Improvement in Lake View. Industrial groups are present in Acer Tech Business Center, while a plant with a blast furnace can be seen in Lake View. Farming groups supply groceries with meat and have their own outlet, such as “Produce” in Acer Tech Center. Not far from it, “Family Dentistry Smile” and “Rocky’s Barber & Style” can be found, offering dental and barbering services. Departments of Transportation in Industrial Heights and other departments in City Hall are the examples of government groups. Lake in Lake View is an attractive spot for tourists and tourist agencies.
Regarding employment, the situation is ambivalent, as a number of small businesses indicate a thriving community and high employment, especially in Casper Park. On the other hand, the presence of beggars and homeless people in the same area indicates unequal access to job markets. Most of the commuters need transportation, which implies that they work outside of the community. The lack of employment can influence health when a person has no means of paying for housing, as it is the case with Gary Johnson in Casper Park, who has hepatitis due to contact with other homeless people.
An example of a disease that needs to be addressed in Sentinel City is diabetes. Primary prevention would take the form of a community-wide healthy eating program, which would decrease sugar consumption and diabetes-related admissions (Ely et al., 2017). Personally, I would work to increase awareness of dangers of sugar via viral hashtags on social networks. Secondary prevention would entail educating diabetes patients on the disease and blood sugar levels (Golden et al., 2017). I would instruct patient how to control their glucose on their own. Finally, the tertiary prevention would mean adopting healthy habits, such as regular exercises. I would advise recovering patients to add physical activity to their daily routines.
Observations of Residents
Homeless individuals aside, two other types of people can be seen walking the streets – health-restricted and families. Lake View is a living place with many separate houses, therefore, it is not surprising to observe parents with children, such as in a circle between Sentinel Lake and Home Improvement, near the children playground. In several areas, families with two to three children can be found, such as The Rally Family with two parents and three children in Lake View and The Pham Family encompassing parents with two children in Nightingale Square.
Healthcare problems are evident due to the appearance of adults with physical limitations. For example, two men have to use canes as support while they walk. One of them is situated near Gas Service Stop in the Lake City. The other one is seen in Casper Park, in the vicinity of Al’s Check Cashings. A more extreme example of movement impairment can be found in Nightingale Square. Alicia Clark has to use a wheelchair to move through the street.
Protesters in Casper Park are the most unexpected people in the entire city. It is evident that Sentinel City has vast economic disparities and a serious housing crisis. Yet, these are not the focus of the protesters’ complaints. Instead, they have chosen to draw attention to the protection of the environment and eradication of plastic. It is surprising because environmental pollution is not the city’s major problem.
Observations of Animals
Sentinel City is not particularly diverse in regards to the animal life. Some areas have cats in them, as one cat can be observed in Industrial Heights near the road construction. Domestic dogs can be identified by the presence of the owner, as is the case in Lake View, where at least two persons walk with their pets on a leash. However, some dogs are not owned or have no leash. An example can be seen near the dog playground in Lake View. Another dog that is clearly without an owner can be seen eating from a trash can near Department of Transportation.
Religious Observations
There are five major religions in Sentinel City – Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Christianity is the most prevalent as the most distinctive church in the city is Christian, while citizens follow different denominations. For example, Gary Johnson in Casper Park and Anna Jordan in Nightingale Square are Baptists. Michael Adams in Industrial Heights and Iracelys Mendez in Lake View are followers of Catholicism. Other religions are more popular among Asians, as exemplified by the Budhist Pham Family in Nightingale Square, Muslim Zaira Abdallah in Acer Tech Center and Hinduist Raja Kakkam in Industrial Heights. Julia Benjamin in Acer Tech Center represents the followers of Judaism.
Additional Observations
The general appearance of the city is positive with some exceptions. The majority of roads and pedestrian pathways are clean, although in some places, trash can be found lying around. For example, uncollected waste is lying near a trash canister in Casper Park and in close proximity to Acertech Business Center. On the pedestrian pathway near Community Soup Kitchen, people have to stand and wait for orders near uncollected leaves.
There is also a certain problem with law-abiding behavior in the city. The presence of graffiti that may be illegal in Industrial Heights suggests rebellious youth. Furthermore, a destroyed car can be found near Department of Transportation close to the tunnel. Finally, a police investigation seems to be underway in Industrial Heights near Downtown General Store, as access to the building is limited with police lines.
Communication Observations
Sentinel City has a high number of billboards attached on top of buildings. Most of them advertise certain products, such as “E-cigarettes – All the Buzz. None the smoke”, and “The New You – Polygonda” opposite of Luigi’s Pizza & Pasta in Nightingale Square. At the same time, other billboards are used for social advertising. Examples include: “Do your part – Recycle” in Nightingale Square near Lily’s American Homestyle, “Save your lungs, Save your life” opposite of Donut Time. The major source of mass communication is the city’s Buzz Radio, which can be found in Acer Tech Center. The radio is a part of the Emergency Alert System that delivers urgent information and is thus a form of formal communication.
The mayor of the city is also pondering on the creation of a city council newsletter that would keep citizens of Sentinel City informed. Each house in Lake View has a post box outside, which indicates publications of newspapers. Furthermore, information can be spread via windows of buildings, as can be seen on stores in Nightingale Square, where sheets of paper are attached to windows. Altogether, using a newspaper is the most effective way of spreading the information about E.coli outbreak because the information contains medical terms that are difficult to perceive solely by ear.
Newspaper Script
Citizens of Sentinel City, it is important that you become aware of an urgent health concern. A multi-neighborhood foodborne outbreak involving E.coli has led to more than sixty children becoming ill. Understanding the disease is essential in ascertaining the most appropriate course of action. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.) note that E. coli are bacteria that might cause diarrhea and other illnesses of the intestinal tract. Symptoms of the disease include abdominal pain, sudden severe diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (n.d.) reminds of the basic food safety procedures and the importance of avoiding swallowing contaminated water. Parents should instruct their children to wash their hands before each meal. The prevention of the disease is personal responsibility as it is entirely avoidable provided that simple hygiene guidelines are followed.
Education Observations
The school district in Industrial Heights has oversight for K-12 schools in Sentinel City. One school can be seen in Lake View, which is titled “Lake View Lions High School”. The area around it looks clean and well-maintained, while the building itself is neat. To the left of the high-school is Lake View University. It is reasonable to suggest that it has a library for students and teachers. ABD Daycare in Casper Park offers preschool education and childcare services to parents who need to work during the day. Parents use both family cars and public transportation to get their children to school. For example, both Karl James Graham Duong Pham use parents’ car and public transport.
Politics & Government Observations
The most evident indication of political activity can be observed in front of City Hall, where a group of people are standing with signs and shouting political slogans. The labels on their boards are “Think Globally”, “No Clean Water – No Future”, and “Plastics Are Planetary Parasites”. Similar messages are promoted by large social advertisement billboards on buildings. Examples include: “Do your part – Recycle” in Nightingale Square near Lily’s American Homestyle, and “Save your lungs, Save your life” opposite of Donut Time, and “Fighting Addiction? We’re in your Corner” above the homeless camping.
The most apparent political building related to city governance is City Hall in Casper Park. It serves as the headquarters for public departments, such as police, fire, and environmental protection. Department of Transportation in Industrial Heights regulates infrastructure policies, while Public Health Department ensures adequate healthcare. Sentinel City has a local form of the government, with Mayor Franklin Hill being the most senior executive in Sentinel City.
Sentinel City Affordable Housing Project is a locally funded effort to help residents with their housing challenges. The Interfaith Church in Lake View can also be considered a politically active organization since it mobilizes public efforts to provide food and free laundry to homeless people. ABC Daycare is one more organization that contributes to community efforts by participating in federally funded programs, such as School Breakfast Program, and the Summer Food Service Program.
The first potentially damaging political condition is the procedure of waste disposal. In order to initiate trash pickup, citizens have to address a waste disposal company. Meanwhile, uncollected waste is the source of viruses and bacteria. Second, the city’s inadequate housing policy forces many people to live on the streets without proper hygiene, thus, precipitating diseases. Finally, transportation logistics leads to higher number of traumas occurring as a result of road accidents.
Health Observations
The major facility responsible for healthcare services is Public Health Department located in Industrial Heights. Its main functions include prevention of disease outbreaks, ensuring access to healthcare, and promotion of healthy practices. The department collects essential health-related data and uses it to correct its decision-making. Immunization campaign is an example of an initiative that is being spearheaded by Public Health Department that also uses street advertisements to convince people to vaccinate. A billboard with a title “Get Vaccinated! Stay Healthy!” can be found near Sentinel City Community Center in Nightingale Square.
Facilities where Sentinel City residents receive actual healthcare services are hospitals and clinics. Better Health Clinic in Industrial Heights and Natural Wellness Clinic in Lake View are places where citizens are consulted on their medical issues. For instance, Better Health Clinic offers services encompassing Behavioral health, dental care, gynecology, and services relating to women’s health. Unlike Better Health Clinic, which is federally funded, Natural Wellness Clinic is a private establishment, which allows it to offer rarer services, such as acupuncture, massage therapy, and yoga. It should also be noted that such offers are not accessible to every resident, as basic procedures, such as a full-body massage may cost up to $75.
When citizens require thorough treatment, they can be admitted into hospitals, such as Sentinel Hospital in Acer Tech Center. The hospital is a level 1 trauma center, where patients receive the surgical care of the highest quality (American Trauma Society, n.d.). Here, patients are administered advanced treatment, such as complex surgeries, body parts replacements, Cesarean section, and others. The hospital services both inpatient and outpatient clients, although it is also expensive. Aside from invasive procedures, there are also such treatment options, as physical therapy, telemedicine therapy, prenatal therapy, and other specialized services.
Human Services Observations
Sentinel City has vulnerable groups, including elderly, physically limited, and socially apprehensive, such as LGBTQ community. Sentinel City’s human services ensure that these groups as well as the majority of residents receive what they need. An example of a facility, which services all people regardless of their physical, social, and sexual background, is the pharmacy in Joe’s grocery. Not only does is sell medication, but it also provides healthcare services, such as cancer support. Vision center located near the pharmacy sells glasses and lenses, and also performs eye surgeries. The center places special importance on servicing adults with poor vision. Another problem that the authorities are attempting to solve is equal access to services. The mayor Franklin Hill admits that inclusiveness is a problem in the community, specifically for racial, ethnic, religious, and LGBTQ groups.
Elder people are an important population segment for public health department, as a separate Division of Senior Services exists to help them. For example, the department provides door-to-door paratransit services for people that have movement impairments. A Meals On Wheels program is also implemented that provides food to senior citizens living in isolation (Meals on Wheels America, n.d.). Numerous housing options for senior citizens exist, which provide them with a place they can live in with comfort. For instance, assisted living facilities provide housekeeping and laundry services, as well as comprehensive health monitoring. Total nursing care facilities house elder people that require long-term care. Progressive Care Center in Lake View is an example of a total nursing care facility.
Physical Environment Observations
Sentinel City is peculiar in that it lacks a strictly defined border between wealthy and poor areas. Certainly, the presence of camping for homeless is an exception, but buildings look similarly. The most evident boundary is geographical – Lake View is noticeably different from other areas for two reasons. First, it has more expanse as opposed to the cramped spaces in other areas. Second, it is possible to see different types of terrain from this area – specifically, mountains.
The city has substantial amount of green color, which originates from lawn. Lake View is especially noticeable, since there are numerous trees around the area. Some houses have plants of different colors growing nearby. Industrial Heights is radically different, since there are almost no trees and grass there. Almost everywhere, a sidewalk can be seen near the road. At the same time, there are no separate pathways for bike, even though sidewalks are of high quality.
Sentinel City has a number of places, where resident can buy products. First, in Joe’s Grocery in Nightingale Square food, customers can buy food, medications, as well as general items. In Lake View Home Improvement, residents can shop for furniture. There are some areas, where groups of people can be observed, such as the pizza restaurant near Home Improvement. A group of people can be seen near the jazz club Sonny’s at Midnight in Industrial Heights. In the first case, the hangout is composed of friends, while in the second case, the group is based on music preferences.
The city is different in terms of its friendliness as areas create different impression. For instance, Industrial Heights is an area filled with graffiti, which indicates territorial belongings. Two most common graffiti “bridge” and “street” might signify different gangs. Billboards contain either commercial information, or social advertisements, but no gang-related symbols. Casper Park is different and creates a more welcoming impression due to the absence of graffiti. The first characteristic that can impact health is inadequate waste disposal, as trash canisters can be found with waste near it in Casper Park and near Acertech Business Center. In Industrial Heights, a furnace blast can be seen, which spoils the air and may lead to breathing issues. However, the plethora of trees and grass in Lake View may compensate for the excess of exhaust fumes that residents are exposed to.
Recreation Observations
Recreation opportunities include walking in different parks, such as the one in Nightingale Square opposite of Joe’s Grocery. In the same area, a street musicians is playing a guitar to a group of bystanders. Even though no bike paths are evident, walk paths are numerous as are cyclists all around the city. In Nightingale Square, near Guardian Fitness, a tennis court can be found. Lake View houses a large basketball court in the northwestern part of the area. Finally, the lake itself offers a variety of activities from fishing to going on a boat. The last two are also examples of a private and public activity respectively, as boats are not free.
Recreations are important for the community as they encourage residents to engage in different activities and find like-minded people. For example, the jazz club Sonny’s at Midnight in Industrial Heights attracts musicians to the city, which increases the community’s cultural awareness (Julian et al., 2019). The presence of sports facilitates promotes healthy lifestyle and also raises political awareness, as their construction requires more taxes. Finally, sidewalks and parks allow people to cycle and take a walk, which reduce obesity and help people compensate for the quality of air (Gül & Eren, 2018). Ultimately, any recreation is a positive experience for individuals and the community as a whole.
Society Safety Observations
Police cars can be seen patrolling the roads, particularly, in Nightingale Square. In City Hall, the Police Department can be consulted for crime data. Individual police officers are also present on the street, the most evident of whom is Charles Cruz in Acer Tech Center. The Police Department pinpoints Industrial Heights as the most crime-prone area in the city. Its population encompasses 16,312 residents, while assault and domestic violence cases are numbered 209 and 220 respectively. Subsequently, an average citizen has 1,3 % chance of becoming a crime victim.
There are three means of transportation in Sentinel City: cars, buses, and bicycles. Residents using bikes can be seen in Nightingale Square and Lake View. All areas have largely empty bus stops, although Casper Park and Industrial Heights have more residents waiting for a bus, which implies that transportation is not regular enough. No signs of a nearby highway are present, although the conditions of roads are generally of high quality. Two exceptions are pipe leakage in Industrial Heights and leaves near Community Soup Kitchen. Pedestrians pathways are the same for everyone, meaning no special zones for handicapped residents. Even the parking space near Home Improvement in Lake View lacks a spot for handicapped drivers.
One fire station can be seen in Industrial Heights, while Fire Department notes that the general response time is 5 to 10 minutes. Numerous fire hydrants are present on the roads, for example, at the crossroads opposite of the City Hall. Surprisingly, there are no taxi cars that should help citizens arrive at the needed destination. Furthermore, there are no tram lines, which should be there since they would increase traffic safety (Naznin et al., 2018). At the same time, there is a lack of first aid kits in closed spaces, such as Joe’s Grocery that would allow citizens to provide assistance if the need arises (Olympia et al., 2017). Finally, near the City Hall, opposite of Donut Time, a group of incarcerated individuals are picking up trash on the pedestrian pathway, which may result in citizens coming into contact with them. Such a possibility is not safe, as the police have to ensure that citizens are not exposed to convicts.
Target Population
Major Health Concerns
Three major health concerns can be identified among the middle-aged adults of Sentinel City – diabetes, heart diseases, and asthma. Michael Adams and Anna Jordan are both diagnosed with diabetes, which indicates a popular sugar eating habit. Health disease kill up to 895 people each year, which makes such people as Larry Bass and Anna Jordan particularly vulnerable to heart attacks. Asthma is a consequence of the city’s proximity to the nearby plant, which pollutes the air and forces individuals such as Zaira Abdallah to carry rescue inhalers.
SMART Goals
The first objective is to combat the spread of diabetes. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (n.d. b), educating people on the importance of decreasing sugar consumption will reduce diabetes incidence. The second goal is to reduce the number of deaths caused by heart attacks via rehabilitation programs for people with heart diseases (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. a). The third objective is to reduce air pollution by implementing stricter regulations on the nearby plant and plastic production, thus reducing the number of asthmatics (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. c). The final goal should be the reduction of infections via better waste disposal in the city.
Recommendations
Sentinel City School District notes severe discipline problems and academic underperformance of it students. The first recommendation to the mayor is to engage the community and parents via forms of mass communication. Physical conditions of schools are important for the maintenance of public health, as children spend hours together and bring home any contracted viruses. Compulsory nature of elementary education allows the authorities to promote health-related topics, such as hygiene, air-borne viruses, and common diseases.
Considering the influence of this radio, it can be used to stream health-related advice. Incorporating interviews with medical professionals and simple health-related one-liners can improve community health of the listeners. If parents hear on Buzz Radio that they are responsible for the behavior of their children, they will pay more attention. The second recommendation is encourage parents’ participation in the learning process of their children, which may help identify their knowledge gap. Finally, the mayor can ask the school board to introduce tutoring services, which would be subsidized by the city’s budget.
References
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d. a). Increase the proportion of adult heart attack survivors who are referred to a rehabilitation program — HDS‑D03.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d. b).Increase the proportion of people with diabetes who get formal diabetes education — D‑06.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d. c).Respiratory Disease.