Today, I will present a community needs assessment of Riverside County in California. The report will include a community assessment of the social data, health information, and demographics of Riverside County. The teaching proposal is the next and it will focus on the prevention of heart disease and obesity. The last part is a disaster assessment for wildfires in Riverside County, which are common.
Community Assessment
Community Information
Following the collection and analysis of data, the assessment showed that Riverside County, CA is a diverse community made up of whites, blacks, Asians, and Hispanics or Latinos. White people make up the majority (78.7%) followed by Hispanic or Latino (51.6%) (U.S. Census Bureau).
The analysis indicates that the area has an average household income, which shows that the location has a vibrant economy.
There are high cases of obesity, which can be related to a bigger percentage of individuals in the area eating fast foods. Children are the most affected in this aspect and may be prone to obesity.
Riverside County is located in an area that has a mild and semi-arid climate. Some of the areas are desert, while others have a mild climate. The largest employer in the county is Riverside County followed by the University of California.
Community Demographics
Riverside County, CA has a population of 2,514,194, which represents an increase of 14.82% from 2010 to 2022. The area has experienced tremendous growth and is viewed as the number one in urban sprawl. There is an expectation that the population will increase by 1 million over the next 20 years (U.S. Census Bureau).
The gender composition of the county indicates that 50.25 of the people are female while 49.8% are male (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The data shows similarities with the statistics of the state of California.
The marriage data indicates that a significant number of residents are married, which is consistent for both genders. 52% of men and 49% of women are indicated as being in a marriage.
The dominant race in the county is white because 56.4% (1,413,889) identify as white (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). African Americans make up 6.7% of the total population of Riverside County (U.S. Census Bureau).
In terms of ethnicity, the majority of the population is Hispanic/Latino who makes up 52% of the population. This is a significant change because the non-Hispanic white community decreased by 25% while the Hispanic people increased by 31% (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
The transformation of the population of Riverside County indicates how the demographics of a community change with time. Another aspect of the data is that most of the residents are between the age of 25-74 years (U.S. Census Bureau).
However, individuals aged between 25-34 makeup 13.8% of the population, which is the highest (U.S. Census Bureau). The information shows that the county may have an aging problem in the next 20 years.
Riverside has 777,731 households with an average home size of 3.2 persons, which is higher than that of the state of California (2.91) (U.S. Census Bureau). Of the 777,731 households, 43% are homes with children (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). This shows that the community in the area values family.
The issue of income is important when assessing the demographics of an area. Riverside County has a median household of $79,125. The data shows that Asian residents have the highest median income ($101,781), which is similar to statistics from the state of California (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
In terms of poverty levels, 9.5% of families live below the poverty line. This is a slightly higher percentage compared to that of the state (8.92%) (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The homes with children that live below the poverty represent 6.8% of families in the area (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). This indicates that poverty is a significant issue that can be addressed using better strategies.
The education data for the residents shows that most people have completed high school and participated in college but with no degree. Based on the data, 6.23% of the population aged 16 and above are unemployed (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). This indicates that the majority of individuals have access to job opportunities.
Health Data
The community assessment also focused on the health information for Riverside County. The analysis shows that heart diseases and cancer are the most prevalent in the area. 9.0% of the population reported atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular rhythm of the heart (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). A-fib is considered a leading cause of heart disease and stroke.
In Riverside, heart failure has a prevalence rate of 13% while high blood pressure is 25.7% (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The evaluation also showed that 57.8% of the residents underwent mammography screening, which illustrates the impact of cancer on the community (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
Other diseases such as type 2 diabetes and respiratory conditions also have high incidence rates in the area (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
The assessment also found that 29.2% of adults are living with a disability while 3.8% of children have a disability (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The analysis shows that heart disease or stroke are the most prevalent diseases in Riverside County.
The analysis also found that the majority of the residents have health insurance. There were those people who had access to private insurance covers (50.5%) while others had access to public covers (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
A considerable percentage of the people reported experiencing delays and difficulties in accessing care. The data shows that the health system in the county needs to address the challenges identified by the residents.
In terms of mental health in the community, 53.4% of adults need and receive behavioral health care services. The statistics indicate that mental health issues are prevalent in the community (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
The consumption of fast food is another aspect and the information shows that 72.4% of adults consume fast food (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). A considerable number of children (70.9%) consume fruits (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
53.4% of adults need and receive behavioral health care services. The assessment indicates that mental health is a huge problem in the community.
Engaging in physical exercise enhances fitness and reduces the likelihood of chronic diseases. In Riverside County, 50.1% of teenagers engage in physical activities (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The number is skewed against females because males (68.9%) have a higher involvement (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
Sedentary life is considerably prevalent in adults in Riverside County as 20% of adults are inactive (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). This may be a contributing factor to the prevalence of heart disease.
This assumption can be backed by data, which shows that 67.8% of adults in the area are overweight or obese (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). Smoking is also an important health indicator as it can be used to understand the high incidence rate of respiratory illness. 6.9% of adults between the age of 25 and above indicated that they smoke.
The life expectancy of the area is 80 years, which is higher than that of the country (77).
Social Data
Communities make decisions that require the input of every adult. Voting is used in most cases to help groups of people to decide on different aspects that concern them. 61% of the residents in Riverside Count engage in voting (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). This is a crucial aspect as it indicates that the majority of the people are interested in how their area develops.
Another social aspect was that homicides and the use of firearms contribute to a high death rate in the area. The community can address this by initiating community safety groups.
The child abuse rate in the community is 9.3 cases per 1000 children (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The low rates indicate that Riverside social services ensure that people provide the right care to children.
In terms of traveling to work, the average travel time is 34.1 minutes, which is slightly higher than the U.S. value (26.9) (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
There are a number of organizations that volunteer to enhance social services in the area. This benefits the population and enhances the interactions between residents.
Public transportation provides services to 1.1% of workers while 1.3% prefer to walk. The majority of the employees in Riverside use personal vehicles. This can show that the transport services are functional and people have many options to choose from.
The area has 777,731 households and 7.1% of them are overcrowded (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). This is a considerable risk because the infrastructure needed to provide quality services to all people needs constant updating.
The poverty levels in the county also provide insight into the social context of the area. The data shows that 12.5% of the people live below the poverty line (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
Therefore, the community assessment has shown poor lifestyle choices is a significant pressing issue for the community. This is because heart disease and obesity are caused by lifestyle decisions.
The newest neighborhood, which is close to the March Air Force and Mission Grove is the most preferred locality. The area has all the necessary amenities in the vicinity and is easily accessible.
The area has a high unit occupation rate with 89% of the housing units available occupied. This is crucial as it indicates that housing properties in Riverside County have high demand.
There is a considerable number of residents who indicate they are foreign-born. This shows the rich diversity that is within Riverside County, California.
There is a low but significant population of veterans in the area. Riverside County also has a low population migration rate, which indicates that it is a favored region for most residents.
Community Teaching Proposal: Prevention of Obesity and Heart Disease
Primary Prevention
Following the community assessment, poor nutrition was identified as a pressing community issue. This is based on the data that showed that the majority of people in Riverside County consume fast foods (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The statistics also indicated that there is a high prevalence of heart disease and obesity (SHAPE Riverside, 2022).
The two (obesity and heart disease) are interrelated because being overweight increases the risk of stroke. The community teaching proposal is based on providing information to people on the right diet. The focus is on teenagers who are aged 13 years to 19 years.
The purpose will be to teach them about proper dieting and nutrition to ensure they adopt favorable habits. Education is essential because it can help instill better attitudes regarding certain foods that can help teenagers struggling with weight issues.
The session will also aim to encourage teenagers to view dieting as an important aspect of life.
Community Information
The health profile of the community shows that there are big challenges in terms of nutrition and diet. A majority of the people in the area consume fast foods, which has been blamed for the increase in obesity. The behavior and attitudes of older individuals influence young people. There is a likelihood that teenagers may adopt the same behavior.
A high majority of the people in the area live a sedentary life, which is a big issue because inactivity increases the likelihood of obesity.
An advantage is that the individuals in the area have access to health insurance. The teaching session will benefit the community because it will entrench nutritional and dieting information in teenagers.
Helping the young generation adopt good nutritional practices can assist the community to achieve health targets.
Epidemiological Rationale
It is important to teach teenagers and their communities about how proper dieting and nutrition can reduce the likelihood of obesity and heart disease. Young adults need to understand the link between fast foods and weight gain.
The community also will benefit by knowing the association between obesity and heart disease. The data from the area indicate that the majority of the adults are obese (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). This is a huge problem that should be tackled using education on dieting.
The community can reduce the deaths caused by obesity and heart disease. The right diet will ensure that teenagers can concentrate on school activities. This is because obesity affects the academic performance of students and reduces their participation in co-curricular activities.
The teaching proposal will also aim to instill best nutritional practices on the teenagers.
Nursing Diagnosis
A nursing diagnosis for teenagers would be the lack of awareness of the effects of poor diet, which necessitates educational interventions. This is because individuals who adopt poor nutrition and diet are more likely to become obese or develop heart disease.
Readiness to Learn
In terms of readiness for learning, some factors can be used to provide insight. The enthusiasm of the learners and eye contact with the nurse are examples. Also, smiling and conversation about the topic may indicate readiness.
Memorizing and verbalizing the diets that have been provided is another factor. Participation and excitement of the learners show emotional readiness.
Open-ended questions will be used to get feedback from the community of teenagers. This will inform the teacher of the progress and whether to make adjustments.
Learning Theory
The social development theory will be used because of its views that children view the actions of others and learn how to act in society. The impact of peer pressure can also not be underestimated teenagers copy what they see from their peers. The young adults see the older adults eating fast foods and resolve that it is a favorable habit.
Goal
The data shows that Riverside County has a challenge with obesity with 67.1% of the adults being considered overweight. The goal of the teaching program is based on The Healthy People NSW-04 objective whose aim is to reduce the proportion of children and adolescents with obesity.
The second goal is to reduce the coronary heart disease deaths to a target of 71.1 per 100,000 population based on the Healthy People 2030 goal.
The objective adheres to the community program because it focuses on children and adolescents.
I believe this goal goes hand in hand with a community nurse teaching teenagers about the right nutrition to prevent obesity and heart disease. Teaching teenagers about proper dieting ways can create a community that is knowledgeable on matters of healthy eating.
The goal of The Healthy People 2030 is to improve the health of all people and ensure that all people live a healthy life.
Participants will be able to understand nutrition best practices and will adjust their nutrition accordingly. A traditional classroom environment will be used for the first objective. A survey will be provided to assess knowledge of the aspects discussed under obesity and heart disease.
Objectives
Participants will be able to evaluate the calorific content of different meals. The relationship between excess calorie intake and obesity is one of the topics. The danger of combining sedentary life and a poor diet is the second aspect. Verbal and written instructions will be provided to the learners to ensure they understand. The written information will help the participants to infer when creating their plans.
Participants will be able to create diet plans for both weight loss and weight gain options. A demonstration of how to create a diet plan will be done. The demonstration will be followed by instructions on the types of foods for weight loss and weight gain.
Participants will be able to understand how obesity and heart disease are interrelated. An educational video on obesity and heart disease will be played. The video is made by the University of Riverside, California.
Creativity and Planned Evaluation of Objectives
The presentation will require the use of videos and discussion during the round table meeting for creation of diet plans. The video will provide insight into unhealthy foods and the relation between obesity and heart disease. The video will be based on an explanation of the impacts of obesity on individuals. The video will be five minutes long and will conclude by indicating the benefits of proper diets.
The students will be taught how to create a diet plan and the type of foods to avoid when the focus is weight loss. At the end of the presentation, the teenagers will provide insights into the usefulness of the video using a questionnaire. The survey will be answered by all students and the answers reviewed.
The educator will also assess the teenager’s background of the topic both before and after the program using pre and post-tests. This will help in identifying the changes that have occurred. The learners will also explain the nutrition and diet information learned using a test. The aim is to ensure that the program has the desired effects on teenagers.
Proposal
The evaluation of the goal is an important aspect because it provides insight into whether the program is effective. The nurse plans to evaluate the nutrition and diet teaching plan at the beginning, middle, and at the end of the presentation. This will be achieved by asking the learners questions before the lessons have started. The queries will also be provided to students at the end of the presentation. The learning will be evaluated based on the feedback generated by the learners. The focus is to improve the teaching plan to ensure it is effective.
On the aspect of evaluating the teaching materials, the community nurse, the content, and the strategies used will be assessed. The goal is to ensure that the nurse gains insight into positive ideas that can aid in improvement.
Some of the potential barriers to teaching nutrition and dieting include disruptive teenagers. This will be solved by removing the students from the classroom. The learners will be informed of the need to cooperate to ensure the success of the presentation. Another potential barrier may be some of the materials being too difficult. The community nurse will ensure that the materials provided suit the academic level of the learners.
On the aspect of communication, the nurse will start with a video on obesity, which will be followed by questions. The educator will then address any of the issues raised and proceed to provide nutrition advice to the students. In the end, the nurse will summarize the main point and enquire if there are any questions. The presentation will conclude with images of the effects of poor nutrition and the need to adopt better dieting habits.
Disaster Assessment
The final part of the community needs assessment is disaster assessment. This section will focus on wildfire, which is common in Riverside County. The evaluation will address three aspects that include hazard assessment, vulnerability assessment, and capacity assessment. Wildfires are prevalent in the area with 135 wildfires having been recorded between 1984 and 2021 (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). Another aspect is that 815,467 properties in Riverside County are considered to be at some risk of being in a wildfire within the next 20 years (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The data indicates that the area is likely to face an increase in wildfires in the next ten years due to global warming. The disaster assessment is focused on understanding the hazards, vulnerabilities, capacity, and perception of people about the risk.
Community Description
Riverside County is a place that is made up of diverse communities. The majority of the residents are white (78.7%), Hispanic or Latino (51.6%), African American (7.5%), and Asian (7.5%) 50.2% of the population in the area are female while 49.8% are male. The median household income for the area is $79,025 and 11.6% of the residents in the area live below the poverty line. 14.8% of the population is 65 years old and above. The majority of the residents are obese or overweight. The life expectancy in the area is 80 years old.
Hazard Assessment
In Riverside County, wildfires are rampant during the dry season. The temperatures during hot seasons are high and can increase the chances of a fire starting. The occurrence of wildfires during a specific time indicates that they are a seasonal phenomenon.
The data shows that Riverside County is going to experience an increase in wildfires in the next 20 years. This is because of the rising temperatures due to climate change (SHAPE Riverside, 2022). The challenge with wildfires is that they occur rapidly if the conditions are right and can be difficult to manage. The fires can last for hours or days depending on the environment.
Most of the properties in Riverside County are at risk of being damaged by wildfires. This increases the risk rating for wildfire because of the hazards it presents.
Vulnerability Assessment
Wildfires can impact a large number of people in Riverside County. However, the populations at risk are low-income households, people with mental illnesses, and children. For low-income households, the challenge is both preventing and responding to disasters. This is because high-income levels can allow people to move from areas that are not prone to wildfires. The other aspect is that low-income levels restrict the ability to respond to disasters.
The other group at risk is people with mental illnesses. Some of the institutions are in places that have been identified as prone to wildfires in Riverside County. The threat of wildfires can result in mass panic, which may increase the threat of people losing their life.
The next group is children because of their inability to make informed choices. Young people should be taught how to respond when such events occur (Izumi et al., 2019). The root causes of the presence of vulnerabilities can be traced to the lack of proper awareness on the part of residents and the presence of infrastructure in areas prone to wildfires.
Therefore, the community of Riverside County is susceptible to wildfires.
Capacity Assessment
Based on the economic data for Riverside County, the majority of the people are capable of coping with wildfire disasters. The groups at risk can also get support and help from the agencies such as the fire department. The regulations require the fire services to respond to all situations that involve wildfires. The state and federal governments have ensured that the fire department is fully equipped because of the prevalence of wildfires in the area.
Residents from the area coordinate and collaborate response efforts during disasters, which enhances the ability of the community to cope with and mitigate disasters. Volunteers provide additional help to the existing agencies, which ensures better response. Different government and private entities conduct disaster preparedness drills to create awareness. The emergency department ensures that response to disasters is quick and decisive.
Potential Effects
Wildfires can cause extensive damage to community infrastructures such as schools, hospitals, and recreational facilities. The destruction can result in the need to reconstruct the infrastructure again.
Wildfires can overwhelm emergency services because they spread rapidly. The available resources can be stretched especially during the dry seasons. The conditions in hot seasons provide ideal conditions for a fire to spread, which reduces the ability of the emergency services to respond effectively.
Wildfires can induce panic because of their rapid spread, which can result in more casualties. The general population can also be affected by the loss occasioned by the fires. Some people may experience heavy losses if the fires touch agriculture farms.
References
SHAPE Riverside. (2022). SHAPE Riverside :: Indicators :: Health Equity Dashboard. Health Equity Dashboard. Web.
Izumi, T., Shaw, R., Djalante, R., Ishiwatari, M., & Kimono, T. (2019). Disaster risk reduction and innovations. Progress in Disaster Science, 2, 100033. Web.
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Riverside County, California. (n.d.). Census Bureau QuickFacts. Web.