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Community Assessment and Analysis: Assessment/Interview

Name

Assessment/Interview

I had the opportunity to perform a physical assessment of the African American community living in Columbus, Ohio. For success, I interviewed (by phone) a community health provider to understand her experiences within the community.

Assessment of Community: Functional Health Patterns

Columbus is currently a flourishing city with an ever-changing landscape in its central business area. Columbus, Ohio, is the 15th largest city in the United States. The city has an estimated population of 892,533, with a population density of 3,829 per square mile. The median age is 32 which is about 18 percent lower than the Ohio average- which is 39. 54.3% of the population is White, 29% African American, and 5.72% Asian. The paper will focus on the African American community. Many circumstances brought Blacks to Central Ohio, considered to be a safe location from Southern slave catchers who wanted to recapture escaped slaves. The runaway slaves came as fugitives from captivity and felt very safe in Columbus.

African Americans have a tremendously greater likelihood relative to Whites in experiencing poor functional health trajectories. Black’s health status is one of the topics that have been studied at length. African Americans in Columbus face multiple disparities in health outcomes and the delivery of care compared to the general population. Some of these health concerns are biologically tied to race and social inequalities (Bosse, Nesteby& Randall, 2015). The community faces health disparities in various ways including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus, and low-term births. The difference in the health of Blacks seems to result from genetics, access to care, cultural factors, and cultural factors.

Interview

I created some questions to ask the community health provider (Christina Liscynesky) regarding her role and experiences within the African American community in Columbus, Ohio.

What evaluations do you utilize to monitor the work of community health providers in Columbus?

Firstly, I asked Liscynesky about the forms of assessment community health providers use to monitor their work. In response, she mentioned that there are no specific evaluation standards but providers learn from the existing assessment resources to guide particular efforts.

What are the common roles of community health providers throughout Columbus?

I wanted to know the roles of community health providers throughout Columbus. Liscynesky said that their roles vary, for instance, depending on both local and cultural settings. But the community health providers frequently work in marginalized communities.

What do you feel stresses you most when working within this community?

About what stresses her and other providers working in Columbus, Liscynesky identified “dealing with many social problems affecting the community with a team that does not recognize the life and issues confronting individuals” as what stresses her most.

What do you think are the most common health issues in Columbus?

I asked Liscynesky to identify the common health issues facing the Columbus community. According to her, although the city is a place where people can live a healthy lifestyle there are several issues plaguing Columbus. Liscynesky identified chronic disease, obesity, barriers to care, addiction, and the shortage of providers as some of the common challenges.

Can you suggest how health departments can support the role of community health providers in Columbus?

I asked Liscynesky to suggest how health departments can support the role of community health providers. She feels that health departments should partner with Medicaid agencies and support the coverage of evidence-based services. Additionally, she says that these departments should provide adequate and current information about innovative and evidence-based services.

References

Bosse, J. D., Nesteby, J. A., & Randall, C. E. (2015). Integrating sexual minority health issues into a health assessment class. Journal of Professional Nursing, 31(6), 498-507. DOI:10.1016/j.profnurs.2015.04.007.