Health Behavior and Health Education (HBHE) Community Diagnosis Papers

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Community Diagnosis (community assessment) is the foundation for improving and promoting the health of community members. The role of community assessment is to identify factors that affect the health of a population and determine the availability of resources within the community to adequately address these factors.

Prior to Fall 2009, students pursuing a masters degree through the Health Behavior and Health Education department at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health enrolled in “Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis,” a course which required students to get involved in communities to determine — or diagnose — the public health issues of that particular...

Works (79)

71. Apex, Wake County : an action-oriented community diagnosis including secondary data analysis and qualitative data collection

Title Tesim:: Apex, Wake County : an action-oriented community diagnosis including secondary data analysis and qualitative data collection
Creator:: Rawls, Cathy, Brown, Mikisha, Toll, Karen, Kassim, Anisa, and McAlister, Beth
Date of publication:: 2001
Abstract Tesim:: This document is a community diagnosis of the town of Apex. A field team of five graduate students from the UNC at Chapel Hill School of Public Health worked in Apex from September 2000 to May 2001 collecting data on the strengths and needs of the Apex community as perceived by service providers and by community members. This report includes an analysis of the team’s findings from secondary data as well as from interviews and focus groups held with community members and service providers who reside or work in Apex. In addition, the results are presented from a community meeting held by the field team in April 2001 for community members and service providers to discuss the major issues affecting Apex and collectively work on steps for future action. The purpose of this document is to synthesize our findings to present a critical analysis of the strengths, resources, challenges, and needs within the Apex community. It is our hope that the information presented will help the Apex community recognize and prioritize its response to conditions and situations that affect the general health, wellness, and quality of life for its residents. Growth is by far the biggest issue in Apex, as it has been with most of Wake County over the past decade. The focus previously had been on whether or not growth should continue, and now it has shifted to a focus on how to best handle the consequences of it. This enormous growth has created or exacerbated some important issues in the Apex community. The ones that stand out in the data and were most frequently mentioned by both community members and service providers are transportation, affordable housing, social and political community cohesion, youth and education, and services and access for low-income residents. Of these topics, service providers talked mostly about the availability of services for residents of Apex while community members focused mainly on community cohesion and youth issues. In the following report, we will discuss how the changes in Apex over the last 5-10 years have impacted the services available, the services needed, and the quality of life of Apex residents. Apex is a well-established, competent community, already actively working to improve the quality of life for its residents. However, this paper presents several suggestions for improvement based on our research and the discussion at the community meeting. The main recommendation for future action is increased collaboration between already existing community organizations (such as faith-based organizations) and community members and service providers. This collaboration is necessary to create and implement solutions for problems with transportation, housing, and access to services, which mostly affect lower-income residents of Apex. In addition, the community might want to consider ways in which youth can get involved in community service, as well as creating recreational activities for older teens.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/3qg8-y852
Extent:: vii, 68 pages, 64 unnumbered pages : illustrations, map ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2001
Keyword:: Public health, Community health services, Health Status, North Carolina, and Socioeconomic Factors
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Wake County Human Services and
Person:: McMillan, Yolanda, Ackerman, Sara, Eng, Geni, Rawls, Cathy, Brown, Mikisha, Toll, Karen, Kassim, Anisa, and McAlister, Beth
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_9

72. Homeless community of Alamance County : an action oriented community diagnosis

Title Tesim:: Homeless community of Alamance County : an action oriented community diagnosis
Creator:: Lowman, Sarah, Hinson, Laura, Harden, Liz, Piper, Mel, and Russell, Kim
Date of publication:: 2007
Abstract Tesim:: This document contains an analysis of interviews, focus groups, and relevant background information on the homeless community in Alamance County. The data were compiled by a group of five graduate students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Public Health, as part of a community assessment, also known as Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD). An AOCD is a process through which a student team works with a community to identify strengths and challenges, presents the findings at a community forum, and facilitates the development of tangible action steps to help the community address the identified challenges. The process involves both research and practice. Bill Adams, executive director of the Allied Churches of Alamance County, and Karen Webb, of the Alamance-Caswell-Rockingham Local Management Entity (formerly the Alamance-Caswell Area Mental Health Program), requested the AOCD in order to learn more about homelessness in the county. Another goal of the assessment was to examine the assets and challenges of service providers who work with individuals experiencing homelessness. The information presented in this document is intended for use as a reference and a resource, and may inform program planning, grant writing, and future community forums. The first section of this report contains background information on homelessness and Alamance County. The second part of the document contains a description of the AOCD methods and a summary of community strengths and challenges, including eight domains that emerged from interviews and focus groups with service providers and individuals experiencing homelessness. These eight domains are: mental health, employment, housing, transportation, substance abuse, reentry from prison or psychiatric facilities, perceptions of homelessness, and communication among service providers or between service providers and homeless individuals. The third part of the document contains a description of the community forum, planned by the community and student team, during which project findings were presented and tangible action steps were generated to address the challenges that emerged during the AOCD process. Finally, the student team’s recommendations conclude the report. The scope of this report is limited to the adult homeless community in Graham and Burlington because that is where most services are concentrated. For the purposes of this AOCD, the homeless population is defined broadly, but most interviewees are shelter guests and many are new residents of Alamance County. The student team presented their findings at a community forum, called Homelessness: Creating Community Change, held on April 27, 2007 at the First Christian United Church of Christ in Burlington. The event brought together more than 160 homeless and formerly homeless individuals, service providers and general community members with an interest in homelessness, to identify and discuss action steps related to the identified themes. The action steps and key discussion points from the forum are listed in Appendix C, and a general presentation of the forum planning process and schedule of events is contained in the body of this document. To conclude, this document describes the AOCD process and analyzes the experiences, perceptions, and frustrations of people experiencing homelessness, and the people who serve them, in Alamance County. The primary data, secondary data, recommendations, and action steps contained in this report may be used to guide future program planning and grant-writing. The student team thanks the people of Alamance County for the challenging work they have done already, and the action steps they have committed to take in the future, to improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/6xex-d242
Extent:: 108 pages : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2007
Keyword:: Socioeconomic Factors, North Carolina, Alamance County (N.C.), Homeless Persons, Health Status, and Community Health Services
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Allied Churches of Alamance County, Alamance-Caswell-Rockingham Local Management Entity, and
Person:: Adams, Bill, Webb, Karen, Lowman, Sarah, Hinson, Laura, Harden, Liz, Piper, Mel, and Russell, Kim
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_8

73. African American community, Rockingham County: an action-oriented community diagnosis: findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: African American community, Rockingham County: an action-oriented community diagnosis: findings and next steps of action
Creator:: Meier, Carrie E., Edwards, Alrick S., Stoioff, Elizabeth C., Whetsell, JoAnn P., and Gottert, Ann L.
Date of publication:: 2008
Abstract Tesim:: In October 2007, a team of five graduate students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health began an Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) with the African American community in Rockingham County. An AOCD is a community-based process by which the resources, strengths, needs, and challenges of a community are identified. After identification, the process transitions to generating dialogue and creating action steps to build on community strengths and address challenges. Guided by preceptors Debbie Mason of Rockingham County Healthy Carolinians and Katrina White of the Rockingham County Department of Public Health, the student team spent the next seven months attending community events, examining data about Rockingham County from websites and government documents, and conducting interviews and focus groups with both service providers and community members regarding community strengths and community challenges. After analyzing the responses, the team identified thirteen common themes. With the help of a community advisory committee (CAC), the team planned and held a public forum, “Community Dialogue for Change,” on April 14, 2008. The CAC selected five of the original thirteen themes for focused discussion at the forum based on their importance to the community and how easily they could be addressed. Five themes were chosen so that the five student team members could each lead a discussion group on one theme..At the forum, the team highlighted the community‟s strengths such as churches and spirituality, caring people, and leadership capacity as well as challenges related to the five themes chosen for discussion. The approximately 70 people in attendance broke into smaller discussion groups and generated action steps to address each theme. The following challenges and action steps were presented at the forum: Employment- The lack of job opportunities for African Americans within the county is a concern. This affects both adults who have lost jobs and youth seeking jobs. Develop a mentoring program that would place youth in government, corporate, and small business environments. Survey students to determine their career interests so that job fairs and career programs would be more appealing. Create a resource listing of employers willing to hire ex-offenders. Attitudes Towards Education- There is concern that education is not a priority in the county, as seen by high drop-out rates and not enough students going to college. Approach the school board about offering diversity training to teachers and other employees. Approach local colleges that train teachers about offering diversity training in their curricula. Guidance for Youth- Too many African American youth, especially young men, lack positive guidance for their futures. Set up a forum for youth-adult conversation as a starting point for better understanding. Use the media, church newsletters, and organizations to spread the word about the need to come together for better guidance for youth. Find out what mentoring programs churches currently have in place, and increase the number and quality of these programs. Include volunteering for school mentoring programs in regular church service projects, with an emphasis on peer mentors. Establish programs to re-train parents and include professionals in the community with different skill sets for parenting. Racial Discrimination- Community members noted various ways in which racial discrimination happens in the county, such as differences in pay, ability to get loans, and treatment of students. Create a forum to increase dialogue between parents of school children to address issues such as racial discrimination in schools. Increase parental and community involvement in volunteer opportunities in schools. Create guidelines for fair treatment of students for use by teachers and administrators. Preventive Health Care- Low use of preventive health care services for conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure leads to an increased need for treatment and poor health. Form a group in charge of developing educational flyers with health messages to be placed in grocery stores, doctors‟ offices, daycares, churches, schools, and recreational facilities. This education campaign would also incorporate the use of nutritionists to develop health messages for church newsletters. Form a “take a friend to the doctor” program to assist those without their own personal transportation in getting to preventive health care appointments. This would build upon existing resources available in the community such as Caregivers of Rockingham County and Pelham Transportation in order to make transportation to medical appointments more convenient for community members. The purpose of this final report is to give the African American community of Rockingham County and other concerned individuals a tangible resource that presents the findings of the community assessment as well as a report of the discussions and action steps which emerged at the community forum. It is divided into six sections: Introduction; Background on Rockingham County; Primary Data Findings; Methods; The Forum; and Recommendations and Conclusions. This document should be a tool which all community members can continuously refer to as they address various challenges and work towards progress.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/y311-a417
Extent:: xi, 123 pages : illustrations, 1 map ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2008
Keyword:: North Carolina, Socioeconomic Factors, Rockingham County (N.C.), Community Health Services, and African Americans
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Rockingham County Department of Public Health and
Person:: Mason, Debbie, Eng, Eugenia, White, Katrina, Shirah, Kate, Meier, Carrie E., Edwards, Alrick S., Stoioff, Elizabeth C., Whetsell, JoAnn P., and Gottert, Ann L.
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_7

74. Latinos in Sampson County, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis

Title Tesim:: Latinos in Sampson County, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis
Creator:: Montoya, Tanya, Cashman, Rebecca, Hobbie, Amy, Myers, Serene, O'Brien, Sarah, and Cravens, Katie
Date of publication:: 2008
Abstract Tesim:: The following document is a detailed report of an Action Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) conducted by a team of six students from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior and Health Educations in collaboration with the Sampson County Health Department. The AOCD was conducted in order to understand the cultural, social, economic, and health experiences of Latinos living in or accessing services in Sampson County. Throughout the AOCD process, the AOCD student team and community participants worked together to identify the strengths and challenges of Latinos living or accessing services in Sampson County and to create action steps addressing several of the identified challenges. Between September 2007 and April 2008, with the help of community liaisons from the Sampson County Health Department, the student team made an effort to learn about the community. By reviewing secondary sources of information such as newspapers, and websites, conducting in-depth interviews with 16 service providers and nine community members; and facilitating five focus groups with community members, the team members gained a broad perspective on issues important to the Latino community in Sampson County. The team organized a data coding system to identify recurring themes related to the Latino community living in or accessing services in Sampson County. On April 19, 2008, the analyzed data were presented to the community at a forum held at the Sampson Community College, with the aim of bridging different viewpoints, creating a dialogue among county residents and service providers, and developing actions steps to address the identified challenges. The specific challenges included transportation, language and communication, awareness of services, leadership, housing, and recreation. The following are action steps that resulted from the group discussion at the forum: Raise awareness of transportation services that currently exist in Sampson County through Spanish language newspapers and radio. Get more people involved in community events. Organize ongoing community meetings to share information between service providers and community members. Following the forum, the student team compiled this report that presents recommendations for the community based on results from the forum and its experiences in Sampson County. The principal final recommendations include: The team recommends that service providers and community members work closely together to develop materials and to organize events that are culturally appropriate and will encourage more Latinos to participate in community discussions. The team also recommends that advertisements for activities, events or services clearly state whether translation services are provided or bilingual staff will be present and what, if any, documentation is required. Further, it is recommended that these advertisements are distributed or announced in a manner that is likely to reach the Latino population, (e.g., door-to-door flier circulation, Spanish language radio, Spanish language newspapers, etc.) The team strongly recommends that service providers work in collaboration with community members in any community organizing effort in order to best serve the community‘s needs. Following the action steps identified, the team recommends that ongoing community meetings are held in an effort to bring together service providers and community members to share information. The student team hopes that this document and its contents will serve as a resource for continuing a community dialogue initiated at the community forum. Ultimately, the team hopes that the entire AOCD process and final report will lead to improvements not only for Latinos, but also for all residents of Sampson County.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/zzyz-xb06
Extent:: viii, 151 pages : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2008
Keyword:: Hispanic Americans, Community Health Services, North Carolina, Sampson County (N.C.), and Socioeconomic Factors
Language Label:: English and Spanish | Castilian
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: and Sampson County Health Department
Person:: Nelson, Kate, Combs, Consuela, Eng, Eugenia, Shirah, Kate, Johnson, Kathie, Lerma, Alex, Schiepan, Joella, Montoya, Tanya, Cashman, Rebecca, Hobbie, Amy, Myers, Serene, O'Brien, Sarah, and Cravens, Katie
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_6

75. African American community of southeast Rocky Mount, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis final report

Title Tesim:: African American community of southeast Rocky Mount, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis final report
Creator:: Tzeng, Janice, Petersen, Dustin, Barber, Sharrelle, George, Allison, and Thompson, Jana
Date of publication:: 2008
Abstract Tesim:: During the fall of 2007 and spring of 2008, a team of five graduate students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Public Health conducted an Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) of the community in Southeast Rocky Mount. AOCD is a component of the curriculum for graduate students in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education. Historically, the teaching team has been approached by community members seeking an assessment of their community. These community members then act as preceptors to student teams, introducing them to the community and aiding in our AOCD process. The process itself involves interacting with community members and service providers to systematically collect information about community strengths and challenges. The student team in Rocky Mount interviewed 19 service providers and 14 community members, conducted 2 focus groups and attended 12 community events. On April 12, the team hosted a community forum in Southeast Rocky Mount (SERM), at which findings were presented back to the community. Through break-out groups focused on discussing particular emerging themes, community members and service providers created action steps to address these themes. Hence, the AOCD process transformed from a diagnosis made by outsiders to a series of commitments by community participants to addressing their collective needs. At the beginning of the AOCD process, the student team conducted a secondary data review to learn more about Southeast Rocky Mount’s health, economics, crime and education status. The team then compared this data to that of the city of Rocky Mount, Edgecombe County and/or North Carolina depending upon the sources of data available. Rocky Mount is divided between two counties, Nash and Edgecombe, which at times affected the availability of data. The team also collected primary data through interviews and focus groups, which were guided by a predetermined set of questions. These discussions with community members and service providers provided much richer qualitative information. Team members transcribed and coded this data to determine which themes occurred most frequently. Identified strengths of the community included the people within the community and the history of a strong, thriving African American community in the area, among others. Meanwhile, challenges identified included: disparities between resources available in Nash County and Edgecombe County; lack of reliable public transportation; limited educational opportunities for youth and young adults; limited recreational and enrichment activities for youth; limited employment opportunities; dilapidated and sub-standard housing conditions; crime due to drugs and gang violence; and limited collaboration between community resources. Through consideration of these strengths and challenges, along with the coded interview data, the student team developed a list of emerging themes. These themes were presented to the eight community members and service providers that made up the forum planning committee. These members helped select the final themes to be used at the April forum. The initial list included: Youth, Education, Employment, Transportation, Crime, Housing/Cost of living, Parenting, and Communication between existing community resources. These eight preliminary themes were then narrowed down to the final five themes that we presented at the community form. The final themes selected for presentation to the community were: Youth, Employment, Connecting Community Resources, Crime, Housing. Approximately 65 individuals attended the community forum. Overall, participants were enthusiastic and optimistic when discussing the selected themes. At the end of the day, action steps were created for each theme and individuals personally committed to completing those steps. A future date was set for the community members and service providers to meet, without the student team, so that the AOCD process could continue within and among the community.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/0rvh-yn83
Extent:: vi, 89 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2008
Keyword:: Health Status, Edgecombe County (N.C.), Socioeconomic Factors, African Americans, Nash County (N.C.), and North Carolina
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: , Truth Tabernacle Ministries, Inc., The Life Center, Inc., and Southeast Rocky Mount Community Organization
Person:: Eng, Eugenia, Bellamy, James, Muhammad, Naeema, Shirah, Kate, Warren, Mary, Tzeng, Janice, Petersen, Dustin, Barber, Sharrelle, George, Allison, and Thompson, Jana
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_5

76. Persons with disabilities in Robeson County, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: Persons with disabilities in Robeson County, North Carolina : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action
Creator:: Eidenier, Emily, Christopher, Megan, Gentry, Amanda, Schwantes, Tim, and Reed, Alison
Date of publication:: 2008
Abstract Tesim:: The following document is a detailed report of an Action Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) completed by a five-member team of graduate students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education. This AOCD was conducted in order to gain an understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and health experiences of persons with disabilities and their families in Robeson County, North Carolina. Through the AOCD process, the team and community participants identified resources, strengths, and challenges that exist in Robeson County for persons with disabilities and their families, and developed action steps to address several of the challenges. Over the course of seven months from October 2007 to April 2008, the team worked to learn more about the community. Through conducting secondary data, attending community events, and conducting 28 in-depth interviews with 20 service providers and eight community members and three focus groups with 13 community members, team members gained valuable insight into everyday life in this community. The team developed a coding system to analyze the data collected and to identify recurring themes related to living with disabilities in Robeson County. In April 2008, the team organized a community forum at the O.P. Owens Building in Lumberton, the county seat, to present findings from the AOCD process to over 43 community members and service providers. At the forum, participants had the opportunity to discuss major themes that emerged from the team‘s data analysis, and to work together in small groups to create specific action steps to address those themes. The themes and action steps discussed at the forum were: 1. Transportation: There is a lack of accessible, reliable, and affordable transportation options in Robeson County. This limits quality of life, access to services, and employment for people living with disabilities. Attend County Commissioner meetings. Attend Mayor‘s Committee for the Disabled meetings. Call SEATS to ask about safety procedures, weight limits, and wheelchair accessible vans. Research how other communities with similar demographics and geographies have addressed transportation for persons with disabilities. Look into recreating the voucher program. Create an education campaign for service providers, wheelchair vendors, persons with disabilities, and the general community about transportation issues faced by persons with disabilities. Talk to physicians and physical therapists about transportation issues faced by persons with disabilities, including how selection of wheelchair can affect opportunities for public transportation. 2. Services Communication and Information: Although many services exist for persons with disabilities in Robeson County, there is a lack of a centralized information system accessible to people with low literacy and without access to computer technology. There is also a lack of partnership between service providers. This causes confusion and limited knowledge about services for service providers, persons with disabilities and their families. Contacting the Healing Lodge in the county to facilitate a discussion with those members and connect them to disability resources. Service providers presenting at healthcare to educate the community about services available. Finding out more about the 211 telephone information service provided by United Way. Collaborate with other agencies on the Partnership for Community Health booklet by letting Partnership know about more providers. 3. Recreation: There is an interest among persons with disabilities to become physically active. There is a lack of recreational opportunities and facilities for persons with disabilities in Robeson County. This limits social and recreational interaction and creates barriers for physical fitness. Advertise and increase awareness of disabilities and recreational opportunities for persons with disabilities in the local newspapers. Form a support group for persons with disabilities to increase awareness of the need for recreation for persons with disabilities. Hold first meeting of support group where the ADA laws that ensure persons with disabilities access to accessible public recreational opportunities are explained. Organize monthly activities for persons with disabilities. 4. Awareness: There is limited awareness among community members and service providers about persons with disabilities, especially “invisible disabilities,” such as chronic illness and substance abuse. This contributes to feelings of isolation and disrespect that diminish the quality of life for persons with disabilities and caregivers. Train healthcare workers in disability awareness by having them use different assistance devices, such as wheelchairs, for a day. Be vocal as persons with disabilities and share experiences and perspectives with others. Advocate for disability awareness by integrating discussions of disability in other venues. Educate employers about ADA rights. 5. Paying for services: Although many people living with disabilities in Robeson County are supported by Medicaid, many others are uninsured and have difficulty paying for medical services. This causes people to delay seeking medical help and decreases the reach and effectiveness of existing resources. Action steps were not developed for this group as there were not enough attendees who participated in developing action steps around this theme. Following the forum, the team completed this final report with recommendations for the community based on their experiences throughout the process and the outcomes from the community forum. The final recommendations are summarized below: 1. Service providers for persons with disabilities in Robeson County should continue to update the resource list that the team has compiled and included in this document and should make it available in multiple formats designed for the those with vision loss, low literacy, and without access to computer technology. 2. Service providers for persons with disabilities in Robeson County should create a centralized referral system that could direct its users to different services, including medical and social services, as suggested by several service providers and community members. This could be started by further publicizing the existing 211 telephone directory. 3. Community members and service providers should advocate for the expansion of the county transit program (SEATS), including more accessible vans and drivers, affordable fares, and weekend routes. 4. Service providers should hold annual public events such as a community forum or health fair to increase awareness of disabilities and services and resources available to persons with disabilities in Robeson County. This can be hosted by a local health agency or an advocacy organization such as the Mayor‘s Committee for the Disabled. 5. Community members and service providers should advocate for the perspectives of persons with disabilities in public meetings about county development, including new and existing projects. Persons with disabilities and their supporters should be aware of local news, attend town, city or county meetings whenever possible, and share their views and ideas with the larger community. The Mayor‘s Committee for the Disabled should support persons with disabilities in these efforts by publicizing their meeting times and by helping persons with disabilities access schedules of other local government meetings and public hearings. The team hopes that this report, the action steps, community member and service provider connections, and the strong sense of initiative for change that emerged from this project and the community forum will continue to build on the strengths of this community. Ultimately, the team also hopes that the entire AOCD process and this final report contribute to future improvements not only for persons with disabilities, but for all residents of Robeson County.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/m14t-6p24
Extent:: viii, 95 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2008
Keyword:: North Carolina, Robeson County (N.C.), Community Health Services, and Disabled Persons
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: and Alliance of Disability Advocates
Person:: Shirah, Kate, Eng, Eugenia, Cummins, Rene, Atkins, Mike, Eidenier, Emily, Christopher, Megan, Gentry, Amanda, Schwantes, Tim, and Reed, Alison
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_4

77. African American communities, Moore County : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: African American communities, Moore County : an action-oriented community diagnosis : findings and next steps of action
Creator:: Patterson, Kate, Lumalah, Jerrie, Perkinson, Leah, Porter, Kristie, and Cornett, Amanda
Date of publication:: 2008
Abstract Tesim:: An Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) of the African American communities in Moore County, North Carolina (NC) was completed in 2007-2008 by a team of five graduate students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in the School of Public Health. The team was guided by two staff of FirstHealth, who served as preceptors. The purpose of the AOCD in Moore County was to identify the strengths and needs of African American communities in Moore County and engage them in determining action steps to address their identified needs and priorities. The AOCD involved four phases: 1) gaining entry into the community; 2) collecting secondary data; 3) collecting primary data through interviews with community members and service providers; and 4) holding a community forum to discuss the findings and determine action steps to address needs and priorities. The team entered Moore County in October of 2007 and began with a driving tour of the county that was guided by their preceptors, and attending community events. Secondary data sources were reviewed, such as newspaper articles from The Pilot, published literature, and websites of U.S Census Bureau and North Carolina Center for Health Statistics. The team conducted qualitative key informant interviews with 16 service providers and 20 community members, located throughout Moore County. An analysis of primary data revealed that the following 17 issues were most frequently cited as concerns among African American community members and service providers who were interviewed: 1) unity in the African American community; 2) education; 3) recreation and social activities; 4) employment; 5) younger generation leaves county in search of opportunities and does not return; 6) health; 7) politics; 8) legal services; 9) communication; 10) affordable housing and property; 11) family; 12) transportation; 13) food; 14) community involvement and divisions stemming from 15) race relations, 16) economic status and 17) location. The final stage of the AOCD process was the community forum. In order to plan a community-informed forum, interested community members and service providers formed a student facilitated Forum Planning Committee (FPC). Nine FPC members chose five of the 17 themes, which emerged from the interviews, to be topics of small group, student-facilitated discussions at the forum. The themes chosen by the committee were: access to healthcare, employment, opportunities for youth, politics, and unity within the African American community. On April 7, 2008, the team presented the findings from service provider and community member interviews at the community forum, held small group discussions, and engaged community members and service providers in generating action steps to address the themes identified by the FPC. At the conclusion of the discussion groups, one community member from each group volunteered to present action steps developed by their group. Community members and service providers took responsibility for following through on most of the action steps. Below are the four themes discussed at the forum and the corresponding action steps developed during the small discussion groups. Access to Health Care This discussion session focused primarily on the lack of health insurance and access to health services for the African American community and resulted in the following action steps: Opportunities for Youth The majority of the discussion session focused on the lack of opportunities for youth to succeed in Moore County; this leads many to leave the county to pursuer better opportunities. The discussion generated the following action steps: Action Steps Increase public awareness about available resources. Use the TV and radio to relay public service ads. Distribute information to beauty shops, barbers, grocery stores, churches, etc. Push for better transportation at county commissioners meetings. Hold health fairs in local churches. Make online calendar and resources more accessible (i.e. when and where is the FirstHealth mobile van). Increase community awareness of political candidates’ viewpoint on healthcare. Action Steps. Organize youth programs and activities that are not just related to sports (i.e. churches, existing organizations, and business could help organize and offer resources and space). Tap into committed organizations in Moore County. Increase youth involvement. Utilize and expand on existing mentoring programs. Increase commitment of community members to volunteer. Gain ideas from new residents (new residents have new ideas for activities and events). Shadowing with African American business owners to allow youth exposure to role models and examples within the community. Develop relationships between community leaders and youth so that any efforts to develop activities will truly address the youths’ desires, rather than what adults think youth want to do. Politics Participants in this discussion session talked about the lack of African American representation in local Moore County politics. One pivotal action step was created by this group: Unity Within the African American Community Discussion in this session was centered on the difficulty that many African American community groups and organizations have when attempting to work together due to differences in opinions. Action steps generated include: A forum follow-up meeting, facilitated by an FPC member, was scheduled for May 29th, seven weeks from the date of the forum, to assess the progress of community action in response to the generated action steps. Action Step. Identify African American leaders to start a county-wide coalition of leaders to begin discussions around issues relevant to African American communities throughout Moore County. Action Steps. Create a list of all African American organizations in Moore County and build partnerships among the existing organizations in Moore County. Start a Community Unity meeting once every month where all African American organizations and community groups can exchange information about issues that affect them. Start an email listserv. Use existing organizations such as churches to disseminate information relevant to the community while being sensitive to each organization’s posting requirements. Communicate issues to elected officials. Identify who elected officials are. Identify ways to get involved in local government. Based on primary data collection, challenges identified and action steps generated during the forum, the team compiled a list of recommendations for community members and service providers: To encourage the youth of Moore County to continue to live in and succeed within the county after high school graduation, the team recommends collaboration between existing organizations that provides services to youth so that the scope and reach of these services might be broadened. To encourage young adults to become politically engaged citizens in Moore County, the team encourages collaboration between church, community, and political leaders to develop an organization that facilitates an opportunity for young adults to learn about and discuss the importance and the role of the politically active African American. To avoid overlapping efforts and to increase communication among Moore County leaders, the team recommends that FirstHealth facilitate a meeting between the 2006-2007 Forum Planning Committee and the 2007-2008 Forum Planning Committee members to discuss the action steps created during the recent forum and identify ways they can work together to affect positive change in African American communities in Moore County. It is the team’s hope that this document will serve as a resource and guide for community members and service providers who work with and within African American communities in Moore County to affect positive change.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/ec99-t960
Extent:: x, 119 pages : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2008
Keyword:: Socioeconomic Factors, Moore County (N.C.), Community Health Services, North Carolina, and African Americans
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: FirstHealth Community Health Services and
Person:: Miller, Christopher, Shirah, Kate, Leopper, Roxanne, Eng, Eugenia, Patterson, Kate, Lumalah, Jerrie, Perkinson, Leah, Porter, Kristie, and Cornett, Amanda
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_3

78. "Mini city": a neighborhood in transition: an action-oriented community diagnosis: findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: "Mini city": a neighborhood in transition: an action-oriented community diagnosis: findings and next steps of action
Creator:: Wu, Kevin, Kadis, Jessica, Agyemang, Amma, MacGuire, Kathleen, and Katz, Chloe
Date of publication:: 2008
Abstract Tesim:: This document is a description of an Action‐Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) of the Mini City area of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. The community assessment was conducted by a team of five graduate students in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health. The AOCD process took place from September 2007 to April 2008 with the guidance of two preceptors from Wake County Human Services (WCHS). The purpose of this AOCD is to understand community members’ social, economic, cultural, and health experiences from the viewpoint of both community members and service providers in order to assess the strengths and challenges facing the Mini City area. Over the course of the team’s eight months in the Mini City area, team members researched existing information about the Mini City area, interviewed a total of 36 community members and service providers, and attended more than 20 community meetings and events. This process is action‐oriented in that the team actively engages community members and service providers to seek their insight and opinions, as well as to gain entrée into the community. The student team analyzed the information collected and identified three primary strengths of and five challenges facing the Mini City community. A community forum planning committee, composed of service providers and community members, then identified specific issues within the five challenge areas as being most changeable and important to address. These strengths and challenges, along with an explanation of the AOCD process, were presented at a community forum entitled Spring Into Action! on Saturday, April 19, 2008, at the Green Road Community Center in Northeast Raleigh. Approximately 45 community members and service providers attended the forum and participated in small group discussions about the five challenges. Through discussions facilitated by team members, participants identified the causes of and barriers to overcoming the identified challenges, talked about resources available in the community that could be used to improve upon these challenges, and developed specific action steps to help the Mini City community address these challenges. The mission of the forum was to transfer ownership of the information and community change process from the student team to people living and/or working in or near the Mini City area so that desired changes can be made. STRENGTHS & CHALLENGES The following are the three primary strengths of the Mini City community as identified by interviewees: Location: The Mini City area is centrally located in Northeast Raleigh. It is near many residential communities and shopping centers and easily accessed by Capital Boulevard, I‐440, and I‐540. Agencies and Organizations: There are many different businesses and agencies serving the Mini City area. Interviewees commonly noted that there are many nearby organizations that provide religious facilities, child care, recreation, and other services to the Mini City community. People: The friendliness and diversity of the Mini City area residents were identified as major assets to the community. There are persons from many different ethnic and socioeconomic groups living in the Mini City area. The following are the five main challenges facing the Mini City community and the specific action steps that were generated by community forum attendees: HOUSING A high percentage of renters and people who frequently move in and out of the Mini City area directly and indirectly contribute to poor upkeep of property, a lack of connection among residents, and a low level of investment in neighborhoods. Action steps were: Add brief descriptions to an existing list of housing resources so that people know the best number to call for different situations. Restart a Yard‐of‐the‐Month club. Improve communication between the Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs) around Raleigh by having specific group members attend different CAC meetings and then report back to each other. TRANSPORTATION Public transportation options are perceived as inadequate, leading to difficulties commuting to work, accessing services, and traveling around Raleigh. Action steps were: Conduct a survey to find out where additional routes are needed and how the bus system is currently being used. Make the gotriangle.com website available in Spanish. Develop a travel training program to reduce the anxiety of first‐time bus riders. Improve bus signage at the bus stops. CRIME Though not disproportionate for an urban area, crime, including gang activity, drug use, and robbery, is a principal concern among residents of the Mini City area. Build relationships with neighborhood youth. Contact the city about gang‐related resources. Put information about the follow‐up meeting in the Northeast CAC newsletter. Commit to bring at least one young person to the follow‐up meeting. Explore the first steps in developing a community website on gangs. CROSS‐CULTURAL RELATIONS The Mini City area is both economically and racially diverse; however, there are few instances of cross‐cultural mingling and even some reports of anti‐immigrant sentiment. Encourage schools and churches to host “Cultural Days" in which diversity is celebrated and embraced. Speak at the 23rd International Festival of Raleigh in September 2008 about the importance of diversity in the city. Speak with specific influential officials on the Wake County Public School System Board of Education ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES Access to health services in the Mini City area is seen as difficult; people feel that the biggest problems are limited local free and urgent care, limited transportation to and from services, a lack of awareness about services, and problems paying for services. Form a coalition made up of discussion group attendees who will act as representatives of local churches, schools, and health care organizations to find out if mobile clinics already exist in the area. RECOMMENDATIONS The following are the student team recommendations for the Mini City community as this AOCD process transfers from the student team to the community: Contact the City of Raleigh and other local service providers about better publicizing of existing gang‐related resources to increase general knowledge about gangs in the Mini City area and throughout Northeast Raleigh. Restart the Yard‐of‐the‐Month program in both Mini City homes and apartment complexes to promote better upkeep of property. Contact and collaborate with the City of Raleigh Community Specialists to make Mini City area residents aware of the free services provided to them by the City of Raleigh. Continue a working relationship with public transportation officials to improve the Capital Area Transit (CAT) system and its service of Mini City area residents. Raise awareness among Mini City residents about existing health services in the Mini City area by distributing information about existing services at health fairs, in local stores, and at community events. CONCLUSION Ultimately, this report is meant to serve as a resource for Mini City area community members and service providers by describing the AOCD process and results. After the completion of the forum, the student team prepared this document and created recommendations for the Mini City community based on interviews, discussions at the community forum, and the team’s observations and experiences throughout the AOCD process. The document is divided into the following six sections: Introduction to AOCD, Community Overview, Methodology, Themes & Findings, Community Forum, and Limitations & Recommendations. The student team truly hopes this report will be valuable in positively shaping the services provided to, and the future quality of life among, Mini City area residents.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/79j8-p743
Extent:: x, 121 pages : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2008
Keyword:: Wake County (N.C.), Minority Groups, Community Health Services, Socioeconomic Factors, and North Carolina
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Wake County Human Services and
Person:: Petteway, Regina Y., Harper, Caroline J., Shirah, Kate, Eng, Eugenia, Wu, Kevin, Kadis, Jessica, Agyemang, Amma, MacGuire, Kathleen, and Katz, Chloe
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_2

79. People living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, Greensboro and High Point, Guilford County: an action-oriented community diagnosis: findings and next steps of action

Title Tesim:: People living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, Greensboro and High Point, Guilford County: an action-oriented community diagnosis: findings and next steps of action
Creator:: Falcon, Theresa, Strauss, Elena, Mainwaring, Beth, Perkins, Shantae, and Avery, Matt
Date of publication:: 2008
Abstract Tesim:: Background As of 2006, Guilford County has the third-highest Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevalence in North Carolina, and the number of HIV-positive people in the county is expected to grow as effective treatments help HIV-positive people to live longer and potentially more productive lives. The result is an increasing burden on the AIDS service organizations working to provide quality medical care as well as access to housing, employment, and psychosocial support in the Greensboro/High Point area. Given this situation, where should limited human and financial resources be targeted to best meet the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS? In order to answer this question, a community assessment of people in Greensboro/High Point, NC living with or affected by HIV/AIDS was conducted from October 2007 to April 2008. The assessment was conducted by a team of five graduate students from the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health, working under the guidance of two community preceptors, Ms. Debra Massey-Richardson and Mr. James McNair, of the Guilford Community AIDS Partnership. The assessment was carried out based on the Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) model of community assessment and engagement, which focuses on a wide variety of factors contributing to the health of a community, as well as the social environment which influence the perception of strengths and needs within a community. The goal of AOCD is to generate community ownership through a process of identifying priority issues and planning action steps for positive change. Methodology The focus of this AOCD was people infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Greensboro and High Point. These two metropolitan areas of Guilford County were chosen as the focal points of this process because they share comparatively high levels of infection, a common network of service providers, and the potential for receiving common resources at the county level.3 The following report describes the process of conducting the AOCD, which began with gathering secondary data to provide a contextual background on life in the community and on the local epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. Team members gained entrée into the community through guided “windshield tours” of Greensboro and High Point and by participating in numerous community events, including church services, AIDS fundraising events, support group meetings, and social events held at a local day center for PLWHA. Team members also made contact with 21 service providers and 36 PLWHA living and working in Greensboro and High Point through focus groups and individual interviews which focused on community strengths and priority needs, available community resources, and barriers to change. The results of this data collection were analyzed to identify overarching themes, which were then prioritized with the assistance of a planning committee comprised of local service providers and community members. Five highest-priority themes were presented at a community forum held at the Macedonia Family Resource Center in High Point on April 14, 2008. The primary goals of the forum were to celebrate the strengths of the PLWHA community, transition the student team out Greensboro and High Point, and transfer ownership of the process to the local community. Forum participants discussed the priority themes identified through the AOCD, and generated specific action steps to address each theme. Themes and action steps are listed below. Priority Themes Theme One: PLWHA have many basic, unmet needs, including food, housing and unemployment, which overshadow HIV/AIDS as a priority. Action Steps: Talk with all major known service providers in addition to clients to determine what local resources are available to help meet basic needs such as food and housing. Based on the results of this investigation, compile a comprehensive resource manual to serve as a guide for both PLWHA and service providers. Theme Two: Mental health and substance abuse issues complicate living with HIV/AIDS by making it difficult to seek treatment for HIV/AIDS, follow medical regimes, and locate adequate support and care. Action Steps: Contact local organizations to assess the available mental health and substance abuse services in both Greensboro and High Point. After a comprehensive list is generated, compile the information into a pamphlet that can be distributed to community members in a variety of venues such as churches, grocery stores, social services and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Decrease the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction in addition to improving outreach efforts. Theme Three: The diversity of PLWHA, stigma surrounding the disease, and a lack of trust and dialogue between PLWHA all contribute to the absence of a cohesive community to provide support and engage in advocacy. Action Steps: Discuss community strengthening and other needs with residents of Williams Delashment Crossing, a housing community for PLWHA. Schedule a follow-up meeting on the topic of community strengthening, which may be held in the Williams Delashment Crossing housing community. Hold a regular meeting of High Point service providers to combat the tendency of some service agencies to become isolated from the larger community. Theme Four: There is an uneven distribution between services available for people living with HIV/AIDS in Greensboro and High Point. Action Steps: Contact churches to assist in meeting basic needs such as food and transportation. Educate people about existing services by involving the local libraries. Create a collaboration or directory of services useful to people living with HIV/AIDS, which would create unity among service providers and assist them in making referrals for clients who do not meet eligibility requirements for their services. Contact service agencies such as clinics and hospitals about the costs to expand available care. Theme Five: Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS in the community at large, a lack of people living with HIV and AIDS who are open about their status, and a strong emphasis on conservative values contribute to intense social stigma against people living with HIV and AIDS. Action Steps: Convene further meetings about HIV/AIDS-related stigma. Each member of the group will invite one friend or colleague to the first follow-up meeting. Create programs to reach youth at churches, YMCAs and Boys and Girls Clubs. Distribute condoms. Attend existing community events and pass out educational information and condoms. Encourage PLWHA to be proactive in sharing their experiences with the wider community. Team Recommendations The student team presents the following recommendations for improving the health and quality of life of people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in Greensboro and High Point: Create a comprehensive and up-to-date directory of services for PLWHA. Create a Higher Ground-style community center for PLWHA in High Point. Where possible, centralize fringe medical services. Increase cooperation with local governments. Find venues to educate youth about HIV other than in schools. Increase awareness among service providers, funders, and political leaders of the importance of HIV, mental health, and substance abuse issues. Involve faith-based communities in awareness and education efforts. Include more of a focus on community building activities. Increase resources available for basic needs. The recommendations presented above are not comprehensive, and this document is intended as a starting point rather than a final report. Following sections include a detailed discussion of background data on HIV/AIDS in Guilford County, an in-depth examination of prioritized themes and action steps generated through the AOCD, a description of the community forum, and an explanation of the methodology used to carry out the assessment. Materials used to conduct the assessment, as well as a resource guide and a discussion of non-prioritized themes identified through the assessment can all be found in the appendices following the end of the report. It is the hope of the AOCD team members that the community of services providers and PLWHA in Greensboro and High Point will find the information useful as a foundation for moving forward and taking positive action to continue improving the lives of those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Admin Note:: Paper was publicly available on HSL website. Anne does not think we need to get author permission
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of Health Behavior
Degree:: Master of Public Health
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/astn-t646
Extent:: x, 43 pages, 77 unnumbered pages : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm.
Graduation Year:: 2008
Keyword:: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Socioeconomic Factors, Guilford County (N.C.), North Carolina, and HIV Infections
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Guilford Community AIDS Partnership and
Person:: McNair, James, Shirah, Kate, Eng, Eugenia, Massey-Richardson, Debra, Falcon, Theresa, Strauss, Elena, Mainwaring, Beth, Perkins, Shantae, and Avery, Matt
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: community_diagnosis_papers_1