Savage Chapter 4: Intro to Community Assessment

A public health nurse (PHN) conducts a community health assessment to identify the needs of a population. For example, the PHN might gather data to provide the rationale for a pediatric clinic in a low income area. He or she would take into account the sociodemographics of the community, as well as the: A. Preventive health concerns B. Need for medical facilities C. Collaboration of the community D. Lifestyle concerns

ANS: A Preventive health concerns Preventative health concerns would drive the need for the community assessment. In the example, the prevalence of childhood illnesses might indicate a need for a clinic.

A PHN wants to conduct an assessment in the community and intends to start by collecting data through the use of a survey. The PHN recognizes that the advantages of a health indicator survey that measures health-related quality of life (HRQoL) include which of the following? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. A. HRQoL is a multidimensional construct that relates to a person's perception of the impact their physical and emotional health has on their quality of life. B. HRQoL is an indicator of how much health insurance will pay if you are in the hospital. C. Including HRQoL items on a survey will provide information on the health of the community that the secondary data does not provide. D. HRQoL ascertains if an intervention is needed. E. HRQoL contains information that is quantitative rather than qualitative in nature.

ANS: A, C, D 1 This is correct. HRQoL is as assessment of how a population perceives their quality of life as it pertains to their health. 2 This is incorrect. HRQoL is not an indicator of health insurance. 3 This is correct. HRQoL gives insight on other public health aspects of the community outside of secondary data. 4 This is correct. HRQoL alerts public health officials to potential problems. 5 This is incorrect. HRQoL contains data that is qualitative rather than quantitative in nature.

A community assessment team found that the problem with their surveys of older adults was that there was not enough information on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for those over the age of 65 who were not living in a health-care facility. The best approach to assess this population is to do surveys: A. By personal interview B. By mail C. By telephone D. Online

ANS: A. By personal interview Doing personal interviews has many advantages, such as flexibility, being able to probe for specific answers, being able to observe nonverbal behavior, being able to control the physical environment, and being able to use more complex questions.

A PHN goes to a factory to find out why employees are missing so many work days. What type of assessment would be the most appropriate in this case? A. Setting-specific assessment B. Health impact assessment C. Problem or health issue-based assessment D. Population-focused assessment

ANS: A. Setting-specific assessment A setting-specific assessment treats the setting as the community, takes into account the population that is located in the setting, and looks for factors that are relevant to the setting.

A nursing student is listening to a lecture on community assessment tools. The nursing instructor explains that PHNs have found that some of the best uses of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) include which of the following? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. A. To locate medical facilities B. To identify spatial data C. To display environmental risk factors and health risks D. To display demographic data E. To display socioeconomic data

ANS: B, C, D, E 1 This is incorrect. GIS is a computer-based program that can be used to collect, store, retrieve, and manipulate location-based information. 2 This is correct. The GIS has the capability to identify spatial data that is assigned by exact geographical location by geocoding, or address matching. 3 This is correct. The Toxic Release Inventory Program run by the EPA uses GIS to examine air emission sites from the Aerometric Information Retrieval System/AIRS Facility Subsystem (AIRS/AFS) database, which is a computer-based repository for information about air pollution in the U.S. 4 This is correct. GIS has the ability to retrieve noncapital data, such as the demographic data of a location, which aids identification of populations. 5 This is correct. GIS has the ability to retrieve noncapital data, such as the socioeconomic data of a location, which could aid proper placement of intervention programs.

A nursing instructor describes one approach to conducting an assessment as a collection of data about the populations living within the community; an assessment of the assets within the community, such as the local health department capacity; and the identification of problems and issues in the community, such as unmet needs and health disparities, and opportunities for action. The instructor explains that this type of approach is called a: A. Rapid needs assessment B. Comprehensive community assessment C. Population-focused assessment D. Health impact assessment

ANS: B. Comprehensive community assessment This definition describes a comprehensive community assessment.

A PHN is using the MAPP model to conduct an assessment within the community and has reached Phase 3, the four assessments. The nurse understands that analysis of the legislation, technology, and other external positive and negative influences that have an impact on the promotion and protection of the public's health is called a: A. Community themes and strengths assessment B. Forces of change assessment C. Community health status assessment D. Local Public Health System Assessment (LPHSA)

ANS: B. Forces of change assessment A forces of change assessment evaluates what threat or opportunity might affect the health of the community or the local health system. It includes an analysis like the one described in this question.

A nursing student is listening to a lecture in which the instructor explains that a population pyramid is a way to visually compare a population for a certain demographic such as age. If a pyramid has a broad base and a small top, it represents: A. Slow growth B. Rapid growth C. Equal growth D. Mostly older people, with no growth

ANS: B. Rapid growth An expansive pyramid, one with a broad base and narrow top, represents a rapid rate of population growth.

A PHN is assigned to an area to do a community assessment. The demographic data the nurse collects includes: A. Insurance company preference B. Religious affiliation C. Educational levels D. Medical results

ANS: C Educational levels Educational levels, as well as age, gender, socioeconomic indicators, and racial or ethnic distributions, are considered demographic data.

A nursing instructor explains to a nursing student that information about a community's health services and resources includes all of the following factors except: A. Service use patterns B. Treatment data C. Insurance costs D. Provider/client ratios

ANS: C Insurance costs Insurance costs are not considered part of a community's health services and resources.

Using the Kinship/Economics/Education/Political/Religious/Associations (KEEPRA) model for observing formal institutions in a community, the PHN recognizes that which of the following categories assesses the number or availability of recreational centers? A. Education B. Kinship C. Associations D. Economic

ANS: C. Associations Associations refer to the observation neighborhood associations, business associations, and recreational centers.

A relatively permanent statistical subdivision of a county that averages between 2,500 and 8,000 inhabitants is called a: A. Census block B. Secondary data C. Census tract D. Health-care sector

ANS: C. Census tract A census tract is a relatively permanent statistical subdivision of a county that averages between 2,500 and 8,000 inhabitants and is designed to be homogenous with respect to population characteristics and economic status.

According to the CHANGE model, the aspect of a community that includes community-wide efforts that have an effect on the social and built environments such as improving food access, walkability or bike-ability, tobacco use or exposure, or personal safety is called the: A. Community institution or organization sector B. Health-care sector C. Community-at-large sector D. Preventative sector

ANS: C. Community-at-large sector The community-at-large sector includes community-wide efforts to improve the social and built environments.

A PHN uses the Mobilizing for Actions through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) strategic model because of its distinct use for assessing what particular aspect of a public health situation? A. Financial B. Mortality C. Intervention D. Geographic

ANS: C. Intervention The MAPP tool includes the full scope of health planning including assessment, diagnosis, developing an intervention, implementing the intervention, and evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention.

In order to develop maintenance and survival strategies for a community in the event of an emergency, a PHN looks for useful places, persons, and systems. This part of the assessment is called: A. Capacity building B. Needs assessment C. Participatory research D. Asset mapping

ANS: D. Asset mapping Asset mapping is a combination of finding assets (useful qualities, persons, or things) and mapping—that is, exploring, planning, and locating where they are for a time when they are needed.

A PHN is looking for a tool to help conduct a community assessment. The nurse can get such a tool from the: A. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) B. Affordable Care Act (ACA) C. Institute of Medicine (IOM)'s report The Future of Public Health D. Community Health Assessment aNd Group Evaluation (CHANGE)

ANS: D. Community Health Assessment aNd Group Evaluation (CHANGE) This is correct. CHANGE has a tool that includes a process for conducting a comprehensive assessment of a community.

A nursing student is learning about a type of sampling in which a list of the possible participants is present and the number needed for the sample is divided into the total population. From that point, n, every nth person is chosen for the sample. The student learns that this type of sampling is called: A. Quota sampling B. Convenience sampling C. Simple random sampling D. Systematic sampling

ANS: D. Systematic sampling Systematic sampling is used for large populations and involves the method described here.

A PHN was asked to come to a town that was having some noticeable health problems. Driving through town, the nurse noted that there were many for-sale signs, as well as very little green space and some trash in the street. This preassessment phase is called a: A. Community themes and strengths assessment B. Community Health Assessment aNd Group Evaluation (CHANGE) C. Community health status assessment D. Windshield survey

ANS: D. Windshield survey A windshield survey is a drive or walk through the community to observe the community.