ASSESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS FOR HEALTH EDUCATION

Walking surveys are systematic observations made while walking through the chosen community. Windshield surveys are systematic observations for data collection while being in a moving vehicle (“Windshield and Walking Surveys,” 2013). Windshield or Walking surveys provide you an objective viewpoint of the surveyed community. This, in turn, helps you to accurately assess a community’s health needs. You can use either type of survey to invite and mobilize the community to participate in programs. There are times that community members do not realize the number of assets and/or resources their community possesses. A windshield or walking survey can bring to light such assets or resources.
For this Assignment:
Consider your own community or select a community you are familiar with, for conducting a walking or a windshield survey.
Read this week’s Learning Resources and pay specific attention to the resources concerning walking and windshield surveys.
Review the resource Windshield Survey: A Micro Approach from this week’s resources.

Note: The tool in the above resource is used by various public health professionals and health educators. Although this particular example is targeted toward nurses, you should review the resource from the perspective of a health educator. In addition, you should consider the community you have selected to conduct the walking or windshield survey on, when reviewing the items in the resource.
Decide on the areas you will include in your walking or windshield survey.
Decide when you will conduct your walking or windshield survey.
Develop a questionnaire for your walking or windshield survey using the questions from the resource Windshield Survey: A Micro Approach, for the survey. You can also generate additional questions, as you seem appropriate.
Assignment (3-4pages)
Conduct a walking or a windshield survey. Submit a summary of your survey findings. Attach the questionnaire with your survey findings.
After conducting this walking or windshield survey, explain what other methods you think would be helpful to collect primary data from this community and why.
List other questions you would ask in a walking or a windshield survey.
Note: Please remember the following suggestions while conducting your survey:
Prior to conducting your survey, make a checklist to ensure that you address all your questions, and observe all the areas you want to.
Try to be unobtrusive.
Carry identification.
Record your findings as you go.
Pay attention to safety.