Healthy People 2020 Issues - Assignment Example

Assignment: Health Topic Paper al Affiliation General Overall Impression When carrying out a health assessment, it is usually imperative to understand the community in question in terms of its composition, ways of life and the existing resources that may impact on the wellbeing of the people in one way or the other (Davies, 2013, pg 27). This treatise considers the community living in Sunnyside, New York. Direct observation is sued to be able to explore the topic of environmental Sunnyside. Over the years, Sunnyside has grown to be a stark contrast to the gleaming glass residential towers found in the nearby Long Island City. It is an old fashioned neighborhood made up of squat apartments, row houses and shopping streets. Unlike many other neighboring residential areas, Sunnyside still boasts of mom and pop businesses. The boundaries of Sunnyside roughly correspond to those of 11104 Zip Code. It is an area of nearly one half square mile. By 2014, Sunnyside had a total population of about 29,000 people (NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2015a). Majority of the Sunnyside dwellers are first time mums and small families. This is basically because most of the houses in the area were initially built to accommodate small families. The initial houses were one to two bedroom units. It is however, worth pointing out that in some areas, developers have demolished the old houses and put up residential house that can accommodate large families. The residential buildings and units have gardens that are used for family gatherings, social events and as play areas for the young ones. Sunnyside neighborhood is best known for the Sunnyside Gardens Historic District. This is one of the first planned communities in the entire United States of America. It was built between 1924 and 1929 (Haller, 2015). The Sunnyside Gardens Historic District appears more like an old English town with gabled brick town houses. The area also boasts of verdant court yards as well as several pathways that weave between the buildings and residential house. The houses that were built during the 1924 planning period have been maintained with renovations being done on regular basis to ensure that they are in good condition for use by the Sunnyside dwellers. According to Haller (2015), the bike lanes and the Sunnyside gardens in the area has made it very attractive to small families and parents who are having their first children. The bike lanes are well kept and maintained. The lighting system in the various lanes and pathways has been perfectly done making it appear as a modern residential area yet it way planned and developed very many years ago. Sunnyside population is made up of middle aged people working in various organizations and enterprise in the area. There are those who run their own businesses in the neighborhood (NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2015b). The people living in Sunnyside are generally known to be very friendly. This has made it possible for various community initiatives meant to uplift the area to be successful. The locals take it as their own responsibility to ensure that the natural and the built environment in the area is protected in order to enhance their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of other people living in the neighborhood. Sunnyside Community Resources Sunnyside boasts of several service facilities that are meant to enhance the lives of the locals. They include schools, a shopping centre, social function halls, hospitals and education facilities. Apart from the education institutions and facilities that were built long time ago, there are new facilities which have been developed in the last few years. There are both public and private education institutions in the neighborhood. All the educational facilities play a key role in improving access to education especially at the elementary level. Some of the institutions which have benefitted the locals include The Children’s Lab School, P.S 150 Queens, and P.S 199 Maurice A. Fitzgerald School. Statistics from the Department of Education have shown that the level of education standard in the area has tremendously improved over the last five years. The Sunnyside is serviced by the No 7 Subway train. The Manhattan bound trains also play a key role in facilitating movement of people especially in the morning hours. However, residents have to put up with the frequent weekend rail shutdowns to allow for repairs and regular signal upgrades. Environmental Health Based on the community assessment carried out, this treatise will explore the issue of environmental health in Sunnyside. Franklin, Lorann & Last (2013, pg 55) defines environmental health to be a branch of public health dealing with all aspects of natural as well as built environments that affect human health in one way or the other. In most instances, it is not easy to draw a line between environmental health and environmental protection since they both relate to the health and wellbeing of the community living in that particular locality. The main reason why the topic of environmental health has been selected for this particular task is because it is one of the most critical aspects of the wellbeing of the local community. Since Sunnyside neighborhood was designed and built several years back, the changes that have been seen in the last couple of years may in one way or the other impact on the welfare and the health of the locals. This makes it a key issue that needs to be looked into. The topic of environmental health facilities the understanding of how the natural as well as the built environment in the area have affected the wellbeing of the locals and how it they have also impacted on the ecosystems (Wildavsky, 2005, pg 101). There are several resources and initiatives that have helped in improving environmental health in Sunnyside. One of the key factors that have played a big role in this is the planning which is done when new buildings are being put up. There are relevant agencies that have been set up that provide approval to the buildings that are put up in the area just like it is done in other neighboring residential areas. Every developer in the area is expected to seek approval before putting up buildings. This has ensured that the new structures developed do not impact negatively on the health and wellbeing of the locals. Another key factor that have helped in dealing with issues related to environmental health in the area is the close working relationship among the various people living in the area. The residents are usually very quick in responding to community issues, which in one way or the other relate to environmental health. Some of the community issues and projects that have been done, basically as a result of the close working relationship among the communities, is the repaving of the local streets and protection of the environment. The activities are coordinated by various local organizations with the communities playing a very key role in their success. Goldstein & Izeman (2004, pg 62) states that one issue that appears to be negatively impacting on Sunnyside’s environmental health is the growing population. More families are making their way into the area with the effect being seen in terms of crowding in public facilities such as trains stations and shopping blocks and centers. Plans are also underway to build 11,000 units of affordable housing units in the Sunnyside Yards (Haller, 2015). Rail and road transport in the area is also being improved to ease movement. While doing so, the relevant authorities need to consider the effect that it may have on the current environmental health situation. It will also be necessary to enhance and improve other public utilities and facilities such as hospitals so that congestion and overcrowding is reduced. The government, families, organizations and learning institutions must also make protection of the local natural and built environment their responsibility. References Davies, K. (2013). The Rise of the U.S. Environmental Health Movement. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. Franklin, W., Lorann, S., & Last, J. (2013). Global Public Health: Ecological Foundations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Goldstein, E. & Izeman, M. (2004). The New York Environment Book. New York:  Island Press.  Haller, V. (2015, March 18).Sunnyside, Queens, ‘Mayberry’ near midtown. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/realestate/sunnyside-queens-mayberry-near- midtown.html?_r=0 NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2015a). Healthy Environment. Retrieved from http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/environmental/environmental.shtml. NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2015b). Healthy Homes and Community Safety. Retrieved from http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/living/home-safety.shtml. Wildavsky, K. (2005). A Citizen’s Guide to Environmental Health and Safety Issues. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Read More