NSG 4076 Capstone Synthesis Describe Aggregate Week 2 Project

Community health assessment is a crucial aspect of the nursing profession as it elaborates the healthcare needs of a given aggregate, hence promoting the overall health of the entire community. Different methods are normally utilized in assessing the health status of a given community including the demographic and epidemiological methods. Once the healthcare needs of the community are known, appropriate strategies are then put in place to promote the provision of healthcare services to the identified aggregate. This paper identifies three females middle-aged between 35-44 years of age of the Fort Pierce Florida community as the aggregate for the health promotion project. Studies show that middle-aged women are at increased risk of experiencing several debilitating ongoing symptoms especially after vaccination and treatment for Covid-19 such as fatigue, muscle pain, breathlessness, depression, and anxiety (Sen-Crowe et al., 2021).The healthcare needs for this group of women have been assessed through the conducted windshield survey. The entire project will be based on the assessment outcome of the aggregate group.

My Aggregate Description

The aggregate group identified for this project are 3 females middle-aged between 35-44 years of age from Fort Pierce Florida. This community is located in St. Lucie County, Florida. It has a population of approximately 46,103as recorded by the U.S. Census bureau in 2019. The city sits on a total area of 53.8 km2 of which 15.6 km2 is covered by water while the rest is land (Sen-Crowe et al., 2021). InFort Pierce Florida, the population is spread out as children under the age of 18 years account for approximately 25.9% of the entire population, whereas the elderly above the age of 65 years account for approximately 6.8%.Women are more than men in this community, at a ratio of 96 men to 100 women. The majority of the community members are whites, closely followed by African Americans, as other racial groups such as the Latino, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans account for a small percentage of the community. Approximately 40% of middle-aged women from this communityare experiencing some form of depression or anxiety as a result of their fear of dying from Covid-19, because of the increased death rate during the pandemic (Harris, 2020).

Brief History

Fort Pierce is also known as the Sunrise City, and for over 100 years, it has been considered the hub of St. Lucie County in Florida. It is one of the oldest communities located on the east coast of Florida. The poverty rate in this city as of 2019 is 29.4%, with a median household income of $35,198. Fort Pierce’s life expectancy 3-year average was 79.7, with the leading cause of death being heart disease, followed by cancer.As per the identified aggregate,middle-aged women in Fort Piece Florida, and across the U.S have continued gaining substantial improvements in their health seen by the decreasing mortality rates due to breast cancer, lung cancer, and heart disease. However, according to the ‘Status of Women in Florida by County: Health & Well-Being,’ there has been an increasing prevalence of diabetes and suicide incidence among middle-aged women in Florida, which indicates a decline in mental health (Thibaut & van Wijngaarden-Cremers, 2020). This has even worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Reasons for Selection of this Aggregate

The main reason behind the selection of this aggregate group for my capstone project is the increased rate of diabetes and mental health problems among middle-aged women in Fort Pierce Florida before the pandemic. Between the years 2000 and 2015, it was reported that the suicide rates and poor mental health among middle-aged women in Fort Piece Florida had increased (Cardel et al., 2020).These figures have risen even more since the first nine months of the epidemic. As a result of the virus’s rapid spread, women are now afraid to undergo routine cancer screenings and other treatments. The mortality rate among this age group has also risen over the past 2 years as a result of the Corvid-19 pandemic. This has contributed to the increasing rate of anxiety and depression among women between the age of 35 to 44 years. Thus, appropriate strategies must be implemented inFort Pierce, Florida, to promote the mental health of this vulnerable group.

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Windshield Survey: Community Assessment

Nature of the Aggregate Community

The levels of anxiety and depression among middle-aged women in Fort Pierce Florida have gone up over the past few years as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The community has always focused on this vulnerable group, especially with their physical health. However, less attention has been put forward towards promoting their mental health(Thibaut & van Wijngaarden-Cremers, 2020). This has led to an increased rate of depression and anxiety in addition to suicide attempts during the pandemic.

Nature of a Healthy Community

A healthy community should take keen consideration on promoting the mental health of middle-aged women, while still containing the virus. For example, women must be informed of the critical actions required to help prevent the transmission of the virus, particularly when they present for routine cancer and other health screening (Harris, 2020).In addition, to enhance the mental health of middle-aged women during these difficult times, the healthcare system must also provide a robust mental health support system that promotes counseling and routine psychiatric assessment.

Data Sources

The data collection processes utilized include interviews and observation. The community members serve as the primary source of data concerning the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of middle-aged women in this region (Sen-Crowe et al., 2021). Additional data concerning the living and healthcare environment was collected through observation and community research.

Key Observations

The average age of community members in Fort Pierce Florida is 42 years as of 2019. The majority of the population are whites, closely followed by African Americans, with other racial groups such as Asians accounting for a small part of the community. The housing in this area is affordable and conducive for women, with the cost of single-family houses and condos dropping during the pandemic. The city being part of the east coast has several recreational areas with parks located closer to the households. Most of the community members are religious, with churches and mosques among other places of worship built on most corners of the streets (Kantor & Kantor, 2020). The neighborhood is quite safe and clean, with a low crime rate. Most of the roads are well maintained with easily accessible forms of transport. The majority of the community members are employed with several business centers, promoting the economy of the city. And, while everyone has adequate access to health care, there are still considerable inequities for the poor.

Assessment of the Needs

This group’s current health requirements include easy access to health and mental health care, assistance for dealing with mental health concerns, and the availability of cash to seek or engage in private mental health therapy sessions. This population and others in the community require these tools to manage the rise in mental health issues like sadness, anxiety, and suicide attempts during the Covid-19 epidemic. The spread of the virus has also led to increased comorbidities and increased death rates among middle-aged women between the age of 35 and 44 years (Thibaut & van Wijngaarden-Cremers, 2020). Consequently, most middle-aged women in this area reported increased incidences of not seeing a doctor or healthcare professional as a result of increased healthcare costs due to shortages of clinicians during the pandemic(Kantor & Kantor, 2020).

Conclusion and Recommendations

The mental health of the middle-aged women in Fort Pierce Florida, just like other women across the world has been negatively affected during the covid-19 pandemic. As such, several programs must be established to help promote routine health screening for disease prevention,evaluation of mental status, and measurement of the severity of mental health problems reportedamong this group. These interventions are essential for the overall health and wellbeing of these women and the general public.

NSG 4076 Capstone Synthesis Describe Aggregate Week 2 Project References

Cardel, M. I., Manasse, S., Krukowski, R. A., Ross, K., Shakour, R., Miller, D. R., … & Hong, Y. R. (2020). COVID‐19 impacts mental Health outcomes and ability/desire to participate in research among current research participants. Obesity, 28(12), 2272-2281. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23016

Harris, J. E. (2020). COVID-19 case mortality rates continue to decline in Florida. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.03.20167338

Kantor, B. N., & Kantor, J. (2020). Mental Health Outcomes and Associations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study in the United States. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.569083

Sen-Crowe, B., Sutherland, M., McKenney, M., & Elkbuli, A. (2021). The Florida COVID-19 mystery: lessons to be learned. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2020.08.009

Thibaut, F., & van Wijngaarden-Cremers, P. (2020). Women’s mental health in the time of Covid-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, 1, 17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2020.588372