Community windshield survey methods and findings

Windshield Survey

This "windshield survey" of the Bronx shows that while the borough struggled a bit during the recent recession, the Bronx appears to be quite vibrant socially, economically on the rebound, with good housing and healthcare albeit air pollution and other environmental problems exist, as well.

Community Vitality

If "vitality" measures the social and economic health of the community, it can be said that the Bronx is doing very well. The Bronx is home to "…nearly a dozen colleges and universities" and it has the Bronx Zoo (a world class zoo), the New York Botanical Garden (considered among the best in the nation), and Sunshine Bronx is a cooperative that shows the growth spirit of the Bronx. Hunts Point at Sunshine Bronx is on the upswing, according to Adam Davidson writing in The New York Times. It has fresh supplies of produce, fish and meat, and it sells meat and fish to just about every grocery store in New York City (Davidson, 2012, p. 2).

Indicators of Social and Economic Conditions

William C. Dudley is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and he gave a speech at Fordham University in the Bronx in 2011. In his remarks he said that the Bronx has sustained "…almost no net job loss during the recession," in fact the Bronx added 10,000 jobs since the start of the recession (Dudley, 2011). The reason that jobs are added in the Bronx is because there is a "concentration" of health and education facilities, he said, and in fact Montefiore Medical Center is the borough's largest employer. Still, not everything is rosy as far as the economy in the Bronx. About 12% of the workforce is currently unemployed, and less than 1/5th of the adults in the Bronx are college educated (Dudley, p. 2).

Health Resources

As Dudley explained, Montefiore Medical Center is the facility that employs more people than any other place in the Bronx. Also, the Bronx has the Bronx Health Center, which provides pediatrics and well-baby care, prenatal and post-partum care, medicine for youth and adults, family planning, immunizations, geriatric care, HIV testing and education, counseling on nutrition and mental health, social services and even podiatry (foot care).

Environmental Conditions Related to Health

A recent survey was given to 200 residents of the Bronx, and the results show that improvement could be made in terms of a healthy environment. Fifty-eight percent of the 200 people that responded said that the environmental quality is "…low or very low" (Bronx Health Think, 2010). Only about 39% of the female respondents reported that they were given information on environmental risks during pregnancy. Between 58 and 70% of the respondents said they learned about environmental issues from television and newspapers, and 67% had "specific suggestions on actions…" that could be accepted by officials in terms of how to improve the environment in the Bronx for pregnant women, babies, and the community (Bronx Health Think).

Social Functioning

The Social Events "Meet-ups" group lists many events for people, including singles, in the Bronx area. Social networking invites singles to social fun; there is the "New York City Shyness and Social Anxiety Coaching" group; the "New York Designers for Social Change"; "Careers for Greater Social Impact"; "Social Media for Small Business"; "Social Anxiety Group"; and many others, including Bronx venues for karaoke.

Attitudes Toward Healthcare