Data Interpretation Worksheet for Community Assessment Exercise-

Module 1

C. Data Interpretation
After you have collected the data, you analyze the findings. You look through the data to find out
whether you have collected adequate information to obtain a complete picture of the community.
You review the data you have collected to identify recurrent themes. You identify the strengths
and weaknesses of the community, so that you can draw some conclusions.

Using the data on the Community Assessment (CAA) form complete the questions below:
For data gathered, describe if data gathered was used to complete the answer, and what type. Do
the same for the data generated column.

Prevalence of Overweight Children

 National: 20%
 State: 22%
 Local: 25%

Topic Area: Physical Activity for Children

Data Gathered Data Generated
statistics

Interpretation:

The prevalence of children who are overweight is greater locally (25%) than it is at the
state level (22%) and the national level (20%).

Conclusion:
One in four children living in Midway are overweight. Compared to state and national
averages, this is a greater percentage of the population than would be expected. Therefore,
the rate of children who are overweight is an area for improvement in community health
and should be addressed by the public health RN.

All items and derived items © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Community Assessment Applied 12-2

Topic Area: Nutritional Patterns for Children

Data Gathered Data Generated
statistics Informant interview

Interpretation:
According to the PE teacher at the elementary school, children have access to a la carte
lunch, which enables them to purchase junk food instead of a well-balanced meal for lunch.
Thirty-five percent of school-aged children qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and
93% of Midway children attend school. It seems likely that children have fast food for
dinner at least once a week, considering that in most homes both parents work and have
little time to cook.

Conclusion:

All children eat lunch at school, and more than a third of students qualify for subsidized or
free lunch. However, the current menu enables children to select non-nutritive junk foods.
Therefore, the community health RN should examine the school lunch menu and snack
offerings and work with the school to provide only nutritious choices to children. It would
also be beneficial to interview parents on perceived barriers to providing healthy food at
home and plan to help parents overcome those obstacles.

Adult Obesity Prevalence (BMI [body mass index] >30)

• National: 32%
• State: 35%
• Local: 34%

Mortality Rates Related to Chronic Disease

• Heart disease:
• National: 125 coronary heart disease deaths per 100,000 population per year
• State: 130 coronary heart disease deaths per 100,000 population per year

All items and derived items © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Community Assessment Applied 12-3

• Cardiovascular accident (CVA):

• National: 42 stroke deaths per 100,000 population per year
• State: 46 stoke deaths per 100,000 population per year
• Diabetes:
• National: 73 diabetes deaths per 100,000 population per year
• State: 73 diabetes deaths per 100,000 population per year

Topic Area: Physical Activity for Adults

Data Gathered Data Generated
Statistics
Interpretation:

The prevalence of adults in Midway who are obese is greater locally (34%) than it is at the
national level (32%), but slightly lower than the state level (35%).

Statewide, deaths due to strokes and coronary heart disease (CHD) both occur at a higher
rate than at the national level (46 stroke deaths per 100,000 population per year and 130
CHD deaths per 100,000 population per year, respectively). The prevalence of deaths due
to diabetes is the same at the state and national levels.

Conclusion:

There are more obese adults in this state compared to the national average, suggesting that
this is a public health concern for Midway. When considering mortality rates, of particular
concern is the rate of strokes and CHD (diabetes is of concern as well, but not more so than
at the national level). Therefore, the public health RN’s community health
recommendations should aim to reduce adult obesity and reduce morbidity and mortality
related to strokes and CHD.

Topic Area: Nutritional Patterns for Adults

Data Gathered Data Generated
Informant interviews

Interpretation:
According to a restauranteur, restaurant patrons are in a hurry and desire generous portions.
Therefore, many may frequent the fast-food eateries and pizza parlors in town, both to save time
in their busy schedules and to satisfy large appetites.

All items and derived items © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Community Assessment Applied 12-4

Conclusion:

Based on interviews with community members, one of the main barriers to adults eating
healthy food and providing nutritious choices for their children is that they are busy
working and commuting and perceive little time to make food that is as easy or tasty as fast
food options. Therefore, the community health RN will need to address barriers of adult
time constraints to help adults to eat and cook more healthily.

Other Significant Data

According to informant interviews with the PE teacher and minister, not all community leaders
are aware of parks and recreation programming to promote healthy eating. None of the
community members interviewed mentioned that more than a third of school-aged children
qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Twenty percent of the Midway population are people
of color, and 10% of the population are below the poverty line with a median household income
of only $31,550 per year. As the minister expressed, key issues in addressing obesity seem to be
effectively marketing existing health programs and aiding busy families to make healthy choices,
given constraints on time, energy, and money.

On the basis of the community assessment, you are able to draw the following conclusions:

Strengths of the Community

All items and derived items © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Community Assessment Applied 12-5

This community has a reduced-price and free lunch program available to 35% of students.
This creates the potential to feed children of Midway a healthy and delicious meal at least
once a day. Children also have PE three times a week. Furthermore, there are many areas for
safe recreation: the rec center, two parks, the bike trail, the indoor swimming pool, two golf
courses, and sidewalks along major roads to help families walk around. Despite being busy,
on a sunny Sunday afternoon, many families can be seen enjoying playing in the backyard,
gardening, or cruising on the bike trail.

Of note, there are eight churches in Midway, suggesting that communities of faith are very
important group influences for many townspeople. Church congregations, therefore, are key
existing groups that the nurse should work with when aiding the community to reduce the
rates and sequelae of obesity.

Areas for Improvement in the Community

Although there are many opportunities to be physically active – pool programs, adult elder
walking programs, scholarships for parks and rec participation – not all community members
are aware that they are available. Therefore, advertising existing resources for physical
activity is an issue. Additionally, many working-class community members are so busy
earning money for their families that they do not perceive they have enough time to cook or
be physically active with their families. As the minister stated, inadequate communication
and constraints on citizens’ time seem to be key barriers to Midway residents maintaining a
healthy weight.

Recommendations

The community health RN should form goals of effectively advertising existing community
resources to feed children healthy food and involve people of all ages in exercise. Objectives to
achieve this might include the following: conduct an inventory of existing school lunch food
offers and work with the school to offer only nutritious food to children; conduct an in-service
with school staff to acquaint them with nutrition and exercise resources available to students and
families (within school and out in the community); create a health fair aimed at parents to
educate about inexpensive, tasty, and healthy food that they can quickly prepare for their
families; survey families about their favorite foods and teach them how to quickly and cheaply
make a healthier version of it at home; work with church leadership to advertise existing
programs like the scholarships at the parks and rec center. After a specified time following
completion of these programs, the nurse should consult the latest statistics and conduct more
interviews to learn if community members perceive that the rate of obesity has decreased. The
public health RN should also review the latest numbers to see if obesity rates have decreased.

All items and derived items © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.