1. Name of the community: Natick, Massachusetts
2. Approximate size, in numbers, of this community's population: According to the 2010 Census, Natick had 33,006 persons. However, population estimates as of July 1, 2018, indicated the number of persons in the region is 36,229 (United States Census Bureau, 2019).
3. What is the density of the population? i.e. people per square mile? Natick’s population density is 2207.3 people per square miles (United States Census Bureau, 2019).
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DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: (35 Points)
4. Fill out blanks using approximate percentages & c iting your source:
| Residents | |
| African-American |
1.8% (United States Census Bureau, 2019). |
| Asian-American |
12.5% (United States Census Bureau, 2019). |
| Caucasian |
82.9% (United States Census Bureau, 2019). |
| Hispanic/Latino/Latina |
3.9% (United States Census Bureau, 2019). |
| Native American |
0.1% (United States Census Bureau, 2019). |
| Other |
1.5% (United States Census Bureau, 2019). |
| Male |
48.1% (City-Data,2019) |
| Female |
51.9% (City-Data,2019) |
| Children under 18 |
24.4% (City-Data,2019) |
5. What is the percentage of the population with incomes below the poverty level? 3.6% (United States Census Bureau, 2019).
6. What is the percentage of the population receiving public assistance? 7% (Health of Massachusetts, 2016).
7. What is the unemployment rate? 1.9% (Ycharts, 2019).
8. What percentage of the population over 25 has completed high school? 97.5% (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2019).
9. What percentage of the population over 25 has completed college? 67.5% (United States Census Bureau, 2019).
10. What is the number of family units in the community? 14,263 (United States Census Bureau, 201).
COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT: THE POPULATION (30 Points)
11. What are the three leading causes of death in the community? Heart diseases, all-site cancer, injuries, and poisoning (Partners Healthcare System Inc., 2019).
12. What are the three non-infectious, chronic diseases reported in the community? Heart attacks, cancer and diabetes (Partners Healthcare System Inc., 2019).
13. What are the three major acute, infectious diseases reported in the community? Hepatitis C, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia (Partners Healthcare System Inc., 2019).
14. Which populations are disproportionately affected by an infectious disease?
In Natick, the highest percentage of infectious disease affects adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years (Partners Healthcare System Inc., 2019).
15. What epidemics have occurred or are ongoing during the past year?
The opioid epidemic, motor vehicle accidents, low birth weights, and electronic cigarette use (Partners Healthcare System Inc., 2019).
16. What are the community’s maternal child health statistics?
The neonatal mortality rate of 3.1 per 1000 live births (Kids Count, 2019).
The infant mortality rate of 8.5 per 1000 live births (Kids Count, 2019).
RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS AND STRATEGIES: (20 Points)
Describe the 1-3 risk factors and 1-3 protective factors you believe your community has. This should be based on your own observations, as well as on your research of the town, including community newspaper articles and local boards of health meeting minutes. For each factor, what recommendations would you make to the town mayor or Board of Health Director regarding your observations of this town?
17. Risk Factors are any community attribute, characteristic or exposures to individuals that increases or exacerbates the likelihood of developing a disease or injury.
Risk Factor 1 : Depression and Anxiety
Mental health is a prominent issue in Natick region and the larger Massachusetts area. Mental health is known to affect the people across all ages ranging from children to youth to young adults to the elderly generation. The participants cited a higher rate of depression nd anxiety. Because of this, suicide ideation and completed suicide rates are very high in Natick. Depression and anxiety are the main risk factors for suicidal behavior, and it is often untreated or undiagnosed. Among adolescents, the major cause of depression is identified as being bullying with Natick having the highest rate of electronic bullying in Massachusetts in 2015-2017at 16.4% as compared to the national coverage of 15.2%
Primary recommendation : Psychological therapies
Suggested Strategy : psychological therapies can be used in the treatment of people across all ages and people who have been trained in adult, child and adolescent mental healthcare should provide them. During the treatment of depression, the therapists should identify educational, social developmental and comorbid diagnoses.
Risk Factor 2 : Unprotected Teenage and Adolescent Sex
Natick region has a very high rate of sexually infected diseases such as hepatitis A, B and C, gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis (Partners Healthcare System Inc., 2019). A significant number of teenager and adolescents are engaging in high rates of unprotected sex, which is leading to the spread of the infections.
Primary recommendation : Sex Education
Suggested Strategy : Sex education is the key to reducing the rates of increased sexually transmitted infections. Sex education should be made part of the school curriculum, which will ensure the youth have all the knowledge to make a wise decision regarding involving in teenage sex.
Risk Factor 3 : Unhealthy eating patterns
Natick region has high prevalence obesity and diabetes cases. (Partners Healthcare System Inc., 2019) Accessing healthy foods in Natick region and the broader Massachusetts region has become a significant challenge. The main barriers towards obtaining healthy foods are the cost, and transport lack of knowledge on which foods are the best has also been identified as being a significant challenge to having a healthy diet.
Primary recommendation : Training around healthy eating
Suggested Strategy : A considerable number of people in Natick region lack knowledge on which foods are the best (Partners Healthcare System Inc.201). Obesity and diabetes are diet-related disorders, and by eating healthy foods, the people of Natick will reduce the adverse effects resulting from obesity and diabetes, including other disorders such as hypertension and cardiovascular disorders.
18. Protective Factors- conditions or attributes (skills, strengths, resources, supports or coping strategies) in communities that help people deal more effectively with stressful events and mitigate or eliminate health risks in families and communities and live healthier.
Protective Factor 1 : Parental monitoring
Primary recommendation : Improving family interactions
Suggested Strategy : Some of the risks factors for early drug use amongst children is poor relationships with family members. There is a need to develop attachments and nurturing by parents. A strong bond between the parents and child, parental involvement in the child’s life and consistent enforcement of discipline can help to reduce vaping and opioid use among adolescents.
Protective Factor 2 : Neighborhood cooperation
Primary recommendation : Support positive sexual health and arranging after school programs
Suggested Strategy : Neighborhoods must manage the behavior of the children during school holidays and after school time. Neighborhoods can organize sporting events for adolescents during school holidays to ensure they eliminate time for youth to engage in risky sexual behavior hence reduce sexually transmitted infections.
Protective Factor 3 : Physical activity
Primary recommendation : Engaging in daily jogging, running and bicycle riding
Suggested Strategy : Parents should ensure that once the children close for holidays, their children do not spend most of the time indoors. They should ensure their children are engaging in various forms of physical exercise to reduce obesity rates
References
Advocates for Youth. (2014, May). Sexuality education . Retrieved from https://advocatesforyouth.org/resources/fact-sheets/sexuality-education-2/
City-Data. (2019). Natick, Massachusetts . Retrieved from http://www.city-data.com/city/Natick-Massachusetts.html
Health of Massachusetts (2016). Demographics and socio-economics . Retrieved from https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/07/vs/hom-chapter-1.pdf
Kids Count. (2019). Massachusetts indicators . Retrieved from https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data#MA/11/0/char/0
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2019). Schools and districts profiles . Retrieved from http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/statereport/gradrates.aspx
Partners Healthcare System Inc. (2019, September 27). Substantial capital expenditure and substantial change in service Newton-Wellesley hospital . Retrieved from https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2019/10/03/partners-healthcare-system-application-attachments.pdf?_ga=2.212080605.85975597.1575382674-196061720.1575382674
United States Census Bureau. (2019 ). Natick town, Middlesex County, Massachusetts . Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/naticktownmiddlesexcountymassachusetts/HCN010212#qf-headnote-c
Ycharts. (2019). Natick, MA Unemployment Rate: 1.90% for Oct 2019 . Retrieved from https://ycharts.com/indicators/natick_ma_unemployment_rate
