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Abstract #152510

Algia Hickenbotham, MEd, RN, BC, Neighborhood Services Division, Houston Department of Health and Human Services, 8000 N. Stadium Dr., 6th Floor-Nursing Services, Houston, TX 77054, 7136713003, algia.hickenbotham@cityofhouston.net, Angela Vassallo, MPH, Office of Surveillance and Public Health Preparedness, City of Houston, Department of Health and Human Services, 8000 N. Stadium Dr., 8th Floor, Houston, TX 77054, Rick Gamble, Bureau of Human Services, City of Houston, Department of Health and Human Services, 8000 N. Stadium Dr., 6th Floor, Houston, TX 77054, and Pam Patterson, RN, BSN, Neighborhood Services Division, City of Houston, Department of Health and Human Services, 8000 N. Stadium Drive, 6th Floor-Nursing Services, Houston, TX 77054.

The Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) conducted the Tri-Community Assessment & Intervention (A&I) project in September 2006. This was a result of members of the Tri-Community Super Neighborhood Association approaching the department to help identify solutions to accessing health care within their community.

The Tri-Community is a residential neighborhood comprised primarily of elderly African American residents. It is bordered by several pollution emitting sources, an active railroad track, and the Houston Port Authority.

The primary purpose of A & I was three-fold: 1) to investigate access to health care; 2) to explore environmental concerns affecting the community; and 3) to serve as a safety net by linking residents to the health and human services they identified during the assessment.

Public health nurses (PHNs) were enlisted to assist with this project because of their experience in assessment and evaluation. Teams were formed to conduct door-to-door assessments of households. Each team consisted of at least 2 PHNs who could perform brief assessments of household residents who responded positively to trigger questions asked concerning their health. PHN nurses conducted brief histories, performed physical assessments and recommended needed interventions. Some interventions included referring clients directly to urgent care facilities or directly to the emergency room at a nearby hospital. Other interventions included assisting residents by linking them to needed health and human services they identified during the assessment.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe the role of public health nurses (PHN) in a community assessment and intervention project.
• 2. Identify the nursing process applied for the intervention used in an underserved inner city Houston neighborhood.
• 3. Discuss the follow up and intervention provided by PHNs to address issues identified during door-to-door assessments.
• 4. Articulate the public health implications and community concerns of a neighborhood in close proximity to the Houston Port Authority.

Keywords: Community Health Assessment, Access to Care

Related Web page: www.houstontx.gov/health/CommunityHealth/Tri-Community.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.