Windshield Survey of

Zeeland
By: Andrew Smith
Katie Miller
Lindsay Bolhuis
Gail Luskin

Windshield Survey
Observation of a community while driving a
car or riding public transportation to collect
data for a community assessment.
(Harkness & DeMarco, 2012, p.175)

Introduction
Ottawa County - Zeeland
Located NE of Holland and SW of Grand Rapids
o Settled in 1874 by Jannes Vande Luyster
o County named for the group of Ottawa Indians who
helped the settlers adapt to the region
o Current Population - 5,504 (2010)
o

Why Zeeland?
o

Home to a few members of our class

Definitions
Community - A group of people sharing common interests, needs,
resources, and environment; an interrelating and interacting group of
people with shared needs and interests. (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012,
p.175)
Community Health - What society does collectively to ensure that
conditions exist in which people can be healthy. (Based off of definition
for Public Health) (Harkness & DeMarco, 2012, p.3)
Community as client - Helping a community by focusing on each
individuals health.

Healthy People 2020

Goal: Promote health and reduce chronic disease risk
through the consumption of healthy and nutritious diets
and achievement and maintenance of healthy body
weights

Nursing Role:
Education related to proper nutrition and weight.
Regularly assess BMI

Health Risks in Community

Childhood Obesity
o
o

13.4% of 853 3rd grade students surveyed were

obese (2014)
Low socioeconomic status is a risk factor in the U.S.

Uninsured Population
The percentage of uninsured residents age 18 to 64 is
13%
o Rate for those with less than a high school diploma is
35%
o

Health Risks in Community

(continued)

Tobacco Use Among Youth

o 9.9% of 4,786 students surveyed had smoked cigarettes
on one or more of last 30 days ((Ottawa County
Department of Public Health, 2013, p. 22)
o This percentage is lower than in years previous
Reportable Diseases
o Higher rates of disease than State of MI for legionellosis,
giardi, histoplasmosis, campylobacter, pertussis, and flulike diseases
o Occurrence of STDs in Ottawa County is lower than the
state.

Windshield Survey: Housing & Zoning

Windshield Survey: Open Space

Windshield Survey: Boundaries

Windshield Survey:
Commons/Gathering Areas

Windshield Survey: Manufacturing

Windshield Survey: Municipal

Buildings

Windshield Survey: Stores & Street

People

Windshield Survey: Education

Windshield Survey: Religion & Politics

Windshield Survey: Health & Morbidity

Windshield Survey: Signs of Decay

Windshield Survey:
Entertainment/Recreation

Analysis
Strengths o Many resources for community members, has both areas for
recreation and business, modern hospital, and multiple sites of
religious worship.
Weaknesses o Unused and dilapidated buildings, and many health risks for
youth.
Suggestions o Developing after school programs on eating healthy and
exercising.
o Refurbishing unused buildings for community meeting places.

Conclusion
The City of Zeeland is a beautiful place to
live and offers many resources to its
community.
Low crime and good maintenance of the
community makes this a great area to raise
children.
Zeeland is a good example of urbanization
and growth.

References
Data & Statistics. (2014). Department of Public Health. Retrieved from:
http://www.miottawa.org

Harkness, G. & De Marco, R. (2012). Community and Public Health

Nursing: Evidence for Practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins.
History. (2014). Zeeland. Retrieved from: http://ci.zeeland.mi.us
United States Department of Health and Human Services, Healthy People
2020. Retrieved from: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives/topic/nutrition-and-weight-status