Windshield Survey

A windshield survey is an assessment of a community conducted by traveling around the

community in a car or public transportation and making observations. The results should yield a
basic description about the community, its health and people. The data gather will help identify
healthcare strengths and weaknesses. Community Health Nurses use information gathered in a
windshield survey to identify the unique features and needs of an individual community. The
data is used to make inferences about community healthcare needs, shape nursing practice, and
interventions by identifying how the geographic, cultural and functional dimension of the
community affects community-nursing care. The group conducted a Windshield Survey of
Concord, North Carolina (zip code 28027) on March 17, 2010. The information gathered in this
survey allowed the surveyors to make basic assumptions about this community and identify
needs for a specific population within the community.

Elements & Descriptions Community Observations

Boundaries Boundaries
What the natural, physical and economic The boundaries of the community are mainly
boundaries? What signs are there of where this physical. The physical boundaries include
neighborhood begins and ends? Does the highway 73 also called Davidson Highway,
neighborhood have an identified name? Highway 601 and Highway 49. There are no
clear boundaries that indicated where this
community ends or begins.

The economic boundaries in this community

are very distinct. The area surrounding
Concord Mills Mall contained newer higher
income housing developments and a few large
apartment complexes. The rural areas in this
community contained a mix of both high
income and low-income housing. Many higher
income neighborhoods had signs indicating the
name of the development. The lower income
housing for the most part did not have any
identifying information and were not located in
traditional neighborhoods.

Housing and Zoning Housing and Zoning

What is the age of the housing, architecture? The age of the housing ranged from brand new
Are all the neighborhoods similar in age and to being built in the early 1900’s. The large
architecture? How would you describe the homes tended to be new construction from the
differences? Are they detached or attached? Is 1980’s to the present. The new and old homes
there space in front and behind? What is their were spread evenly throughout the community.
general condition? Are there signs of disrepair? Many of the rural homes were located on
farms. Most of the housing was single-family
homes, but there were a few attached housing
complexes located in the area.

There are apartments with vinyl and brick

exteriors including the newer apartments
within walking distance of Concord Mills
Mall. Section 8 housing and apartments are
older, probably built in the 1980s.

The single-family homes consisted of

traditional and manufactured homes. The
houses were constructed from brick, wood,
aluminum, vinyl siding, and shake materials.
The older houses were typical traditional ranch
style, while much of the new housing was two
story brick. The homes that appeared to be
built prior to the early 1990’s were on large
several acre lots. In comparison, newer and
high-income homes tended to be in
neighborhoods on small landscaped lots (less
than .25 of an acre) that were well maintained.
Many of the rural low-income homes appeared
to be in a state of disrepair. They had broken
doors, rotting siding, and overgrown lawns
with rusting cars. Some open land contained
abandoned dilapidated barns.

Most new neighborhoods have open spaces

behind the homes, but typical the house is
surrounded by other homes on all sides. Older
houses typically have large front and back
yards.

Signs of Decay Signs of Decay

Is the neighborhood on its way up or down? Is In the urban area, there were many retail
it alive? spaces empty and a few abandoned buildings.
The streets had a moderate amount of litter.
The area surrounding Concord Mills and near
I-85 had many new retail centers that were well
maintained and busy. The rural areas of this zip
code appeared to have several closed and/or
abandoned businesses. The most notable
business closings observed in the area were the
 Philips Morris Plant and a large car dealership
on one of the main streets.
Open Spaces Open Spaces
How much open space is there? What is the There is a great deal of open space in this
quality of the open space? What is the lot size community. The majority of the open space
of the houses? Do you see trees on the appeared to be grazing land for cattle or used
pavements, a green island in the center of for other farming purposes. In the urban area,
streets? Is the open space public or private? there was limited open space, no trees and no
green ways in the center of the streets. The
open spaces were privately owned. For the
most part, there were no sidewalks in the urban
area or the neighborhoods in the community.

Cabarrus County Country Club is a private golf

course in the community. There is one public
park, Frank Liske Park. The park had a pond,
paved walkways, playground equipment and a
covered picnic area. The survey was completed
on a sunny day and several families were seen
at the park walking and playing.

Common Areas Common Areas

What are the neighborhood hangouts? For what Joe’s Sports Bar and Grill appeared crowed. It
groups, at what hours? Does the “commons was located in Afton Park and is a place for
areas” appear to open to the public? sports fans to come together on the weekend or
after work. It was advertising the NCAA
basketball tournament. There were several
shopping plazas, with Concord Mills being the
most popular. Many people (especially
teenagers) walk around the mall as a way to
socialize. Children were observed playing on
the playground at the elementary school.

The common areas, particularly located near

Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Concord Mills
Mall, appeared welcoming and open to the
public. It was inferred that this is related to the
draw of people from all over the region, state
and country to these venues.
Street People Street People
Whom do you see on the street? Do you see Very few people were seen walking around or
anyone you would not expect? Is the dress of on the street. Several people were seen
those you see representative or unexpected? pumping gas and going into retail
establishments. The appearance ranged to
professional dress to dirty torn clothing.
 Several workers were seen doing landscaping
and road improvements. The people observed
appeared to be representative of the community
and the groups expectations
Race Race
Are the residents Caucasian, African- Taking note of the makeup of the people
American, or of another minority group, or is observed in the community, the majority of the
the area integrated? community was Caucasian and African
American. There appeared to be areas of
integration but the majority of the housing
appeared to be divided not only along
economic but racial lines.
Ethnicity Ethnicity
Are there indices of ethnicity? There was little evidence of ethnic diversity in
this community. A small Hispanic influence
was noted in the community. There were a few
restaurants that indicated this influence one of
which was Mexico Lindo.
Religion Religion
Of what religion are the residents? Do you see Several religious establishments were observed
evidence of heterogeneity or homogeneity? in the community. All that were seen were of a
What denominations are the churches? Do you Christian denomination. There was some
see evidence of their use other than on Sunday variability in the type of Christianity. An
mornings? Apostolic (Pentecostal Christian denomination)
and Baptist church were seen. The survey was
conducted during the week and no activity was
noted at the churches. The community showed
evidence of homogeneity in religious
preferences.
Transportation Transportation
How do people get in and out of The primary mode of transportation appeared
neighborhoods? Are the streets and roads to be the car. This is a large and mostly rural
conducive to good transportation and to community with no sidewalks, so walking is
community life? Is there a major highway near not a viable means of transportation. Public
the neighborhood? How frequently is public transportation signs were noted in more
transportation available? populated areas, but the public transportation
was not seen during this survey. Since much of
this community is rural, a car would be
necessary. The community is also home to the
Concord Regional Airport.I-85 bi-sects this
community from North to South and provides
connectivity to the entire Piedmont Region.
Industry Industry
What are the major industries? Are there any Retail related to Concord Mills Malls appeared
apparent occupations? to be a major industry, along with Lowe’s
Motor Speedway and NASCAR.
 Manufacturing and Food Processing were two
other major industries identified. Perdue,
Sysco, and S.D Coffee are located in this
community. In addition, a cement processing
facility and PreGel provide employment
opportunities for community residents. This
area has recently sustained industrial loss with
the closing of the Philip Morris Plant.
Stores Stores
Where do residents shop? How do they travel Residents shopped at Harris Teeter, Food Lion,
to shop? Wal-Mart Supercenter, Aldi and Lowes Foods
for groceries.

Concord Mills Mall, Target and several small

shopping centers appeared to be busy place for
shopping. Due to limited public transportation
and no sidewalks, the majority of people
traveled in cars to do their shopping.
Service Centers Service Centers
Do you see social agencies, clients, signs of The hospital that serves this community is
activity at the school? Are there offices of Carolina’s Medical Center (CMC) Northeast.
doctors, dentists, palmist, and spiritualists? Are In addition, there are several physicians and
there parks? Are they in use? dental offices. The community is also served
by Urgent Care at Poplar Tent and Piedmont
Healthcare-Urgent Care. Another healthcare
resource in this community is Concord Place
Assisted Living on Rock Hill Church Road.

There are several pharmacy options in the

community, which include CVS, Rite Aide,
Walgreens and Medicap Pharmacy.

There was activity noted at both the public and

private schools in the community. One private
school that was seen was the Cannon School.
The Sunshine House provides education
services and tutoring to children for a fee.

Several social service agencies were seen in

the community including Lifespan Enrichment
and Employment, Church of God Children’s
Home for children who have been abused or
abandoned and the Adult and Adolescent
Counseling Center. While touring the
community, a Department of Social Services
vehicle was seen, in addition to police and fire
 vehicles.

The YMCA on Langford Avenue is a faith-

based facility that provides children’s
programs, exercise class and many more
family focused activities.
Health and Morbidity Health and Morbidity
Do you see evidence of acute or chronic There were few outward signs in the
disease or conditions? Of accidents, community of acute or chronic diseases or
communicable diseases, alcoholism, drug conditions. People were observed smoking
addiction, mental illness? How far is the cigarettes and a few obese residents were seen.
nearest hospital or clinic? The nearest hospital is CMC Northeast and is
only a few minutes outside of the community.
Politics Politics
Do you see any political campaign posters? Is No signs of political affiliation or activity were
there a headquarters present? Do you see noted in the community.
evidence of a predominant affiliation?

Media Media
Do you see outdoor television antennas or Several outdoor television antennas and
satellite dishes? What magazines and satellite dishes were seen on homes throughout
newspapers do residents read? What media s the community. The most important source of
most important to the residents? Are there media appeared to be television. The news that
information posters and advertisements? was seen around town was the Charlotte
Observer. There were local advertisements on
billboards for local business and service
throughout the community. Information and
advertisement were also seen on telephone
poles.

Modified from Stanhope, M. & Lancasater, J: Foundations of Nursing in the Community, Third
Edition, St. Louis: Missouri, 2010, Mosby Elsevier