Windshield Survey of Sunset Park Paper

Windshield Survey of Sunset Park Paper

Windshield Survey of Sunset Park Paper

Samantha M. Tallarine

Capella University

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Vulnerable and Diverse Populations

Windshield Survey

July, 2018

Windshield Survey of Sunset Park

Sunset Park, Brooklyn is a misunderstood, and often underrated portion of this borough of New York City. This paper will help to explore the ever changing neighborhood, and highlight the specific healthcare needs of its diverse population. Every neighborhood has their own health risks and specific needs that need to be met within its different communities. In order to understand Sunset Park, a windshield survey was completed and evaluated to bring optimal care to the people who make up this section of Brooklyn. We will expand upon the needs of high risk populations, and those who are most vulnerable within the community, and will lay out a plan to enhance their livelihood.

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Sunset Park

The borough of Brooklyn has many different areas that are all unique and diverse in its own way; one of these well know areas is called Sunset Park. The area used to be primarily known for being a major port in both the 19th and 20th century, but today it is an up and coming residential, commercial, and industrial area. The area designated as Sunset Park ranges from 36th Street to 65th Street and goes from the waterfront all the way to 8th Avenue. It has become a very diverse community, with Hispanics making up the majority (42%). “Asian residents were the fastest-growing segment, increasing by 241 percent between 1990 and 2014 to 51,730. By 2014 they accounted for more than one-third of the population.” (DiNapoli & Bleiwas, 2016) The median age is 34.2 years old, and it is evenly dispersed between genders. Average life expectancy is 81.6 years, but when asked to report on the condition of their own health, only 68% of the residents considered themselves as “excellent,” “very good” or “good.”

Windshield Surveillance of the Community

A windshield and walking survey of the Sunset Park neighborhood was completed to see if I could get a better grasp on the community. I went back three different times to get a good feeling of what it was it like at all different times in the day. The surveillance was completed during morning hours (between 9-10:30 AM), afternoon (12:30-2 PM), and early evening (5-6:30 PM). I felt that this helped me to get a well-rounded view of what the community has to offer.

Housing

There are 48,750 housing units in Sunset Park, 75% of these units are rented out, and 58% of them are experiencing maintenance defects. This is defined as water leaks, cracks and holes, inadequate heating, presence of mice or rats, toilet breakdowns and peeling paint. The average for the whole borough of Brooklyn is at 62%. The homes from the outside seem to be in good condition, while others appear run down. There are no real front yards, the whole neighborhood is mostly fenced in concrete areas, but this is consistent with the rest of the borough.

“Poorly maintained housing is associated with negative health incomes, including asthma and other respiratory illnesses, injuries, and poor mental health.” (NYCDOHMH, 2015) Sunset Park has a higher percentage than the rest of New York City when it comes to residents living below the Federal Poverty Level (29%), and residents living with “Rent Burden” (55%). This puts extra stress on the residents of the area because they are living in aging buildings, in crowded living spaces, and just barely making ends meet. The price of rent makes it difficult to buy fresh groceries and healthy food, so residents settle for fast food. This makes obesity and diabetes, especially in children, even more prevalent.

Buildings and Surroundings

This area is home to a place called Industry City, the largest facility in Sunset Park. It houses a variety of different stores, and corporations, and since renovations have been underway, 2,000 new jobs have been created. The Brooklyn Nets basketball team even has a training facility in the building where they also host youth sporting clinics as well as events within the community. Sunset Park’s local hospital also just underwent a transformation, as they were taken over by NYU Langone Hospitals. The Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT), once a military depot during World War I, has also been renovated and is now home to over 100 assorted businesses. This has caused an increase in jobs within the area, and is helping to build up the reputation of Sunset Park.

Although an influx of jobs is good for the community, the pollution that comes with an industrial section is not healthy. It was found that Sunset Park has 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5, the most harmful air pollutant. This is higher than both the readings within the rest of the borough of Brooklyn (8.7), and in New York City as a whole (8.6). This pollutant is known to cause health problems, especially in people with preexisting health conditions, as well as at risk populations (young, elderly, etc.).

Parks, Playgrounds, and Public Spaces

The community adopted its name from Sunset Park, one of the highest elevation points of Brooklyn. The park has views of the Manhattan skyline, a public swimming pool, and it also offers free basketball courts, children’s play areas with sprinklers, dog friendly areas, handball courts, and food carts. It is known as a little slice of heaven amongst the busy city streets. There are also many active churches, including one of the most famous and the largest churches in Brooklyn, the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. To round out the history within Sunset Park, they are also home to a national historic landmark, Green-Wood Cemetery. The cemetery spans 478 acres, and is the final resting spot for many famous individuals. They offer year round tours to help navigate the large campus.

Education

As of the 2014-2015 school year, 80% of elementary schools and 20% of middle schools were overcrowded in Sunset Park. Despite the overcrowding, the students of Sunset Park tested higher in Math and English proficiency than Brooklyn, and New York City overall. The area also houses one of the top schools in the city, the Beacon School of Excellence (P.S. 172). Although there have been new schools added recently, there is still a problem with residents not completing their education. 42% of the adults in the community haven’t finished high school while there are an equal amount of high school and college graduates (29%).

Transportation

Public transportation is prevalent in Sunset Park. There is access to both buses and trains, which is primarily how residents get around. Sunset Park residents spend an average of 44.2 minutes traveling to work each day, 64% of which are taking public transportation. It is reliable, and easily accessible, and a one-way ride costs $2.75. Also, a ferry was just put into place last year that has a stop in Sunset Park; this also costs $2.75 per way, and can take you as far as Rockaway or the other way into Manhattan.

Hispanic Culture within Sunset Park

Both U.S. born and immigrants from Latin America account for a little over 40% of the population. Everywhere you look on 4th Avenue, Hispanic culture is apparent; from the sidewalk shops selling merchandise from different countries, to old women selling empanadas outside of church, and the music you hear playing from open apartment windows or passing cars. You can hear the residents speaking Spanish to each other from across the street, and most storefronts have both Spanish and English signs. The culture is thriving, and doesn’t seem to have any end in sight in this community.

Spanish is prevalent in most homes, with 45% of children living in households where English is not spoken. This can cause a great barrier once children enter the school system because they may not be at the level of English speaking that allows them to keep up with their classes. Although the Department of Education does offer a program, English as a Second Language (ESL), it’s not guaranteed that a child will thrive in it. This also creates difficulty when trying to seek help when they fall ill, or need check ups.

Asian Culture within Sunset Park

As stated earlier, the Asian population is growing immensely on the outskirts of Sunset Park. The immigrants have created their own thriving community within the borough, and it doesn’t look like it will go away anytime soon. The streets of 8th Avenue are lined with Asian food and fish markets, along with other Asian storefronts. You can see signs with Asian characters for blocks, and can hear multiple dialects of Chinese being spoken. Similar to the Hispanic community, the Asian community also faces the risk of falling behind with education, and having issues seeking help for illnesses due to language barriers.

Health Risks

The top ten health risks for Sunset Park residents are heart disease, cancer, flu/pneumonia, lower respiratory diseases, stroke, diabetes mellitus, accidents, drug-related, hypertension, and liver disease respectively. Flu/pneumonia, and liver disease are more prevalent in the Sunset Park area than what was recorded citywide. The state of living the residents experience can be making them more susceptible to getting the flu and pneumonia. Apartments are cramped and overcrowded, adding to the chances of spreading illness. The language barrier also can cause people to shy away from receiving the influenza vaccine, so prevention precautions become low.

It was also found that Sunset Park residents have the lowest reported rate of partaking in physical activity within the last 30 days of the survey being taken. This adds to the obesity and diabetes problem seen within the community. Although the community has resources for outdoor activity, many residents don’t take part in physical activity.

Some other issues residents seem to cope with are substance abuse, HIV, asthma, and the potential for lead poisoning and certain cancers. Alcohol-related hospitalizations were up to 881 per 100,000 adults, and drug-related hospitalizations ranked 529 per 100,000 adults. Limited educational, housing, and employment opportunities combined with the availability of drugs contribute to drug and alcohol addiction (NYCDOHMH, 2015).

Conclusion

Although the community within Sunset Park seems to be thriving and keeps growing, upon further research it is clear that the residents are facing issues when it comes to healthcare. They are experiencing large numbers of heightened risk factors due to the influx of immigrants, and housing situations. The surrounding area is booming, and new jobs and organizations are popping up, but I fear that all this will do is to raise prices for the already struggling occupants. In order to care effectively for this diverse community, the nearby healthcare centers need to advocate for their patients, and make sure they are accommodating all cultures to provide exceptional healthcare. Prevention and screening is key, and their needs to be community outreach programs in place to target all age groups, regardless of culture they identify with or languages they speak. There needs to be access to top notch healthcare, and it needs to be affordable to keep this community thriving and growing for the future.

Windshield Survey of Sunset Park Paper

References

Census profile: NYC-Brooklyn Community District 7–Sunset Park & Windsor Terrace PUMA, NY. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://censusreporter.org/profiles/79500US3604012-nycbrooklyn-community-district-7sunset-park–windsor-terrace-puma-ny/

DiNapoli, T. P., & Bleiwas, K. B. (2016, September). An Economic Snapshot of the Greater Sunset Park Area. Retrieved from https://www.osc.state.ny.us/osdc/rpt5-2017.pdf

Kaplan, S. A. (2016). CHNA Executive Summary. Retrieved from https://nyulangone.org/files/chna-executive-summary-10-31-16.pdf

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2015). Brooklyn Community District 7: Sunset Park. Retrieved from https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/data/2015chp-bk7.pdf

NYU Hospitals Center Progress Report. (2018, April). Retrieved from https://nyulangone.org/files/april-2018-csp-progress-report.pdf

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: New York city, New York; UNITED STATES. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/newyorkcitynewyork,US/PST045217

Windshield Survey of Sunset Park Paper