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Running head: COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT

Community Health Assessment: Riverdale Park, Maryland

Danielle Connor

Frostburg State University

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COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT RIVERDALE PARK

Abstract

This community health assessment takes an in-depth look at the overall health of the

Riverdale Park community in Maryland. The client is the community of Riverdale Park.

It incorporates a community health profile inventory and a windshield survey in order to

assess the community’s health needs. Once the top three health needs or problems were

identified for the community through analysis of the data, the problems were prioritized.

These health needs or problems were translated into community health diagnoses. Based

on the community health diagnoses and the Healthy People 2020 Initiatives, goals and

objectives for Riverdale Park were written. The paper presents a plan in the form of goals

and objectives to improve the overall health of the community in Riverdale Park,

Maryland.

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Community Health Assessment: Riverdale Park, MD

The community known as Riverdale Park is an incorporated town with the official

name of Town of Riverdale Park. Its municipal charter was last update in January of 2008

(Town of Riverdale Park, 2008). Riverdale Park’s small but diverse population has many

health needs. The following is an assessment of these health needs. The assessment

includes analysis of the community’s greatest health needs based on many factors that

affect the community. How the physical location, population make up, and social systems

of this community affect the community’s health were analyzed to plan goals and

objectives to maximize the health of this community.

Community Profile Inventory

Location Perspective

The community of Riverdale Park is located in northern Prince George’s County

in Maryland. The community is boarded by Ait. Appendix A illustrates the physical

location of Riverdale Park. At times, it is considered a part of the larger community of

College Park, MD. The town is a suburb of Washington, D.C.

The trash collection is taken care of by the local government. They have

scheduled days for recycling, trash, metal collection, and yard waste. The town’s website

lists a county run landfill site for the disposal of hazardous waste. The county maintains

the water supply (Riverdale Park MD, n.d.). “The national air quality standards [were]

met [in the areas of] carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone,

particulate matter, [and]” for the entirety of Prince George’s county (United States

Department of Health & Human Services, 2009).

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There is a multitude of healthcare institutions in Riverdale Park and its

surrounding areas. Genesis Healthcare offers short stay care, long stay care, transitional

care, and a cardiac management program. Riverdale Medical and Rehabilitation Center

offers rehab services. The Clinica Medica serves the uninsured population in the area by

offering primary care services. The cost of these services, while less than what an

uninsured person would pay at another clinic, could be prohibitive to people living at or

below the poverty line. Riverdale Radiology provides the community radiology services

including x-ray, CT scan, and others.

There are a multitude of options for primary care providers, pediatrician offices,

specialty service providers, and dental care providers in Riverdale and the surrounding

areas. The nearby community of Cheverly is the location of the Prince George’s Hospital

Center, a member of the Dimensions Healthcare System. Doctor’s Community Hospital

is also located nearby in Lanham. There is a pediatric dental clinic at the Prince George’s

County Health Department. The surrounding areas also include behavioral health and

substance abuse care options. There are metro and bus transportation options for those

citizens in need of transportation to the surrounding areas.

Figures 1 – 3 illustrate the climate of Riverdale Park, MD. The higher humidity

levels in the summer affect the health of the population, especially the elderly and young

children.

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Figure 1 (city-data.com, 2014) Average temperatures in Riverdale Park throughout the year as compared to the United States average.

Figure 2 (city-data.com, 2014) Average precipitation throughout the year in Riverdale

Park as compared to the United States average.

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Figure 3 (city-data.com, 2014) Average snowfall in Riverdale Park throughout the year as compared to the United States average.

Snow removal is handled by the Public Works division of the local government for local

roads and the state of Maryland handles the intrastate routes (Town of Riverdale, 2014).

The town of Riverdale Park offers more than seven bike trails to promote healthy

activities and the exploring of surrounding areas. There are public playgrounds for

children to enjoy and promote physical activity.

Population Prospective

According to the United States Census Bureau’s 2010 census, the population of

Riverdale Park, MD was 6,956 (2010). They estimate the 2013 population at 7,147. The

population change from 2010 to 2013 is estimated at an increase of 2.7% (United States

Census Bureau, 2014). The subtle increase should not put a stress on the ability to

provide adequate public health services. However improvement of Riverdale Park’s

community health status is necessary. 9.3% of the population is made up of children less

than 5 years of age. 27.7% is made up of minors less than 18 years of age. 6.7% of the

town’s population is over 65 years of age. Because the majority of the population is

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between the ages of 18 and 64, public health programs should focus on the health issues

confronting this age group. On the other hand, the young and elderly need the attention of

public health in order to relive some of the caregiver burden that falls on the majority of

the population.

Females account for 47.1% of the population. The population density of Riverdale

Park is 4,218.3 people per square mile (United States Census Bureau, 2014). Table 1

shows the marital status of people over the age of 15 in the town.

Marital Status Percentage of Riverdale Park Population

Never Married 49.5

Currently Married 39.5

Separated 1.3

Widowed 2.9

Divorced 6.8

Information provided by City-Data.com.

The high percentage of people never married and low percentage of those divorced could

be related to the age group included in these numbers.

Table 2 illustrates the racial groups in the city of Riverdale Park, MD.

Racial GroupPercentage of Riverdale Park

Population

White alone 32.2

Black alone 27.1

American Indian and Alaska Native alone 1.3

Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 0.1

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Hispanic alone 50

Two or more races 3.9

Table 2. Information provided by quickfacts.census.gov

The racial make up can affect the public health services required by the community. With

more than a quarter of the population made up of Black or African Americans, there

should be investigation into how the community is dealing with the increased risk of

hypertension and heart disease in this population.

“The per capita money income in [the] past 12 months (2012 dollars) [was]

$25,666”, and 13.5% of the population has an income below the poverty level (United

States Census Bureau, 2014). In order to address the healthcare needs of the community,

one must be aware of the pitfalls involved when dealing with the health of those at or

near the poverty line. More than 60% of the adult population in Riverdale Park has a high

school diploma or higher degree of education (City-data.com, 2013).

As you can see in Appendix B, the mortality rate in Prince George’s county

(2008) is less than the mortality rate in Maryland. The birth count in Prince George’s

county is 12,569 in the same year. The leading causes of death are listed in Appendix C.

Heart disease and cancer are the top two causes of death in Prince George’s county.

(Death rates and causes of death were not available for the town of Riverdale Park.)

The percentage of owned homes in the town is 45.8%. Just fewer than 10% of the

households in Riverdale Park participate in Public Assistance (Towncharts.com, 2014).

The top occupations include management, professional, and related occupations, service

occupations, and sales and office occupations (United States Census Bureau, 2000).

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Social System Perspective

In Riverdale Park, Maryland, there are six public schools and one private school.

The six public schools all belong to the Prince George’s County Public School District.

The five elementary schools are Riverdale Elementary School, Templeton Elementary

School, Beacon Heights Elementary School, Excel Academy Public Charter School, and

Seed Learning Academy. Seed Learning Academy is a private daycare center and early

childhood education program. William Wirt Middle School is one middle school and the

previously mentioned Excel Academy Public Charter School includes kindergarten

through eighth grade. Parkdale High School is the lone high school in Riverdale Park,

MD (Education.com, 2014).

The charter school is an alternative to traditional public school. It is run by the

community, and has a specific focus. EXCEL Academy’s mission and vision is supported

by four pillars: “College Preparatory Curriculum…, Cultural Arts…, Character

Development…, [and] Community Partnership” (EXCEL Academy Public Charter

School, 2014). By keeping class sizes small and involving the community in school

activities, the charter school works to maximize the effect education can have on the

future of Riverdale’s population. To keep the classroom size down, admission to the

school is run through a lottery system. Admission is open to all students in Prince

George’s county (EXCEL Academy Public Charter School, 2014).

There are a multitude of recreational facilities in Riverdale Park and the

surrounding area. The town has more than four playgrounds with areas for recreation.

There is a community center and public pool in nearby Greenbelt. Public daycare centers

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and home daycares are available in the area. The town has its own police force and is

served by a volunteer fire department.

Windshield Survey

Riverdale Park, Maryland is a small community in the suburbs of the District of

Columbia. There are neighborhoods off the main roads of Kenilworth Ave, East-West

Highway, and Baltimore Ave. The houses are detached, and most are not of the cookie-

cutter McMansion style. Some of the homes have paint peeling, but there are not any lots

that appear abandoned. The streets have sidewalks. There are people of different races,

ages, and genders doing a multitude of activities. A young mother pushes her child in a

stroller. A middle aged man jogs down the street. There are three elementary school boys

riding bikes on the sidewalk. At a playground, children ages 3 to 10 play on equipment

while adults chat and watch them.

Along East-West Highway, there are at least four strip malls. They contain busy

parking lots with stores such as TJ Max, Target, and restaurants. There is also a local

hangout that is part beer and wine store, part convenience mart with a small dining area

called Town Center Market. There are also gas stations, fast food restaurants, and chain

sit down restaurants.

Inside the neighborhoods are a variety of churches: catholic, Baptist, and non-

denominational Christian. On this weekday, there are a few cars in most of the parking

lots. This author did not find a synagogue or mosque in the town limits, but they are in

surrounding cities such as Greenbelt, College Park, and Washington, D.C.

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Community Health Needs / Problems

Based on the data reviewed in the Community Profile Inventory and Windshield

Survey, the most pressing community health needs in Riverdale, MD and Prince

George’s County are related to chronic diseases. “Over 60% of deaths in the County are

due to chronic disease” (Creekmur, 2014, p. 6). The leading causes of death in 2012 were

heart disease and cancer. In order to improve the health of the community, our efforts

should be focused on “prevention and management of chronic disease” (Creekmur, 2014,

p. 6). Education and access to healthcare services will improve the health of this

community. In order to prevent chronic disease, the community must be educated on the

health behaviors that lend themselves to prevention.

The residents of Riverdale Park were able to articulate the basics of preventing

chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. However many expressed

frustration at the cost of joining a gym and purchasing fresh produce. A majority of the

people this author spoke to during the Windshield Survey also expressed feelings of

helplessness when it came to having the money necessary to ‘move more and eat less’

(Personal communication, unidentified residents, November 28, 2014).

Community Health Diagnosis, Goals, and Objectives

Diagnosis: Altered Nutrition: More than body requirements

68.2% of this community is either overweight or obese; this author would place at the

highest priority the goal of supporting community members in adopting behaviors that

would improve their health status through weight loss. This goal is in line with the Health

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People 2020 Objective (2014) “Increase the proportion of adults who are at a healthy

weight.”

Objective 1: By 2016, less than 60% of the community will be overweight or obese

supported by education programs including how to eat healthy on a budget and

community based exercise classes at convenient times based on surveying the population.

Objective 2: More than 30% of the overweight or obese members of the community will

participate in a health expo in 2015 with education seminars including how to pinpoint

your triggers.

Diagnosis: Knowledge deficit related to unfamiliarity with resources as evidenced by

statements made by citizens of Riverdale Park during Windshield Survey.

This author questioned adults she came in contact with if they were familiar with the

Healthy Revolution website. Only one person stated that they had seen the website

(Personal communication, unidentified residents, November 28, 2014). The Healthy

Revolution website falls under the Healthy People 2020 objective “Increase the number

of community-based organizations (including local health departments…) providing

population-based primary prevention services nutrition and physical activity. The website

advertises programs such as the Eat Healthy Be Active Free Workshop Series.

Objective 1: Increase the number of citizens who actively participate in the Prince

George’s county Healthy Revolution by 25% with flyers on bulletin boards,

advertisements in the local paper the Town Crier, and word of mouth.

Objective 2: Parents will include their children in the healthy changes they are making in

their lives by making fitness a family activity.

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Diagnosis: Knowledge deficit related to primary care resources as evidenced by “17.5%

of residents [indicating] that at some point in the previous year they could not afford to

see a doctor” (Creekmur, 2014, p. 5).

In order to meet the Healthy People 2020 (2014) objective of “increase the proportion of

persons with a usual primary care provider” (PCP), the population must feel they will be

able to pay for the services the PCP provides. One of the top goals in public health

service is primary prevention. In order to achieve this goal, community members must

understand the importance of monitoring their health in the care of a primary care

practitioner. Although one might feel fine, hypertension, pre-diabetes, or other health

issues could be at work making the body a ticking time bomb. The health of each

individual member impacts the community as a whole.

Objective 1: “Increase the proportion of insured persons with coverage for clinical

preventive services” in Riverdale Park, MD by 10% before December of 2016

(Healthypeople.gov, 2014).

Objective 2: Provide in person assistance during open enrollment on

marylandhealthconnection.gov website at the nearby libraries of Hyattsville,

Bladensburg, or Greenbelt branches in order to increase participation by 10% in 2015.

Conclusion

The community of Riverdale Park is a small, diverse suburb of the District of

Columbia. The goal of this project was to investigate the health status of Riverdale Park,

Maryland and present a plan to improve the health of the community. In order to achieve

this goal, this author conducted a Community Profile Inventory and Windshield Survey

to gather pertinent data. Through analysis of the data, the top three community health

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diagnoses were written. Based on the Healthy People 2020 Initiatives, goals and

objectives were created that are in line with the prioritized community health diagnoses.

If the goals and objectives are met over the course of the next few years, positive change

should occur in the health of the Riverdale Park community.

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References

Creekmur, P. B. (2014). Prince George’s county health department: Health report

2014. Retrieved from http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/sites/

Health/ContactUs/Publications/Documents/2014%20health%20report%20v4-08-

14%20no%20blank%20pages.pdf

Education.com. (2014). Schools in Riverdale, MD. Retrieved from

http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/maryland/riverdale/

EXCEL Academy Public Charter School. (2014). Mission & vision. Retrieved from

http://www.excelacademypcs.org/about-us/mission-vision/

Healthypeople.gov. (2014). Access to health services. Retrieved from

http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/nutrition-and-weight-

status/objectives

Healthypeople.gov. (2014). Nutrition and weight status. Retrieved from


status/objectives

Maryland Family Health Administration. (2009). Maryland assessment tool for

community health. Retrieved from http://www.matchstats.org/

cgibin/broker.dll?_SERVICE=MDMATCH&_PROGRAM=match.

deathspopreports.sas

MD HomeTownLocator. (2014). Riverdale, MD zip code map. Retrieved from

http://maryland.hometownlocator.com/zip-codes/zipcodes,city,riverdale.cfm

Town of Riverdale Park. (n.d.). Street division. Retrieved from

http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/publicworks/refuse.cfm

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http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/publicworks/refuse.cfm

http://maryland.hometownlocator.com/zip-codes/zipcodes,city,riverdale.cfm

http://www.matchstats.org/



http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/maryland/riverdale/

http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/sites/%20Health

http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/sites/%20Health


United States Census Bureau. (2014). Riverdale park (town), Maryland. Retrieved from

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/24/2466635.html

United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2009). Community health

status indicators. Retrieved from http://wwwn.cdc.gov/CommunityHealth /

EnvironmentalHealth.aspx?GeogCD=24033&PeerStrat=2&state=

Maryland&county=Prince%20George's

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http://wwwn.cdc.gov/

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/24/2466635.html


Appendix A

Zip Code Map Including All of Riverdale Park

(MDHomeTownLocator.com, 2014)

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Appendix B

Comparing Births and Mortality Rate in Prince George’s county and Maryland

Locale Births(2008)

Mortality Rate(2008)

Prince George’s County 12,569 641.8

Maryland 77,268 778.3

(Maryland Family Health Administration, 2009)

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Appendix C

Causes of Death in Prince George’s County & Maryland

Cause of Death Number % of Deaths Deaths

Age-Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (2010-2012)

Prince George’s Maryland

County5,029 100.0% 718.5 714.5

Heart Disease 1,286 25.6% 191.2 174.9

Cancer 1,221 24.3% 165.2 166.8

Stroke 228 4.5% 35.2 37.4

Accidents 198 3.9% 24.0 25.7

Diabetes 194 3.9% 27.6 19.9

CLRD* 141 2.8% 22.7 33.7

Septicemia 117 2.3% 16.3 14.1

Nephritis 90 1.8% 14.6 12.1

Influenza and Pneumonia

89 1.8% 13.5 16.1

Alzheimer’s 87 1.7% 15.0 15.4

Homicide 74 1.5% 10.4 7.5

Suicide 50 1.0% 5.7 8.8

* Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease includes both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.

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Data Source: Maryland Vital Statistics Annual Report, Division of Health Statistics, DHMH

http://dhmh.maryland.gov/vsa/SitePages/reports.aspx

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