Overview
Description of the Community
History
The targeted community in Miami Gardens. The community is located in “the northern-central part of Miami-Dade County” (Allender, Rector, & Warner, 2014, p. 21). Miami Gardens emerged in the 1960s when many middle-class West Indian and African Americans settled in the area. The region was eventually incorporated on 13th May 2013.
Community Type
This community is treated as a suburban city and had a population of over 109,000 dwellers in 2011 (Allender et al., 2014).
Physical Environmental Considerations
Description
The community is located in Miami-Dade, Florida. It obtained its name from Miami Gardens Drive (2013 PRC Miami-Dade County Community Health Needs Assessment Household Survey Report, 2014). There are several topographical features defining this suburban. Such features include the Snake Creek Canal and Biscayne Canal. Several water bodies and lakes are also found in the community.
Miami Gardens has good climatic conditions. For instance, this community receives rainfalls of 58.8 (Felland, Lauer, & Cunningham, 2009). There are no snowfalls in Miami Gardens. The number of precipitation days is estimated to be 121. The region has a warm climate.
Boundaries
Miami Gardens stretches from NW 47th and NW 57th Avenue on the West to I-95 and NE 2nd Avenue on the East” (Welcome to the City of Miami Gardens, 2016, para. 3). On the south, it borders 151st Street. Miami Gardens obtains its name from a roadway passing across it. The community has an area of 20 sq. miles (2013 PRC Miami-Dade County Community Health Needs Assessment Household Survey Report, 2014).
Environment
Miami Gardens has an effective sanitation system. More people have access to a clean water supply. Sewage management is also appropriate. Garbage and trash are collected in an organized manner. Several pollutants affect members of this community (Welcome to the City of Miami Gardens, 2016). The major sources of pollution include industries and economic activities. Animal reservoirs and vectors also pollute the environment. Human activities have destroyed the community’s fauna and flora.
The region’s air quality index is around 55 percent. This is presented using a yellow color. However, the air is usually odorless. Particulate matter (PM) emissions in this community are around 60 to 70 percent. Miami Gardens is not an agricultural community (Felland et al., 2009). Many people rely on various stores such as Dollar Tree and Walgreens for vegetables. Food is prepared using contemporary cooking methods. Fruits and some vegetables are also eaten raw.
Miami Gardens is prone to different disasters. For instance, typhoons and floods can occur in Miami (Allender et al., 2014). Increased downpours can cause various disease outbreaks. The community has several public health centers and emergency services. Miami-Dade also has effective disaster management (DM) programs.
Housing
Miami Gardens is characterized by both public and private houses. Individuals can rent or purchase houses depending on their needs. Most of the houses are in proper conditions (Kreider, 2012). Kreider (2012) indicates that 55 percent of the people live in rented apartments. The community also houses individuals with special needs such as the elderly. There are also homeless and emergency shelters for homeless individuals.
Industries and Occupations
Miami Gardens has several companies operating in the real estate, manufacturing, and communication industries. They include Miller, Allied General Industries LLC, and Disitron Satellite Group (Felland et al., 2009). Many people work in different sectors such as business, banking, manufacturing, and transportation.
The People of Miami Gardens
Population profile
The population of Miami Gardens was 109,680 in 2011. The population density for the community was 5,878.4 per sq. mile (Kreider, 2012). The community had not been incorporated during the 2000 census. However, experts believe that the population increased by around 17 percent (Kreider, 2012). Statistics indicate that there is a 5,800/square mile. Mobility has been extremely low. However, the number of immigrants has increased the region’s population. Miami Gardens has many nuclear families composed of 3-5 persons (Kreider, 2012).
Biological Considerations
The 2010 statistics indicated that 6.9 percent of the population included persons below 5 years. Around 7.1 percent were aged between 5 and 9 (Welcome to the City of Miami Gardens, 2016). Seventeen percent of the population is aged between 15 and 24. Thirteen percent is comprised of individuals between 24 and 34. The remaining percentage is composed of people above the age of 35. Around 50.8 percent of the people are females. African Americans are estimated to be around 76.3 percent. The percentage of Caucasians and Whites is 18 percent. Different ethnic groups are evenly distributed in the community. Such groups include Latinos, Native Americans, and multiracial individuals (Allender et al., 2014).
The region’s annual birth rate has been 1.1 births for every 100. The crude death rate stands at 0.4 percent (Allender et al., 2014). Neonatal deaths have been a major challenge for this community. Such deaths occur within the first month after birth. The infant mortality rate is around 0.44 percent. The maternal mortality rate for this community is around 0.7 percent. Deaths resulting from cancer in Miami gardens have been around 20 people in every 100,000 (Welcome to the City of Miami Gardens, 2016). Diabetes and heart diseases also cause deaths in this community. The leading causes of morbidity in Miami Gardens include diabetes and cancer. Other health issues include smoking, tuberculosis, and obesity.
Psychological considerations
Numerous historical events have affected the welfare of many people in this community. The Civil Rights Movement appears to have long-lasting psychological impacts on many African Americans. The region focuses on the best economic aspects in order to achieve its goals. Formal and informal communication aspects characterize different social groups. Suicide and homicide rates are slightly higher than the national average. This stands at 35 for every 100,000 citizens (Colquhoun & Kellehear, 2013). The community uses various protective services to deal with this problem. Sources of stress include lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and isolation.
Sociological Considerations
The average annual income for this community is slightly above $45,000 (Colquhoun & Kellehear, 2013). The major occupations include nursing, banking, accounting, and real estate. The level of unemployment was 6 percent in 2015. Statistics indicate that around 16 percent of the people live below the poverty line. The number of retirees in Miami Gardens is 15 percent (Colquhoun & Kellehear, 2013). However, this percentage includes people above 65. Sixty percent of the population is literate. Forty percent of the population is religious. Most of the people are Catholics. Muslims represent less than 1 % of the population. Over 45 percent of adults are married. The divorce rate is between 12 and 13 percent (Kreider, 2012). Most of the people in Miami Gardens speak English and Spanish.
Government and Leadership
The region is governed by a City Council with seven members. The current mayor is called Oliver Gilbert. The City Council hires an attorney, a City Manager, and a clerk (Colquhoun & Kellehear, 2013). The offices are located in the city and operate between 8 am and 4 pm. Leadership services and ideas are coordinated by the manager and the clerk. People are allowed to visit the offices during the day from Monday to Friday.
Education
The major public elementary schools include Skyway, North County, Bunche Park, Brentwood, and Norwood. Middle schools include Parkway, Carol City, and North Dade. The two universities include Florida Memorial and Saint Thomas. CBT College is also found in Miami Gardens. The main public library is called the Miami-Dade Public Library System (Felland et al., 2009). Several health departments offer support to adults and teens with different needs. Such facilities also provide services to developmentally disabled children and adults. The blind and the deaf can also get appropriate services from such facilities.
Transportation
Many people use road transport. Several firms offer transportation services such as Metrobus, Unique Charters, and Sawgrass Express (Felland et al., 2009). Most people also have private cars.
Behavioral Considerations
Effective consumption patterns and balanced diets are common in Miami Gardens. However, individuals living below the poverty line lack proper diets. People visit cinema halls and engage in sporting activities for leisure (Allender et al., 2014). The other common health-related behaviors include the use of seatbelts and physical exercises.
Health Systems Considerations
Several clinics provide adequate care to different residents. Such clinics offer services such as genealogy, laboratory tests, vaccinations, and dental services. Residents can also visit the major centers in the neighborhood such as “Concentra Urgent Care, Chen Medical Center, and Jackson North Medical Center” (Felland et al., 2009, p. 128). Unavailable services include cancer and diabetes management programs. The current healthcare services support the needs of many people. More people also have access to insurance and access to various Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Reference List
2013 PRC Miami-Dade County Community Health Needs Assessment Household Survey Report. (2014). Web.
Allender, J., Rector, C., & Warner, K. (2014). Community & Public Health Nursing: Promoting the Public’s Health. New York, NY: Wolters Kluwer Health.
Colquhoun, D., & Kellehear, A. (2013). Health Research in Practice: Political, ethical and methodological issues. New York, NY: Springer Shop.
Felland, L., Lauer, J., & Cunningham, P. (2009). Suburban Poverty and the Health Care Safety Net. Health System Change, 1(13), 1-12.
Kreider, R. (2012). Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces. New York, NY: DANE Publishing.
Welcome to the City of Miami Gardens. (2016). Web.