Community assessment--a risk factor analysis

An epidemiological model currently being used by graduate students in community health nursing for purposes of conducting an assessment and risk factor analysis has been presented. Data sets which were developed to reflect the four major health field categories have been found to be adequate for purposes of a risk factor analysis. As a result of the six-step process, students are able to identify "who" (i.e., which aggregates) in a community might be at high risk for specific health conditions and hypothesize "why" using risk factor data. The model has been beneficial as a guide for collecting and analyzing large amounts of information in a systematic fashion. Based on a risk factor analysis, health planning can be directed toward generating potentially alterable risk factors in particular health field elements. Such an approach has resulted in an orientation to population health which is characteristic of public health.