Community health assessment report, Dec 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

perhaps get reimbursed for air purifiers and HEPA vacuums. Some residents were also interested in finding out more about their rights as tenants, and what they should reasonably expect from the building management in terms of cleaning. In addition to the air quality related issues, people wanted information regarding mental health (24%), their children’s adjustment (12%) and financial information (28%). Many respondents also said they needed more information about their eligibility for assistance from FEMA and other relief agencies and resources.

A few of the topics raised were specific to a neighborhood. In Battery Park City, where residents are much more cut off geographically, there is a need for information regarding transportation and access issues. In Southbridge, where phone service has continued to be a problem, many respondents asked for information regarding getting reimbursements for their cell phone expenses and finding out how to deal with ceil phone companies that have misrepresented their service plans. Residents of Southbridge, which has a relatively older population, were also interested in information regarding senior services. Independence Plaza, which is located adjacent to the pier where dump trucks are transferring debris to barges 24 hours a day, is reporting considerable noise and vibrations that have been affecting sleep patterns and nerves. These residents were particularly interested in getting information about what they could do about this issue.

Limitations: The findings from this project should be viewed in light of two key limitations. First, the sample of residents surveyed represents only select neighborhoods in lower Manhattan and does not reflect those residents who had not re­ occupied their homes at the time of the survey. A large proportion of people in Battery Park City had not reoccupied at the time of our survey and were thus not represented in these findings. Focus groups have been scheduled to capture these gaps in the needs assessment. Second, it should be noted that normally, respiratory symptoms are known to increase at this time of year.

CONCLUSIONS:

The Community Needs Assessment conducted in lower Manhattan identified a number of issues and potential areas for intervention. First, residents of lower Manhattan are worried about their health and safety. There is clearly a tremendous concern about the air quality and its potential effects on health. The high proportion of the population experiencing symptoms likely to be related to respiratory irritants contributes to this concern. Second, the majority of households have not been cleaned according to recommendations, possibly increasing the exposure to respiratory irritants. Third, almost 40% of lower Manhattan residents are experiencing symptoms suggestive of PTSD, and less than a third of the population has received supportive counseling. There are likely to be thousands of people living in lower Manhattan who could benefit from mental health services. A sizable proportion of these people may not seek services on their own initiative, or may not have access to or be aware of the mental health services that are available.

Community Needs Assessment 10

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