Free Essay - Central Harlem Chronicles: Demographics, Challenges, and Community Resilience

Introduction and History of the Central Harlem

Harlem is located in the Borough of New York on the Northern side, which is named after Haarlem of Netherlands. It is signified by economic boom-and-bust cycles with a population shift in each part. The area was predominantly occupied by African-American residents who were influenced by the great migration of the 20th century. The African-American cultural movement was primarily in central and west Harlem. In Central Harlem, poverty and the rates of crimes were significantly high after people were left unemployed after World War II due to the significant depression and deindustrialization of New York City. The area is part of the Manhattan Community District 10. The New York City Police Department maintains order in the region through the patrol of the 28th and 32nd precincts. On a more significant part, the area includes the Manhattan Community Districts 9 and 10 (Mollenkopf, 2017).

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In case of fire service's needs, the New York City Fire Department is involved. Harlem is politically active, and the New York City Council represents it. Trains and buses are the most standard means of transport due to local bus routes and the New York City Subway. Columbia University and the City College of New York are some of the major facilities that offer education to the people of Harlem (Mollenkopf, 2017). To better understand Harlem, the project will outline the empirical data of the area, crime statistics, housing, the economy, and social characters of Central Harlem.

Neighborhood statistics summary and comparisons of Central Harlem to New York City

As from the statistics carried on in 2018, Central Harlem had 146,309 people. The Asian population comprised 4.4 %, the Hispanics were 22.9%, and the whites constituted a population of 13.8%. However, blacks were the most predominant in the area as they included 56.1% of the total population (Mollenkopf, 2017). The poverty rate of the region was significantly high compared to the citywide as it had a median household income of $ 48,500 as of the year 2008. Central Harlem has been characterized by crime for an extended period; however, the area has been predicted to outline an impressive comeback concerning crime. Restaurants have now flourished in the streets, and shops thus declining the vast margins of crimes.

Housing in Central Harlem is a compromising situation, and by 2018, the real median gross rent had increased from $ 820 to $ 1160. The low housing conditions are of direct concern with adverse health outcomes. Due to the poor housing conditions experienced in the area, diseases such as poor mental health and asthma are evicting people. In comparison to New York in general, the homes of Central Harlem possess maintenance defects (Bailey, 1967). Their different levels of income positively influence the healthy lifestyles of Central Harlem. The difference is incurred due to unemployment, which poses poverty for the residents. Of every ten adults in the area, only one is unemployed. However, the incomes are primarily used to cater to the residents' rents.

Concerning homeowners in the town, it is 9.4 % lower than the rest of the neighborhood and New York City. Since 2010, homeownership in Central Harlem has been decreasing since most of the residents are incapable of meeting the expenses of acquiring private residents in the region. Purchase loan rates were also 18.5 per 1000 assets. The level of Mortgage foreclosure actions is relatively high, denying the people privacy of homeownership. Central Harlem has incurred high rates of mortality. The area is characterized by constant deaths that are related to cancer, heart disease, HIV, and diabetes. Homicide rates are depicted to be higher than the rest of the neighborhoods of New York. Drugs and substances are highly abused in the area, causing many deaths (Chauhan, Cerda, Messner, Tracy, Tardiff, & Galea, 2012).

Heart disease is a high-risk disease that suppresses people as most of them engage in cigarette smoking and sedentary lifestyles. Hospitals in Central Harlem observed a high rate of heart disease amongst the residents. The hospitals have to bear the burden of providing adequate preventive care to the residents through education, thus harnessing the community with resources that later result in healthier behaviors (Edwards, Jandorf, Freemantle, Sly, Ellison, Wong, Villagra, Hong, Kaleya, Poultney, Villegas, Brenner, & Bickell, 2015).

Hypertension in Central Harlem is believed to diagnose the residents over 20 years and above. Health and mental Hygiene has been a prevailing concern to the people, the residents. The various doctors in the area have predicted the need for a proper diet, exercise, and inexpensive medication requirements.

Community Board needs, Health, Incarceration, and Collective Efficacy

A community health needs assessment was conducted in Central Harlem by the faculty and residents at the Family Health Center of Harlem. The Institute for Family Health focuses on improving the health care quality of the residents in Central Harlem. The institute is popularly known for developing an inclusive health profile for the people of Central Harlem. The comprehensive healthcare profiles outline the institute's priority for providing health needs to the people of Central Harlem. Since the area contains African Americans constituting its larger population, the region is, therefore, ranked as the poorest of New York neighborhoods. The people are considered to be less fortunate since their income mostly caters to the rental charges. The area was characterized by low education (Wintz & Finkelman, 2004).

The finances to partake in education in the area are generally high, leaving many uneducated people. Since most people are ignorant, they freely engage in small crimes, which leads to their unsecured relationships with the New York City police department due to constant patrols.

In the study carried out pertaining the Central Harlem, the joblessness rates are estimated to constitute 28%, with only 84% attaining high school education. The residents are entitled to receive some types of support, which only a significant percentage of people can acquire. Health insurance in the area is crucial, but the process is being staggered by an illiterate concern about health insurance. Their illiteracy arose in the area as most people lacked a regular doctor or a service provider to supervise their health. A majority of the residents lacked essential social determinants. There is a dependency ratio of poverty and low health services in the area (Burrell, B. K. (2007)

Health priority is a crucial act in Central Harlem. Blood pressures, joint pains, obesity, mental health, and diabetes still suppresses people's well-being. A few people in the study access their medical information from doctors and health care professionals; otherwise, the rest are informed from the internet and social media outlets (Rau, 2006). Insurance has been incurred as a barrier for medical services since catering for services out of pocket money is outrageous, and Nyman's Theory explains that people buy insurance oats to gain extra-income when they become ill.

This theory bears a significant meaning in explaining and justifying the demand for health insurance. Since it is a product and incurs a recurring cost, it's critical to have a well-built justification of the short-run and long-run benefits. The few residents in Central Harlem acquire health insurance since they are attracted to the idea of getting an extra value on the monies spent in paying for the premiums. The theory justifies that the benefits acquired in the case of illness are far exaggerated compared to the cost of insurance paid and the cost of producing the same services. Therefore, it makes a solid economic argument for the residents in Central Harlem to consider paying the premiums to believe that they are gaining a significant value for the price.

Even though Nyman's theory presents a new idealization and representation of health care in Central Harlem, his basis still denies risk management and risk avoidance as the basis of health insurance (Nyman, 2003). As much as welfare maximization is an apparent result of any health insurance, explained by the high costs of health care services, it justifies a significant amount of the demand for health insurance.

Compared to any other racial and ethnic group in New York, African Americans are subjected to suffering from cancer diseases. Cancer in the area is related to many deaths as it shortens the survival occasions of the people. The causes of cancer in the area are complex, and it is linked with social and economic disparities. The disparities are incurred due to late detection of the problem, inadequate treatment services in the area, and barriers to high-quality cancer prevention. Central Harlem has a poor neighborhood in New York City subjected to breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and cervical cancers (Prince, 2006).

Although HIV and sexually transmitted diseases have generally decreased in Central Harlem, their death rates were annually, twice more in New York neighborhoods in general. In terms of Sexually transmitted diseases, the residents have incurred high rates of both chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Asthma is a common lung disease that is being experienced in the area. Its results are due to second-hand smoke, dust, rodents, and more pest infections. The issue is seen as uncontrolled in Central Harlem due to higher numbers of emergency visits. Compared to the rest of Manhattan and the entire New York City, the residents of Central Harlem contain twice as many cases of Asthma as outlined by the Emergency Department (Bailey, 1967).

Conclusion

To sum up, although Central Harlem is believed to contain social and economic disparities, its positivity is incurred in the transportation sector. Transport in the region is fantastic and fabulous. The area comprises bus stations and subway trains. The train is preferred because it is fast and the busses accommodate passengers' congestion. The trains are fast since there are no traffic lights if one chooses to use their vehicles, and parking spaces are adequate in the area. The area has been observed to contain tourists from thousands of miles away. The tourists are predicted to be attracted by great foods, movies, churches, and great shops in the area. The Time Square of Harlem allows a significant number of tourists to shop in the town. The Apollo Theater's presence is vital, and the Schaumburg Library provides educational resources to the people. Tourists are curious to visit the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. The area is now considered a conducive place to bring up kids. The region is passive to contain parks and libraries, which attracts many young families. Although this region was identified as a curse because of the language used, it is rising on the map. This is a result of the continuous improvements encountered. In general, Central Harlem contains justice center programs that continue to recreate the perception of the area. The deployment of the program is significant in creating stable housing for the people, safety between the neighborhoods, and re-introduction of efficient services to the people, building people's relationships, addressing trauma, and managing younger generations through young programming.

Works Cited

Bailey, McKnight. Housing in Central Harlem: Part One, the Potential for Rehabilitation and New Vest Pocket Housing. Architects' Renewal Committee in Harlem, 1967.

Burrell, Kristopher. Harlem, New York. CUNY Academic Works, 2007.