NURS 4500/4515: Community Health Nursing (Cook/Lake County)
Community Information
County websites
The official websites for Cook County and Lake County.
Health and Wellness
- Illinois State SnapshotYou can see the Department of Health and Human Service's overall statistics for health care in Illinois here. You can also compare this to other states.
- State Health FactsThis site from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation contains the latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation.
- Trust for America's HealthThis site is created by a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the nation's health. It includes extensive state data for various public health indicators and compares them with the national average.
Education
Education information about Cook/Lake County schools.
- Illinois Report CardInformation about public schools across Illinois. Each report card includes student characteristics (race, ethnicity, and the percentage of students at each school who do not have permanent/adequate homes or live in a low-income household). TIP: You can also click the "highlights" link to find out if the school offers physical education and health/nutrition courses.
- Illinois State Board of EducationInformation about School Report Cards and enrollment figures can be found under School Information and then Data Analysis. You can also find interesting health data about the number of schoolchildren who are immunized, or lead screening in the schools, etc.
Crime and Safety
Information about crime, safety, and sources of protection.
- FBI's Crime in the U.S ReportThe FBI tracks crime by state and city across the country. Data is from the 2019 Crime in the U.S Report
Worksheet and Survey
Historical Information
- Encyclopedia of ChicagoOnline version of the print encyclopedia. Short articles on all aspects of Chicago such as history and neighborhoods --- includes some surrounding historical Cook County Suburbs.
How do I find information on my community?
Helpful search tips on locating information about your community.
- Local Public LibrariesSearch for the local public library in your community: it will be an invaluable resource for the history of the community, as well as the current population.
- Google MapsType a major intersection of the neighborhood you are researching and hit search. Then, on the new map that loads, click "search nearby" to discover local parks, libraries, schools, grocery stores, etc.
Environmental Hazards
Information on environmental hazards to your community.
- Illinois Environmental Protection AgencySearch for your community to find out if there are any environmental threats.
- Environmental Defense LeagueSearch by a specific pollutant or environmental hazard (e.g., lead) to see how your community ranks. Zipcode-level and County information only.