Community nursing practicum on heroin in the county of Philadelphia pa Research Paper

Community nursing practicum on heroin in the county of Philadelphia pa - Research Paper Example Philadelphia consolidated city-county covers an area of about 141.6 Square Miles or 367 km2, with elevation above sea level ranging from 5 feet to 431 feet or 120 meters. Philadelphia is a great commercial and industrial center which makes it the largest city in Pennsylvania. This is possible due to accessibility to raw materials, close proximity to the large North eastern market, and excellent transport facilities. According to World Population Review (2014), the population of Philadelphia as at 2013 was about 1,556,600 and a density of 11, 379.6 people per square mile contributed by the county’s fast-growing population over the last few years. The World Population Review (2014) defines Philadelphia as having a mixed racial composition comprising of whites, African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, other race, Hispanic, and native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders. The African Americans form about 43.4% of the area population followed by White ate 41.0% and Hispanics at 12.3% . All other races constitute of a percentage less than 10%. For the county’s age population, less than 18 years comprised of 22.5%, 18-25 years were 13.3%, 25-44 years at 28.5%, 45-64 years at 23.5%, and 65 years and over were 12.2% as of 2010 population census. The physical environment at Philadelphia is characterized by far-reaching parks, outdoor activities for all ages, and community centers for recreation and relaxation. The most outstanding park is Fairmount Park that is about 9,200 acres characterized by golf courses, picnic sites, outdoor courts, and athletic fields all of which work towards sustaining an active, sporty, and relaxed population. The population of Philadelphia is aging and increasingly getting diverse in terms of race, income, ethnicity, health status, educational background, and original nationality. Although substantive progress in lowering substance abuse has been achieved, mid- and behavior-changing substances are still in use tolling the health of individuals,