Problem Statement: Individual perceptions of health are influenced by expectations of well-being, social supports, a sense of community, and community engagement. Creating a Culture of Health begins with Health as a Shared Value. This project was created to identify activities of nurses and non-nurses to support personal health and the health of their communities.

Approach: A survey was conducted at the New York State Action Coalition’s booth at the Great New York State Fair. This anonymous survey assessed two domains: individual health behaviors and activities of community engagement. Discussions regarding the role of nursing and health were ongoing between fair goers and the volunteer nurses who staffed the booth during 12 days of August/September 2016.   The survey findings represent a convenience sample of 326 adults with nurses representing 33.4% of participants.  Survey participants identified as White (86.2%), Black (8.6%), Hispanic (3.1%), Native American (3.4%), and Asian (2.2%). Nearly 80% of the participants identified as female and 47.5% indicated at least a Bachelor’s degree or higher education.

Products/Outcome: Nurses are more likely to participate in healthy behaviors and community engagement activities as compared to other survey participants.  Most survey participants, including nurses, do not eat the recommended amount of 5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day, nor sleep the recommended 7 to 8 hours per night.  Only 20% of the nurse survey participants strongly agree their life is in balance. Contribution of time or money to a health-related organization is the most common community engagement activity for all survey participants.

Implications: Nurses have opportunities to build a Culture of Health through personal and professional activities, collaborations with community stakeholders, and community engagement. The findings of this survey suggest areas to improve individual and community health.  The survey also reveals a need to reach a more diverse audience.