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Please write a Paragraph answering to this discussion below with your opinion. Please include citations and references in alphabetical order in case of another source.
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“A vulnerable population is a group or groups that are more likely to develop health-related problems, have more difficulty accessing health care to address those health problems, and are more likely to experience a poor outcome or shorter life span because of those health conditions” (Maurer & Smith, 2012, p. 528). People at risk for poor health are not necessarily classified as vulnerable: vulnerable groups must have aggravating factors that place them at greater risk for undergoing poor health status than the rest of at-risk populations.
According to Healthy People 2020 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2010), groups particularly vulnerable to health risks include the poor, the homeless, the disabled, the severely mentally ill, the very young, and the very old.”
Examples of vulnerable populations in the United States include homeless people, and particularly homeless veterans and youths; and irregular migrants.
These people can often not advocate for themselves because of the precarity of the situation they live in. For instance, homeless people often lack both access to the knowledge and resources needed to defend their rights. Irregular migrants are arguably in an even more precarious situation since their lack of papers and fear of getting caught by authorities forces them to silence. It is thus very important to advocate on their behalf, making sure they have access to basic healthcare services and creating programs specifically targeting at their needs and characteristics. Community nurses are in a position to know the problems associated with specific service programs. They can advocate by becoming involved as members of special interest groups, testifying before governmental agencies, advocating changes from within their current employing agencies, and providing information to other community groups and organizations.
For instance, among the 1.6 million homeless people, at least 10% are veterans. They have particularly high rates of mental illness (45%) and substance abuse (70%), and many confront both issues, so it is particularly important to target those specific needs.
Some ethical issues that may arise is the need for cultural sensitivity and attention paid to different backgrounds and languages. This is especially true for migrants, many of whom have difficulty reading or speaking English. Thus quality care needs to include interpreter services and to be particularly sensitive to differences in cultural values and health care practices.
References :
Maurer, F. A., & Smith, C. M. (2012). Community/publi c health nursing practice: Health for families and populations (5th ed.). St. Louis,
MO: Saunders Elsevier. ISBN-13: 9781455707621
