...Vulnerable Populations Jennifer Maas NUR/440 August 11, 2011 Marie Fagan MN, RN Vulnerable Populations Vulnerable populations are social groups who experience health disparities as a result of a lack of resources and risk factors. In this paper the vulnerable group of the homeless will be discussed. The homeless population has many barriers that make obtaining healthcare a challenge. This paper will discuss the barriers and personal experiences with this demographic group. Vulnerable Population Definition Vulnerability and vulnerable populations are significant issues in today's health care system. Vulnerable populations are social groups who experience health disparities as a result of a lack of resources and increased exposure to risk. Vulnerable populations are those who are made vulnerable by their financial circumstances or place of residence, health, age, personal characteristics, functional or developmental status, mental or physical status (Goliath on Demand, 2011). The homeless is one of the many vulnerable population groups and is a very problematic issue currently. Barriers of the Homeless There are many barriers of the homeless however the one that stands out is the lack of access to health care. Many of the homeless live on the streets in dirty, filthy conditions which put them are risk for illness. They do not have the finical means or insurance to access preventive or acute care if...
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...Vulnerable population in the workplace: Diabetics and the homeless Amanda Otten NUR 4800 March 29, 2015 Deanna Radford Vulnerable population in the workplace: Diabetics and the homeless Homelessness is closely associated with poor health, working in a government run facility we encounter multiple patients with this socioeconomic status. Working with the homeless population presents challenges that alone could be managed if in a more stable environment. Diabetes becomes difficult to manage when a patient has no means to handle such a complicated disease. Along with common barriers the homeless deal with stereotypes and prejudice when trying to seek out help for their health care management. Workplace Experience Being one of the major government hospital in Phoenix the majority of our clients are homeless or live below the poverty level, but this does not exclude our patients from having stereotypes placed on them and maybe even accelerates it. When asked many coworkers stated they felt many homeless returning patients with diabetes were “non-compliant and had no interest in maintain a healthy life style.” There have been multiple occurrences when I have overheard fellow nurses question the reasoning for admitting a sick homeless patients when “they don’t care, it’s just a waste of our time.” Even while conducting research, I myself have asked this very same question and came to moments of understanding. We all understand being...
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...Epidemiology Paper In this epidemiological paper, I will be discussing about my chosen vulnerable population of elderly and the disease of type II diabetes among elderly population. I will also be discussing epidemiology and what it means, the steps and methods of epidemiology and how it was done for my chosen population and disease. Ethical and legal considerations, how to provide culturally competent care, and at last, I will discuss whether the research was descriptive or analytical, and the process of feasibility and evaluation of prevention of diseases. As stated in Nursing Standard, epidemiology is a scientific research discipline concerned with observing, measuring and analyzing health-related occurrences in human populations (Last 1995, Trichopoulos 1996). Mausner and Kramer (1985) suggest that epidemiological studies can be applied to all diseases, conditions and health-related events (Whitehead, 2000). Although epidemiology is focused on observing, measuring, and analyzing, it also evaluates diseases and health services, rationalizes resources, and prioritizes as to how to formulate strategies for health promotion. Epidemiology can also help to determine the health of the population, planning of health policies and services, and maintaining a healthy environment for all. When it comes to nursing, epidemiology offers nurses many benefits in incorporating health practices into their professional roles, helps them in having a better understanding in regards to the disease...
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...Vulnerable Populations Vulnerable populations are social groups who experience health disparities as a result of a lack of resources and risk factors. In this paper the vulnerable group of the homeless will be discussed. The homeless population has many barriers that make obtaining healthcare a challenge. This paper will discuss the barriers and personal experiences with this demographic group. Vulnerable Population Definition Vulnerability and vulnerable populations are significant issues in today's health care system. Vulnerable populations are social groups who experience health disparities as a result of a lack of resources and increased exposure to risk. Vulnerable populations are those who are made vulnerable by their financial circumstances or place of residence, health, age, personal characteristics, functional or developmental status, mental or physical status (Goliath on Demand, 2011). The homeless is one of the many vulnerable population groups and is a very problematic issue currently. Barriers of the Homeless There are many barriers of the homeless however the one that stands out is the lack of access to health care. Many of the homeless live on the streets in dirty, filthy conditions which put them are risk for illness. They do not have the finical means or insurance to access preventive or acute care if needed. Many have chronic illness that go untreated and exacerbate and even cause death. Fear, embarrassment and mental disorders also can...
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...The presence of both types of diseases at the same time is known as the renal-retinal syndrome. Patients with diabetes and nephropathy are also more likely to develop coronary heart disease and stroke compared to patients with diabetes without nephropathy. People with diabetes and nephropathy are also more likely to die from macrovascular disease. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication affecting around 30% to 50% of diabetic individuals.[11] The major cause for DPN is hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia is abnormal high blood glucose level. It is a hallmark sign of diabetes (both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes) and prediabetes. Other independent risk factors include age, duration of disease, smoking, hypertension, increased BMI, alcohol consumption and taller...
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...This paper addresses the population of adults with diabetes in the hospital setting and focuses on the related topics of health literacy and health education. The first section of this paper will discuss the relationship between these three topics. Next, this paper will outline goals of care, how nurses can work to ensure continuity of this care, and the transition of patients from the hospital setting to outpatient facilities. The World Health Organization defines health literacy as “the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health” (WHO, 2015), making health literacy an important factor in the manage...
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...insulin injection everyday to regulate the glucose level. Type II or adult onset diabetes, which is more serious and develops when the body cannot function to make the required amount of insulin, which is diagnosed mostly in would find affecting more adults. In this case the patient has to take both insulin injections and medication by mouth to help regulate the amount of glucose or sugar the body produces, there is gestational diabetes, which affects only pregnant women, no matter the culture of the mother and if the diabetes is not monitored closely in a pregnant woman or taken under control it can be transferred onto the mother’s unborn child. If a mother develops gestational diabetes during pregnancy, it is said that the mother can develop type II diabetes later in life. Diabetes is a very serious disease, if not taken care of can cause severe side effects, kidney failure, amputations and also be very fatal whereas sending the patient into what is called a diabetic coma and in most cases result in death. It is said that African Americans, Hispanic Latinos, Indians, and Asians living in America are at a higher risk of getting diabetes than anyone else. These populations are very vulnerable to this diabetic...
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...Introduction Diabetes is on the rise in the United States and the resultant health problems are leading to visits to physicians’ offices and hospitals more than ever before. Diabetic neuropathy, a debilitating nerve disorder which can affect almost any part of the nervous system, occurs in nearly 50 percent of patients with diabetes. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is found in 12 percent of insulin dependent diabetics and 32 percent of those who are not, equaling approximately 3 million people in the United States. (Chen et al. 2007) The number of patients with other neuropathies, such as autonomic, proximal, and focal, comprises the other 1 million diabetic neuropathy patients, most of whom suffer in pain from the dysfunction of the nervous system. (Chen et al. 2007) This disorder’s elusive nature is such that it can not only present in any part of the body but it can be completely without symptoms that the average patient would report to their physician. Since the patients themselves are less likely to naturally disclose their suffering through their assumption that their symptoms are not relevant to their diabetic condition, the physician’s role in the diagnosis and recognition of this disorder is even more critical. II. Definition and Types of Diabetic Neuropathy The most common type of diabetic neuropathy is peripheral, considered, more generally, sensorimotor. Peripheral neuropathy causes pain or loss of feeling in the toes, feet, legs, hands, and arms. (NIDDKD...
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...Diabetes Among African Americans Diabetes has been affecting the African American community in the United States for a long time. Diabetes is a disease that occurs in people by altering the body’s metabolic process in producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas which regulates the amount of sugar in our blood stream, and in turn becomes energy. There are two types of diabetes: type 1diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1diabetes, which usually begins during childhood or adolescence, is a condition characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by lack of insulin (American Diabetes Association). This occurs when the body's immune system attacks the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them. Type 2 diabetes which is the most common form of the disease, usually occurs in middle aged adults after the age of forty-five (American Diabetes Association). It’s a condition characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by either lack of insulin or the body's inability to use insulin efficiently. Forty percent of African American boys and forty nine percent of girls will develop diabetes during their lifetimes and therefore face the possibility of severe diabetes-related complications and a life span that is reduced by 4 to 23 years (Institute for Alternative Futures). In 2010, there were 5,547,700 African Americans in the United States with diabetes. African Americans have at least twice the risk of amputations, renal failure, and...
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...Vulnerable Population and Self Awareness Doreen Carranza NUR/440 August 13, 2012 Vicki Clithero Vulnerable Population and Self Awareness Effective healthcare is dependent on understanding vulnerable individuals and populations with respect to biases and prejudices of healthcare providers. According to de Chesnay (2008), “Vulnerability is a general concept meaning susceptibility, and its specific connotation in terms of healthcare is at risk for health problems” (p. 3). Anyone can be vulnerable at different times in his or her life under specific circumstances. According to de Chesnay (2008), “Vulnerable populations are those at risk for poor physical, psychological, or social health. Anyone can be vulnerable at any given point in time as a result of life circumstances or response to illness or events” (p. 3). In order to render good healthcare, healthcare providers need to be aware of their own vulnerability. This paper will discuss the vulnerable population of the elderly; demographics of the elderly; personal awareness of the elderly including attitudes, biases, and stereotyping prior to studying the elderly; the impact of research on personal attitudes after gathering information, and how knowledge might affect the delivery of healthcare to the elderly. The amount of aging people in the United States continues to increase, in We the American Elderly (1993) it states that: From 1990 to 2020, the elderly population is projected to increase to 54 million persons...
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...also known as diabetes “dates back to 1500 B.C. nearly 3,500 years ago” (Beaser and Hill, 1995, p.9). Today type 2 diabetes affects millions of people. Currently there is no cure for diabetes. “However, recent advances in genetic engineering technology now offer great promise for overcoming the problems which have frustrated researchers in the past” (Alterman and Kullman, 2000, p. 263). People with diabetes could suffer serious complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (diabetic coma), arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy to mention a few. Diabetes is a disease that affects 25.8 million people in the United States alone. This disease results when there is a high level of sugar in the blood for an extended period of time. It can be controlled by diet, exercise, pills and insulin injections. There are three main types of diabetes--Type I, which affects primarily the younger population; Type II, which primarily affects the population above 40; and gestational diabetes, which affects women during the third trimester of their pregnancy. For some people the cause could be the body does not respond to insulin. “Virtually all cells in the body contain special proteins called receptors that bind to insulin. They work like a lock and key. In order for glucose to enter the cell, insulin (the key) must first fit into the insulin receptor (the lock). But for some reason, in...
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...Latangela Stewart SOC -358: Health Disparity Paper 2 April 23, 2013 How Can Diabetes In Low Income African Communities Be Resolved It’s hard to fathom the affects that diabetes has taken in our low income African American communities. Now we have to look at what we can do and have done to help the people who are a part of this health disparity overcome this socioeconomic tragedy. We first have to look at clinical barriers which play a large role on how physicians are interacting with their patients. Even though there are the sociocultural differences between the patient and the provider we have to look at the fact that they both have different health and medical beliefs. With that being known that is where the level of trust has to be obtained. Due to sociocultural difference the physician’s knowledge of the needs of their patients has to be well rationalized. There is an obvious and direct link between these structural barriers and quality of care that remains a fertile area for intervention (Betancourt, Green, Carrillo, & Anaheh-Firempong, 2003). With the racial disparities in the U.S. health care system, there has to be many ways that this health disparity can be prevented. Many low income families feel that they receive the shorter end of the stick when it comes to good decent healthcare. Socioeconomic has it many disadvantages and advantage and what it meant by that is when you are living in a poor rural area; you more likely to be less educated or unhealthy, which...
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...north and four miles south of the downtown. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 96.9 square miles. 96.1 square miles of it is land and 0.9 miles squared of it is water. Included in this graph is some basic demographic information: General Characteristics | Number | Percent | U.S. | Total population | 596,974 | | | Male | 285,363 | 47.8 | 49.1% | Female | 311,611 | 52.2 | 50.9% | Median age (years) | 30.6 | (X) | 35.3 | Under 5 years | 47,545 | 8.0 | 6.8% | 18 years and over | 425,990 | 71.4 | 74.3% | 65 years and over | 65,123 | 10.9 | 12.4% | | | | | One race | 580,824 | 97.3 | 97.6% | White | 298,379 | 50.0 | 75.1% | Black or African American | 222,933 | 37.3 | 12.3% | American Indian and Alaska Native | 5,212 | 0.9 | 0.9% | Asian | 17,571 | 2.9 | 3.6% | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 301 | 0.1 | 0.1% | Some other race | 36,428 | 6.1 | 5.5% | Two or more races | 16,150 | 2.7 | 2.4% | | | | | Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 71,646 | 12.0 | 12.5% | | | | | Household population | 580,571 | 97.3 | 97.2% | Group quarters population | 16,403 | 2.7 | 2.8% | | | | | Average household size | 2.50 | (X) | 2.59 | Average family size | 3.25 | (X) | 3.14 | | | | | Total housing units | 249,225 | | | Occupied housing units | 232,188 | 93.2...
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...Evolving Medicated Footwear for Diabetic Patients by: Md. Tareq Bin Satter Chapter I Page 1 of 85 Study on Evolving Medicated Footwear for Diabetic Patients by: Md. Tareq Bin Satter 1.1 Introduction Foot is the important part of the body. If someone has diabetes he/she is more likely to have to foot problems. Diabetes can damage your nerves. This, in turn, may make you less able to feel an injury or pressure on the skin of your foot. You may not notice a foot injury until severe damage or infection develops. This may led to gangrene in the through simple injuries eventually amputation will be the final choice. So a diabetes patient always has to wear specialized footwear that can protect the foot in more sophisticated way. Diabetes changes your body's ability to fight infections. Damage to blood vessels causes because of diabetes results in less blood and oxygen getting to your feet. Because of this, small sores or breaks in the skin may become deeper skin ulcers. The affected limb may need to be amputated when these skin ulcers do not improve, get larger, or go deeper into the skin. Worldwide, 50% of all leg amputations happen to people living with diabetes. In India, an estimated 50,000 amputations are carried out every year due to diabetes related foot problems. By employing reconstructive and corrective footwear, to remove the high pressure points, a large number of such amputations can be prevented. Thus the patient can lead a near normal life,...
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...demographics of the aging population consist of persons age 65 and older. Moreover, the aging population represents 12.9 percent of the American population. Basically one out of eight Americans belongs to the aging population. The projected growth rate by 2030 of the aging population is 19 percent or 72.1 million people in the United States (Administration on Aging, 2011). The following paper will discuss the general impact that the changing population may have on the health care market, also how and why changes in the demographics of this population will affect health care, identify two health care related challenges to the aging population, explain the marketing needs or services for the aging population and address how individual patients, the community and society as a whole can address such challenges. Healthcare Challenges Demographics on aging clearly indicate that long-term care will remain a critical issue in our society. In 2020, the number of older Americans in need of long-term care service will jump to 12 million. The aging population is growing larger and living longer, a phenomenon felt around the world. As they face scarce health resources, nations must develop policies associated with the provision of care and the quality of the dying process. Never before in human history has our planet contained so many older people or such a large percentage of them. This has not always been the case, as late as 1930, America’s older population numbered less than 7 million...
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