Vulnerable Populations
Vulnerability refers to exposure to stress and contingencies, and difficulty in handling with them. In reference to community health, vulnerability refers to certain individuals or people who are likely to develop a health-related problem, due to the exposure they have to multiple risks. It implies that, in a general population there are people who are more sensitive to risks factors that can affect their health. The risk factors are economic, social, biological, physical and genetic factors. The risk factors are interdependent in each other. For instance, an individual with mental illness may not get a job. Therefore, the person will not have sufficient funds to secure safe housing and good health care.
Firstly, in our community the poor fall in the category of the vulnerable populations. Being poor affects the health status of an individual. Poverty results to other health risk factors, thereby increasing the vulnerability of the community, more so the poor individuals (Allender, Rector, & Warner, 2010).
They are vulnerable since they do not have sufficient funds that can sustain them. In fact, others starve for long before they succumb to death. In addition, the poor have low levels of education due to lack of access to resources and services. Moreover, they live in rejected buildings, stalled vehicles and storage sheds. The living conditions make them exposed to environmental hazards such as poor sanitation, inadequate heating, unsafe drinking water and other environmental hazards. Besides, they experience a lot of stress due to frustrations due to employment options, exposure to violence and crimes, inadequate healthcare and poor housing conditions. Thereafter, anxiety, chronic depression and physical illness set in.
Children from poor families experience delayed development, depression and poor health. This is because the parents cannot afford to provide for the child fully. They usually experience diseases that result from intake of an unbalanced diet and poor sanitation.
Secondly, people who are disenfranchised form part of the vulnerable population in our community. Disenfranchisement is a situation where a person has a feeling of separated from the society (Allender, Rector, & Warner, 2010). For instance, in the United States, some veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan war were disenfranchised. This is because they served in a military war that was not fully supported by the American public. Other persons forming part of the disenfranchised population include refugees, immigrants, people with HIV/aids and the prisoners.
The veterans are vulnerable because they did not experience emotional connection with the society when they were at war. Moreover, the post-traumatic stress disorder that develops due to the experiences they had, contribute to the disenfranchisement. Currently, the homeless population in the United States consists of the veterans. People living with HIV/AIDs and prisoners do not have adequate social support system to help them cope with stress and manage a healthy lifestyle. In addition, immigrants have few people whom they can call on for assistance.
Rural health refers to health care that is delivered to a rural environment. Rural health nurses focus on the vulnerable population in the rural environment. For instance, they deal with communities that consist large portions of elderly people and children (Arnott, 2012). In addition, rural health focuses on communities that have a high dependency ratio. On the other hand, community health nursing focuses on the whole community regardless of the type of population. Community health nurses are concerned with the well-being of the community at large.
In conclusion, there are people who are more sensitive to risks factors that can affect their health. Children from poor families experience delayed development, depression and poor health. Thus, vulnerability is closely associated with poverty levels in a society.
References
Allender, J. A., Rector, C. L., & Warner, K. D. (2010). Community health nursing: Promoting and protecting the public's health. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Arnott, J. (2012). Introduction to community nursing practice. Maidenhead, England: McGraw-Hill.
