Discussing Vulnerable Populations
Discussing Vulnerable Populations Despite efforts in the United States to reduce or eliminate disparities in our healthcare by 2010 and despite a steadily recovering and growing economy, many U.S. citizens still struggle immensely with disparities. Vulnerable populations in particular, continue to face challenges with accessibility to healthcare while experiencing more threats to their wellbeing. Studies have shown that Americans living in poverty are more likely to be in poor health and have disabling conditions while being less likely to be eligible to receive many types of healthcare services. So, when we speak of vulnerable populations, whom are we referring to exactly? Vulnerable populations include the economically disadvantaged, racial and ethnic minorities, the uninsured, low-income children, the elderly, the homeless, those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and those suffering from other chronic health conditions, including severe mental illness. It