Special populations in health care - Review your classmates' posts.
Provide a substantive response (a minimum of 100 words) to at least two of your peers by comparing and/or contrasting your selected three groups to theirs.
What similarities or differences do you notice? How did your classmates justify their responses? Kelly Yahaya Understanding the Scope of Vulnerable Populations Identify 3 groups you feel are most vulnerable. Explain what your reasoning is based on.
Chronically ill and disabled people - I have chosen this particular group because due to the statistics and the occurrences of individuals that are chronically ill or suffering from a disability of some sort is increasing each year.
This is defined as once an illness has presented, the individual never fully recovers. These illnesses can present themselves in the form of "diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and emphysema" (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, Section 1.4, para 3).
Individuals who suffer from chronic illnesses can also suffer from disabilities that have been caused by the chronic illnesses that include "physical impairments of bodily functions interfering with ADLs" (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 3), have an extremely negative effect on the individual's life; as well as costing American's millions in health care and health care resources (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 3).
Due to many chronic illnesses having a negative effect on the individual's lifestyle, they also tend to affect individual communities on the macro level (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 3).
How are the physical, mental, and social aspects of health compromised? Within the vulnerable population of chronically ill and disabled people, their physical, mental, and social aspects of their lives are greatly affected because whatever their physical disability maybe it has a greater negative effect on their day to day life.
Someone that suffers from COPD may have to make many changes because the littlest things can cause them to become short of breath; thus, making them have to take many breaks in between tasks. Also, someone who suffers from MS may suffer from muscle weakness and now has to use a cane to walk, thus limiting what they are able to do physically.
The CDC has stated that approximately 70% of deaths that occur each year are caused by some form of chronic disease, smoking tends to lead to cancers of the "throat, lungs, and other organs" (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 3), excessive drinking can lead to liver conditions such as cirrhosis, and a reduction of exercise can cause obesity, diabetes, as well as heart disease (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 3).
Deaths that are caused by heart disease in 2005, have been said to be approximately 26.6%, individuals that are affected with a chronic lower respiratory disease is said to be approximately 53% in 2005; lastly, diabetes has a prevalence of being 3.1% in 2005.
List at least 3 health service needs:
Therapy services that include physical, occupational and speech
Medications
Assistive devices People diagnosed with mental conditions - I have chosen this vulnerable group, because the prevalence of mental conditions of some form have increased over the years, with many people suffering from undiagnosed mental conditions that are having a negative effect on their day to day life, as well as affecting those around them.
There are several mental health diagnoses that an individual can have such as "psychosis, neurosis, depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other ailments that are connected to mental faculties" (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 5). Other individuals may be diagnosed with some form of a cognitive disorder such as Autism or mental retardation.
It is said that z of the adult population has experienced some form of mental health disorders throughout their lifetime; however, approximately 5.8% of these diagnoses are classified as a form of a serious mental illness (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 5).
How are physical, mental, and social aspects of health compromised? Individuals that suffer from mental illness or cognitive disorders have problems socializing, dealing with emotions, and oftentimes a contributing member of society.
List at least 3 health service needs The specific type of health service that is needed to help a mentally ill person is dependent upon the type of mental illness that they have.
Medication management - occurs when physicians continuously review a patient's medications to determine if the medication is the right fit for this particular patient (Colorado Health Partnership).
Inpatient, outpatient, or partial hospital stay - inpatient occurs when a patient is receiving "full range of psychiatric services during a 24-hour period" (Colorado Health Partnership).
Outpatient occurs when the patient is seen in a physician's office or treatment center in order to receive individual therapy or group therapy services; partial hospital stays occur when the patient receives psychiatric services during the day but is able to return to their homes at night (Colorado Health Partnership).
Abused individuals- I have chosen this particularly vulnerable group because the elderly have been included within this group because as the baby boomers are aging and my time working in nursing homes elder abuse is becoming more recognized. It is said that "children, elderly, females are the most vulnerable to forms of abuse" (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 2), with abuse coming in many different forms such as "neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse" (Burkholder, Nash, 2014, section 1.4, para 2).
How are physical, mental, and social aspects of health compromised?
The overall effects of abused individuals can have a negative effect on their physical, mental and social aspects because they can suffer the effects that are immediately or lasting for years (Tracy, 2017).
The effects can include "scars, PTSD, being withdrawn, anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behaviors" (Tracy, 2017).
List at least three health services:
Counseling services can be used to help abuse victims to overcome their traumatic experiences by strengthening their inner selves in order to help cope with their anxiety, PTSD, co-dependency; as well as teaching the abuse victim new ways of inserting themselves back into society without fear or the stigma of being an abuse victim (NCPEA, 2008, para 2).
Caregivers of elderly family members are able to have support groups where they can discuss their concerns, fears, and frustrations in a safe environment. Respite care is a service that is available for family caregivers that are used to give them time to themselves to just take a break or do something for themselves (NCPEA, 2008, para 3).
Therapy can be used to help an abuse victim to strengthen weak muscles, broken bones, reteach skills or teach new ways of doing things (NCPEA, 2008, para 3).
References: Burkholder, D. M., & Nash, N. B. (2014).
Special Populations in Health Care. Burlington, MA: Jones & Barlett Learning, LLC.
Colorado Health Partnership. (n.d.). Kinds of Mental Health Services.
(2008). What Services Are Available to Stop Abuse
Tracy, N. (2017). Effects of Physical Abuse, Pictures of Physical Abuse.
Special Populations Text: Burkholder, D. M., & Nash, N. B. (2013).
An analysis of the statistical data/trends related to the populations. How did you use data to determine the three most vulnerable populations? Explain your thought process.
The World Health Organization's formal definition of "health." How are the physical, mental, and social aspects of health compromised in these three vulnerable populations in comparison to the others?
The statistical data and the health compromises identified above. Create a list of at least three health service needs for each vulnerable group you identified.