Those who are at danger or in the population require additional needs prior to, during, and after a specific event in areas such as autonomy, movement, health care, and communication. Ethnic and racial minorities, low-income earners, those without health coverage, the elderly, those living with HIV, the homeless, and rural populations with restricted access to medical treatment are examples of vulnerable populations (Fusar & Valmaggia, 2013).
The risk and vulnerable population is vulnerable to three types of ailments: cognitive, social, and physical. Physical needs exist for high-risk children and mothers, the physically challenged, HIV patients, and those suffering from chronic illnesses. 87% of the elderly (65 and above) suffer from at least one chronic disease which include diabetes, cardiac and respiratory illnesses, dyslipidemia and hypertension. 67% of the elderly population is said to suffer from two or more ailments (Addington & Riecher,2013).
Those with chronic mental diseases like depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, lack of attention, suicidal victims, drugs and alcohol addicts, those susceptible to homelessness and hyperactivity disorder suffer are in the cognitive domain .
In the social category, the vulnerable and at risk population comprises of immigrants, individuals residing in abusive homes, the jobless, low income earners, those with low levels of education, refugees as well as the homeless. All those people falling under the three categories are likely to suffer from poor health and multiple ailments (Borgwardt 2013).
Barriers impeding progress in delivering healthcare to this population
There are barriers which come in the way of delivering health care to this population. Between 2000 and 2004, there were an extra 6,000,000 of patients with no insurance coverage and 35-45% had a chronic ailment (Gitterman, 2014).
58% were not able to purchase medicine due to high costs. This is because some of them are low-income earners. This implies that they have a high chance of delaying or not being able to access mental, dental or medical care.
The other barrier is lack of frequent health care. This results in this population suffering from one or more ailments due to unfulfilled healthcare (Gitterman, 2014).
References
Fusar-Poli, P., Borgwardt, S., Bechdolf, A., Addington, J., Riecher-Rössler, A., Schultze-Lutter, F., ... & Valmaggia, L. (2013). The psychosis high-risk state: a comprehensive state-of-the-art review. JAMA psychiatry, 70(1), 107-120. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1392281
Gitterman, A. (Ed.). (2014). Handbook of social work practice with vulnerable and resilient populations. Columbia University Press. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=w8bbAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=At+risk+and+vulnerable+population&ots=RJAW_RR0gl&sig=wbZI1daNBir_qz1mMljGTX1CAwo
