Essay Sample on Community Health Nursing

Introduction

In nursing, vulnerable populations consist of a group of people whose healthcare needs have been complicated by other social issues. On the other hand, the underserved communities refer to Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs), Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs), or the Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) (AphA, 2015). The vulnerable and underserved populations are similar in that they require an increased level of healthcare. They also have limited life options such as economic, cultural, educational or housing. The main difference between the vulnerable and underserved population is that the former's point of focus is their increased risk to health complication while the latter's point of emphasis is there limited access to healthcare services.

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One example of the vulnerable group is the homeless population. The homeless population is at an increased risk of contracting infections because they lack a safe place to stay. Respiratory illnesses and nutrition deficiencies are health problems that are specific to homeless populations. They are constantly exposed to weather elements such as snow, rain or extreme heat, which increases their chances of contracting respiratory diseases such as pneumonia (Joszt, 2018). They also have limited access to food, which leads to the development of malnutrition. The rural populations are an example of an underserved group. The high rate of chronic diseases and dental problems are common healthcare concerns among the rural community. The rural communities live in locations that are not easily accessible by the healthcare providers, and that limits their access to healthcare services that may enable them to get health checkup (Department of Health and Human Services, 2015). The discussion on vulnerable and underserved population will offer a good foundation for analysis of the report on Orange County.

The three key informants that I have selected from Orange County, California is the mayor, a police officer, and an ER doctor. I have chosen the mayor as a key informant because he is likely to have firsthand information about the community's needs and the possible solutions to these problems. A police officer is a good informant because of the knowledge that he or she possesses on the crime rates in the area and their influence on the health needs of the population. An ER doctor is likely to provide me with information about the common health problems that affect the residents of Orange County. Some of the questions that I would ask them are; what is the number 1 cause of deaths in Orange County? Another problem is; Does the local government conducting any health advocacy programs in the area? Therefore based on the report from Scorecard, I would make the following recommendation.

Conclusion

I would recommend the city council to increase access to health care services for the people of color who are a vulnerable population. The report indicates that the people color are at an increased risk of cancer from hazardous air pollutants (Scorecard, 2011). A nurse can decide to advocate for underserved and vulnerable populations by providing health information to these groups. Nurses can also teach them to advocate for themselves so that they do not necessarily rely on outside help.

References

AphA. (2015, February 1). Policy 101: What are medically underserved communities? Retrieved from AphA: https://www.pharmacist.com/article/policy-101-what-are-medically-underserved-communities

Department of Health and Human Services. (2015). Federally-facilitated marketplace assister curriculum. Bethesda, MD: Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight.

Joszt, L. (2018, July 20). 5 Vulnerable populations in healthcare. Retrieved from AJMC: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/5-vulnerable-populations-in-healthcare

Scorecard. (2011). Environmental justice: Summary report. Scorecard. Retrieved from http://scorecard.goodguide.com/community/ej-summary.tcl?fips_county_code=36071&backlink=land-co#compare