Vulnerable Populations - Human Services
Vulnerable Populations
Introduction to Human Services, BSHS 302
June 21, 2010
Introduction
Chronic illnesses are disorders that require ongoing care and treatment for much of the patients’ life to manage the illness. Examples of such illnesses are diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. When discussing chronic mental illness, such diseases or disorders would be those that require ongoing treatment and care throughout much of the patients’ life. Examples would be schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, chronic anxiety disorder or attention deficit hyperactive disorder as well as many other specific forms of mental illness. Individuals suffering from chronic mental illnesses are part of the vulnerable population because they exist within a social group consisting of individuals with high risk factors or are susceptible to health-related problems. Individuals with less access to quality health care, lower life-expectancy or higher mortality rates, and those in a lower social status not accepted in the general population may be a part of a vulnerable population (UCLA, 2010). Those individuals with health disparities such as severe mental illness are vulnerable because they may not be able to provide for themselves or meet their own basic human needs as a result of their illness.
Chronically Mentally Ill Population
History of Mental Illness and Intervention Strategies Mental illness presumably has been present in all societies and cultures dating back to at least 5000 BCE. Up until the Middle Ages people with mental illness or those considered to have gone mad were accused as being possessed by evil spirits or demons. The intervention strategy was to drill holes in the individuals head to allow the demons to escape. Mental illness and demonic possessions continued to be thought as connected well into the eighteenth century. The possessions were resolved by casting out the demons or going through witch trials resulted in either death or
Introduction to Human Services, BSHS 302
June 21, 2010
Introduction
Chronic illnesses are disorders that require ongoing care and treatment for much of the patients’ life to manage the illness. Examples of such illnesses are diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. When discussing chronic mental illness, such diseases or disorders would be those that require ongoing treatment and care throughout much of the patients’ life. Examples would be schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, chronic anxiety disorder or attention deficit hyperactive disorder as well as many other specific forms of mental illness. Individuals suffering from chronic mental illnesses are part of the vulnerable population because they exist within a social group consisting of individuals with high risk factors or are susceptible to health-related problems. Individuals with less access to quality health care, lower life-expectancy or higher mortality rates, and those in a lower social status not accepted in the general population may be a part of a vulnerable population (UCLA, 2010). Those individuals with health disparities such as severe mental illness are vulnerable because they may not be able to provide for themselves or meet their own basic human needs as a result of their illness.
Chronically Mentally Ill Population
History of Mental Illness and Intervention Strategies Mental illness presumably has been present in all societies and cultures dating back to at least 5000 BCE. Up until the Middle Ages people with mental illness or those considered to have gone mad were accused as being possessed by evil spirits or demons. The intervention strategy was to drill holes in the individuals head to allow the demons to escape. Mental illness and demonic possessions continued to be thought as connected well into the eighteenth century. The possessions were resolved by casting out the demons or going through witch trials resulted in either death or
References: Goldman, H., Morrissey, J., Ridgley, S., Frank, R., Newman, S., & Kennedy, C. (1992). Lessons from the Program on Chronic Mental Illness. Retrieved June 27, 2010, from Health Affairs: http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/11/3/51.pdf Martin, M. (2007). Introduction to Human Services: Through the Eyes of Practice Setting. Allyn & Bacon, Inc. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. (n.d.). Retrieved June 28, 2010, from Public Health Service: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter1/sec1.html The Impact of Mental Illness on Society . (2001, January 1). Retrieved June 28, 2010, from Healthier You: http://www.healthieryou.com/impact.html UCLA. (2010). Who are Vulnerable Populations? Retrieved June 27, 2010, from UCLA School of Nursing: http://www.nursing.ucla.edu/orgs/cvpr/who-are-vulnerable.html