Chapter 21: Vulnerability And Vulnerable Populations: An Overview

Question 1

Vulnerability

Answer 1

Susceptibility to actual or potential stressors that may lead to an adverse effect.

Question 2

Vulnerability results from

Answer 2

The interaction of internal and external factors that cause a person to be susceptible to poor health.

Question 3

Vulnerable Populations

Answer 3

Those groups with increased risk for adverse health outcomes

Question 4

Health disparities

Answer 4

The wide variations in health services and health status among certain population groups

Question 5

Vulnerable Populations are more likely to

Answer 5

• Develop health problems as a result of exposure risk or to have worse outcomes from those health problems than the population as a whole
• Be more sensitive to risk factors because they are often exposures to cumulative risk factors
• Suffer from health disparities

Question 6

Vulnerability results from

Answer 6

The combined effects of limited physical, environmental, personal resources and biopsychosocial resources

Question 7

Factors Contributing to Vulnerability include

Answer 7

Social Determinants of Health

Health Status

Question 8

Social Determinants of Health

Answer 8

Factors that lead to resource constraints, poor health, and health risk.

Question 9

Nursing interventions for social determinants of health are designed to

Answer 9

help vulnerable populations gain the resources needed for better health and reduction of risk factors.

Question 10

Social Determinants of Health include

Answer 10

Economic status
Education
Environmental factors
Nutrition
Stress
Prejudice

Question 11

Health Status includes

Answer 11

Age

Changes in normal physiology

Question 12

Outcomes of vulnerability

Answer 12

Can be negative (lower health status) or positive (with effective interventions).
Often have worse health outcomes than other people in terms of morbidity and mortality

Question 13

Cycle to Vulnerability

Answer 13

Sometimes when one problem is solved, another quickly emerges
Leads to feelings of hopelessness

Question 14

Public Policies Affecting Vulnerable Populations

Answer 14

Social Security Act of 1935
Social Security Act Amendments of 1965, Medicare, and Medicaid:
Title XXI of the Social Security Act (1997)
State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
Balanced Budget Act of 1997
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

Question 15

Social Security Act of 1935:

Answer 15

created largest federal support program for elderly and poor Americans

Question 16

Social Security Act Amendments of 1965, Medicare, and Medicaid:

Answer 16

provided for health care needs of elderly, poor, and disabled people

Question 17

Title XXI of the Social Security Act (1997)

Answer 17

provides for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to provide funds to uninsured children

Question 18

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

Answer 18

was intended to help people keep their health insurance when moving from one place to another.

Question 19

Balanced Budget Act of 1997:

Answer 19

influenced the use of resources for providing health services

Question 20

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

Answer 20

has provisions for reducing the growth of future Medicare expenditures.

Question 21

Nursing Approaches to Care in the community trends toward

Answer 21

providing more comprehensive, family-centered services when treating vulnerable population groups; family-centered “one-stop” services

Question 22

Other nursing approaches to care in the community

Answer 22

Advocacy
Social justice
Culturally and linguistically appropriate health care

Question 23

Comprehensive Services

Answer 23

are health services that focus on more than one health problem or concern

Question 24

Wrap-around services

Answer 24

available comprehensive health services, and social and economic services also provided, either directly or through referrals; in this way, social and economic services that will help ensure effectiveness of health services are “wrapped around” health services

Question 25

Assessment should include client evaluation of

Answer 25

Socioeconomic resources
Preventive health needs
Congenital and genetic predisposition to illness
Amount of stress
Living environment and neighborhood surroundings

Question 26

Planning and Implementing Care for Vulnerable Populations

Answer 26

Create a trusting environment.
Show respect, compassion, and concern.
Do not make assumptions.
Coordinate services and providers.
Advocate for accessible health care services.
Focus on prevention.
Know when to “walk beside” the client and when to encourage the client to “walk ahead.”
Know what resources are available.
Develop your own support network.