For vulnerable populations, the environment they live in, society and individual decisions affect their health. If you live in a low income area, it may be less safe and have less openly accessible resources for the population to access. Also, vulnerable populations may not have the money or transportation available to them that would allow them to get the healthcare needed to keep them healthy. Society assumes that if you don’t have enough money or are homeless it is because you are not trying, but for some people their health is what is preventing them for working and they just do not have the resources to improve that health. For others, working a certain amount of hours allows them health insurance that they would not have if they worked more. On an individual level, certain religious customs or beliefs prevent individuals from seeking health assistance because in their culture it is frowned upon. Historically, children born into vulnerable populations will remain apart of that population for the rest of their lives and their children’s lives. That does not have to be true, but without proper resources people can not escape these populations. Socially, people in vulnerable populations don’t have access to the same school systems or social networks as other populations. This is heavily influenced by economic status and where you reside as well. If you do not have money, it is more difficult to go to good school, get better jobs, make more money, and get better opportunities. Because of this, margins increase between varying populations.
Resolving these problems are not going to be easy. It is not going to happen over night, but increasing access to healthcare, jobs, transportation, and outlets for children to go to get them out of poor neighborhoods will help. By supplying transportation methods, vulnerable populations can get to jobs that they normally would not be able to access. Giving children of vulnerable population places to go after school to play sports or even hang out with other children their age keeps them off the streets and gives them things to do to prevent them from getting in trouble. It also allows parents to work later hours to make more money to maybe move into a better neighborhood with better schools and resources. I can use what I learned about marginalized persons to help care for diverse populations to help me take a step back and think why… why are they in these situations. Before blaming them for their situations, I will look at how they ended up where they are what resources were they lacking that got them there. Also, I will look at what they need to help them improve their situations. By giving them the resources that they need to align with their culture and beliefs, socioeconomic status, etc., I can help vulnerable populations improve their health and narrow the margin.
