Session 11
This final slide set is provided to help you understand the disparity in coverage of many people for medical are services in the US system compared to all others, Mainly due to the predominance of the fee for service, employer based system, that forms the infrastructure of he US System.
Objectives:
Students will be able to describe:
The different vulnerable and underserved populations, their health needs, and summarize the major challenges faced by them
Focus On:
- Framework to study undeserved populations
- Definitions of underserved populations
- Enabling Characteristics
Terms you should know:
- AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It is a fatal disease believed to be caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is an unusual type of virus, called a retrovirus, that causes immune system suppression leading to AIDS. Individuals infected with HIV generally develop antibodies within a short period of time but may exhibit no symptoms for many years. Typically, the immune system weakens gradually and the blood level of CD4 cells (a type of white blood cell known as a T-helper/inducer lymphocyte) declines from a normal level of between 1200 and 1400/mm. The development of AIDS is estimated to occur at11 years, on average, from the time of HIV infection.
- Community Health Center Program’s goal is to improve access to health care services for low-income families
- Dependency refers to the special circumstances children face in that others often have to recognize and respond to their health needs. Children are dependent on their parents, school officials, caregivers, and sometimes neighbors to recognize and respond to their health needs, seek health care services on their behalf, authorize treatment, and comply with recommended treatment regimens.
- Developmental vulnerability refers to the rapid and cumulative physical and emotional changes that characterize childhood, and the potential impact that illness, injury, or untoward family and social circumstances can have on a child's life-course trajectory.
- Disability refers to impairment of bodily functions and therefore the restrictions of performing activities of daily living.
- The Health Care for the Homeless Program, administered by the Bureau of Primary Health Care, supports grantees from community health centers, local health departments, community coalitions, and other non-profit organizations to provide services to homeless individuals
- The Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities Program became the first federal program to encourage the development of new comprehensive full-time school-based primary care programs that serve vulnerable children
- HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. See AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
- The mental health system in the United States is composed of two subsystems, one primarily for individuals with insurance coverage or money and one for those without. Patients without insurance coverage or personal financial resources are primarily treated in state and county mental health hospitals, or in community mental health clinics. Patients with insurance coverage or the personal ability to pay receive care from both inpatient and ambulatory mental health care systems.
- The National Health Service Corps works with communities and health care clinics in federally designated health professional-shortage areas to provide medical care to individuals living in these underserved areas
- New morbidities include drug and alcohol abuse, family and neighborhood violence, emotional disorders, and learning problems from which older generations do not suffer. These dysfunctions originate in complex family or socioeconomic conditions rather than biological causes exclusively.
- The Public Housing Primary Care Program is administered by the Bureau of Primary Health Care to support health centers and other community providers in delivering care to residents of public housing, individuals living near public housing, and anyone benefiting from public rent subsidies
- Vulnerability denotes susceptibility to negative events. From a health perspective, vulnerability refers to the likelihood of experiencing poor health or illness.
Following the review of these slides you should be able to discuss
- What is a vulnerability model? What are the distinctive characteristics of this model?
- What are the health concerns of women?
- Which childhood characteristics have important implications for health system design?
- What are the challenges faced in rural health?
You may post short essays on these topics on the discussion forum for review and comment by your peers.