ACCESS TO HEALTH IN POPULATIONS AT-RISK

Purpose: To describe how distinct population groups may experience health-related risk and marginalization as well as ways they might be empowered to improved health.

Background: Continued interest in vulnerable populations is needed given persisting health disparities that are experienced by those who have less access to resources. Indeed, it is the belief of nurses that the health of all is ultimately dependent on the health of those who are most challenged to access health care. Globally, the population above age 65 is expected to triple to 1.5 billion within the next twenty years and this is associated with an increase in chronic disease. Besides aging, pediatric populations with lower socioeconomic status (SES) and less access to resources are particularly at-risk and are in need of effective interventions to reduce their vulnerability to disease. Chronic disease and SES factors are linked to health status across age and around the world. Thus, examining how nurses can research, educate, and provide health to such at-risk populations is imperative.

Methods: Four studies using diverse designs and methods (e.g., quantitative correlational surveys, qualitative phenomenological) are presented in this symposium to provide data-based insights about factors influencing health equity from the perspectives of at-risk groups. That is, symposium presenters will offer evidence that describes the health-related issues or perspectives of several vulnerable populations, including lower SES children with poor access, Jamaican elders with limited education and resources, diverse elderly with cognitive decline and the frail oldest old.

Results: Each presenter has gained insight into the diverse perspectives of those who are often overlooked. From their data, presenters derived a differentiated picture of what it means to become sick or elderly, to experience health needs but lack resources, and to find ways to engage in self-care despite adversity. There are shared and distinct experiences that can be traced in the data. The findings can improve nurses’ understanding of these at-risk groups and help them design interventions that will mitigate some of the disparities.

Implications: Nurse researchers can successfully contribute to understanding the needs of populations at-risk and thereby identify specific health concerns that are often overlooked or inadequately addressed. Understanding the perspectives of at-risk populations will further allow for health promoting interventions. This, consequently, can contribute to a decrease in adverse outcomes and an increase in quality of life in these populations.