PCN 501 Grand Canyon Week 7 Discussion 2

What additional preparation or education would you need to effectively treat the following: Families, adolescents, persons of color, persons from different religious groups, the LGBT population, persons with disabilities, etc.? Why is this preparation/education important? Do you foresee any challenges in obtaining this preparation/education?

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Additional preparation needed for treating vulnerable populations

Introduction

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there are already major disparities in how different races and ethnicities are treated. The good news is that we have more data than ever before to help us understand what those disparities mean for the health of vulnerable populations. We know from studies that show higher rates of uninsured people suffering from severe symptoms during this outbreak, for example, and we know also that Black Americans as a whole are more likely to be affected by the virus than white Americans. But it isn’t just about race; there are many reasons why Black people may be at particular risk for severe disease symptoms during this outbreak. Here’s what we know so far:

The COVID-19 pandemic has also disproportionately affected Black Americans

The COVID-19 pandemic has also disproportionately affected Black Americans. They are at greater risk of developing a severe flu than other racial groups because they have less access to health care and a higher mortality rate due to cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic conditions.

Also, Blacks are more likely to be uninsured than Whites or Hispanics. This means that if you get sick with the flu or another viral illness that can spread among vulnerable populations (such as elderly people), you might not have insurance coverage for treatments like antiviral medications or emergency room visits—and therefore won’t receive them until you’re very sick with symptoms such as high fever, chills and fatigue.

In addition to being more likely than whites to be uninsured, Black people are also less likely to have access to a regular health care provider.

In addition to being more likely than Whites to be uninsured, Black people are also less likely to have access to a regular health care provider. This means that many Black people rely on emergency rooms for primary medical care and don’t get the same treatment as non-Black patients.

Emergency medical services don’t work the same for Black people,

You can see where this is going. The lack of access to care, specialists and providers who are culturally competent means that Black patients will continue to get less treatment than they should. This is especially true when it comes to emergency medical services (EMS). In fact, studies show that Blacks are more likely to die on the way to hospital than whites or Hispanics despite being less likely than either group overall—and EMS is where poor people go when they need help most urgently.

The reasons for this have nothing at all do with EMS itself: race-based bias in decision making by front line responders has been well documented over time; so much so that many cities have introduced policies designed specifically prevent such behavior from happening again (e.g., Philadelphia’s “Use of Force Protocols”). But even if you don’t live in one of those cities yet—and frankly if you’re reading this article then chances are good at least part of your home state does not have these policies yet either—then maybe now would be a good time for us all start thinking about how we can make sure everyone gets treated equally under any circumstances!

The already-high rate of maternal mortality among Black women is even higher in pregnancy-related or pregnancy-associated deaths

Black women are more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, and they have a higher rate of preexisting health conditions that make them vulnerable.

A cesarean section is the most common procedure performed on pregnant black women, according to a study by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ). The study found that nearly 15 percent of black pregnant women had a cesarean delivery compared with 8 percent among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white moms; this difference was even greater for obese mothers—more than 30 percent versus less than 17 percent for other races/ethnicities combined (and 11% overall).

African Americans and other racial minorities also were less likely than white patients in the pre-antibiotic era to receive life-saving treatment with sulfa drugs

The sulfa drugs were first used in the early 1930s, and they quickly became the most common treatment for bacterial infections. They were effective at treating a wide range of infections because of their ability to kill bacteria by disrupting their cell membranes. Sulfa drugs are also very effective against certain kinds of viruses like hepatitis A and B, as well as poliovirus (which causes polio).

Sulfonamides can treat a wide range of conditions including bacterial meningitis, pneumonia, chlamydia pneumoniae infection (also known as Legionnaires’ disease), syphilis infection (Treponema pallidum serogroup A or Treponemal Pneumonia), typhoid fever (Salmonella typhi), scarlet fever/enteric febrile neutropenia syndrome

There are major disparities when it comes to how doctors treat pain.

Doctors treating vulnerable populations are more likely to prescribe opioid pain medications, which can be dangerous for patients with histories of drug abuse or addiction.

The data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) shows that Black patients were less likely than other racial groups to receive opioid prescriptions in 2017. In addition to being less likely to receive opioids, Black patients were also less likely than White or Asian/Pacific Islander individuals—who represent the majority of the general population—to receive sedatives or tranquilizers instead of opioids during their visits with physicians. The data also showed that Black men had higher rates of opioid use disorder compared with White men; however, this difference was not observed among women or other racial groups.[3]

Lack of diversity among health care providers can cause problems.

Lack of diversity among health care providers can cause problems. Minority patients feel more comfortable with a doctor who looks like them, so they are more likely to follow the advice of their doctor. They also tend to be less likely to be treated for pain and other symptoms related to chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

People need more help and access before treatment begins.

You can help your patients get access to treatment. Here’s what you need to know:

• People need more help and access before treatment begins. There are many barriers that prevent people from getting the care they need, including:

• being able to access the health care system;

• getting treatment; and/or

• getting their prescriptions filled.

Conclusion

The CDC is doing more than ever to address the needs of vulnerable populations—including people with disabilities. In fact, they’ve developed an entire program that focuses on improving care for these groups: the Handicap and Care Improvement Program (HCIP). This initiative helps clinicians identify patient needs and resources in their community that may not be known or utilized by medical professionals. The HCIP team will also work closely with local organizations like churches and civic groups to ensure these services are accessible when needed most.