Vulnerable populations in Health Care Assignment

Vulnerable populations in Health Care - Assignment Example People who are chronically ill may have respiratory diseases, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and heart disease which have sustained for longer periods of time and resulted to alterations in health or disability. Between 2000 and 2004, 87% of the U.S. population ages 65 years old and older have one or more chronic conditions while those below the age of 65 approximately 35%-45% of the U.S. population have at least one chronic medical condition (The American Journal of Managed Care, 2006, 348). Thus, people ages 65 years old and older are more vulnerable to chronic diseases and disability. Research suggest that mortality from chronic diseases is common among men while more physical restrictions due to a chronic illness are more likely to experience by women (August & Sorkin, 2010, 1834). Men gained a lot of health benefits from social integration but it is also the social-relatedness of a man that predisposes him to chronic diseases as a result of risky health behaviors such as smoking, frequent alcohol consumption, and substance abuse. Women, on the other hand, are more eager to have health-related knowledge, more likely to monitor own health status, and less likely to engage in risky health behaviors (August & Sorkin, 2010, 1834). Thus, men are more vulnerable to chronic conditions and disability compared to women. Living with a chronic condition and suffering from disability are the realities for majority of the population in the United States; however, chronic illnesses prevalence varies across racial and ethnic groups. Minority populations include African Americans, Hispanic, and Native Americans while the Caucasians are the majority population. Racial and ethnic minorities are more vulnerable to chronic illness and experience greater complications and higher death rates compared to the majority population (Gallant, Spitze & Grove, 2010, 21).