Running head: VULNERABLE POPULATION
Vulnerable Population: Adolescents and Their Risk Factors
Courtney List
Ferris State University
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VULNERABLE POPULATION
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Vulnerable Population: Adolescents and Their Risk Factors
The Urban Institute (2010) defines vulnerable populations as “groups that are not well
integrated into the health care system because of ethnic, cultural, economic, geographic, or
health characteristics” (para. 1). These populations can have little to no access to healthcare,
they are faced with various barriers that keep them from receiving optimal care (Moreno, Ralston
& Grossman, 2009). Adolescents are a specific unique vulnerable population that can often go
over looked. They are transitioning physically and emotionally from childhood to adulthood
making them more susceptible to health disparities. Despite the fact that adolescents are at the
most physically healthy points in their lives’, they face many social and cultural challenges that
place them at increased risk for various injuries and diseases (U.S. Department of Human
Services, 2014). This paper will explore the characteristics of the adolescent population that
make them vulnerable and ways to overcome bias and drive a more inclusive nursing practice.
Many people define the adolescent community as risky, irresponsible, unable to problem
solve, dramatic, attention seeking, rebellious, disrespectful, moody and likely to experiment with
drugs and alcohol. These bias and stereotypes prevent many adolescent teens from receiving
adequate healthcare and preventative services. People are more likely to ignore an adolescent’s
chief complaint than a client who is older and perceived as more mature. Overlooking an
adolescent client because of their age, prevents them from getting medical treatment they need.
The Office of Adolescent Health found that in the United States 9.5 million adolescents
are diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease each year. They also reported that four out of
ten teenagers in the United States report drinking alcoholic beverages. Out of all birthing
mothers in the United States in 2011 eight percent were adolescents. (Office of Adolescent
Health, 2014). In 2011, in the state of Michigan alone there were 19,410 teen mothers that gave
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birth. Surprisingly, this number was two percent below the national average. Michigan ranked
two percent below the national average for teenage alcohol consumption. Overall, Michigan
teens ranked slightly below the national average in almost all risk factor categories (“Michigan
Adolescent Health Facts,” 2014). Although Michigan teens ranked lower than their peers
nationwide, these numbers are staggering and prove there is a need for additional education,
support resources and access to healthcare.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has recognized the need to
bridge the gap and ensure the adolescent population has access to community resources and
healthcare that aide in healthy development. In 2010 adolescent health was added as a Healthy
People 2020 goal. The goal aims to “improve the healthy development, health, safety, and wellbeing of adolescents and young adults” (U.S. Department of Health and Services, 2014, para 1).
In order to improve the health of the adolescent population the community needs to work
together to increase access to healthcare, specifically preventative care and education. Coker and
colleagues found that adolescents would utilize preventative services more if they were easier to
access, improved the clinician-patient relationship and up-held confidentiality better. Most teens
reported they would value private confidential discussions with the same provider in order to
meet their healthcare needs. They also indicated they would prefer education through
technology such as e-mails, text messaging and the internet (Coker et al., 2009). As nurses we
can focus our attention on giving adolescent clients websites that are accurate and reliable for
sources of information. We can also emphasize confidentiality in hopes to teens feel more
comfortable with asking questions and seeking help if they need it. Knowing what the
adolescent population values in regards to healthcare allows nurses to provide a more inclusive
practice.
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The adolescent population is heavily influenced by environmental cues such as peers
behavior, society support, media influence, family support and community involvement (U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). As a community we need to work together
and create environmental cues that are positive and allow healthy development. Adolescents are
at a unique time in their lives when they need space to grow independently and guidance to grow
in the right direction.
As healthcare providers and a community it is important to recognize the bias we have
toward the adolescent population. Acknowledging our bias and openly discussing how we can
better meet the needs of this population can make a world of difference. Providing care that
specifically tailors to a patient population is what makes healthcare beneficial and efficient.
Increasing access to healthcare for adolescents can change their entire lives’ and start them on
the path to success as opposed to failure.
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References
Coker, T., Sareen, H., Chung, P., Kennedy, D., Weidmer, B., & Schuster, M. (2010, August).
Improving access to and utilization of adolescent preventive health care: the perspectives
of adolescents and parents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 47(2), 133-142.
doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.01.005
Moreno, M., Ralston, J., & Grossman, D. (2009, March). Adolescent access to online health
services: perils and promise. Journal of Adolescent Health, 44(3), 244-251.
doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.07.015
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2010). Adolescent Health. In Healthy People
2020. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives/topic/Adolescent-Health
Urban Institute. (2010). Vulnerable Populations. In Healthy Policy Center. Retrieved from
http://www.urban.org/health_policy/vulnerable_populations/