DESCRIBE A VULNERABLE POPULATION IN YOUR COMMUNITY (Research Paper Sample)

Identifying, Assessing, and Describing a Vulnerable Population in My Community Name Institution Introduction My community is Bowie city, a suburban area in Maryland, United States. As per the 2010 official census, Bowie city had a population of 54,727, with close to 20,000 households and 14,200 families (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). The city has plentiful of opportunities, and can be considered a wealthy city. Few cities match Bowie, regarding the peace and harmony enjoyed in the city, with equal representation of various races with a 48.7% black, 41.4% white, and 5.6% Hispanic or Latino representation (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). Racism is non-existent in this part of the United States. Most residents are proud of the city, and are friendly to one another. The environmental conditions are satisfactory, and social facilities are in good condition and fully utilized and crime rate is low. On average, people are healthy. This paper discusses teenagers as a vulnerable population in Bowie city, makes a short analysis of factors affecting teenage health in the city, and resources available for this vulnerable group. The Vulnerable Population Overview The vulnerable population, as per the Windshield Survey, is the teenagers that is, individuals aged between 13 and 19 years. From the survey conducted, many teenagers are spotted in parks, playgrounds among other recreational areas. Some of them were spotted engaging in such risky behaviors as drinking alcohol, and smoking. These habits tend to set the teenagers apart from the other groups in the society, as they are likely to indulge in drug use and abuse. The dress code for some of the teenagers observed amounted to indecency, a factor that puts them at risk of indulging in health-wise risky behaviors, such as teenage sex and pregnancy, and drug use. There has been an overall increase in cases of teenagers engaging in sex at an early age and without using protection. As a result, teenage pregnancies and cases of HIV/AIDS are on the rise in Maryland (McDaniels, 2015). In the present age, teenagers no longer perceive pregnancy as a responsibility, neither do they view HIV as a terminal illness but rather as a chronic disease, and as a result, the keep HIV at bay policy is no longer working, according to Dr. Patrick Ryscavage, of the Institute of Human Virology at University of Maryland (as cited in McDaniels, 2015). Patients know that as long as an infected person comes in and seeks treatment, an HIV positive patient can expect to live full, healthy life. Teenagers are, consequently, easily swayed by peer pressure and are likely to engage in drug use and irresponsible sexual behavior. Strengths, Risk factors, and/or Barriers Teenagers' health is critical to the wellbeing of the entire population. The target population teenagers, in this case, are ready for the job market and the economy relies on their agility and wellbeing. The government has put in place mechanisms to ensure the health of this vulnerable group is improved as noted by Beltz, Sacks, Moore, and Terzian (2015) in their article, ‘State policy and teen childbearing: a review of research studies.’ As their greatest strength, teenagers are agile, and state-level policies favor them. For instance, access to public assistance, education, and sex education in various government institutions, as outlined by Beltz et al. (2015) gives teenagers a leeway for their future health. State-level policies also put into consideration aspects that facilitate teen childbearing, such as family planning, and access to abortion services (Beltz et al., 2015). Peer pressure and early maturity are the main risk factors for teenage pregnancy. According to National Public Radio (NPR, 2014), in the current generation, girls reach puberty at a very early age, as early as 10-12 years of age. Social problems such as separation by parents further compound the risk for mental conditions such as depression which can lead to drug use and abuse, and indulgence in irresponsible behavior. Biological, psychosocial and cognitive changes occur early and continue throughout adolescence, with the girls who do not restrict calorie intake or body weight, and those who are not competitive athletes experiencing early onset of menstruation (Stang & Story, 2005). Most teenagers are still in learning institutions. As a result, they are not economically empowered to make key health but economically-inclined decisions that affect their individual health. They are therefore at risk of being influenced by external forces, including peer pressure and influence by economically stable individuals in the society. Beltz et al. (2015) further observe that the health of teenagers is affected by the effectiveness of state policies. Without effective education, teenagers’ health is in danger. Community Resources The city has adequate health resources necessary for teenage health. The Bowie Health Center, Dimensions Surgery Center, Doctors Community Hospital, ExpressCare Urgent Care, Genesis Health Center, Mental Health service facilities such as J MJ Health Care Center, numerous rehabilitation centers, gymnasium facilities, and wellness clinics, nursing homes, pharmacies, among many other inpatient and outpatient facilities addresses the health needs of all residents of the city, including teenagers. Community Health Problem Diagnosis One of the Healthy People 2020 Objectives is to reduce the number of new HIV infections among adolescents and adults, the overall goal being to improve the healthy development, health, safety, and the well-being of adolescents and young adults (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Healthy People 2020, 2016 Objectives: Sexual Health, HIV-2). With approximately 21% of the U.S population being adolescents (10-19 years) and young adults (2...