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Chapter 27: Caring for Vulnerable Populations and Communities

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Chapter 27: Caring for Vulnerable Populations and Communities

10 problems · 0 figures

27-1 §27.RQ source ↗

Which of the following individuals is experiencing homelessness?
  1. a.
    17-year-old staying at friend’s house due to a disagreement with their parents
  2. b.
    30-year-old incarcerated following an arrest for drug possession
  3. c.
    55-year-old sleeping in a car after losing their job
  4. d.
    40-year-old spending 40 percent of their income on rent

Answer

C. 55-year-old sleeping in a car after losing their job
Homelessness refers to individuals or families who lack a regular, fixed, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes those living in shelters or in public or private locations not designed for regular sleeping, such as in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, transportation stations, and campgrounds.

27-2 §27.RQ source ↗

Which of the following is considered a primary prevention measure to address homelessness?
  1. a.
    Taking clinical medicine to the streets using mobile health vans
  2. b.
    Advocating for affordable health care
  3. c.
    Referring to social support agencies for housing assistance
  4. d.
    Assisting with locating available shelters

Answer

B. Advocating for affordable health care
Advocating for affordable health care is the only upstream intervention and is a primary method to prevent individuals from becoming homeless by addressing contributing factors.

27-3 §27.RQ source ↗

Agent Orange is associated with which of the following health outcomes?
  1. a.
    Traumatic brain injuries
  2. b.
    Cancer
  3. c.
    Respiratory diseases
  4. d.
    Hepatitis C

Answer

B. Cancer
Agent Orange is a tactical herbicide that is associated with cancer.

27-4 §27.RQ source ↗

Which of the following is an example of heteronormativity in health care?
  1. a.
    Discussing oral contraception with all women of childbearing age regardless of sexual orientation
  2. b.
    Refusing care to a client based on sexual orientation or gender identity
  3. c.
    Using birth-assigned pronouns rather than client-identified pronouns
  4. d.
    Asking the client if they would like their same-sex partner included in the medical discussion

Answer

A. Discussing oral contraception with all women of childbearing age regardless of sexual orientation
Heteronormativity is a form of implicit bias. Discussing oral contraception with all women of childbearing age regardless of their sexual orientation is a classic example of heteronormativity. Other examples of implicit bias include referring to same-sex partners as “friends” or intentionally excluding same-sex partners from health conversations.

27-5 §27.RQ source ↗

A community nurse is caring for migrant workers and their families. Which intervention by the nurse is an example of a secondary prevention measure?
  1. a.
    Educating clients on measures to reduce pesticide exposure
  2. b.
    Providing prenatal care for pregnant clients
  3. c.
    Screening children for anemia
  4. d.
    Providing referrals for mental health care

Answer

C. Screening children for anemia
Secondary prevention measures include screening activities to identify and treat diseases as early as possible to prevent complications.

27-6 §27.RQ source ↗

A community nurse has just started working at a migrant health center. When preparing to work with this population, what information is important for the nurse to remember?
  1. a.
    Only the men work in the fields around pesticides.
  2. b.
    Migrant workers are paid the federal minimum wage.
  3. c.
    Since they often live in employer-paid housing, housing and food insecurity is not an issue.
  4. d.
    Many children of migrant workers are forced to work alongside their parents.

Answer

D. Many children of migrant workers are forced to work alongside their parents.
Many children are required to work alongside their parents to help increase the family’s income. These families often live in poverty and need the extra money to survive.

27-7 §27.RQ source ↗

Which of the following scenarios contains a barrier to care for individuals with disabilities at a clinic?
  1. a.
    The practice is very busy, and 15 minutes are allotted per client encounter.
  2. b.
    Sidewalks with curb outlets and ramps with automated door openers are available.
  3. c.
    A web-based interpreter service that is closed-captioned with large print is used.
  4. d.
    The clinic has large examination rooms with mobile medical equipment.

Answer

A. The practice is very busy, and 15 minutes are allotted per client encounter.
Individuals with disabilities face frequent barriers to care. Aspects of care that create barriers to providing optimal and equitable care are an inaccessible physical environment, a lack of assistive technology for communication, programmatic barriers of lack of time for medical examinations, negative attitudes toward individuals with disabilities, and social and transportation barriers. Allotting 15 minutes per client encounter is a barrier to providing comprehensive care to individuals who require modifications due to mobility, hearing, or vision difficulties.

27-8 §27.RQ source ↗

The nurse recognizes that the concept of universal design emphasizes which component?
  1. a.
    Disability needs
  2. b.
    Adaptation
  3. c.
    Access
  4. d.
    Security

Answer

C. Access
The underlying theme of universal design is ensuring access for everyone. It refers to the design of spaces, communication modalities, environments, and products that are accessible and usable by all individuals including those with disability needs and chronic illness.

27-9 §27.RQ source ↗

Which of the following is considered an adverse childhood experience?
  1. a.
    Having a family member with a disability
  2. b.
    Witnessing gang violence in the community
  3. c.
    Arguing with parents over subpar schoolwork
  4. d.
    Living in an area with low socioeconomic status

Answer

B. Witnessing gang violence in the community
ACEs are traumatic events occurring in childhood that can have a lifelong negative impact on health. Traumatic events may include experiencing violence or neglect, witnessing violence in the home or community, or having a family member attempt or die by suicide. Additionally, growing up in an environment that undermines a sense of safety, stability, or bonding also contributes to ACEs.

27-10 §27.RQ source ↗

The community health nurse preceptor is discussing vulnerable populations with a student. How does the nurse define a vulnerable or disadvantaged population?
  1. a.
    Groups of people with higher mortality rates
  2. b.
    Groups with a lower life expectancy
  3. c.
    Groups of people who are at increased risk for adverse health outcomes
  4. d.
    Groups experiencing homelessness and mental illness

Answer

C. Groups of people who are at increased risk for adverse health outcomes
Disadvantaged populations are groups of individuals with a higher risk for adverse health outcomes. Individuals experiencing homelessness, veterans, LGBTQIA+ populations, migrant workers, individuals with disabilities, and those who have experienced ACEs are all considered disadvantaged populations that increase their risk for significant health disparities.

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Problems and answers are adapted from Population Health for Nurses by Jessica Ochs, Sherry L. Roper and Susan M. Schwartz, OpenStax, and are used under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/population-health/pages/1-introduction. Illustrations: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. This adaptation is released under the same licence, is non-commercial, and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by OpenStax or Rice University.