Introduction
Vulnerable populations are found everywhere, and unluckily they are more prone to a hardship lifestyle because of medical situations. A vulnerable population, therefore, implies a group of people having similar features that propose the group members are at high risk of declined health status physically, mentally, and emotionally (Sullivan, 2022). Many aspects increase the risk of these populations comprising gender, age, race, education, demographics, culture, ethnicity, and access to healthcare services. The selected vulnerable group includes substance abusers in society. Substance abuse, listed as the cause of mental, physical, and public health issues in the United States, has led to many risks. The essay identifies and examines a vulnerable population in society.
Method
I found my information for this paper through Google Scholar. The site offers a place for one to search across several sources and disciplines comprising theses, articles, abstracts, books, academic publishers, online repositories, professional societies, and universities. Google is a web search engine; thus, users enter search terms or keywords such as substance abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and vulnerable populations.
Results
After my search on Google Scholar and websites, I found the sources and information I was looking for in the search engine. This web search engine has an abundance of information to offer on the topic. I found sources discussing substance abuse and users, vulnerable populations, and ways of resolving the issues. Further, the sites provided information on contributing factors to vulnerability, social determinants of health, and health issues affecting the population. Hence, these sources and information will be vital in discussing the topic.
Discussion
Description of Substance Abuse Population
Substance abusers fit the vulnerable population description given that they are typically at a high risk of health issues. Substance abusers are people with conditions related to the use of mind and behavior-changing substances that negatively influence their health and behavior outcomes. Social attitudes and political and legal responses to drug abuse create substance abuse as the most sophisticated public health problem (Hall, 2019).
Substance abuse has become a rampant issue in the current society despite access to information concerning the implications of drug abuse. The characteristics of alcohol and drug addicts are key to vulnerable populations recognized in the community. Many affected people are homeless and lack jobs; thus, they struggle for everyday survival. Based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) report, approximately 35 million Americans aged twelve years and above experience a substance abuse issue (Safeer et al., 2021). Illicit drug abuse, tobacco, and alcohol have increased, and a substantial portion of Americans consumes at least one of the substances.
Contributing Factors to the Vulnerability
Social, environmental, and individual aspects contribute to the risk of human substance use. Familial risks that lead to adolescent drug abuse comprise family or parental substance abuse, childhood maltreatment, educational level, parental marital status, family socio-economic status, parent-child associations, and negative perceptions. Social aspects that lead to increased vulnerability to substance abuse comprise peer pressure, bullying, popularity, and correlation with gangs (Sullivan, 2022). Further, the typical individual risk factors that lead to substance abuse are depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Also, other risk factors include ethnicity, sexual orientation, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Health Issues Affecting the Vulnerable Population
Substance abusers are at a higher risk of contracting mental and physical disorders. Substance abuse disorder or addiction is the most rampant primary health issue among the population. Addiction comprises complex illnesses typically chronic and featured by uncontrolled and compulsive use of drugs contributing to destructive or maladaptive behaviors. Addiction transforms the brain while replacing human needs with compulsive conduct leading to mental disease. Substance abusers may suffer from heart or lung disease, stroke, and cancer. For instance, tobacco and alcohol abusers increase their risk of acquiring cancers, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and metabolic diseases. Further, people abusing substances experience anxiety, depression, and panic attacks (Morani, 2017). Substance abuse may contribute to unsafe sexual acts, leading to syphilis, HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis.
Health Promotion
Employee assistance programs (EAP) may provide referral services and information for workers with drug or alcohol use problems. The programs entail active employee engagement in life-changing activities such as seminars, classes, or competitions (Hall, 2019). Furthermore, the CDC Scorecard tool assists employers in evaluating if their health promotion programs center on the best evidence for enhancing the wellness and health of workers. Tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable diseases, death, and disabilities in the US having more than 47 million adults using the products (Safeer et al., 2021).
Smoking affects almost every body organ leading to several illnesses and affecting smokers’ health. In this effort, 70 percent of employers have a comprehensive program of workplace tobacco control comprising policies, education, and benefits approaches. Employers have close to 63 percent (5 of 8) tobacco control scorecard approaches in place (Roemer et al., 2022). Quitting smoking has short and long-term health benefits. Besides, employers are performing health promotion to support tobacco cessation.
Implications for Health Promotion and Healthcare Delivery Systems
There are increasing health inequalities among these groups despite the National Institute of Healthcare (NIH) mandating their inclusion in research and data collection analysis. The inclusion alone cannot be enough to inform the public about substance abuse in children, youths, adults, minorities, and women. Hence, sufficient measurements are needed to perform good research on substance abuse and eradicate health inequalities in this population (Cloyd et al., 2021). Health promotion programs and a well-established healthcare delivery system will facilitate health equality and manage healthcare issues related to this vulnerable group in the community.
Efforts to Address the Problem
Public health centers on illness and health promotion prevention other than treatment and diagnosis of illnesses. The National Drug Control approach is the federal efforts to decrease substance abuse illnesses via a coordinated national drug control (NDC) policy. The governments are providing awareness generation, preventive education, counseling, identification, rehabilitation, and treatment of drug addict people (Morani, 2017). Capacity building and training of healthcare service providers via collaborative efforts of private organizations and governments.
A Nurse Implementing Interventions
Substance abuse is treated and successfully controlled in healthcare settings. Involvement in primary care and behavioral health enhances behavioral and physical health outcomes and reduces healthcare charges for substance abusers. APRNs must be knowledgeable and identify persons prone to risk features to prevent and treat substance misuse. A DNP nurse should carry out actions to support positive transformations in the substance abusers’ health status (Cloyd et al., 2021). The nurse may provide care based on evidence-based research to enhance health outcomes and guarantee patient safety in a group of vulnerable people.
Conclusion
The essay has explored the substance abusers population as a vulnerable group in need. The study confirms that this group is susceptible, showing how social, individual, and environmental factors contribute to this vulnerability. Employers have initiated programs to help control substance misuse at the workplace, in governments, and other private organizations. They have also instigated policies and programs to reduce substance use. Substance misuse in people may be averted and treated with focus from the DNP nurses.
References
Cloyd, M., Stiles, B. L., & Diekhoff, G. M. (2021). Nursing students’ perceptions of substance abusers: The effect of social status on stigma. Nurse Education Today, 97(3), 104691. Web.
Hall, T. (2019). Substance and alcohol misuse policy. Managing Workplace Substance Misuse, 3(2), 82-150. Web.
Morani, A. S. (2017). Recovery from addiction and prevention to relapse key role of family and community intervention. Global Journal of Addiction & Rehabilitation Medicine, 2(3), 313-328. Web.
Roemer, E. C., Kent, K. B., Goetzel, R. Z., Krill, J., Williams, F. S., & Lang, J. E. (2022). The CDC worksite health scorecard: A tool to advance workplace health promotion programs and practices. Preventing Chronic Disease, 19(1). Web.
Safeer, R. S., Lucik, M. M., & Christel, K. C. (2021). Using the CDC worksite health scorecard to promote organizational change. American Journal of Health Promotion, 35(7), 997-1001. Web.
Sullivan, M. A. (2022). Drug use and mental health: Comorbidity between substance use and psychiatric disorders. Substance and Non-Substance Related Addictions, 3(1), 3-17. Web.