Provide peer response to the following discussion which requires one reference from a peer-reviewed NURSING journal less than 5 y/o. Response has to be in APA format.
Discussion One:
According to de Chesnay and Anderson (2015), a vulnerable population is, generally speaking, a group of individuals who have an increased risk of developing physical, social, or psychological health problems (de Chesnay & Anderson, 2015, p. 3). This could be the case either due to genetic predispositions, life events, or any other circumstances that can influence a patient’s socioeconomic, physical, or psychological status.
De Chesnay and Anderson (2015) state that there are some major factors by which the vulnerable populations can be identified: ethnicity, immigration status, age, gender, and socioeconomic status, but there are many other factors that should be taken into consideration (de Chesnay & Anderson, 2015, p. 4). Based on these factors, high-risk population groups can be identified and assessed.
One of the vulnerable population groups are the elderly. As Oster and Oster (2015) mention cellular changes occur as part of the aging process, and therefore, the body fluids and bone mass decrease (Oster & Oster, 2015, p. 445). This puts the elderly at increased risk for injuries and prolongs or hinders the
healing process after injuries or surgical interventions.
Other changes that contribute to an increased risk for physical, psychological, or social health problems are age-related confusion and depression. Oftentimes elderly people live alone after the loss of a spouse. They might not leave the house at all due to their depression and therefore, show signs of from malnutrition, a lack of hygiene, or medication non-compliance. Many times the psychological changes go hand in hand with the physiological ones.
