Population vulnerability is the outcome of the interplay between exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability. These three elements assist in determining the likelihood that various populations may be impacted by a certain stressor, such as an environmental shift, disease epidemic, natural disaster, or civil unrest ( Wardrop et al., 2021).
This essay examines the idea of population vulnerability with a particular emphasis on expectant mothers in Houston, Texas, Harris County. Utilizing a multidisciplinary methodology, it explores the several elements that lead to their susceptibility and highlights the necessity of customized solutions.
Concept Map Overview
Pregnant women in Harris County are a particularly susceptible group because they encounter particular physical and social difficulties during this pivotal time in their lives. Communication obstacles resulting from language and cultural differences hinder the diverse population of Harris County while seeking healthcare services—inadequate comprehension of medical data results in less-than-ideal maternity care and medical consequences. Consequently, women in Harris County suffer from infectious illnesses such as Obesity, diabetes (Ramah et al., 2020), and heart disease, which makes them vulnerable community once they are pregnant. Numerous factors, including biological, social, and healthcare-related characteristics, affect this population’s susceptibility.
Diverse communities in Harris County have differing levels of access to medical resources. Systemic obstacles that some racial and ethnic groups may encounter include few transit options, subpar healthcare facilities in their communities, and maternal care. Maternal death and morbidity rates are higher among Black women in Harris County; in 2020, the rate of maternal death in Harris increased to 79%, indicating inequities in maternal health outcomes (Understanding Houston). Developing targeted interventions requires understanding the local characteristics, such as inequalities in healthcare practices, that contribute to these discrepancies. In Harris County, socioeconomic differences affect racial and ethnic minorities. These differences include differences in chances for work, income, and education. These elements may affect one’s ability to obtain housing, food, and social support, affecting the well-being of pregnant women and fetuses. Houston is renowned for its environmental problems, which include air pollution (Rammah et al., 2020) and a higher-than-average chance of hurricanes and other natural calamities (Rammah et al., 2019). These environmental factors may disproportionately affect pregnant women, leading to unfavorable pregnancies.
Maternal mortality is primarily caused by cardiovascular disorders, such as heart disease and problems associated with hypertension (Salahuddin et al., 2019). Negative results can be more likely if there are pre-existing medical issues or if new ones arise during pregnancy, which is common among Black Women in Harris County. Maternal mortality rates are influenced by racial differences, with Black women suffering higher rates compared to 8% of White women (Understanding Houston). These discrepancies are caused by several factors, including socioeconomic inequality, poor or no parental care among Black Women, systemic racism, and unconscious biases in the healthcare system (Thomas et al., 2019). Like many major cities, Houston has gaps in the quality and accessibility of healthcare. Maternal mortality rates may be higher in some neighborhoods due to inadequate access to high-quality healthcare facilities and services.
Implications for Advanced Nursing Practice
Actively supporting legislative changes that would expand Medicaid’s coverage of maternal health services is one-way advanced nurses can successfully advocate for impoverished pregnant women in Harris County. Implementing systemic reforms at the national level is essential to addressing socioeconomic inequities and enhancing the provision of adequate prenatal assistance. By extending Medicaid, expectant mothers—especially those with low incomes—will be able to obtain vital medical services, such as prenatal assistance, screening tests, and postnatal assistance. It aligns with the Healthy People 2030 project, particularly concerning the objective of “Improving Maternal Health” (Objective MICH-01), which seeks to lower the rate of severe maternal illness and mortality.
Pregnant women should receive comprehensive and culturally sensitive clinical care from advanced practice nurses, who emphasize early intervention and teamwork with other medical providers. These nurses should actively address socioeconomic determinants of health while increasing knowledge of maternal health, especially among vulnerable populations, through community outreach and education. There is a need to introduce policies that advance health equity, encourage nurses to participate in telehealth services to increase accessibility, and fund research and quality improvement projects.
Recommendation
Healthcare professionals, especially advanced practice nurses, should get cultural competence training to overcome unconscious biases and improve comprehension of various cultural backgrounds. Programs for medical education, as well as continuing professional development, ought to incorporate this instruction.
Conclusion
Pregnancy-related vulnerability is closely associated with several risk factors, such as racism, low socioeconomic position, restricted access to maternity services, and insufficient nutritional assistance. When taken as a whole, these variables increase the chance of poor maternal and fetal outcomes, including low birth weight, premature deliveries, and maternal mortality. The idea map shows how various factors combine to increase vulnerability.
MSN-prepared nurses use their enhanced knowledge and abilities to advocate for vulnerable groups, especially pregnant women, and play a critical role. They can actively participate in national, state, and local policy lobbying, supporting programs like Medicaid expansion that increase access to healthcare. MSN-prepared nurses advocate holistic treatments that improve vulnerable people’s overall well-being by targeting social aspects of good health, endorsing preventive measures, and cultivating community outreach initiatives.
References
Rammah, A., Whitworth, K. W., & Symanski, E. (2020). Particle air pollution and gestational diabetes mellitus in Houston, Texas. Environmental Research, p. 190, 109988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109988
Rammah, A., Whitworth, K. W., Han, I., Chan, W., Hess, J. W., & Symanski, E. (2019). Temperature, placental abruption, and stillbirth. Environment International, p. 131, 105067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105067
Salahuddin, M., Eisenhart, A., O’Neil, M., Byrd-Williams, C., Lakey, D., & Patel, D. A. (2019). Visualizing Delivery Catchment Area for Severe Maternal Morbidity in Harris County, Texas, 2016 [25T]. Obstetrics & Gynecology, p. 133, 219S. DOI: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000559127.75551.d8
Thomas, M. M. C., Miller, D. P., & Morrissey, T. W. (2019). Food Insecurity and Child Health. Pediatrics, 144(4), e20190397. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-0397
Wardrop, R., Crilly, J., Ranse, J., & Chaboyer, W. (2021). Vulnerability: A concept synthesis and its application to the Emergency Department. International Emergency Nursing, p. 54, 100936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2020.100936
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