Exploring the Concept of Vulnerability in Healthcare

Running head: APA ASSIGNMENT
APA assignment
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APA ASSIGNMENT
Part 1
An article published by Bouchelle et al., (2017) highlighted the fact that mobile health
clinics are quite cost-effective and helpful in improving the health outcomes in the healthcare
system. In United States, there are around 200 mobile health clinics; however, there is scant
research on the experiences of patients on utilizing mobile health clinics. 25 clients were
included for the interview who received mobile health clinic service in Boston and grounded
theory method was used for the study. The results showed clients’ experiences of care in three
structural and relational factors. Relational factors comprised of creation of culture of inclusivity
and culture, effective communication and diverse community knowledge. Structural factors
comprised of focusing on management of chronic diseases and preventative health, location and
multiple, free and expeditious services. From the study, it can be concluded that clear definition
is required on the most salient features of mobile health clinic model that performs role in patient
healthcare based on prior research. Mobile health clinics seek to address the problems of
socioeconomic, ethnic and racial disparities prevailing in the United States.
Petrovici & Ritson, (2006) published a paper for identifying the factors that influenced
individual decision in engaging in Dietary Health Preventive Behaviour (DHPB) and
investigation on their influence in the context of an health cognition model. For the population
study, 485 adult participants were included in the study through face-to-face questionnaire and
random route sampling. Health motivation of participants, beliefs regarding diet that it is useful
in disease prevention, nutrition knowledge and educational attainment level along with age is
beneficial and has a positive influence on the respondents’ DHPB. Information acquisition
behavior is negatively predicted by respondents’ age, positively predicted by education, health
motivation, financial status, and self-perceived nutrition knowledge. The study also revealed that

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APA ASSIGNMENT
some percentage of respondents is not affected by elicited disease and therefore health promotion
activities can be helpful in changing the health risk judgments that they hold. From the study, it
can be concluded that Theory of Health Preventive Behavior and Health Belief Model are valid
framework for the prediction of DHPB. Negative perceived threats like financial status make
people move away from long-term health benefits. Therefore, there is need for awareness among
the people about nutrition knowledge, diet and disease relationship and risk associated with high
cholesterol and dietary fat inducing people to make preventative habits regarding health.
A study conducted by Nettle, (2010) highlighted the fact that people belonging to low-
socio-economic status are engaged in negative health behaviours like smoking, poor diet
consumption, non-compliance to therapy, less physical activity and ignoring health safety. The
study design comprised of theoretical model that explained the socioeconomic gradients of
health behaviour. Low socio-economic status is strongly associated with greater exposure to
unhealthy behaviours increasing the mortality risk. This model suggests that optimization of
health behaviour is important for the people belonging to low-socioeconomic status. Therefore,
the model helped in explaining the exacerbatory poverty dynamics where greater exposure of
low socio-economic status people towards negative health behaviours depicts a disinvestment in
health. As a result, there is inequality in healthcare that is greater than the actual inequality that
prevails in the real scenario. Therefore, this study can be helpful for future studies in discussing
the implications for strategies for alleviating health disparities in health behaviour.
Brown & Divenere, (2017) published an editorial highlighting the fact that most
vulnerable groups in the society deserve utmost care and health insurance coverage for the
utilization of preventative healthcare services. US policy statements made shallow understanding
of the important issues that low-income populations are facing in America. People are not aware