Diversity and Health Assessment
The assigned case study is of AG, a 54-year-old Caucasian male who presents the complaint of a seizure related to alcohol withdrawal. Throughout history, there has always been a substantial segment of the population that is living in less than ideal conditions. Some of the first written accounts of homelessness are seen from as far back as the middle ages (Gordon et al., 2019). From the given health history report, several factors influence the health condition of the client.
Socioeconomic, Spiritual, Lifestyle, and Cultural Factors
Socioeconomic status encompasses quality of life attributes and an opportunity afforded to people within a society and is a consistent predictor of a vast array of psychological outcomes. Social forces such as alcohol and cocaine additions, family breakdown, lack of affordable housing, and mental illness are compounded by structural forces such as lack of the available low-cost housing, poor economic status, and insufficient health services (Dains et al., 2019). Due to his low socioeconomic status, AG is living in a local homeless shelter and could not access amlodipine for his hypertension.
Homeless people often exhibit a lifestyle of homelessness and start considering their situation as a lifestyle. Most of them reject start rejecting social services, something that reveals a lifestyle devastated by disaffiliation and social distance. This is a condition, the components of which are often included early life transiency, a cluster of unsolved problems, and lack of social and other support. An epidemiological on people experiencing homelessness in the United States showed a prevalence of alcohol, drug, and mental health disorders among this population (Gordon et al., 2019)
Spirituality is one of the methods some homeless people use to cope with their position of high vulnerability. Social support from religion is one of the critical factors for well-being among the homeless (Ball et al., 2019). It increases the resource base of the individual, enabling them to cope with their situations more healthily. The client can use spirituality to help deal with alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Homelessness is a deviance from the norm of society. As a result, the norms and customs of homeless culture are unique and develop to meet the needs of those within it. Once an individual becomes roofless, they must choose whether or not they will adopt. Due to the nature of the homeless culture, those who more readily accept their condition are far more likely to remain homeless (Ball et al., 2019). Conversely, those who do not associate or consider themselves as part of the homeless culture spend less time on the streets.
Sensitive Issues to Consider when Dealing with the Client
When dealing with this client who is homeless, it is essential to be language sensitive and avoid stereotyping terms. The physician must use the bias-free language to make the client more comfortable during the health assessment process. It is essential to avoid the use of problematic terms such as the homeless or ghetto during the interview process. Instead, use phrases such as people experiencing homelessness, people who are homeless, or people who are living in an emergency shelter. Also, negative connotations are associated with words such as the homeless, which can negatively affect the interview process (Dains et al., 2019). When the client perceives that the physician is stereotypical, he may not collaborate during the interview process.
Targeted Questions
- How long have you been experiencing the seizures?
- Do you have a history of a mental health condition?
- Do you have access to health care insurance cover?
- Do you experience any discrimination?
- How has your religion impacted your condition?
References
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2019). Seidel’s guide to physical examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
Dains, J. E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. (2019). Advanced Health Assessment & Clinical Diagnosis in Primary Care-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Gordon, S. J., Grimmer, K., Bradley, A., Direen, T., Baker, N., Marin, T., … & Hume, C. (2019). Health assessments and screening tools for adults experiencing homelessness: a systematic review. BMC public health, 19(1), 994.