Vulnerable Populations in the United States

. . . an excellent primer for undergraduates and graduatestudents interested in vulnerable populations and healthdisparities. -- New England Journal of Medicine, July 7, 2005I have reviewed a number of books looking for meaningfulcontent to help my students understand and work with vulnerablepopulations. This is the most comprehensive, yet understandablebook on the topic. -- Doody's Reviews, 2005. . .combines thoughtful, coherent theory with a largeamount of information available in a single source. It will proveto be a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, teachers,and students alike for years to come. -- Journal of theAmerican Medical Association, April 20, 2005Vulnerable Populations in the United States offersin-depth data on access to care, quality of care, and health statusand updates and summarizes what is currently known regarding thepathways and mechanisms linking vulnerability with poor health andhealth care outcomes. Written by Leiyu Shi and Gregory D. Stevens,this book provides a coherent, well-integrated, general frameworkfor the scientific study of vulnerable populations--aframework that is compatible with the focus of public health policyand the Healthy People initiative. The comprehensive volumeVulnerable Populations in the United States* Discusses the determinants of vulnerability using a broadframework that includes both social and individualdeterminants.* Portrays the mechanisms whereby vulnerability influencesaccess, quality, and health status.* Summarizes the literature and provides empirical evidence ofdisparities in health care access, quality, and outcome forvulnerable populations.* Focuses on influences of individual risk factors and multiplerisk factors .* Reviews programs currently in place for vulnerablepopulations.* Instructors material available.