Global Healthcare Issues for the Homeless Population - Essay Example

GLOBALIZATION PAPER CONCENTRATION ON THE HOMELESS POPULATION Globalization Paper Concentration on the Homeless Population Abstract As far as the healthcare sector is concerned, there are several ways in which globalization has been embraced. Largely, through international bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), countries across the globe have been brought together with a united course to fighting life threatening epidemics. Through these same international organizations, policies and treaties are made with the aim of enforcing the fight against diseases. However, given the fact that all these initiatives have gone on but there remain portions of the world with the worse cases of diseases and health problems, one is tempted to ask if the benefit of globalization has indeed been globalised well enough to include homeless and vulnerable populations. This paper therefore critiqued this important question from the perspective of three authors who have written articles that focus on global healthcare issues for the homeless population. It is expected that the paper will be useful in setting a new agenda for the fight against global health problems against the most vulnerable in society. Description of Articles Problem Statements All three articles focused on the problem of disproportionate provision of the health needs of homeless populations. Reichenbach, McNamee and Seibel (2001) and Dickenson-Hazard (2004) however did this from the perspective of community health nursing whiles Squires (2011) viewed this from a national perspective. Purpose of the Studies The purpose of the three articles was to identify the extent of disparity that exists with the provision of healthcare to people in homeless populations so that based on the understanding of the extent of the problem, the right solutions could be devised to curtail the established problems. But in doing this, Squires (2011) emphasized on how funding helps to solve the problems whiles Reichenbach, McNamee and Seibel (2001) and Dickenson-Hazard (2004) focused on nursing strategies in solving the problems. Statements of Literature Review Literature reviewed by Reichenbach, McNamee and Seibel (2001) focused specifically on affected people in the homeless populations by looking at their personal characteristics. Dickenson-Hazard (2004) on the other hand emphasized on nurses as agents of change, whiles Squires (2011) elaborated on global funding support to the affected people in homeless populations. Research Methodologies Reichenbach, McNamee and Seibel (2001) engaged in a comparative study that employed the use of exploratory descriptive design. Dickenson-Hazard (2004) on the other hand undertook a survey involving 109 multidisciplinary participants who shared their opinions in a conference based approach to data collection. Squires (2011) however used a comparative analysis of document reviews, which sought to establish the different health spending structure of different economies. Conclusion of Study Results Results from the studies focused on relatively same line of conclusion. This is because all three studies noted that there is a clear disparity in the provision healthcare assistance to homeless populations. Regrettably, these homeless populations were found to be the most vulnerable as they are plagued with the worse forms of diseases. Analysis of Results A very prominent aspect of the results of Reichenbach, McNamee and Seibel (2001) that can easily be applied to the United States healthcare system borders on reported barriers to health care. According to the study, 60% of participants in the study faced financial barriers whiles the remaining 40% faced other problems like transportation, language, and racism. Linking this to the United States healthcare system, one is quick to question the direction of current debate on health care reforms and how the reforms seem to be confronted with issues of cost as against quality. From the approach discussed by the article, quality of healthcare will mean nothing to those in homeless populations if these people cannot afford the health care or have access to them. It is therefore time for the United States to revisit this all important public debate to ensure that as much as there is the promotion for quality healthcare, vacuums created that inhibit people in homeless populations from affording or accessing quality healthcare will be removed. The findings from Dickenson-Hazard (2004) found that in various world regions, the present health care needs confronting those in homeless populations were professional restructuring and delivery of holistic care. In the context of the United States, these findings can be related to the all important discussion on the training of healthcare professionals. The findings have been useful in showing that there are segments of the country’s population where very peculiar health problems that require more than elementary nursing knowledge exists. For the sake of such people, most of who are in homeless populations, it is important to ensure that there is professional restructuring that caters for their needs. What is more, it is important to embrace holistic healthcare that treats human care and cultural care together. By so doing, most forms of barriers to the provision of healthcare that are faced by these people will become a thing of the past. What is more, findings from Squires (2011) showed that compared to the other countries, United States had a very large health care budget, which was mostly outspent. This is because healthcare spending reached $7,538 per capita. This notwithstanding, the findings showed that the United States also happens to be the place where prices that people pay to get healthcare is most high. As a result, not all people have been able to take advantage of the government’s spending on healthcare, particular those in homeless populations. This is a direct call on the United States to look into ways by which the country can ensure that its healthcare spending is more focused. The focus should clearly define differences in clinical health variable of different segments of the population and try to give off a healthcare strategy that captures people of all demographic backgrounds in an equal manner without any forms of disparities. Conclusion and Recommendations The research paper has been very important in critiquing how fair claims of globalised health care provision can be said to be. This is because from the perspectives of the authors whose works were analyzed, it was seen that even though some efforts have been made at the global level, these efforts only seem to create an imbalance between the rich and the poor. It is therefore important that a new approach to global health care be taken. Going forward, it is important to incorporate aspects of theory of fairness, competition and corporation. This is because through this theory, stakeholders responsible for the delivery of global healthcare will be admonished to appreciate the fact that people living in homeless populations cannot be at an advantage to fairly compete with those in developed communities and so there is the need to corporate towards the success the most vulnerable in society. References Dickenson-Hazard N. (2004). Global health issues and challenges. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 36(1), 6-10. Reichenbach E.M, McNamee M. J. and Seibel L. V. (2001). The community health nursing implications of the self-reported health status of a local homeless population. Public Health Nursing. 15(6), 398-405 Squires D. A. (2011). Issues in International Health Policy. Commonwealth Fund. 1532(16), 1-30 Read More