Assessment of Health-Related Social Needs in Washington, DC Report

Introduction

Providing an assessment of social needs in Washington, DC, is essential for understanding the overall health situation in the region and its condition in specific aspects. Data on people’s basic needs can be used to address existing problems and improve the current situation, as Table 1 indicates significant shortcomings in this area. Considering the critical indicators in some aspects, we can say that people have severe problems with food, transportation, and economic security. These parameters can hurt people’s well-being and worsen their health status.

Issues With Key Indicators

Housing Supply

One of the key concerns is the supply of housing, which is at a critical level. Housing stability is a concern since many people do not have a permanent residence, and this rating is constantly growing (Baskin, 2023). Thus, the government must take extraordinary measures and develop initiatives to ensure that citizens can receive a full range of services from the government. This could promote social justice and greater satisfaction among the population.

Food Security

Food security is also a concern, as there has been no progress in this area since the pandemic (Swenson & Nguyen, 2023). Many families still experience hunger, which creates the problem of insufficient social security. This element can directly threaten people, especially those who have chronic diseases and are at risk due to special needs.

Table 1 Health-Related Social Needs in Washington, DC(Baskin, 2023; Bhutta et al., 2020; Editorial Board, 2023; Lumpkin, 2023; Swenson & Nguyen, 2023).

The above factors indicate a high level of income and economic security in the city since residents cannot afford sufficient provisions for all necessary needs, and the state does not influence this. According to Bhutta et al. (2020), the city experiences significant inequality in income distribution. This condition negatively affects the general morale of residents, which can lead to public confrontations and misunderstandings. The situation is dangerous and requires correction so that the city can more comprehensively meet the needs of all citizens.

Transportation and Access to Healthcare

Transportation is also at serious risk as the city is experiencing a constant metro transport shortage. This situation can significantly affect the well-being of citizens since reaching their destination on time is essential for people who work far from home. In addition, medical institutions can be located quite far away in areas inaccessible to transport, which makes it impossible to receive care if there are problems with transportation.

For the community of people with chronic diseases, this problem is critical because they may need medical care promptly. Increasing the number of metro trains and creating new routes can help solve this problem (Editorial Board, 2023). This problem is related to problems with access to the healthcare system, which is dangerous because of this.

Education

The field of education is in a moderately normal state as innovations are being introduced. However, this is quite rare, and according to Lumpkin (2023), these changes were introduced in 2006. One strategy that applies data to the current situation is to change the course of education in schools to make them more modern and relevant (Lumpkin, 2023). Health informatics can be applied to population health to create a guide for people with chronic illnesses to understand better how they can get care.

Conclusion

The state of core health-related social needs in Washington differs depending on the competence, as different areas are associated with specific problems. They must be improved so people can receive a full range of social protection services. It is essential for Washington citizens to feel like full members of society and be in a safe environment. Thus, government programs to improve health care must be implemented to give people more opportunities.

References

Baskin, M. (2023). D.C. region sees across-the-board increase in homelessness, annual report shows. American University Radio. Web.

Bhutta, Neil, Andrew C. Chang, Lisa J. Dettling, and Joanne W. Hsu. (2020). Disparities in wealth by race and ethnicity in the 2019 survey of consumer finances. FEDS Notes. Web.

Editorial Board. (2023). Metro’s countdown to fiasco is underway in the D.C. area. The Washington Post. Web.

Lumpkin, L. (2023). D.C. Schools adopts new social studies standards for first time since 2006. The Washington Post. Web.

Swenson, K. & Nguyen, D. (2023). No progress on hunger in D.C. region since pandemic, new report finds. The Washington Post. Web.