Introduction
A part of the elderly population of Upper West Side, New York, whose household income is lower than $20,000, lives in poor health conditions that damage their living standards. The situation prevents them from ending their poverty or coping with life problems. To balance the factors adversely affecting the population’s health, it is necessary to identify the traits, medical results, inequalities, social variables, and possible strategies to tackle these issues in the target demographic (Carr, 2019). Chatterjee and Chatterjee (2022) explore how elderly individuals are especially susceptible to diseases due to their medical histories and experience social isolation after the COVID-19 epidemic. Therefore, this population lives in poor living conditions and is vulnerable to diseases, including chronic and mental ones, and this situation should be addressed to help them recover and end their poverty.
Background
People in this group must be 60 or older and live in places with few economic resources in the Upper West Side, New York. This population has many immigrants from different countries, mostly Asian, broadening the group’s cultural variety (Carr, 2019). There are approximately 180 thousand people in Upper West Size, of which 11.3% have an income less than $20,000 household income (Upper West Side Neighborhood Profile, 2019). Therefore, it can be deduced that the target population size is at least several thousand people. Despite these disparities, they all endure financial difficulty, living in poverty or close to it, and restricted access to healthcare, which leads to widespread chronic diseases and mental issues. As a result, a large portion of this demographic cannot earn enough money to end their poverty or even treat their illnesses when necessary.
Health Outcomes and Disparities
Chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, hypertension), in comparison with the general US population, are much more widespread among the Upper West Side elderly population. In recent decades, their prevalence has increased, especially among underserved populations (Chan, 2019). Mental health issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, cognitive decline) are also much more widespread due to lower living standards, poor nutrition, and vulnerability to depression due to their unfortunate conditions. Mental health issues become prevalent in recent years; fortunately, they also become more recognized by physicians and more successfully treated (Chatterjee & Chatterjee, 2022). Therefore, the target group has a higher prevalence of chronic illnesses and is also more likely to experience mental health problems like anxiety, depressive disorders, and cognitive impairment.
Social Determinants
The term “social determinants of health” refers to the mechanism that connects low socioeconomic position to unfavorable health outcomes. People with poor socioeconomic statuses may need access to necessities like nutritious food, secure housing, or adequate medical care. Each of them is a component of health: healthy food leads to strong immunity and supplies of nutrients, while medical care successfully treats all diseases as early as possible. Poor living circumstances, a lack of outdoor distance, and contamination are environmental variables that might hurt well-being. The bodily and chemical stressors connected to sensitivity to these variables are assumed to be the pathways linking environmental influences to poor health outcomes.
Existing intervention
The Neighborhood-based Health Awareness Program provides a thorough and efficient remedy for dealing with serious health issues and enhancing the overall health of the community. Health instruction training helps underserved older people understand how they can obtain medical help for their conditions. Participants consequently experience better health habits, greater social interaction, superior accessibility of medical care, and more favorable living circumstances. They provide necessary training and target these four determinants: better health habits and social interaction target chronic and mental issues, while better access to medical care and a cleaner environment is more beneficial for living.
Proposed intervention
Implementing a neighborhood-based psychological awareness and assistance system is one possible solution to address the detrimental effects on health caused by mental health conditions like depressive disorders, nervousness, and dementia. Ensuring the availability of therapy services is crucial to solving the problem of insufficient healthcare coverage. Lastly, establishing a peer-led support network and neighborhood-strengthening events facilitate mutual help among its members, improving outcomes.
Conclusion
Specific populations of interest have a greater incidence of long-term illnesses, psychological problems, and poor health consequences than the US population. Interventions have been implemented to address these inequities, including founded health promotion campaigns, telemedicine, and educational initiatives. The highlighted social variables related to wellness may be mitigated through interventions. Collaborative action from policymakers, healthcare providers, and community organizations will be crucial in achieving this goal and ensuring the long-term success of these initiatives.
References
Carr, D. (2019). Golden years?: Social inequality in later life. Russell Sage Foundation.
Chan, E. Y. Y. (2019). Disaster public health and older people. Routledge.
Chatterjee, S. C., & Chatterjee, D. (2022). COVID-19, older adults and the ageing society. Routledge.
Upper West Side Neighborhood Profile. (2019). NYC Furman Center. Web.