There is a multitude of moral and ethical issues to be found in the inadequate provision of health care on community, city, and state levels to the incredibly underserved homeless population within the United States. Ethical issues can be described as the moral challenges that people face in the course of decision-making (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2016). On the other hand, ethical dilemmas are based on moral justifications for different courses of action, such as choosing where to allocate resources in the face of two populations in need. Underserved populations can be described as those lacking adequate socioeconomic and psychosocial resources to meet the standard of a healthy community (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2016, p. 715). Members of these populations are more likely to develop health problems than their more fortunate counterparts due to greater exposure to cumulative risks and tend to suffer more from them.
One of the most at-risk and underserved populations within the United States is homeless persons. Homelessness negatively affects the well-being of individuals, families, and communities, and not addressing this issue is a severe moral failure on the part of communities and governments. One of the most valuable resources for this population, which must be made available at a broader level, is healthcare. Homeless people are beset by complex and often dire health problems brought about by lack of proper rest and nutrition, exposure, infections, diseases, trauma, mental health problems, and much more (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2016, p. 741). This is a moral and ethical issue, as homelessness is primarily driven by an increase in poverty levels and lack of affordable rental housing, which is both brought on by and can only be tackled at community, city, and state levels. (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2016). There is no ethical dilemma to be deliberated over in the decision to provide greater resources and funding for better health care access to this population, and the failure to do so is a moral failing.
References
Stanhope, M. & Lancaster, J. (2016). Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community (9th ed.) Elsevier Mosby.