Assignment task:
Advocacy Priorities
Identifying barriers and challenges that impact vulnerable and marginalized groups is an important first step, but advocates cannot stop there. What can be done to address the inequities, the challenges, and the barriers? How might an advocate use policy to enact change?
The Allegory of the Orchard required you to consider the barriers and challenges of specific vulnerable or marginalized populations. In our Week 1 Discussion, you identified a specific population connected to your practice, organization, or experience. This week you will explore that population further by determining a specific advocacy priority for the population.
Resources:
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Required Resources:
Readings:
- Dawes, Daniel E. (2020). The political determinants of health. Johns Hopkins University Press.
o Chapter 3, "The Political Determinants of Health Model" (pp. 41-77)
Media:
- Get it Right! A Global Health Channel. (2020). How to Understand What Are Vulnerable Groups in Less than 3 Minutes
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
- HMS DICP. (2020). Voting, Health Policy, and Social: Political Determinants of Health.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 58 minutes.
- Malloy, Donald. (2020). Vulnerable Populations in Healthcare: Do you Know Who They Are? (YouTube Video)
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
- Satcher Health Leadership Institute. (2021). The Political Determinants of Health -- Jessica's Story (YouTube Video)
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes.
To Prepare:
- Review your selected population discussed in the Module 1, Week 1 Discussion: Allegory of the Orchard.
- Review the resources on vulnerable or marginalized populations.
- Consider the factors that create and maintain these populations.
- Reflect on nursing's relationship with these populations and how this shapes our role in policy advocacy.
Using the selected population discussed in the Week 1 Discussion: Allegory of the Orchard, post a response detailing the following:
- What are the advocacy priorities for the population? What are the needs of this population?
- How are disparities reflected in policy and policy reflected in the disparities?
- What is the role of nursing, individually and collectively, in influencing policy decisions that adversely impact vulnerable populations? Need solution? Get Online Service!
Respond To This Discussion Post
BOA
Advocacy Priorities
The American Psychological Association (APA) define advocacy priorities as priorities rooted in equity, diversity, and inclusion; The APA also mentioned the important prioritization in health equity, non-discrimination for marginalized populations, and promotion of health across settings and lifespan ("APA advocacy priorities," n.d.).
What are advocacy priorities for Marginalized and Vulnerable Population
Advocacy priorities for marginalized and vulnerable population include access to healthcare: This is to ensure affordable, equitable, and accessible healthcare for marginalized population. Another advocacy is proper housing for the homelessness; By increasing availability of affordable housing for veterans, seniors, LGBTQ and youth this help increase societal security. Racial and ethnic advocacy priority help combat systemic racism and promote racial justices in all aspects of society. Also, the decriminalization of certain offenses which disproportionately affect not only people of color, but every marginalized population groups can be prioritized for advocacy. Advocating priority is aimed at closing racial wealth gaps in accessing healthcare. Prioritization of food security and environmental justice for the disadvantaged people, education and youth advocacy needed for those who can't advocate for themselves. Vulnerable and Marginalized population have need to have basic access to services like healthcare, legal protection against discrimination, education, and equal economic opportunities which ensure they can contribute to their communities and thrive.
How are disparities reflected in policy and policy reflected in disparities
Disparities are reflected in policies when certain government laws and regulations favor a group or set of people against other groups in society. This can happen when government policies favor certain groups and burden other groups. Disparities are intertwined in healthcare and other societal factors. Policies are either directly or indirectly impacting marginalized groups. There is an indirect relationship between disparities and policy in that disparities form or shape policy while policy decisions too can improve or exacerbate disparities. According to Salmond & Dorsen (2022), they stated that healthcare inequities are prevalent in the U.S. healthcare system, that nurses have the individual level, structural-level and professional responsibility to lessen disparities.
The role of nursing, individually and collectively, in influencing policy decisions that adversely impact vulnerable populations.
Williams et al. (2018), stated in their study that nurses can advocate for right social policies which promote or address SDOH initiatives, these initiatives include fairness, justice, and health equity. Nurses can individually provide education and awareness to law makers on the needs of their patients. Nurses can use their trusted position to raise awareness of the needs of vulnerable population both as individuals and collectively via a professional organization. Through lobbying and engaging in political processes, nurses can influence government and law makers on the needs of their patients. Nurses can also engage in collective advocacy through professional organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA). They can join other healthcare professionals and activists to form a greater influence at advocating for systemic changes, lobbying policy makers to make laws that protect vulnerable population.
References
- APA advocacy priorities. (n.d.).
- Salmond, S., & Dorsen, C. (2022). Time to reflect and take action on health disparities and health inequities. Orthopaedic Nursing, 41(2), 64-85.
- Williams, S., Phillips, J., & Koyama, K. (2018). Nurse advocacy: Adopting a health in all policies approach. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3).