What is a Vulnerable Population?

The City of Avondale, Arizona, is a modern city near the heart of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The growth of Avondale can be traced to the mid-1940s, a period which was marked by the rapid development of residential and commercial establishments. Before its emergence, the local community was mostly sparse, with alfalfa and cotton farming being the main economic activities. The city today is growing at a tremendous rate, with its population being approximately 77,000 as of 2017. The population is projected to rise to 106,000 by 2020 (“ History-City of Avondale," 2018 ). A projected growth rate of 40% by 2020 indicates that the city’s economic status is relatively stable. The average age of the Avondale population is 30 years, which shows a young and vibrant group. As of December 2018, the unemployment rate was 3.9%, which had decreased from 4.1% from 2017 (“ Financial Status Update," 2019 ). From this statistic, it is evident that a considerable section of the population is employed and self-reliant. The high employment rate is possible since more than 40% of the residents have a college education. The paper focuses on the plight of the homeless people of Avondale, including the programs in place to address their challenges. The paper will end by discussing parasitic infestation as a community health problem characteristic of this group. 

Aggregate of Interest 

From 2016, the unsheltered street count in Avondale has been on a steep decline. In 2016, the Point in Time Count (PIT) indicated that there were 37 homeless people in Avondale. In 2018, the figure had significantly reduced to 13 people (“ Maricopa Association of Governments," 2018 ). The development and rehabilitation of affordable housing through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home program has significantly aided in reducing the number of homeless persons in the city. The City of Avondale has run a Substantial Home Repair Program for ten years, with 71 homeowners benefitting from the repair of homes. The city’s administration has partnered with A New Leaf and the Avondale Elementary School District to establish the Siemer Family Stability Program (SFSP) (“ Maricopa Association of Governments," 2018 ). The SFSP program serves homeless families and those who are at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Also, courtesy of the program, the children of homeless adults get enrolled in the Avondale Elementary School District. Family Managers help homeless people access a variety of human services such as education, employment, legal issues, and health services. 

From the windshield survey, it was evident that the homeless people of Avondale are not found in one location. The homeless of Avondale are mostly found outside retail outlets, parks, and near public libraries (“ Status of Homelessness," 2018 ). The residents of Avondale have raised public safety, panhandling, and encampments as the top issues posed by homeless people. Solicitation is particularly of significance since the unsheltered people target shoppers and those frequenting social places and libraries in their borrowing endeavors. It was also noticed that the residents are bothered by panhandling activities of the homeless. 

An interview with a member of the homeless community in the city revealed that although they face many hardships, the city's administration has stepped up their efforts to help them. The homeless person who is also a veteran noted that programs such as Project Connect, iHELP, Community Action Program, and PIT Homeless Street Count are on the forefront to provide shelter for the unsheltered. According to the veteran, cold and rainy seasons are the most challenging for this group. For example, the iHELP program provides safe places and meals for outdoor sleepers every day. The responders added he is currently enrolled in the program, whereby he will benefit from resources that he will use to recover from the vicious cycle of homelessness. However, he noted that the rest of society is usually helpful when approached by homeless people for assistance. Residents, as they go about their usual activities, offer them food items and money, which they use to facilitate their meals. The city’s health department also ensures that the homeless people are catered for by working with the programs mentioned above. For example, the current efforts will have the homeless benefit from $47,000 budgeted for food, shelter, and food. The veteran's responses collaborate with the health department's efforts that ensure that homeless people have the basics of life. 

Aggregate Resources 

As indicated above, some programs have been established to ensure that the homeless of Avondale have a decent livelihood. The city's municipal has instituted measures that collectively see that the homeless wellbeing is catered. From the CBGG to the Home programs, the unsheltered needs are a priority to the city’s administration. The municipal government works with the private sector to ensure that the vulnerable live inhumane conditions. For example, the city of Avondale has partnered with the Goodwill group to provide employment opportunities via the Goodwill Career Center. The center will provide advisory services, resume development, mock interviews, employment verification, and career planning, among others, to this population group (“ Status of Homelessness," 2018 ). The veteran interviewed is a beneficiary of mock interviews as he is currently waiting to begin work as a paid intern with the municipal council. The health department is also ensuring that the homeless have access to timely services through medical campaigns such as immunization public health programs. 

Gaps in Resources 

Although there are concerted efforts by both national and local governments of ensuring that the homeless population is contained, the involved parties must find a way of checking the situation. The local and federal governments should increase the number of homes, support, and prevention measures. For instance, veterans should never be among the unsheltered individuals. The government can increase rent supplements, thus matching market demand. Also, the local government can introduce tax breaks for property owners, which will enable them to lease property. With such measures, it will be possible for people to access cheap houses within the city. 

Community Health Problem 

People experiencing homelessness are at a higher risk of death. From unintentional injuries to infections, these people are more likely to contract extremity diseases and skin diseases. Also, for a homeless person, it is relatively easier for a minor health issue to escalate to a serious problem than it is for a normal person. Parasitic infestation is common among homeless people. Lack of proper sanitation amenities is characteristic of homeless populations all over the world. According to Rector (2018), community health objectives can be achieved if all groups within a population are covered. Profiling minority groups to provide quality health is a priority for the Avondale health department. Even though there are routine medical services available to the unsheltered people, the state of being homeless makes it hard to provide health services to this group difficult. 

Theoretical Framework 

Parasitic infestation among the homeless people in Avondale is a problem that needs concerted efforts from all the stakeholders. Disease-causing parasites are capable of producing dire infections, which, when not treated, can lead to death. Due to the dilapidating environment that the unsheltered people sometimes live in, they become exposed to a host of parasites. For instance, the spread of parasitic diseases through food handling is common among members of this group since they do not adhere to hygienic considerations. 

Parasitic infestation in Avondale can be addressed through an ecological niche modeling (ENM) framework. ENM is particularly useful to project the distribution of a wide range of organisms. In the case of Avondale, the health department can rely on this theoretical framework to understand the different types of parasites that threaten the wellbeing of the homeless in the city. Through the ENM, it will be possible to predict the distribution of parasites within the city. The working principle of the ENM is based on using biologically comprehensive predictor variables ( Johnson, Escobar & Zambrana-Torrelio, 2019 ). With such information, it will be possible to forecast pest host relations, thus enabling health experts to understand the type of diseases to profile among the subject group. 

It is, however, essential to acknowledge that parasitic infestation risks can only be defined when the target population is clearly identified and is also locatable. The difficultness in mapping parasitic infestation among the homeless of Avondale is influenced by several factors, including exposure and their susceptibility. Clear information is paramount in addressing this problem because the health department will be in a position to define the risk ( Johnson et al., 2019 ). After the risk has been defined, the local government should establish efforts to test the subject group of any parasitic infections. 

Physician based laboratories should have guidelines that provide the best test on diseases that indicate parasitic infections. Although small health facilities within the city may offer limited parasitology, the department of health can hold regular campaigns against parasitic infestations. It will be crucial if all the unsheltered persons are covered against parasitic diseases ( Garcia et al., 2018 ). Large healthcare laboratories in the city should conduct full parasitology services, including full ova and parasite examination. 

Healthy People 2020 

Public health infrastructure is a sensitive health objective that critical to the wellbeing of the homeless persons of Avondale, especially concerning parasitic infestation. The federal, state and local health departments must ensure that their infrastructures are operational and accessible to all, including this needy population. Management of public health infrastructure should always aim at preventing diseases, promoting health, and preparing for and responding to health disasters or threats. Health infrastructure is crucial to the unsheltered persons since they are rightfully part of humanity, and all people have an unlimited right to proper healthcare (“ Public Health Infrastructure," 2019 ). Public health infrastructure is the nerve center for the wellbeing of the unsheltered, and without it, other interventions such as education and clothing cannot achieve their objectives. 

Conclusion 

The homeless of Avondale is a crucial constituent group of the city's population that deserves human dignity accorded other residents. According to PIT conducted in 2018, there were 13 homeless people in the city. Several private groups, in conjunction with the local authorities, have developed programs that help the unsheltered people access basic amenities such as education and health. Increasing subsidies in the housing sector will lower rent prices; thus, more people, such as veterans, can access accommodation facilities. Parasitic infestation is a critical issue that faces the homeless of Avondale, which can be alleviated through regular testing of members of this population. Connected to this, improving public health infrastructure will ensure that the problem of parasite infestation is checked, thus improving the overall health of the city’s residents. 

References 

Financial Status Update. (2019). avondaleaz.gov . [Ebook] (1st ed., pp. 1-12). Avondale. Retrieved from www.avondaleaz.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=12393 

Garcia, L. S., Arrowood, M., Kokoskin, E., Paltridge, G. P., Pillai, D. R., Procop, G. W., ... & Visvesvara, G. (2018). Laboratory diagnosis of parasites from the gastrointestinal tract.  Clinical microbiology reviews ,  31 (1), e00025-17. 

History-City of Avondale. (2018). Retrieved 9 November 2019, from https://www.avondaleaz.gov/our-city/history 

Johnson, E. E., Escobar, L. E., & Zambrana-Torrelio, C. (2019). An ecological framework for modeling the geography of disease transmission.  Trends in ecology & evolution . 

Maricopa Association of Governments. (2018).  Municipal Responses to Homelessness  [Ebook] (1st ed., pp. 6-7). Chandler. Retrieved from www.chandleraz.gov/sites/default/files/documents/imported/2018_Municipal_Responses_to_Homelessness_Report.pdf 

Public Health Infrastructure | Healthy People 2020. (2019). Retrieved 9 November 2019, from www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/public-health-infrastructure 

Rector, C. L. (2018).  Community and Public Health Nursing: Promoting the Public's Health . Wolters Kluwer. 

Status of Homelessness. (2018). Retrieved 9 November 2019, from www.avondaleaz.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=11142