Identify one vulnerable population within a selected community. Explore current literature and related data to understand better the variables that place this population at risk for health concerns and health disparities. Analyze national health directives, such as Healthy People 2030 or another national initiative, to determine the correlation to the vulnerable population’s needs/risks/disparities.

Create a concept map, either neatly drawn by hand or using Microsoft Word, that portrays each element and its relationships.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Vulnerable Population: Homeless Individuals in Urban Communities

Exploring the Vulnerability:

Homeless individuals in urban settings represent a highly vulnerable population facing numerous health challenges and disparities. Several variables contribute to their increased risk:

  • Lack of Stable Housing:
    • This is the core issue, leading to exposure to harsh weather, unsanitary conditions, and increased risk of injury and illness.
  • Limited Access to Healthcare:
    • Homeless individuals often lack health insurance, transportation, and consistent access to medical care.
    • Fear of stigmatization and mistrust of healthcare providers further hinders access.
  • Mental Health Issues:
    • A significant percentage of homeless individuals experience mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders.
    • These conditions are often exacerbated by homelessness and lack of treatment.
  • Substance Abuse:
    • Substance abuse is prevalent among homeless populations, contributing to health problems and making it difficult to access services.
  • Nutritional Deficiencies:
    • Limited access to nutritious food leads to malnutrition and weakened immune systems.
  • Exposure to Violence and Trauma:
    • Homeless individuals are at increased risk of experiencing violence, including physical and sexual assault.
    • This exposure can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues.
  • Environmental Exposures:
    • Exposure to extreme weather, pollution, and lack of sanitation.

Correlation with National Health Directives: Healthy People 2030

Healthy People 2030, a national initiative, aims to improve the health and well-being of all Americans. Several objectives directly correlate with the needs of homeless individuals:

  • Reduce Food Insecurity:
    • Healthy People 2030 emphasizes reducing food insecurity, which is crucial for addressing nutritional deficiencies among homeless individuals.
  • Increase Access to Healthcare:
    • The initiative promotes increasing access to primary care, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment, all of which are essential for this population.

Vulnerable Population: Homeless Individuals in Urban Communities

Exploring the Vulnerability:

Homeless individuals in urban settings represent a highly vulnerable population facing numerous health challenges and disparities. Several variables contribute to their increased risk:

  • Lack of Stable Housing:
    • This is the core issue, leading to exposure to harsh weather, unsanitary conditions, and increased risk of injury and illness.
  • Limited Access to Healthcare:
    • Homeless individuals often lack health insurance, transportation, and consistent access to medical care.
    • Fear of stigmatization and mistrust of healthcare providers further hinders access.
  • Mental Health Issues:
    • A significant percentage of homeless individuals experience mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders.
    • These conditions are often exacerbated by homelessness and lack of treatment.
  • Substance Abuse:
    • Substance abuse is prevalent among homeless populations, contributing to health problems and making it difficult to access services.
  • Nutritional Deficiencies:
    • Limited access to nutritious food leads to malnutrition and weakened immune systems.
  • Exposure to Violence and Trauma:
    • Homeless individuals are at increased risk of experiencing violence, including physical and sexual assault.
    • This exposure can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues.
  • Environmental Exposures:
    • Exposure to extreme weather, pollution, and lack of sanitation.

Correlation with National Health Directives: Healthy People 2030

Healthy People 2030, a national initiative, aims to improve the health and well-being of all Americans. Several objectives directly correlate with the needs of homeless individuals:

  • Reduce Food Insecurity:
    • Healthy People 2030 emphasizes reducing food insecurity, which is crucial for addressing nutritional deficiencies among homeless individuals.
  • Increase Access to Healthcare:
    • The initiative promotes increasing access to primary care, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment, all of which are essential for this population.
  • mprove Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services:
    • Healthy People 2030 includes objectives to improve the quality and availability of mental health and substance abuse services, which are critical for addressing the high prevalence of these conditions among homeless individuals.
  • Reduce Homelessness:
    • While not a direct health objective, the social determinants of health are emphasized, and homelessness is a major social determinant.
  • Increase access to preventative care:
    • Preventative care can stop many health problems before they start, and is a major part of healthy people 2030.

Concept Map:

Here’s a conceptual representation of the relationships between these elements:

                                    +-----------------------+
                                    |   Homeless Individuals  |
                                    +-----------------------+
                                            |
                                            V
+---------------------+    +---------------------+    +---------------------+
| Lack of Stable      |----| Limited Access to  |----| Mental Health/      |
| Housing             |    | Healthcare          |    | Substance Abuse     |
+---------------------+    +---------------------+    +---------------------+
        |                     |                     |
        V                     V                     V
+---------------------+    +---------------------+    +---------------------+
| Environmental       |    | Nutritional         |    | Exposure to Violence|
| Exposures           |    | Deficiencies        |    | & Trauma            |
+---------------------+    +---------------------+    +---------------------+
        |                     |                     |
        ----------------------------------------------------|
                                            |
                                            V
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Health Concerns & Disparities (e.g., increased illness, mortality)   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                            |
                                            V
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Healthy People 2030 Objectives:                                      |
| - Reduce Food Insecurity                                              |
| - Increase Access to Healthcare                                       |
| - Improve Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services                    |
| - Reduce homelessness                                                 |
| - Increase Preventative Care                                          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Explanation of the Concept Map:

  • The central focus is “Homeless Individuals.”
  • The boxes surrounding it represent the key variables that contribute to their vulnerability.
  • These variables lead to “Health Concerns & Disparities.”
  • “Healthy People 2030 Objectives” are shown at the bottom, indicating how they correlate with and address the needs and risks of this population.
  • The lines and arrows show the relationships between the different parts of the map.

This concept map visually represents the interconnectedness of these factors and how national health initiatives can play a role in addressing the health disparities faced by homeless individuals.

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