Based on the authors' teaching and research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, the second edition of this landmark text offers a general framework for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for learning about vulnerable populations. It contains in-depth data and information on major health and health care disparities by race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and health insurance coverage. It is thoroughly updated to include the latest data and trends and provides a detailed synthesis of recent and increasingly expansive programs and initiatives to remedy these disparities. To keep current with recent trends it incorporates the latest Healthy People 2020 objectives, includes new sections on real-world clinical examples, and discusses the impact of health care reform on vulnerable populations. The book's Web site includes instructor's materials that may be downloaded.

Praise for the First Edition of Vulnerable Populations in the United States

"An excellent primer for undergraduates and graduate students interested in vulnerable populations and health disparities."
—New England Journal of Medicine

"Combines thoughtful, coherent theory with a large amount of information available in a single source. It will prove to be a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, teachers, and students alike for years to come."
—Journal of the American Medical Association

"A very worthwhile read for health care administrators, health policy analysts, public health and health promotion practitioners, students of public health, and health researchers."
—Inquiry

"It makes clear that, for political, social, and economic (as well as moral) reasons, the country must increasingly make vulnerable populations a national health policy priority."
—Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

"I have reviewed a number of books looking for meaningful content to help my students understand and work with vulnerable populations. This is the most comprehensive, yet understandable book on the topic."
—Doody's Reviews

"Provides much-needed guidance to policymakers challenged with providing solutions to this embarrassing issue in the United States."
—F. Douglas Scutchfield, MD, Peter P. Bosomworth Professor of Health Services Research and Policy, University of Kentucky

Companion Web site: www.josseybass.com/go/shi

• Vulnerable Populations in the United States 6
• Copyright 7
• Contents 8
• Figures, Tables, Exhibits 14
• Preface 20
  • Organization of This Book 21
  • Acknowledgments 23
  • New in This Edition 23
  • Feedback and Suggestions 24
• The Authors 26
• Chapter 1: A General Framework to Study Vulnerable Populations 30
  • Learning Objectives 30
  • Why Study Vulnerable Populations? 32
    • Vulnerable Populations Have Greater Health Needs 32
    • Vulnerability Is Influenced and Therefore Should Be Remedied by Social Forces 33