Needs Assessment

Provide an overview of the at-risk group you are investigating and its presence in your community.  Provide any available demographic data.

The group at-risk that I am investigating in this assignment is the indigenous group living in Brooklyn, New York. They comprise American Indian and Alaska natives who are generally referred to as Native Americans. The Alaska natives are defined by their language groups consisting of different languages such as Iñupiat, Tlingit, Aleut, Yupik, Eyak, Tsimshian, and Haida. According to the U.S department of health and human services office of minority health, “American Indians and Alaska Natives comprise 1.7 percent of the total U.S. population.” In Brooklyn, NY, their population is about 8,604 (0.33%) of the whole Brooklyn population (“American Indian/Alaska Native”, 2022). As such, the indigenous people in Brooklyn are a minority population.

Why are you interested in studying this group?

I am interested in studying this group because it is a needy group. It is a marginalized group and considered a minority in the U.S., which needs intervention in all aspects of life, including health care. Therefore, I am interested in studying the group to expose its challenges and attract help so that it can overcome its challenges

Complete the following chart.  Be as specific to your community (city or county) as possible. Common sources of data include U.S. Census data, Chamber of Commerce, community libraries, social service agencies, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Education.

Needs Assessment	Assessment Data for the At-risk Group
Environment/Living Arrangements	They mainly live in harsh and challenging environments. For instance, according to the minority rights group, the group survives in a permafrost environment, where it melts and collapses during high temperatures (2021). Besides, other environmental threats, such as river erosion, make their lives difficult. Most of them live in small semi-permanent houses
Access to Transportation	It is a challenging factor for most of American Indian and Alaska natives. Natural barriers such as mountain ranges, wilderness, and glaciers make it difficult for people to travel (“Transportation,” n.d.). Hence, their main option is to fly, which is also expensive for most of them.
Financial considerations	Financial considerations are determined by their economic conditions. The group lives in a low economic city with fewer economic opportunities. Besides, there are higher rates of poverty and unemployment. Additionally, being a minority group, its financial conditions are not given priority by the government.
Cultural/language barriers	Cultural and language barriers exist between the group and other Americans because most American Indian and Alaska natives do not understand English. Besides, some of their cultural practices are different from other modern cultures, which poses a cultural barrier.
Public perception of the group	The group is viewed as a vulnerable group, leading low lives. Since they are part of the indigenous Americans, they are not viewed as Americans, or some could think they do not deserve to be in America. However, the notion is slowly fading with increased equality campaigns among all people in America.
Common health risks	They include mental health and suicide, substance abuse, obesity, liver disease, hepatitis, teenage pregnancy,
Access to health and social services	Despite regulations to provide equal health care access to all Americans, there is inadequate access to healthcare services due to health inequity. Their negative health outcomes are due to inaccessible health and social services. (Smith, n.d).

Based on the information you gathered and what you find in the literature, address the following questions:

1. What are the primary health concerns for this group?

They include; mental health and suicide, substance abuse, obesity, liver disease, hepatitis, teenage pregnancy, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Besides, cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death among the population (Amanda et al., 2020).

• How does the care provided to this population differ from the care provided to other populations?

Care provided differs in terms of access and quality. The group has challenges accessing health care services because of their conditions. For example, transport is a challenge, which reduces the chances of accessing a healthcare facility. Most of them are low-income earners and might not pay for health insurance. They might not afford out-of-pocket health care costs, and the cultural and language barriers could prevent them from getting quality services due to misunderstandings.

• Explain how health inequalities impact healthcare access and delivery for this group.

Inequalities create a system of marginalization that prevents the group from accessing health care services. Due to inequality, transport to hospitals is a challenge. Besides, most of them may not afford to pay for health care services. Also, few health care facilities inhibit the group’s ability to access health services.

• What impact does this under-served population have on the healthcare delivery systems in your area?

Due to the marginalization of American Indians and Alaska natives, the whole community’s healthcare delivery system is affected. There are few government healthcare facilities, which affects how healthcare services are delivered. Consequently, the delivery is poor.

• How might this affect nursing practice?

Nursing practice can be affected in that nurses might not fulfil their obligation towards providing care for everyone regardless of race or ethnic group. It could also place an equality burden in the nursing practice as nurses strive to promote healthcare equity.

References

“American Indian/Alaska Native”. (2022). Profile: American Indian/Alaska Native. U.S department of health and human services office of minority health. Retrieved 23 January 2022, from https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=62.

Boyd, A. D., Fyfe-Johnson, A. L., Noonan, C., Muller, C., & Buchwald, D. (2020). Communication with American Indians and Alaska Natives about cardiovascular disease. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200189

Minority Rights Group. (2021, January 29). Alaska Natives. https://minorityrights.org/minorities/alaska-natives/

Smith, M. (n.d.). Native Americans: A crisis in health equity. American Bar Association. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/the-state-of-healthcare-in-the-united-states/native-american-crisis-in-health-equity/

Transportation. (n.d.). The state of Alaska. https://alaska.gov/kids/learn/transportation.htm