New Book Addresses Health Risks of Vulnerable Populations

Which Americans are most vulnerable when it comes to their health and why? These are just two of the questions raised in a new book by a health policy professor at The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston.

"At Risk in America: The Health and Health Care Needs of Vulnerable Populations in the United States" (Jossey-Bass, 2nd Edition, 2001, ISBN 0-787-94986-8, $48) provides a framework for identifying and studying at-risk populations, access and quality of their health care, and programs and policies addressing their health needs.

"This new edition looks at evolving trends and changes in the managed care environment and is more focused on population health," said Dr. Lu Ann Aday, Lorne D. Bain Distinguished Professor in Public Health and Medicine at the UT-Houston School of Public Health and author of the 400-page textbook. "Researchers, policy makers, and public health, nursing and health professions students will find it a valuable tool in ultimately helping to improve the health of populations."

In addition to examining health policy trends, "At Risk in America" offers a comprehensive look at the partnership between public health and medicine - a partnership Dr. Aday says is critical to providing the array of services needed to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.

"In the book, I provide a vision of how a research and policy partnership between public health and medicine might work to understand and address both medical and non-medical factors," Dr. Aday said. "For example, UT-Houston's Medicine and Public Health Initiative has attempted to forge such a relationship."

The key to bridging public health and medicine, Dr. Aday says, is to deal with the issues by implementing disease-preventing strategies involving both the public and private sectors.

"This book offers several examples of innovative programs that acknowledge the active involvement of local communities, schools and for-profit organizations in developing public health and health care delivery programs," Dr. Aday said. "A lot of issues can be dealt with upstream when these groups invest in prevention-oriented health care."

Dr. Aday's book also speaks to the role managed care plays in affecting population health. She says the key is having a better understanding of the public health problems that ultimately impact the health care system.

"The problems of teen pregnancy, violence, mental illness and child abuse ultimately hit the medical care system," Dr. Aday said. "Managed care entities can assure the health of populations by taking a look at the broader high-cost health concerns and health risks in a given community."

In the book, Dr. Aday envisions comprehensive programs and policies that include family and community support services.

"All of us are potentially at risk of poor health," Dr. Aday said. "A broad continuum of program and services is needed to ameliorate the risks and consequences of vulnerability."

"At Risk in America" is the 13th book Dr. Aday has written. Her previous books include "Designing and Conducting Health Surveys: A Comprehensive Guide" (Jossey-Bass, 2nd Edition, 1996) and "Evaluating the Health Care System: Effectiveness, Efficiency and Equity" (Health Administration Press, 2nd Edition, 1998). She teaches in the Behavioral Sciences and Management and Policy Sciences disciplines at UT-Houston School of Public Health.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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