What are the top considerations for patient advocacy leaders working with vulnerable populations?

Communicate with passion to make them understand and act. Be patientvwith them, build rapport all this will make them open up and get support. Normally, what we think is obvious may not be obvious. E.g. I worked with survivors ( women and girls) who suffered silent trauma as a result of conflict related seuxal violences with its legacies of forced marriages, loss of identity, health issues and they never wanted to go to hospital for check up yet, the services were free. It took six months of talking for some to accept to go for health support, thereafter they were feeling much better except for those with irreverable conditions or referrals.

Todo Activista tiene un gran corazón. Desafortunadamente y ocurre muy seguido, desconoce la legislación local. Primero antes que cualquier cosa el activista debe obligatoriamente conocer su legislación local, regional, nacional e internacional en ese orden (muchas veces ocurre al reves), Dice un dicho mexicano "De bien intencionados esta pavimentado el camino al infierno". Una vez comprendido esto se determina que el principal objetivo de los derechos humanos es El reconocimiento, respeto y salvaguarda de la Dignidad del ser humano en igualdad de derechos y responsabilidades determinadas en un marco juridico. La comunicación clara y precisa es lo siguiente.

Advocacy leaders should be aware of the impact of trauma on vulnerable populations and work to create a safe and supportive environment for patients. This may involve providing trauma-informed care training for healthcare providers, implementing trauma-informed policies and practices, and incorporating trauma-informed approaches into advocacy efforts.

the biggest thing to remember is that they are the patient and you’re advocating for them. often, vulnerable community members have their voices silenced by those who believe they know best, which can end up being detrimental to the patient. you have to actively listen, and non-judgmentally listen at that. we may be professionals in a certain field, but we are not professionals of others. practice cultural humility over competence as well. cultural competence implies you can learn “enough” about other cultures, which puts a cap on it. cultural humility offers no cap, and allows you to keep learning different aspects of different cultures as told by different members of said culture.

As a patient advocacy leader, the top considerations when working with vulnerable populations include understanding their unique needs and challenges, ensuring access to quality healthcare, advocating for their rights, and promoting health literacy. It's about walking in their shoes, empathizing with their struggles, and fighting for their well-being. It's about bridging the gap between them and the healthcare they deserve, breaking down barriers, and empowering them with knowledge and resources. It's personal, because every life matters, and everyone deserves the best care. It's not just a job, it's a mission to make healthcare equitable and accessible for all.

I would start by discovering what that patient does not tell me with his verbal language, which is often an open secret. With assertive communication and NLP techniques, we could forge a strong and meaningful bond that has a positive impact on your life. The delicate environment, empathy, respect, and active listening would help generate rapport, trust and empathy in each interview and medical care. As a Dr. in Integrative Medicine, I am convinced that we can become the difference that lasts in their hearts and motivates them to change, a beacon of hope and support. Let's not give up, let's stay open to the idea of exploring new ways of connecting on a much deeper level and making a difference in their lives.

building a relationship doesn’t happen over night. many people distrust big systems and those working in it because of generational and historical trauma, and rightfully so, especially in the medical field. be curious about who you are advocating for, not judgmental. be honest about who you are in your role and be honest about who you are authentically. communicate openly and don’t shut any questions, feelings, or thoughts out.

Achieving health equity is still an ethical challenge worldwide. As health professionals, we know that the above, depends on various factors, one of them is bioethics. The principles of autonomy and justice legitimize health equity as a substantive area of bioethics. To cite just a couple of examples: 1. Relationship between macrodeterminants of health and lifestyles; 2. Social distribution of freedom of choice; 3. Ethical tensions of health promotion policies; 4. Justice in health services; 5. Definition of “health” and “health equity.” In the case of the latter, it opens the door to new fields of reflection for bioethics focused on the health of the vulnerable population.

Not all patients will advocate for themselves at the same level as others. Being open to thinking outside of the box and actually asking questions about why something may not be working as originally planned. For example, in some programs for vulnerable populations, we saw a low adherence rate for patients with their medications. When we discussed it further, the patients shared that they wanted more privacy around those items and did not want to pick them up at their local pharmacy. Programs were then changed to allow for prescription delivery or dispensing kiosks in the clinic. Adherence rates increased significantly once there were additional options that allowed for more autonomy on how they receive the medications.

“meet them where they’re at”. you may be educated in your role, but we are not educated in others’ lived experiences. utilize your knowledge and your experience in ways that work FOR the patient you are advocating for. lend them your resources and your encouragement, and validate that different barriers exist for different people. what may seem easy for us can feel near impossible to others.

In order to help this sector, it is important to develop medical resilience: dynamic capacity that has the potential to improve our well-being and improve the quality of work, achieving sustainable medical practice and improving patient care. Mindfulness is an effective tool to promote resilience in clinicians and can contribute to the challenge of achieving higher levels of individual, personal and institutional resilience. It is necessary to have continuing training programs in mindfulness for health professionals and to integrate this concept into the curriculum of health professionals.

Patient advocacy leaders working with vulnerable populations should prioritize trust, equity, cultural competence, and collaboration with community organizations. Safeguarding vulnerable populations and ensuring access to quality healthcare are crucial considerations, requiring comprehensive strategies, responsible research, and augmented protections in research. By establishing a network of resources, promoting cultural competence, and addressing social determinants of health, patient advocacy leaders can improve access to quality healthcare and advance health equity for vulnerable populations.