Vulnerable Populations.docx - Rachelle Davis SOC220 Vulnerable Populations and Drug Abuse \u201cVulnerable populations are groups of people who are at a

Rachelle Davis 2/29/20 SOC220 Vulnerable Populations and Drug Abuse “Vulnerable populations are groups of people who are at a higher risk of developing health problems because of cultural, economic, ethnic, geographic, or other factors.” (Harmon, 2018) Vulnerable populations include but are not limited to those living in poverty, minority groups and members of the LGBT community. People who fit under this description have a significantly greater chance of abusing drugs and alcohol. (Villa, 2019) Some of the environmental factors that create social problems for vulnerable populations include minorities being targeted in the war on drugs, being exposed to selling drugs as a lifestyle from a young age, and self-medicating trauma and other issues with drugs and alcohol. When the drug use of the individual starts affecting the physical and mental health of the individual and those around them, it can be considered drug abuse. Social issues have long affected the problem of drug abuse in our world. For instance, children and adults living in poverty are more likely to