Vulnerable populations. Preface.

摘要

In 2000, when the federal government released the document Healthy People 2010 [1] one of the two goals for the initiative was to eliminate health disparities that occur by race and ethnicity, gender, education, income, geographic location, disability status, or sexual orientation. With the focus on improving the health of the nation through improvements in the health status of individuals, populations, and communities, one of the leading health indicators identified was access to care. The goal of eliminating disparities and the leading health indicator are intertwined because in order to eliminate health disparities, one must have access to care.