HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

documented are the rates of depression because of the stigma associated with asking for help. Finally, there were 541 suicides of service members in 2018. This signals an increase in suicide rates from 21.9% in 2017 to 24.8% in 2018 (Lamothe, 2019). The projected VA 2021 budget, if passed by Congress, includes $10.2 billion for mental health services, of which $313 million is set aside for suicide-prevention outreach (VA, 2020b).

Pause and Reflect

Americans who serve voluntarily and in military conflicts or war may be hurt

or physically injured in some way. Not all conditions are immediately evident,

for instance, exposure cases or mental health. Some military members separate

from the military after one or two tours of duty and may not be eligible to seek

veteran’s medical benefits in one of the higher priority groups. Does the U.S.

government have a responsibility to provide care to these prior military who

were injured during regular military duty? Funding is not always adequate, so

how should we prioritize those prior military veterans injured or exposed to

hazardous materials as noted above?

7.6 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

According to the CDC (2019a), “a disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions)” (para. 1). Caring for a child or family member with physical or cognitive disability creates emotional, physical, and financial stress on the entire family. Healthcare costs for individuals with disabilities can be very high depending on the specific needs of those affected. The U.S. allocates publicly-funded health insurance to assist in the support and medical care of persons with disabilities from age birth to 18, and beyond in many cases. In 2017, there were an estimated 40+ million individuals with a disability in the U.S. (12.7% of the 320+ million individuals recorded in the U.S.) (NiDILRR, 2018).

7.6.1 Children with Disabilities

Treatments, therapies, equipment, medications, and time are all factors caregivers of disabled persons must manage. For example, a child born with cerebral palsy (CP), an incurable congenital disorder which affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills, requires an extensive level of care to maximize quality of life (CDC, 2019b). Treatments for a child with CP will likely include physical, occupational, and speech therapies; surgery; braces; and medications. Another example is a child who is hit on the head by a line drive while playing baseball and suffers a traumatic brain injury. Depending on severity, emergency treatment

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