Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.5
3.4
Journals
Healthcare
Special Issues
Research on Wellbeing and Health for Vulnerable Populations
share announcement

Research on Wellbeing and Health for Vulnerable Populations

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2026) | Viewed by 17387

Editors

Dr. Xiang-Yu Hou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2880, Australia
Interests: social epidemiology; behavioral epidemiology; health system research; health program evaluation; Indigenous health; emergency medicine; paramedicine; mental health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lijun Fan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
Interests: social epidemiology; health policy; health economics; chronic diseases management; chronic diseases epidemiology; health programs/policy evaluation; healthcare services and management; healthcare for vulnerable populations; healthy aging research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chiung-Jung (Jo) Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Petrie, QLD 4502, Australia
Interests: cardiac; clinical research; diabetes; self-efficacy; self-management; telehealth; synthesis of literature review
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vulnerable people in a society includes children, elderly, women, pregnant women, Indigenous populations, and people with chronic diseases. To address the health needs of such vulnerable peoples is a core value of social justice and a focus of research and practice among many health professionals around the world, in both developed and developing countries. Collectively, we can and should foster a morally just, equitable, inclusive, and thriving society where we promote the health of vulnerable peoples and society as a whole.

This Special Issue of Healthcare is dedicated to celebrating our achievements and progress in this significant area by sharing international research, including (but not limited to) findings in the fields of risk factors, self-management and support, case management, adherence to medications/treatment, rehabilitation services, family/carer and community support, participation in prevention services, access to primary/secondary/tertiary care, models of healthcare, patient-centred care, transitional care between primary and secondary/tertiary care, cultural safety/competency of the health system, telehealth, health policy and regulations, health industry, and health technology.

We hope that this Special Issue will provide novel and high-quality evidence to guide our practice worldwide and further help vulnerable peoples, their families, communities, and society in general.

Dr. Xiang-Yu Hou
Dr. Lijun Fan
Dr. Chiung-Jung (Jo) Wu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

indigenous health
healthy aging
women and childrens’ health
chronic diseases
acute healthcare
healthcare system
health policy and regulation
health equity and social justice
health industry
health technology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

29 pages, 4496 KB  
Article
Healthcare Deserts and Avoidable Mortality in Mexico: A Municipal-Level Ecological Analysis of Health System Resources, Social Deprivation, and Preventable Deaths, 2015–2024
by Ana María López-Yáñez, Judith Carolina De Arcos-Jiménez, Luis Fernando Herrera-Fuentes, Mauricio Alfredo Ambriz-Alarcón, Brian Rafael Rubio-Mora, Sofía Gutierrez-Perez, Violeta Cassandra Vera-Cuevas, Martha Cecilia Ledezma-Ramirez and Jaime Briseno-Ramirez
Healthcare 2026, 14(7), 890; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14070890 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1715
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Avoidable mortality—deaths before age 75 from preventable or treatable causes—is a key indicator of health system performance. In Mexico, nearly two-thirds of municipalities lack hospital beds, yet no study has examined the municipal-level association between healthcare infrastructure and avoidable mortality. This study [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Avoidable mortality—deaths before age 75 from preventable or treatable causes—is a key indicator of health system performance. In Mexico, nearly two-thirds of municipalities lack hospital beds, yet no study has examined the municipal-level association between healthcare infrastructure and avoidable mortality. This study assessed whether healthcare desert status is independently associated with avoidable mortality after adjusting for social deprivation. Methods: This ecological study analyzed 1891 Mexican municipalities (population ≥ 1000) over 2015–2024. Avoidable deaths were classified per OECD/Eurostat criteria (January 2022 revision). Healthcare desert status was defined by municipal hospital bed availability from 2019 facility data. Negative binomial mixed-effects regression estimated incidence-rate ratios (IRRs) adjusted for social deprivation, age structure, and state-level heterogeneity. Interrupted time-series analysis quantified pandemic disruption. Results: Of 4,960,244 deaths under 75 years, 81.2% were avoidable. Of 1891 municipalities, 1187 (62.8%) lacked hospital beds (healthcare deserts). Desert municipalities had 42.5% higher avoidable mortality (IRR = 1.425; 95% CI: 1.370–1.482; pre-pandemic 2015–2019), which attenuated to 1.353 after age-structure adjustment. Each standard-deviation increase in hospital beds (1 SD ≈ 2.2 beds per 1000) was associated with 7.9% lower mortality (IRR = 0.921). Avoidable mortality exhibited strong spatial clustering (Moran’s I = 0.382) in southern Mexico. By 2024, the desert–adequate mortality gap had widened by approximately five fold (from ∼12 to 69 per 100,000 population). Conclusions: Healthcare deserts are independently associated with substantially higher avoidable mortality in Mexico. The COVID-19 pandemic durably amplified pre-existing disparities associated with healthcare infrastructure deficits. Targeted hospital expansion in underserved municipalities is urgently needed, alongside investment in social determinants of health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Wellbeing and Health for Vulnerable Populations)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 262 KB  
Article
Changes in Substance Use Diagnoses in the Great Plains during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Ahmed Nahian and Lisa M. McFadden
Healthcare 2024, 12(16), 1630; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12161630 - 16 Aug 2024
Viewed by 2506
Abstract
As drug overdose mortality rises in the United States, healthcare visits present critical opportunities to mitigate this trend. This study examines changes in healthcare visits for substance use disorders (SUDs) and remission prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Great Plains, [...] Read more.
As drug overdose mortality rises in the United States, healthcare visits present critical opportunities to mitigate this trend. This study examines changes in healthcare visits for substance use disorders (SUDs) and remission prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Great Plains, with a focus on identifying the characteristics of those served. Data were analyzed from 109,671 patient visits (mode = one visit per patient), encompassing diverse demographics, including sex, age, race, ethnicity, and geographic location. Visits analyzed included those for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), or Stimulant Use Disorder (StUD) and those in remission of these disorders between March 2019 and March 2021. Patient demographic information and geographic factors, like rurality and Medicaid expansion status, were considered, and logistic regression was utilized. Visits were primarily by White (70.83%) and Native American (21.39%) patients, non-Hispanic (91.70%) patients, and males (54.16%). Various demographic, geographic, and temporal trends were observed. Findings indicated that males were more likely to receive an AUD diagnosis, while females were more likely to receive an OUD or StUD diagnosis. Metropolitan-residing patients were more likely to receive an AUD diagnosis, while non-metropolitan patients were more likely to receive an OUD diagnosis. Remission odds increased for StUD during the pandemic but decreased for AUD and OUD. These findings illuminate the demographic and geographic patterns of SUD-related healthcare visits, suggesting critical touchpoints for intervention. The results emphasize the urgent need for targeted healthcare strategies, especially in rural and underserved areas, to address persistent health disparities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Wellbeing and Health for Vulnerable Populations)
11 pages, 223 KB  
Article
A Comparative Analysis of Mammography Uptake between Migrant and Non-Migrant Women in Austria—Results of the Austrian Health Interview Survey
by Diana Wahidie, Yüce Yilmaz-Aslan and Patrick Brzoska
Healthcare 2024, 12(15), 1468; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12151468 - 23 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1946
Abstract
Mammography can reduce breast cancer incidence and mortality. Studies on the utilization of mammography among migrant and non-migrant women are inconsistent. Many of these studies do not take the heterogeneity of migrants in terms of ethnicity and country of origin into account. The [...] Read more.
Mammography can reduce breast cancer incidence and mortality. Studies on the utilization of mammography among migrant and non-migrant women are inconsistent. Many of these studies do not take the heterogeneity of migrants in terms of ethnicity and country of origin into account. The aim of the present study was to examine disparities in the use of mammography between non-migrant women and the five largest migrant groups in Austria. The study used data from a nationwide population-based survey of 5118 women aged 45 years and older and analyzed the participation in mammography as a dependent variable. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare mammography uptake between the aforementioned groups of women, while adjusting for socioeconomic and health variables. The study shows that all migrant groups involved tended to use mammography less frequently than non-migrant women; statistically significant differences, however, were only observed for Hungarian migrant women (adjusted OR = 0.36; 95%-CI: 0.13, 0.95; p = 0.038) and women from a Yugoslavian successor state (adjusted OR = 0.55; 95%-CI: 0.31, 0.99; p = 0.044). These findings are consistent with other studies in Europe and beyond, highlighting the heterogeneity of migrant populations and emphasizing the need for a diversity-sensitive approach to health care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Wellbeing and Health for Vulnerable Populations)

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

21 pages, 722 KB  
Review
Predictors of Psychological Distress among Post-Operative Cardiac Patients: A Narrative Review
by William D. McCann, Xiang-Yu Hou, Snezana Stolic and Michael J. Ireland
Healthcare 2023, 11(20), 2721; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11202721 - 12 Oct 2023
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6185
Abstract
Following surgery, over 50% of cardiac surgery patients report anxiety, stress and/or depression, with at least 10% meeting clinical diagnoses, which can persist for more than a year. Psychological distress predicts post-surgery health outcomes for cardiac patients. Therefore, post-operative distress represents a critical [...] Read more.
Following surgery, over 50% of cardiac surgery patients report anxiety, stress and/or depression, with at least 10% meeting clinical diagnoses, which can persist for more than a year. Psychological distress predicts post-surgery health outcomes for cardiac patients. Therefore, post-operative distress represents a critical recovery challenge affecting both physical and psychological health. Despite some research identifying key personal, social, and health service correlates of patient distress, a review or synthesis of this evidence remains unavailable. Understanding these factors can facilitate the identification of high-risk patients, develop tailored support resources and interventions to support optimum recovery. This narrative review synthesises evidence from 39 studies that investigate personal, social, and health service predictors of post-surgery psychological distress among cardiac patients. The following factors predicted lower post-operative distress: participation in pre-operative education, cardiac rehabilitation, having a partner, happier marriages, increased physical activity, and greater social interaction. Conversely, increased pain and functional impairment predicted greater distress. The role of age, and sex in predicting distress is inconclusive. Understanding several factors is limited by the inability to carry out experimental manipulations for ethical reasons (e.g., pain). Future research would profit from addressing key methodological limitations and exploring the role of self-efficacy, pre-operative distress, and pre-operative physical activity. It is recommended that cardiac patients be educated pre-surgery and attend cardiac rehabilitation to decrease distress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Wellbeing and Health for Vulnerable Populations)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

13 pages, 864 KB  
Study Protocol
Neuropsychological Stimulation Program for Children from Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
by Pablo Rodríguez-Prieto, Ian Craig Simpson, Diego Gomez-Baya, Claudia García de la Cadena, Desirée Ruiz-Aranda and Joaquín A. Ibáñez-Alfonso
Healthcare 2024, 12(5), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12050596 - 6 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3453
Abstract
Background: Guatemala remains one of the poorest countries in Central America and suffers from high rates of social inequality and violence. In addition to the negative impact that two years without attending school has had on Guatemalan children due to the consequences of [...] Read more.
Background: Guatemala remains one of the poorest countries in Central America and suffers from high rates of social inequality and violence. In addition to the negative impact that two years without attending school has had on Guatemalan children due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, this unfavourable socioeconomic context poses a risk to children’s emotional and cognitive development. This work presents a protocol for implementing a cognitive and emotional stimulation program aimed at increasing the academic performance of these children and consequently improving their quality of life. Methods: The protocol proposes the implementation of a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of a 24-session-long stimulation program. It targets the cognitive functions of attention, language, executive functions, and social cognition, using the digital neurorehabilitation platform NeuronUP. The participants (n = 480) will be randomly assigned to an Experimental or Control group. Pre- and post-intervention assessments will be carried out, together with a follow-up in the next academic year, in which both groups will change roles. Results will be compared for the first and second years, looking for differences in academic and cognitive performance between groups. Discussion: Mid- and long-term outcomes are still unknown, but effective interventions based on this protocol are expected to facilitate the following benefits for participants: (1) improved cognitive and emotional development; (2) improved academic performance; (3) improved well-being. We expect to create a validated neuropsychological stimulation program that could be applied in similar socioeconomically disadvantaged contexts around the world to help these children improve their life chances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Wellbeing and Health for Vulnerable Populations)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop