Impact of a priority health issue on a population group and Case Study

Impact of a priority health issue on a population group and implication for the nurse - Case Study Example This paper discusses the impact of the issue on individuals, families and the population and its implications to the role of a nurse. People with mental health issues face a wide range of issues. To start with, they are at a higher risk for experiencing social problems, increased vulnerability to stigma and abuse, decreased quality of life, lower productivity, higher levels of poverty and more health issues. Access to education is highly compromised in case the mental disorder occurs early in an individual’s life it prevents them from successfully completing their education and careers (Commonwealth of Australia, 2008). It was found that individuals with mental issues are less likely to successfully go through their high school or tertiary education as compared to their counterparts without mental health issues. This negative cycle also contributes to high levels of homelessness among people with mental health issues. In fact, it is estimated that most of the Australian homeless population suffers from serious mental health issues. Furthermore, mental disorders result into decreased individual productivity owing to a decline in performance at work, unemployment and missed work. Mentally ill individuals do not have a source of income and this increases their risk to high levels of poverty. It has been observed that poverty and mental health issues relate in a negative cycle (Commonwealth of Australia, 2008). Poverty is seen as the risk factor for mental health issues. On the other hand, mental health issues contribute to stressors and a wide range of health issues. For instance, individuals that suffer from comorbid depression are less expected to stick to their medical treatment than other patients. Finally, individuals with mental health problems are more likely to suffer from discrimination based on their culture since immigrants are highly discriminated against by