How Do Professionals Regard Vulnerable People in a Portuguese Community Setting? A Qualitative Content Analysis

Abstract

The commitment to leave no one behind is at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with special attention given to people in vulnerable situations. The present study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of professionals who have attended to vulnerable people in a community setting. Descriptive qualitative research was conducted using qualitative content analysis of interviews with fifteen Portuguese professionals from one community-based association, who were selected via purposive sampling. Data analysis revealed nine subcategories, which were grouped into three major categories, namely: (1) meanings of human vulnerability; (2) barriers to vulnerability mitigation; and (3) approaches to addressing vulnerability. Vulnerability manifests as a discrepancy between an individual’s needs and the available resources. With the accelerated pace of globalization and the exponential rise in complexity of systems and people’s needs, vulnerability is gaining visibility, but this only emphasizes the urgent need to find customized cultural, political, and institutional responses.

Mental Health Promotion and Illness Prevention in Vulnerable Populations

“…Thus, vulnerable populations are those at greater risk of developing physical, psychological, or social health problems due to their marginalized socio-cultural status, their limited access to economic resources, or due to individual characteristics such as gender or age [ 2 ]. Vulnerability, as a human being’s ontological condition [ 3 , 4 ], can be aggravated by experiencing a transition, exposing the client to potential danger, a problematic or excessively long recovery, or an inadequate or delayed adaptation process [ 5 , 6 ].…”