High-risk people

Elisabeth Steubesand, 105 years old, the oldest citizen of Cologne and a high-risk individual

A high-risk individual, high-risk person, or high-risk population is a human being or beings living with an increased risk for severe illness due to age, medical condition, pregnancy/post-pregnant conditions, geographical location, or a combination of these risk factors. ^[1]

High-risk people qualification

High-risk people can be of any age. ^[2] High-risk populations are vulnerable to serious illness. ^[3] Globally, societal factors including limited access to healthcare and inadequate hygiene facilities can result in high-risk individuals. ^{[3] [4] [5]} Access to proper healthcare is essential to the health and treatment of high-risk individuals, particularly high-risk mothers and infants. ^[3] High-risk individuals can require long-term care. ^[3]

In immunology, a person qualifies as a high-risk individual if their immune system is compromised or suppressed whether due to disease, cancer, chronic conditions, prescription medications, or recent surgical procedures. ^{[6] [7] [8]} High-risk people are more susceptible to hospitalization and death from the Coronavirus disease 2019. ^[9] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends high-risk persons get the COVID-19 vaccine. ^{[10] [9]}

In psychiatry, a high-risk individual is a patient who engages in high-risk behaviors. ^[11] In addiction treatment lexicon, a high-risk person refers to a person with a high likelihood of addiction and/or high likelihood of relapse. ^[12]

Criteria for COVID-19

Risk factors that have been cited in the United States as defining high-risk individuals for suffering the more serious symptoms of COVID-19 include: ^{[13] [14]}

• Being 65 years of age or older
• Being obese
• Living in a nursing home or long-term care facility
• Being diabetic
• Being pregnant/post-pregnant
• Having chronic kidney disease or are undergoing dialysis
• Having lung diseases, including moderate to severe asthma
• Having serious heart conditions or hypertension
• Being immunocompromised
• Having sickle cell disease
• Having neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy

See also

• Health risk assessment
• Immune disorder
• Old age

References

1. "COVID-19 and Your Health". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC. 11 February 2020. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
2. Morris, Amanda (2021-08-09). "Families of High-Risk Children Despair Over Covid Resurgence". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
3. Aday, Lu Ann (2002-02-28). At Risk in America: The Health and Health Care Needs of Vulnerable Populations in the United States. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   978-0-7879-5932-6.
4. Summers, Nancy (2003). Fundamentals for Practice with High-risk Populations. Brooks/Cole. ISBN   978-0-534-55866-6.
5. Forman, Samuel; Kelliher, Matthew (1999-06-29). Status One: Breakthroughs in High Risk Population Health Management. Wiley. ISBN   978-0-7879-4154-3.
6. Banach, Je (2020-04-01). "I Am High-Risk for COVID-19—We Need to Talk". Vogue. Archived from the original on 2021-08-14. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
7. "The Plague Year". The New Yorker. 2020-12-23. Archived from the original on 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
8. "COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?". Mayo Clinic. Archived from the original on 2021-05-13. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
9. "Coronavirus and COVID-19: Who is at higher risk?". www.hopkinsmedicine.org. Archived from the original on 2021-07-17. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
10. CDC (2020-02-11). "Healthcare Workers". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
11. McCarron, Robert M.; Xiong, Glen L.; Keenan, Craig R.; Nasrallah, Henry A. (2015-04-01). Preventive Medical Care in Psychiatry: A Practical Guide for Clinicians. American Psychiatric Pub. ISBN   978-1-58562-546-8.
12. Pates, Richard; Riley, Diane (2012-05-31). Harm Reduction in Substance Use and High-Risk Behaviour. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   978-1-118-34335-7.
13. "HIGH-RISK FOR SEVERE COVID-19 OR COMPLICATIONS FROM COVID-19" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
14. Affairs (ASPA), Assistant Secretary for Public (2021-02-18). "How Do I Know if I'm High Risk, and What Do I Do Next?". combatCOVID.hhs.gov. Archived from the original on 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-08-27.