The population most affected by the social problem
write a clear statement of the problem based on the social problem identified by your team. The problem definition needs to include a description of the following:
Population: an exploration of the population most affected by the social problem (including demographics). This social problem may affect a diverse group of people, but there is most likely a group that the problem disproportionately affects. What are their characteristics?
Sample Solution
The problem of financial insecurity is a widespread social issue that affects millions of people in the United States, from all walks of life. This problem disproportionately affects individuals who are low-income, have limited access to resources, and/or lack financial education. Specifically, these individuals often have precarious employment or
live on fixed incomes with little savings and no access to proper credit or retirement accounts. They are more likely to be African American or Latino, female-headed households with children under 18 years old; older adults born after 1945 and before 1964; veterans; rural populations; recent immigrants; those living in high cost urban areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington D.C.; and members of traditionally marginalized communities including Native Americans on reservations and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Financial insecurity can cause issues such as debt problems due to predatory lending practices like payday loans, bankruptcy due to unmanageable medical bills or educational costs, housing displacement if rent payments become too costly for one’s income level, food insecurity if groceries become unaffordable items within a budgeted household income plan (especially among families), inability to afford basic needs such as clothing or transportation costs (due to car payment delinquencies), difficulty paying utility bills when money runs out faster than expected each month (leading sometimes to shut off notices for electricity & water services). Additionally given the current COVID 19 pandemic this situation has been exacerbated even further by job losses & reduced hours without health benefits leading many households into a state of greater instability .
There are national efforts underway through advocacy groups such as the National Council for Financial Security which is engaged in policy development at both state & federal levels that focus on supporting initiatives designed at improving consumer protection & promoting strategies that would lead towards improved financial security for all citizens but much more work needs to be done in order address this crisis both regionally & locally across different states in US especially those situated along lower economic strata.