at-risk populations
Those facing danger
At-risk populations are groups with elevated vulnerability to harm, disease, or adverse outcomes due to shared characteristics or circumstances.
The term appears frequently in public health, social services, and policy discussions: The vaccine rollout prioritized at-risk populations.
Risk factors vary by context—age, income, disability, geography, or preexisting conditions may qualify a group.
Homeless youth are an at-risk population for trafficking.
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- marginalizedPushed to society's edges
- underservedInsufficiently provided for
- homelessWithout a dwelling
- safe housingDwelling meeting habitability standards
elderly · chronic illness · disadvantaged · impoverished · low income · shelter · poverty · neglected · left behind · food insecurity · uninsured · foster children · refugees · disabled · outreach · community outreach · intervention · safety net