The ability to keep a community free of diseases is a hefty task. As a result of the challenges associated with the proper management of community health, effective interventions and health practices will come a long way in mitigating and managing the associated effects. In the present age, hospitals no longer shoulder sole responsibility of maintaining health and creating interventions for the community. Thus, the shift from hospital to community gave room to community health providers, government and personal measures who guide protect rather than render treatment.
Interventions
Community nurses are responsible for initiating interventions based on risk factors such as obesity and even unhealthy food intake. The first step is raising awareness of obesity risks and other cardiovascular, which will, in turn, increase knowledge among community members. More information means that people will be able to prevent, manage, and rehabilitate themselves even without the help of caregivers. Informational outreach or campaigns make use articles, social and traditional media. Campaigns go hand in hand with educating people about cardiovascular diseases. Besides, Personal education assists eradicate risky health behaviors consequently reducing obesity risk factors within a community.
Secondly, creating an environment that supports the application of health interventions. Putting up cardiac laboratories within reach of community members will provide regular services to people suffering from obesity diseases. More so, nurses can establish a constant connection with a member of the community to assess any progress and any emerging issues. For example, physiological evaluations of body weight can inform nurses of the next intervention and best diagnostic methodology. The government should improve health policies so that it can prioritize and subsidize obesity related services among community members. At a personal level, each person take initiative and change their lifestyles based on medical guidelines provided by health workers. In the end, everyone gets a chance to increase their will power against obesity disorder and purposely live a healthy lifestyle away from the heavy nutrients foods.
Health workers can set up workshops for educating communities on the best possible ways of handling heart attacks at home. The workshop is a simple way of establishing a constant presence in the community. More so, emphasizing patients with critical heart attack and stroke issues will assist nurses to assess and develop preventive measures from worsening.
Advanced technologies in almost all industries have increasingly continued to play a significant role in increasing awareness on obesity and its causes. Such advancements have resulted in a change in lifestyle, which has catalyzed increasing the number of affected individuals. In this regard, coming up with effective strategies of managing the increasingly dominant lifestyle change with the aim of modifying behavior. For instance, people should stop eating junk food and embrace healthy diets.
In summary obesity and its associated risks are predictable. Therefore, healthcare practitioners have a responsibility of coming up with a holistic and effective approach to dealing with the health-related challenges both at home and in hospitals. Campaigning and educating helps people manage their health status and change lifestyle for the better.
The adolescents make up a good number of the general population in any given society. Ignoring their plight is dangerous and may set a bad precedence. My conviction revolves around making adolescences productive and active, free from drug addiction and long-term consequences that have dire negative side effects. Anything affecting adolescents scatters the basic function of the family.
Taking a course in human service will assist me acquire necessary and workable solutions, which will in turn, equip me with essential skills. Wide body of research proves that voluntary skills and services can help fight off drug addictive among adolescence. The more community members take personal initiative to fight and raise awareness on misuse of drugs, the earlier the detection and precise interventions against the vice.
Experiences
From the little information and observation I came across over the years, the adolescence period is sensitive and parents need to approach it with careful precision. Adolescents have a hard time finding their true identity and transitioning into adulthood. They have a desire to live life away from the strict rules, regulations set by their parents, uncertainty of future career, and access to illegal recreations increases their contact with drugs. Therefore, in the pursuit of life, they can try anything and one of the things may be falling into the deep pit of drug consumption and addiction. I once met an adolescence who smoked marijuana out of curiosity and later tried out cocaine and cigarettes.
Addiction of most concern among adolescents
When a teenager recognizes a drug problem, he or she may seek treatment or rehabilitation services. Medical researches associate drug addiction in adolescence with peer pressure and community reluctance to help teenagers. Adolescents need all the support and guidance they can get to remain sober.
How experiences and motivation influences learning
My learning process is more self-determined and self-driven. Helping communities get rid of drugs, its damaging and disruptive ways on young lives is worth my time and effort as I learn as much as I can and go above and beyond my usual abilities.
Osteoarthritis is one of the common joint diseases that affect the knees. The disease is characterized by symptoms such as loss of joint cartilage by the patient, reduction in the synovial fluid viscosity and subchondral bone sclerosis. According to exams carried out by radiographic imaging to subjects for over 50 years, a 30 percent rate of knee OA was reported and this greatly due to the fact that there is no specific method used to prevent the disease from progressing (Aydogmus et al, 2017). Due to the difficulty in preventing the progression of Osteoarthritis, a question can be raised on the impact that a definitive method for treating Osteoarthritis would have in preventing its progression. A definitive treatment method would make it easier to treat and control the disease as most research would be focused on how to improve the specific treatment method and make it more effective as opposed conducting research on different possible solutions.
According to research conducted by Aydogmus et al (2017) intra-articular injections of plasma rich in platelets is the best form of treatment for Osteoarthritis. The research approaches the topic on Osteoarthritis by discussing various methods that can be used to treat Osteoarthritis such as the use of platelet-rich plasma intra-articular injections and the use of ozone gas or hyaluronic acid. The research conducted a study where patients were subjected to the use of the different treatment methods and then the results were compared to find out which treatment method was the most effective. From their analysis, the researchers are able to compare the results and determine which the most suitable method is and this is done in a way that is easy to follow the research and see how conclusions were drawn.
The research is able to address my question in that it focuses on the most promising treatment methods that have a significant impact in treating Osteoarthritis. While the research discusses three treatment methods, it clearly demonstrates which is the most efficient and further shows why it should be given priority over the rest. The research shows that, while other treatment methods are ideal, it is important to know which is the most effective so as to gather as much knowledge on the treatment methods so as to better treat Osteoarthritis (Aydogmus et al, 2017. From the research, I learnt that the effectiveness of the treatment methods was significantly affected by the rate of degeneration in the knees as the disease affects tissue regeneration. The research helped me to better understand the anatomy of the knee as it discussed information regarding how treatment methods such as hyaluronic acid and platelet rich plasma injections reduce cartilage catabolism.
The information from the research will positively impact my practice as it provided me with information on the effectiveness the most successful treatment methods for Osteoarthritis. The information gave me a better understanding of how the disease works and what can be done to either treat Osteoarthritis or reduce its progression. i not only know the most suitable intra articular injection method is best suited for treating Osteoarthritis but also what other alternatives exist and when it is best recommended to use them. It would however be beneficial to know the benefits of using platelet rich plasma injections on its own without comparing it against other treatment methods. Doing so will result to more research being done on the treatment method and this will create room for developing a more efficient method without having to borrow from other treatment methods.
References
Aydogmus S, Dernek B, Duymus M, Kesiktas F, Komur B and Mutlu S, (2017) “Choice off intra-articular injection in treatment of knee osteoarthritis: Platelet-rich plasma, hyaluronic acid or ozone options” Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrose
Right to life is not inclusive of the right to die even though Life and death are Siamese twins held at the hip. Euthanasia stands on shaky moral grounds often leading to endless debates whenever the issue comes up. The endless controversies surrounding whether the right to life is inclusive of death is a global issue rubbed the wrong way by the human society as a whole. Interesting enough, heavily populated countries such as India do not have readily available statistics indicating the quantity of euthanasia or physician assisted suicide appeals in the country, which would help point out the stand of the society on the issue. This essay will carry out a comprehensive discussion on reasons why euthanasia should be illegal and assess the public attitude people towards the act, which will in turn help, unveil why euthanasia is unfavorable. By supporting details and evidence, I will determine why physician assisted suicide or euthanasia is wrong and why alternative methods need to be embraced in the end of life care.
The legalization of euthanasia is synonymous to assisting suicide. Voluntary euthanasia takes place when a patient requests termination of his or her life due to a terminal medical condition. However, there are some basic issues on the subject on either side. There are well-structured arguments supporting euthanasia (Boudreau et.al, 3). Supporters claim that euthanasia frees patients from suffering and gives the patient authority over their life and any paternalistic invasion. Moreover, advocates purport that giving permission to a small number of people to undergo euthanasia under the right controlled environmental conditions was harmless. If it remains illegal, the advocates fear that some dubious and secrets means would emerge to facilitate euthanasia.
On the other hand, opponents claim that it would shift the moral compass of societies and normalize murder. Hence, it would unveil a series of serious uncontainable consequences in the society. In other words, any benefits derived from euthanasia would not outweigh the negative consequences (Boudreau et.al, 2). Even if the government legalizes euthanasia, under certain contexts and allow medical experts to partake in it, it would violate their moral code and role as healers in the society. In summary, physicians would go against their integrity when they participate in euthanasia.
The issue of euthanasia presents a dilemma in the criminal law. The values and virtues that drive humanity cannot allow the legalization of euthanasia. First of all, the constitution allows for the right to life for each person. Safeguarding life is fundamental for any rules to take root in the society. Indeed as Hobbs confirmed, the protection of life pivots the core reason and functionality of any laws. Thus, defending human life takes into consideration people who suffer from terminal illnesses or genomic deformations. The only dilemma is whether a person who perpetrates mercy killing becomes a murderer or not. The law does not permit taking a person’s life, even though the motive may not be for personal gain. The bottom line is that there is no good enough reason to kill a person (Anderson 1). Furthermore, the law does not recognize mercy killing and the elements pertaining the issue cannot naturally fit into the constitution. In fact, the law does not give room for motive as part of homicide. Therefore, if the court proves that a defendant perpetrated a murder, it is first degrees murder.
Accepting euthanasia shakes down the sacredness of life. Euthanasia has a pendulum effect on critical communal issues such as whether a fetus during its early stages is an actual being. As absurd as it may seem, a patient with a terminal illnesses has a right to life and completely human (Boudreau et.al, 2). The sacredness of human life does not stem from religious perspectives or opinion but the need to value life, regardless of the medical state in which it exists. Advocates of euthanasia suggest that life is priceless but also bring forth another flipside of the argument. Ending the life an individual suffering from a painful sickness, brings respect to human life. Dying with respect sanctifies life. Thus, the contentious issues revolving around euthanasia continue to evoke endless debates and sometimes the advocates cross the line. However, it is vital to note that quality of life has no connection with sanctity. Consequently, between quality and sanctity, the sacredness of life outweighs the quality of life. Viewing the argument in terms of quality of life, it actually implies that people with a low quality lifestyle deserve to die. Maintaining the same line of thought means that individuals with a quality life have more right to live than their counterpart does.
For instance, the right to sell oneself to slavery is not a well thought-out action. Neither is the right to end your own life due to the scourging effects of a terminal illness (Boudreau 1). A physician in a resource limited medical facility, the insurance institution, emotionally drained relatives attached to the patient may find euthanasia attractive once it becomes a viable option tabled in front of them (Boudreau et.al, 2). Therefore, removing the option of death, gives medical experts and insurance institutions the right to fight against terminal illness and find creative ways of preserving the will of life.
Of course, the other side of the argument might claim there are better ways of going about euthanasia. For example, some people may suggest that psychiatrists and doctors might assess a patient and confirm whether the person is of sound mind before acting upon their decision (Warraich 1). Nevertheless, the above context applies only to people with a terminal illness or others who want to end life. Although their reasons seem valid, they are not justifiable to the humanity and society. Therefore, no one has power to give a go ahead for the procedure used in the elimination. Thus, euthanasia would open an entire Pandora box of controversies if the government allows pain and suffering to be the main determinants of euthanasia. Once voluntary euthanasia becomes normal, it would spread to palliative care patients. Any tome dick and harry would request the procedure once medical finances dwindle.
Proponents of euthanasia may propose that the practice already exists in many various forms and doctors and other healthcare providers conduct it all the time without fear and that the media has no clue (Byock, 1). More so, legalizing it would open more secure ways for practicing the deed. Thus, accepting the procedure is likely to prevent its misuse and corruptions that often accompanies it. In other words, legalizing euthanasia would avail guidelines and prevent misuse of the procedure.
People have a right to live their lives as they please. There are many public attitudes toward euthanasia (Byock, 1). Surveys show that there is not enough support for euthanasia. Literature reviews on the topic show that more than two third of American do not support both euthanasia and regulations that accompany the procedure. Politically speaking, legislators hesitate on the issue because they might lose votes.
Surveys that monitor trends speculate that physicians do not easily accept a patient’s plea for euthanasia. In addition, there is a rising concern that people might exploit the poor and the old if euthanasia becomes legal (Warraich 1). Poverty stricken people may see death as an option when faced with heavy medical bills. Religion plays a major role in shaping the thoughts of people on the issue. In a country like India, where 90% of the population is Indian, the dominant faiths are Hindu and Islam. Hence, euthanasia faces a stiff opposition due to the religious beliefs.
Two approaches inhibit the legalization of euthanasia. The first line of thought seem to derive its main argument from the a religious perspective which claims that people are made by God and their value is priceless and no one should interfere with the sacredness that comes from life. Thus, euthanasia goes against personal dignity of life. With religion comes the ethical side of euthanasia, which makes physicians take a stand against euthanasia. On the other hand, the rhetorical nature of the subject matter tends to excite and elicit emotions rather solve the underlying issue (Byock, 1). For instance, let us consider a context where one withholds treatment from a person suffering from a terminal illness, when the treatment does not make a difference and the treatment itself has a negative toll on the patient, the context is a weighty matter but euthanasia is weightier. Another subtle element is discernment. A terminally ill individual does not have the ability to make sound decisions. In summary, legalizing euthanasia stands on shaky ground and may be a go-ahead button that would permit myriad of crimes. More so, regulating the act is a tedious task.
Works cited
Boudreau, J. D., Margaret A. Somerville, and Nikola Biller-Andorno. "Clinical decisions. Physician-assisted suicide." The New England journal of medicine 368.15 (2013): 1450-1452 https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMclde1302615.
Despite being a nation associated with wealth and access to a lot of resources, the health care condition in the United States still remains unsatisfactory as there is a significant number of people in the country with limited access to adequate medical care. To begin with, the health care system has become so expensive that finding good medical care is difficult without a proper medical care. For those who live in poverty or do not have adequate incomes, it becomes difficult to pay for medical covers and serious illnesses make life difficult as those affected do not have the money to take care of the medical bills on their own. Even the people who afford medical care still lack proper covers as issues related to eyesight, dental and audiology among other medical issues are not covered by the medical insurance that the citizens can afford. While some of these issues may not necessarily be life threatening, they are issues of concern due to the effect that they have on an individual’s health as well as their life. While a lot of emphasis has been placed on the topic of equality in the field of medicine, there still exists medical inequities and disparities which are greatly as a result of lack of better understanding of what inequities and disparities are.
The ambiguous nature of the definition for inequities and disparities makes it difficult to resolve the issue as policy makers find a hard time identifying the disparities and what needs to be done in order to overcome them. in general terms, a disparity is a measure of quality that is used to differentiate people and place them in groups in relation to a specific measure of health (Hill, 2016). Inequities on the other hand are defined as differences in the way in which resources are distributed and allocated among groups with different backgrounds and status. Inequities and disparities in the medical field can therefore refer to the different rate and ease in which people access quality health care depending on their social, economic and environmental factors.
Although a lot of effort has been put in eradicating inequities and disparities in the health care industry, there has been a great deal of ambiguity in defining the inequities which makes it difficult to determine what issue needs to be resolved so as to ensure that everyone has equal access to the same medical services regardless of their social or economic background (Matthew, 2018). The ambiguous nature makes it difficult to allocate resources to the appropriate cause and this makes it difficult to eradicate the disparities. Since the inequities and disparities are not accurately defined, social groups could end up collecting funds aimed at helping those affected by disparities but end up misappropriating them since they may be used to help the wrong group or those that may not necessarily need them.
The ambiguities make it difficult to identify areas that need attention due to the inequities they create in the health care industry. An example of an ambiguity is the case where the elderly have poorer health compared to the young or the likelihood that a specific disease affects the poor more than the rich (Hill, 2016). While such differences are not necessarily disparities, they are issues that could be addressed but since they often go unresolved, they are a good example of how other disparities that need attention can also go unnoticed; and therefore unresolved. An ideal solution for the inequities and disparities that exist in the medical field would therefore to clearly define them and then develop solutions directly aimed at resolving the disparities.
In order to do away with inequities and disparities in the health care industry, it is important to start with clearly defining what these disparities and iniquities are so as to identify what needs to be resolved. A good description can be similar to what was suggested by Braveman (2014) who defined it as a specific type of health difference associated with the social, economic and environmental disadvantage that affects people differently depending on their race, religious beliefs, gender, ethnicity and other factors that are used to discriminate against people. Economic disadvantages refers to issues such as low income, inadequate capital and other financial challenges that make it difficult to pay for medical services. Social disadvantages on the other hand refer to the position that people hold in society’s pecking order. The position that one holds in society is influenced by issues such as race, disabilities and capital to mention a few; and these factors affect the individual’s access to medical services (Hill, 2016). In the case for environmental implications, access to medical care can be affected if an individual lives in a region associated with poverty or is racially profiled. The type of medical services offered may therefore be poor since the neighborhood has been alienated due to the population of people prominent in the region.
If a clear definition for inequities and disparities exists, policy makers will be in a better position to identify the main problem and come up with an appropriate solution. there is also the need to create awareness on the importance of health and why everyone should be treated as equal regardless of what background or any other differences. All citizens need better access to high quality medical care and for this to occur inequalities and disparities must be done away with and offer equal opportunities and access to medical care for everyone alike.
Occurrence and Prevalence of Lyme disease In Massachusetts
The occurrence of Lyme disease in Massachusetts is an issue that has reached a near epidemic with virtually every family within the state having been affected by the disease in one way of another. So far Lyme disease has been declared as a public health issue in the Commonwealth (Reports of Lyme Disease in Massachusetts 2018). Grounded upon the statistics that have been conveyed to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), the occurrences of Lyme disease that have been recorded continue to increase over the years. The last reportable records that were centred on the amount of recounted cases between the years 2000 to the year 2016 indicates 49,680 confirmed cases of Lyme disease preference in the state of Massachusetts (Reports of Lyme Disease in Massachusetts 2018). These facts unruffled by MDPH’s investigation are a proof that the occurrences of Lyme disease linger to upsurge through the Commonwealth and the fact that there is an urgent need to deal with this public issue. This paper will expound on the Lyme diseases trying to understand facts about the infection and its prevalence within Massachusetts.
Facts about Lyme disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is transmitted by tiny black legged ticks. A human being is infected when the tick attaches itself to the humanoid body for a minimum of 24 hours in order for the bacteria to be spread (Levy, 2013). The Lyme disease is mostly prevalent in the Middle Atlantic, Northeast and the upper Middle West region of United States (Pfeiffer, 2018). Lyme infection has commonly been recounted in every town within Massachusetts and it has no set time limits. The ailment can ensue at any period of the year but it has been noted to be most dynamic between May and July because the fully-grown ticks are normally more energetic during the fall and spring but they are always out looking for hosts at any time when the winter temperatures are above freezing (Pfeiffer, 2018). The young ticks are more active during the warm months.
Symptoms
The symptoms of the Lyme diseases can begin to appear between days 3 to 30 after an individual has been bitten by an infected tick. If the symptoms are not treated when they occur, the disease tends to grow and the late symptoms of the ailment transpire weeks or years later after the initial infection (Levy, 2013). There are two stages of the symptoms of Lyme disease and they include;
Early stage
This is within the first week after an infection. The common symptom at this stage is the occurrence of a rash where the tick was attached. The rash always begin as a minor red blemish that later on spreads outwards, clearing up at the centre (Way & White, 2013). Other symptoms that can be observed at this stage are flu-like symptoms for instance fever, stiff neck, a headache, sore muscles, fatigue and one may experience swollen glands (Way & White, 2013). Treatment at this stage is important to avoid more serious issues later on as the disease progresses.
later stages
This is the stage that falls in the weeks to years after the first symptoms go untreated. If an individual is not treated, the Lyme disease can later develop late stage symptoms where the joints, the heart and the nervous symptoms are affected.
It is estimated that 60% of the people whose first symptoms of Lyme disease are not treated tend to develop arthritis in their elbows, writs and knees (Way & White, 2013). In this case the arthritis can move from one joint to another and it has a high chance of becoming chronic.
Other people that do not get treated with the early symptoms of the disease tend to develop nervous system problems that include meningitis which is a swelling of the tissues that conceal the brain and the spinal cord. Others may develop problems with the head nerves, weaknesses in the arms, feet or the legs and these symptoms can last for months where sometimes they are mild and other times they become severe. People with Lyme disease can also develop heart problems as an early or a later symptom, where the heart rate is slowed down and it causes fainting.
Treatment
The recommended management of Lyme malady by the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) is through the use of antibiotics at the early stages symptoms which will help prevent the escalation of supplementary symptoms of the ailment. IDSA advices that 28 days of prescription is sufficient treatment to help destroy the microorganisms that normally cause Lyme infection (Bjork et al., 2018). Advice from International Lyme and Associated Disease Society (ILADS) suggests that in count to the initial treatment that is given for the symptoms, there shouldn’t be any restrictions to more medication based on test centre analysis. ILADS illustrates that lengthier course of antibiotics is permissible as well intake of more antibiotics once there a relapse of the symptoms (Bjork et al., 2018).
Prevention measures
It is important for people to adopt some simple measures that can help reduce the chances of one getting bitten by an infected tick. Ticks love to cling to vegetation and they are numerously found in bushy, wooded or grassy environs (Schwartz et al., 2017). People should ensure that they are wearing long, light coloured clothing, with well tucked pants into the socks which will help to protect the skin from exposure and it will also be easy to cite a tick in the bright coloured cloths (Levy, 2013). People should ensure that they clear unwanted vegetation within their homes which will help reduce the habitation for ticks and hence reduce chances of infections.
Another effective prevention measure is the use of repellent DEET which is a chemical that as proven to be repellent to the ticks. It is important to however note that this chemical can be harmful to infants and it should then be used in the concentration of 30% or less on children (Levy, 2013). Pet owners should ensure that they get advice from the veterinarian about matters of tick control on their pets for instance use of tick repellent collars to reduce the chances of infection for both the pet and the people in that home. While walking or hiking, people should always ensure that avoid the hedge of the habitats where ticks may be attached (Schwartz et al., 2017).
It is imperative to note that both the adult ticks and the young ticks that are commonly known as the nymph can both spread the Lyme disease. It is however of major concern to look out for nymphs that are more destructive feeders and because they are so little, it can be hard to notice them (Schwartz et al., 2017). Ticks like to be in warm environment and so they can commonly be found in the groin, armpits, back of the knees, the scalp and the back of the neck among other places that are particularly warm. When a tick is found attached to the body, it should immediately be removed using tweezers that are fine point.
Research and outreach of Lyme disease in Massachusetts
There is lack of efficient mandating and diagnostic tools to help deal with the Lyme disease public health issue in Massachusetts. The scientists in Yale believe that the increased cases of Lyme syndrome are owed to climate changes while other academics propose that human influence on the inhabitants of the deer has been the cause of increased cases (Von Drehle et al., 2013). There still lacks substantial information in regard to the spread of Lyme disease across Massachusetts.
Vaccine
The accessible studies on Lyme infection that has been instigated by the state or offered by the Department of Public Health and Human Services in the United States includes study and assessment of deterrence, uncovering and cure of the ailment as well as vaccine creations to help avert transmissions of the disease. The common vaccine that has so far been formulated is the LYMErix that was created in the year 1998 but was later pulled off the market in the year 2002 because of low demand (Onrust & Goa, 2000). There was a controversy in regard to the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and after it was conveyed before the FDA for evaluation in the year 2001 after which it was pulled off the market.
After its pull off, a bill was created in the year 2003 that required the government to release about $448386 to Yale University the school of medicine to help with more vaccine examination (Schwartz et al., 2017). Even with the funding, there has not been a breakthrough in regard to Lyme disease Vaccine since LYMErix. Many grants have been offered to help with funding field trials that evaluate the effectiveness of natural resources for the regulation of tick trajectories of Lyme infection but there are no conclusive results that have been generated (Levy, 2013).
Management of host abundance
It is estimated that the population of deer from New Jersey to New York is about 1,918,000 (Bjork et al., 2018). This surplus of deer is linked with complications such as deer vehicle accidents, lack of forest revival, damage to suburban sceneries and the rising incidences of Lyme syndrome among many others. This abundance of deer has led to increased distribution of black legged ticks that feed the deer, each of which is able to lay roughly 3,000 spawns and the deer assist as the mode of transportation for these ticks to go and lay eggs in various regions hence increasing their population (Von Drehle et al., 2013). The most effective deer management options in this case are the use of;
Deer railing and repellents, this will prevent the deer from accessing human habited regions and thus limit the spread of infected ticks. It will also aid to reduce the damage of crops, accidents due to vehicle collisions with the deer among other problems (Von Drehle et al., 2013). Reducing the number of hosts for the tick will help reduce the spread of Lyme bacteria.
Research has illustrated the effectiveness of the management of the deer in relation to reduced population of ticks. The decrease of deer concentrations to less than twenty deer per square mile can meaningfully lessen tick bites threats and intrude the sequence of Lyme infection and broadcast of the microorganisms that cause the infection to both the animals and human being (Von Drehle et al., 2013).
Lyme syndrome is a public health issue that needs to be seriously addressed in Massachusetts. People need to be educated about Lyme syndrome which will help them understand the risks, the symptoms and the ways that they can prevent bite risks. Education to the society will also help people to understand how they can manage the early symptoms to prevent serious effects of the disease in later stages. The State across the Northeast has so far passed a regulation concerning Lyme syndrome in the areas that range from authorizing health protection coverage of doctor treatment and also supplying state wide task services (Bjork et al., 2018). This has helped in establishing Lyme syndrome awareness months and also in mandating case reporting guidelines. More federal legislations that are specifically focussed on Lyme syndrome research, treatment and surveillance regulations still need to be effected.
References
Bjork, J., Brown, C., Friedlander, H., Schiffman, E., & Neitzel, D. (2018). Validation of
Random Sampling as an Estimation Procedure for Lyme Disease Surveillance in Massachusetts and Minnesota. Zoonoses & Public Health, 65(2), 266–274. https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.12297
Levy, S. (2013). The Lyme Disease Debate. Environmental Health Perspectives, 121(4),
A120–A125. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=87072146&site=ehost-live
Pfeiffer, M. B. (2018). Lyme: The first epidemic of climate change. Island Press-Center for
Resource Economics, Washington, D.C.,
Reports of Lyme Disease in Massachusetts. (2018). Retrieved from
The aim of the article was to assess Health Information Systems and Accountability using structuration concepts and ideas. By doing so, health department would attract foreign donors. Both developing and underdeveloped nations would implement the new information networks. The incorporation of Information systems into the health care services and facilities would upgrade services; improve on record keeping, save time and finances that would otherwise go into waste (Bernardi, 2018). For instance, a country like Kenya enacted health information systems to streamline health services and easily access patient records and diagnosis.
Purpose of the paper
The main objective of the study was examining the influence of health information systems on accountability, health services delivered, and the entire health sector. Obviously, the system would have an overall effect but the study needed to capture specific attributes that would only come into place with implementation of information system. Furthermore, accountability was one of the anticipated after effects of the health information systems in most middle-income nations (Bernardi, 2018). In other words, increasing accountability would be in line with international policy reforms. On the other hand, stakeholders and other major actors found it hard adopting or working with the system as it differs with the conventional system. The information system provides a specific guideline that gives certain results unlike the conventional means that permits anything to take place. Therefore, staffs have to account for deviant results.
Information systems enhance performance practices and so a manager does not need to acquire data on patients using the health facilities in order to allocate resources. The accountability of staff in charge can tell the resources needed to cater to the entire patient population (Bernardi, 2018). In summary, the health information systems take into account expenditure, making it easy for allocation of resources and budgetary plans. Finally yet importantly, the concept of structuration can integrate accountability and materials. To bring about an accurate focus and distribution of resources.
Methodology
As stated earlier, the article utilized researches conducted between 2007 and 2015. Primary sources of data came from interviews while secondary data came from past documents and data from the ministry of health. Moreover, collection of data commenced in the year 2007 to 2008. The researcher was able to carry out 38 structured interviews and 4 unstructured interviews with leaders (Bernardi, 2018). The participants had prior knowledge on information systems and shaped its implementation in Kenya. To balance the equation, and bring in a historical perspective, the researcher took data from healthcare providers and other stakeholders who worked under the ministry of health for more than two decades.
The sampling technique considered relevance of the study. For instance, major, key players in the medical sector contributed vital information to the research project, which led to new revelations (Bernardi, 2018). Health information experts, managers, governors, and senators also took part in the research project. The sampling technique enabled one to see the systematic alteration in the medical systems over the years. In addition, the methodology took into account the advantages of looking at ideas from various personal perspectives, which resulted in accommodation of more diverse opinions and facts than just one standpoint. In the end, the research revealed the impact of individuals’ work practice and managerial hierarchy. Thus, the health information system has the ability to management duties and establishes a clear line of hierarchy with all the duties and roles cut out for each health officer.
From the case study, factors standing out above the rest are the programs that supported the HIS within health ministry (Bernardi, 2018). For instance, an immunization program gave the health information system a platform for implementation and operation to full functionality. Moreover, the World Health Organization came up with a series of recommendations that advised health sectors to adopt effective information systems. From that point forward, plans to include functional and fully operating information systems in health facilities began. From the Kenyan perspective, the need of prior planning and monitoring was the main tasks people anticipated the system to accomplish for them.
Like any other upcoming project, information systems needed funding. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization funded the project in 2001(Bernardi, 2018). The funds reached the project via an effective information system, which in turn helped convince people of the need of setting up the system and its infrastructure in hospital institutions.
Apart from surveillance and management, the system is capable of storing and managing data and maintains a timeline of events that can prioritize tasks and influence decision making based on the information at hand, hence expanding the tasks one can carry out in one day. Furthermore, devolving government functions in Kenya force county government to adopt the systems for better and easy management of county hospitals based on data presented (Bernardi, 2018). In addition, officers could easily locate medical supplies and account for them later through monitoring capabilities of the information system.
The decentralization of health functions required a central information system to manage the various tasks and data arising from different counties within Kenya (Bernardi, 2018). In the end, the government had to create new structures to support health information systems.
Reference
Bernardi, R. (2018). Health Information Systems and Accountability in Kenya: A Structuration Theory Perspective. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 18(12), 931-958. doi:10.17705/1jais.00475
Skin disorders differ in terms of indicators and severity. They are either long or short term, accompanied with discomfort or painless. Some may arise due to environmental changes while others may be hereditary. In fact, others may leave a patient bedridden. This paper will look into the most common dermatological disorders associated with eczemas and how to distinguish them from one another for the purpose of accurate treatment.
Atopic dermatitis symptoms differ from one individual to another. Moreover, there is no known cure for the skin disorder. However, self-care can reduce itching and hinder the spread of the disease. For example, a patient may evade harsh soaps and capitalize on moisturizing skin on a daily basis and utilization of medical lotions (Lowell et.al, 2001). A 2-year research revealed that 36.5% people under primary care had an illness related to eczemas. Out of the 208 patients suffering from a skin disease, an estimated 58.7% were not sure of the name and specific details of the infection.
There are varieties of proposals suggested by physicians under the primary care. For instance 37.5% of the individuals visiting a dermatologist test positive for eczema related complications (Pedrosa, Lisboa, & Rodrigues, 2014). Hence, primary care physicians and dermatologists may diagnose them same number of people suffering from skin disorders.
Malassezia yeast cause cutaneous diseases such as dermatitis and seborrheic. The spreading methodology of the yeast is still a mystery. There are many hypothesis that suggest the pathogenic mannerism of the yeast although there is no confirmation. In addition, it is hard to culture the yeast in a laboratory (Pedrosa, Lisboa, & Rodrigues, 2014). Thus, there are no microbial measures against the yeast. In short, the eczema causes inflammation of the infected skin which in turn crack the skin open, leaving it with blisters.
Reference
Lowell, B. A., Froelich, C. W., Federman, D. G., & Kirsner, R. S. (2001). Dermatology in primary care: prevalence and patient disposition. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 45(2), 250-255.
Pedrosa, A. F., Lisboa, C., & Rodrigues, A. G. (2014). Malassezia infections: a medical conundrum. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 71(1), 170-176.
A large number of non- urgent hospital visits end up in the emergency department. However, there are certain factors that influence phenomena. The first factor is the ability of the ED to fulfill the requirements of the patients at once (Rosenwax et.al, 2015). For instance, the structure and norm of the ED addresses all the medical issues of a patient although social and emotional factors always go unnoticed. Secondly, the ED is convenient hence; one is able to save more time due to the discerning nature of the staff members who have a ready medical solution at hand. Third, they are able to get an immediate medical appointment from a caregiver instead of numerous referrals. Therefore, the streamlined quick service delivery and immediate appointment attracts patients to the department.
Care Guide as an Intervention to Reduce Non-Urgent ED Visits
Increasing primary care will divert attention from ED. A care guide is an effective intervention in ensuring that adult patients with non-urgent medical requirements stay away from the department (Rosenwax et.al, 2015). This is because a care guide has an outline of all the medical needs and procedures a patient can pass through during his or her visit and makes. It answers the question of who and when, leaving a patient assured that a team of medical experts will cater for each and every of their needs arising from their duration at a medical institution. In addition, customizing a care guide to suite the specific requirements of clients eases their visits and takes the burden off their shoulders. In the end, patients they may find a care guide more effective than an Emergency department.
Reference
Rosenwax, L., Spilsbury, K., Arendts, G., McNamara, B., & Semmens, J. (2015). Community-based palliative care is associated with reduced emergency department use by people with dementia in their last year of life: a retrospective cohort study. Palliative medicine, 29(8), 727-736.
Since time immemorial, men and women tried avoiding pregnancies. Before modern contraceptives, women relied heavily on withdrawal and refraining from sexual intercourse. These methods were ineffective and sometimes failed to meet the expectations of women. However, in the year 1960, FDA gave a go ahead and certified ‘the pill’ a contraceptive that would reduce unwanted pregnancies. Manufacturers aimed at effectively providing a reliable birth control method to the public. Elaine Tyler claimed that women accepted the contraceptive, which resulted to change in society. She went further to explain that women utilized the pill to change the course of history. With the pill, women wielded the power to challenges medical experts’ authority, the medical industry, and even legislators. This paper will look into the development and importance of the pill and birth control in the society and its long-term impact.
The development of the pill and feminist movement
According to Elaine, the pill was a sexual revolution. It was a pillar of hope for mothers. They had a voice on matters pertaining having children. They could get pregnant based on their own terms. In fact, Margaret Sanger, in the year 1912, envisioned a drug that would give mothers complete control over pregnancies. She wanted to honor mothers. During her tenure as a nurse, Sanger witnessed the death of many women because their bodies could no longer stand the strains of a pregnancy (May 56).These atrocities made her advocate strongly for birth control. In addition, unregulated pregnancies weakened the health of women and hindered their independence due to the added responsibilities. Against the backdrop of ineffective birth control methods, Sanger pursued information on better methodologies. Later, Sanger joined hands with Katharine McCormick. The two women funded a research that led to birth of the pill.
In 1960, introduction of the pill to the market coincided with baby boom. Most mothers rushed to the market and bought the pill (May 103). Some sectors of the society frowned upon it while others rejoiced and saw it as a sexual revolution. Single women had a hard time buying the drug. At the end of it all, the drug was a breath of fresh air and number of births per woman dropped from three to one in 1975. The pill was not the only factor for the drop of births but it was the main contributor.
The role of the pill and birth control
The pill gave complete power and control to women. They could plan their careers without involving their male partners. Consequently, female increased in the work force and even their earnings skyrocketed. (May 213). In terms of human capital, women, the pill gave women time to invest in other sectors of their lives. They acquired the freedom to attain degrees and gain entry into male dominated careers. More so, birth control gave women the chance to enjoy sex without procreation. On other side, early marriages were on a decline trend.
The access of readily available birth control immediately led to healthy single women who unplanned pregnancies would be a costly affair (May 110). Similarly, the utilization of the pill strengthened the role of women in marriages. Both men and women had a voice on the number and time they should have babies, which shifted power the power balance.
The cultural shift created by the pill and birth control in general led to more awareness on the plight of women and gradually the society accepted working mothers and babies born out of wedlock (May 79). Secondly, the society respected women and they became more visible in other sectors of the community such as politics.
Importance of the pill
Most ladies claim that the pill makes periods predictable. In addition, the chemical make of the pill regulate cramps and lighten the burden of women during periods. It can also stop the periods instantly. Besides, users can have children after they stop their prescription. After a woman stops taking the pill, the functionality of her body returns to normal, she can still have her periods (May 120). Therefore, the pill works in line with the mechanisms of a woman’s body.
Taking the pills is an easy task and women can carry them in their backpacks. In fact, females need a prescription from a doctor in order to acquire the drugs hence making the birth control convenient and accessible to the public (May 230). Currently, an estimated 28% women use birth control for preventing birth unsolicited pregnancies. Although some people may argue that men still have power over women to dictate or control communities despite of the leaps ladies made thorough out the society.
In short, the pill changed the entire course of history and gave women power over their fertility. The pill saved the lives of many women and gave them an opportunity to concentrate on other aspects of life such as education and careers. It reduced early marriages caused by accidental pregnancies reduced significantly. Women had a voice and gained force in politics and in the corporate world. In the end, it was a win- win situation for both men and women.
Work cited
May, Elaine T. America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation. LaVergne, TN: RHYW, 2010.
Crohn’s disease or simply known as CD is a type of chronic relapsing IBD which is an inflammatory bowel disease (Charlton et al., 2017). There is a transmural granulomatous inflammation that characterizes this disease and has a tendency to affect colon or ilium, which are the gastrointestinal tract. In the last 50 years, the prevalence of Crohn’s disease has been increasing. There have been some reports from the patients about a significant impediment to daily activities and lifestyle during both the remissions and flares regardless of a biological treatment that is used on the patient.
It has been observed that almost 10 % of the total population suffering from the inflammatory bowel disease Crohn’s, experience problems related to the eyes (Rollandi et al., 2016). Even though most of the patients do not have a major threat such as loss of vision, it still is yet another complication to control and the last area you would expect affected by CD. The tissues that make up the eye are very similar to the tissues in the digestive system. Thus, the organs that are affected by the Crohn’s disease can and do affect the eye as well. These manifestations include uveitis, episcleritis, dry eyes, scleritis and keratoconjunctivitis.
Uveitis is considered one of the most severe complications in inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn’s. Uveitis is painful inflammation of the eye's middle layer also known as the uvea. A patient suffering from uveitis has pain, redness of the eye, light sensitivity, and blurred vision. The symptoms of uveitis occur slowly or develop over time depending upon the intensity of the disease on the patient.
Episcleritis is simply the inflammation of the episclera, which is the outer coating of the white of the eye. After the inflammation of the episclera is tiny blood vessels, the vessels start to dilate and the area around becomes red. Moreover, tenderness and pain is produced by the episcleritis.
When the vitamin A is deficient in the human body, it may lead to dryness of the eyes. The condition of eyes to become dry is KCS or keratoconjunctivitis sicca. An irritation or eye infection can result due to this condition, which is caused by increased tear film evaporation or the decreased tear production. There is always a chance for the inflection to become severe and which can lead to use the antibiotics regularly.
The inflammation of the sclera, which is the white of the eye, referred to as Scleritis. Episcleritis and scleritis appear to be similar by their names and appearance, but one cannot deny the fact that the scleritis is more serious than the episcleritis (Rollandi et al., 2016). There is a high probability that the scleritis will lead to visual impairment if not treated on time. The patient, who suffers from inflammatory bowel disease, also has a greater chance to suffer from scleritis as well (Charlton et al., 2017). However, the condition of scleritis is still a rare one. The condition can affect one or both eyes of the patient. The patient suffering from scleritis suffers from eye discoloration, eye tenderness, tears, pain, decreased visual sharpness, and redness of the eye.
There is a high chance for the development of inflammation in optic nerve and retina as well. However, CD is not always responsible for the problems related to eyes, as there is a high probability of the medications used in the treatment of the disease that can result in the creation of some new problems (Quigley et al., 2016). For example, taking corticosteroids in an excess amount or taking for a long-term can result in cataracts and glaucoma. Glaucoma is clouding of eye’s lens, which is responsible for impairing visions.
For Crohn’s disease, there is no cure, but the disease still has some treatment goals that helps in reducing the inflammations, relieving symptoms of bleeding, diarrhea, and pain, and eliminating the nutritional deficiencies (Quigley et al., 2016). However, for the eyes, there are a number of drugs to involve in the treatment along with surgery, supplements, and a combination of the therapies. Uveitis after identifying the type, which is done by using a slit lamp that helps the doctor and allows him to look at the inside of the patient’s eye. Moreover, the improvement in the Uveitis comes after taking IBD under control, but still, there are some eye drops recommended by the ophthalmologists that contain steroids that reduce inflammation. If the effects of uveitis are on the front of the eye, then steroid eye drops are utilized in the treatment. The tablets and steroid injections are also used for the treatment in other areas of the eye. Some people are not cured just with the steroid medication. These people are given different medications as well, which may include eye drops or immunosuppressant in order to relieve the pain. There are some cases of uveitis in which the disease clears quickly, just after the treatment is started.
To treat the keratopathy a slit lamp is used by the ophthalmologist in making the diagnosis with the help of spotting white deposits that are presented at the cornea's edge. The results of Keratopathy are not severe, as it does not cause vision loss. This issue does not need treatment, as it can be resolved on its own (Galanopoulos et al., 2016). However, if there is a need of treatment for keratopathy, then the focus is to control the IBD of the person.
Some topical vasoconstrictors and steroid eye drops are used in the treatment of episcleritis. The inflammation in the IBD of a person is reflected by the episcleritis. The drug is therapy one of the main treatment used for the patients suffering from episcleritis (Quigley et al., 2016). It helps in bringing IBD under control and can serve as the sole treatment of episcleritis. Cool compress and tears can be used for the treatment of mild cases. In some severe cases, there is a requirement to use NSAIDs, which are Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The dry eyes are because of the deficiency of Vitamin A and can be corrected by taking the Vitamin A supplements either an intramuscular injection or orally. Some drugs can be helpful in treating the Crohn’s disease, as well with the eyes.
A slit lamp, which is a special microscope, used to diagnose the scleritis. The medical history of the patient matters a lot as it helps to determine what the causes behind the scleritis are. The treatments to cure the scleritis are quite same as of CD such as steroid medication, biological drugs, or even immunomodulatory drugs. Some topical eye drops help to get better from this situation. The anti-inflammatory drops or simply known as NSAIDs along with steroid drops are also used in the treatment of scleritis. The treatment sometimes includes the injections near the eyes, and sometimes there is a need to perform surgery in order to repair the damage to the sclera.
If the treatment given to the instruction is as per the instructions and requirements, then there is a comparatively less chance for any side effect on the health of the patients. In the case of uveitis, there are a number of drugs to involve in the treatment along with surgery, supplements, and a combination of the therapies (Galanopoulos et al., 2016). Some people not cured just with the steroid medication, they must be given different medications. It may include eye drops or immunosuppressant in order to relieve the pain. However, after the treatment in some cases, there is a chance to develop a disease, known as glaucoma. Moreover, it can create a problem with the retina, and damage to the optic nerve as well. The patients even face the loss of their vision in some cases.
The patients who face the episcleritis and repeatedly rake steroid treatment has a great chance to experience some side effects, which may include steroid-induced glaucoma, ocular hypertension, and cataract formation. Episcleritis can be uncomfortable and can have rare complications.
Many complications can occur due to the treatment and can result in an outcome of scleritis. The condition can further result in inflammation of retinal swelling, cataract, glaucoma, uveitis, cornea, retinal macular swelling, and peripheral corneal shinning. Occasionally, the proper medication not taken on time or dosage exceeded; it can lead to the thinning of the sclera. The outcomes of the thinning of sclera can lead to blindness or severe vision loss as well. The long-term use of steroid eye drops in the treatment can result in glaucoma or cataract.
Researchers are trying their best to find new ways for the treatment of Crohn’s disease which in turn will decrease the occurrence of eye manifestations. The latest ongoing treatments use medications to block inflammation at the source and in turn could as well help eye issues associated with Crohn’s disease. The anti-inflammatory drugs that used for the treatment of Crohn’s treatment are limited to short-term use but have severe effects on the entire body of the patient. Researchers suggest the use of new corticosteroids like beclomethasone dipropionate and budesonide even though take a longer time to work, they are more effective and contain very few side effects.
The mercaptopurine and azathioprine are in the current use for the treatment of Crohn’s disease and are common immune system suppressors. However, research has found that these immune system suppressors can cause some serious side effects that may include the risk of infection as well. For the future treatments, add those regular blood tests to the immune system suppressor drugs for the monitoring of the potential side effects of liver, kidney, and blood system.
The utilization of vedolizumab will contain a less risk for the brain disease, and it works like natalizumab, which has the high risk of brain disease. In the future, base the treatment for Crohn’s disease on the vedolizumab, which will work more specifically on the intestinal tract. The ustekinumab or simply known as Stelara will be used in the future as it has the capability to treat the Crohn's disease at the time when the other medications do not work.
Literature Review
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease localized in the bowel of the human body. It can have a far-reaching effect on the ileum, colon, gastrointestinal, eyes and the perineum organs of the human body. According to Dr. Prakash Galani, Crohn’s disease is a threat that can hamper the quality of life as it compromises the facts. The etiology of the disease is not completely understood because of the complexities associated with the treatments and the impacts that the treatment can have on the patient. It is asserted that the cause of the can be traced in various fields such as microbiological, genetic, immunological and the environmental factors. About 10% of the patients are suffering from ocular manifestations. Many of the researches have revealed that the disease is a multi-system disorder that has the potential to effect such as keratoconjunctivitis, Iritis and retinal inflations and it is more common in men as compared to women. It refers to reduces tear production, loss of vision and infection.
There is an evident diversity in the treatment with the passage of time; many of the biological therapies introduced along with a remarkable usage of immunomodulatory drugs. Certain steps for the awareness of the disease are being taken, offering benefits to both the field and the associations. Many of the studies have asserted that there are certain drawbacks associated with the treatment as well, such a drawback are so potent that they are influencing the rate of the treatment opted to cure the disease.
With the advancement of the technology, variation in the fields of treatment and other facilitating instruments and strategies have undergone empowerment. However, certain efforts are under process to eradicate the harmful impacts associated with the disease. The research article asserts the mitigation of the drawbacks, intimating the complications and the use of strategies to facilitate the patients at a significant and healthy priority.
Greenstein AJ, Janowitz HD, Sachar DB. The extra-intestinal complications of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: a study of 200 patients. Medicine (Baltimore) 2006; 55:401-12.
Work Cited
Charlton, Rachel, et al. "Risk of uveitis and inflammatory bowel disease in people with psoriatic arthritis: a population-based cohort study." Annals of the rheumatic diseases (2017): annrheumdis-2017.
Galanopoulos, M., et al. "A successful treatment of anterior nodular scleritis with topical corticosteroids in a patient with Crohn’s Colitis." J Inflam Bowel Dis & Disord 1.1 (2016).
Quigley, Eamonn MM. "Overlapping irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease: less to this than meets the eye?" Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology 9.2 (2016): 199-212.
Rollandi, Gian Andrea, Riccardo Piccazzo, and Francesco Paparo. "Extraintestinal Findings in Crohn’s Disease Patients." Crohn’s Disease. Springer, Cham, 2016. 127-136.
The trade of human organs is a form of human trafficking where human organs such as kidneys and livers are sold. These transplants organs come from either deceased persons or donors. In this topic, I have learned that those people who need human organs are supposed to wait for a long period and the persistent gap is due to the prohibition of the human organ trade (Crepelle, 2016). The latter is a dangerous market because those who are engaged in this kind of a business are for financial gain. Even though the trade is prohibited, the World Health Organization reports that the number of organ trade is increasing at a higher rate given that the number has risen to 5-10% each year (Crepelle, 2016). I would like to support the trade of human organs by using the consequentialist views. The consequentialist argument claim that the goal of the trade of human organs is to save human lives. However, the goal is not met since the trade is prohibited and this makes it hard for donors to sell their organs. In addition, the goal is not met since the cost of purchasing the organs and the costs of surgery are high. The consequentialists argue that to avoid the higher costs, the long waiting time and even the unhygienic condition, there should be regulations designed to provide donors with risks associated with kidney transplant to help them make their own decisions (Crepelle, 2016). There is no need to prohibit the trade of human organs since there will be an increase in the black market where wealthier individuals will afford the costs. The black market will increase the risks to the donors and recipients due to poor operating conditions, poor surgeons and higher corruption. Thus, in order to have economic efficiency and social equality, the trade of human organs should be authorized to allow both the poor and the wealthier have a better access to quality services. Note that a legal organ trade will improve quality services since there will be equitable health outcomes, less waiting time, better matches, a great supply, and more lives will be saved.
Journal entry 2
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Why economists are worried about international trade
The goal is this lesson was to discuss the current trends on the international trade. By reviewing recent studies on the international market, we learned that economists are worried about international trade due to the tariffs imposed by president Trump. It seems that president Trump is against the free trade and his actions in imposing tariffs is a way of restricting Trans-Pacific Partnership. I support the economists' arguments derived from Adam Smith's book that free trade connects the involved nations and the connection promotes employment and meets the nations' consumption needs (Gregory, 2018). In cases where a nation does better than the other, the free trade will enable the nations to export its products to the other nations and this will create economic efficiency and social equality. In this lesson, we learned that international trade improves productivity in poor and wealthier nations since the productive firms are able to open new markets and the least productive firms get the opportunity to increase competition. All nations involved in international trade enjoy greater prosperity by increasing growth rates. Despite all these benefits, the economist is worried by president Trump's idea of imposing tariffs on the importation of foreign products. Trump argues that his ideas are toward protecting the U. manufacturers (Gregory, 2018. My views on this topic are that the tariffs will impact the economic efficiency and social quality in negative ways. In other words, the tariffs will cause trade tensions and disputes among nations where tens of thousands American jobs will be affected. The worst things are that the tariffs will affect the solar panels firms since there will be less competition. Even though president Trump is concerned about safeguarding the industries, American workers, domestic manufacturers, and businesses, there is a mixed result since the U.S industry will enter in a competitive utility market thereby produce solar energy at higher prices (Gregory, 2018). In other words, the tariffs will hurt consumers since they will be forced to purchase the products at a higher price.
Journal entry 3
Comparative Advantage in the News
The goal of this lesson was to study the comparative advantage and strategies that economists should apply to enjoy this advantage. The important lesson was that comparative advantage is not a complicated thing but it is a thing that is associated with good and services produced. When producing goods and services, the business should focus on absolute costs and comparative advantage. The former means should focus on being more productive and the latter means that business should focus on not only being more productive but how much productive (Schumacher, 2012). In other words, comparative advantage has to do with the production of goods at lower costs whereas absolute advantage has to do with the production of more and better goods. In discussing the comparative advantage, we connected the topic with the international trade and learned that for nations involved in the international trade to enjoy the comparative advantage, each nation should concentrate on its particular economy. This means that each nation should concentrate on its labor productivity and specialize in the production of goods that are highly demanded by international markets (Schumacher, 2012). My views on this topic are that both comparative and absolute advantage are important as they enable the business to stay in the competitive edge. However, a country should first focus on gaining a comparative advantage by concentrating on efficiency. In other words, a country should specialize in manufacturing a particular product and the specialization will increase demand and expand the economies of scale internally and externally. I learned that unlike the absolute advantage, the comparative advantage is achieved since the business focuses on standardization (Schumacher, 2012). To produce a differentiated product, the business concentrates on factors such as technology and resources to satisfy not only the nation's demand but also the international demand.
Journal entry 4
MONOPOLY: vs. competition, The Uber Economy
The goal of this lesson was to discuss two market structures. We discussed the monopoly market and learned that a monopoly market is when there is one market that has the total market control in dictating the price of good and services. We also learned about the competitive market and learned that there are many markets and all are price takers or in other words, all firms have market share, have low barriers to entry, as consumers and have the freedom in choosing goods and services (Klein, 2007). In all the topics we learned in this unit, the topic on the market structures helped me gain a lot of knowledge on business studies. Focusing on the number economy, we learned that uber is taking a monopolistic approach given that it has a predatory pricing and it focuses on gaining a global industry dominance. However, having understood both monopoly and competitive market, I can argue that a competitive market is the best in creating social quality and economy efficiency. This is because, firms compete with each other and gain the opportunity to produce different products and as one market enjoy higher economic profits, the other will be tempted to specialize on particular products to enjoy the profit. It is important to enter a market where there are many firms, freedom of entry and the sharing of information and knowledge (Klein, 2007). In a competitive market, all firms will engage in foreign exchange markets, have the freedom to compare prices and connect with industries through the internet.
References
Crepelle, A. (2016). A Market for Human Organs: An Ethical Solution to the Organ Shortage. Ind. Health
Rev., 13, 17.
Mankiw N. Gregory. (2018). Why Economists Are Worried About International Trade. The New York
How Health and Illness Practices Affect Nutrition in Jamaica
Nutrition
Just like other countries all over the world, most Jamaicans are illiterate when it comes to matters of nutrition. Low food production and overdependence on food imports has led to worrying food insecurity vulnerability. Most of the foods that are consumed in Jamaica are imported either underdone or semi processed for final processing to be done in the country (Henry et al., 2015). The diet of most of the majority of the population has shifted away from the foods that are locally grown to diets that consist of more processed and energy dense foods. These are foods that contain more added sugars, salt and fats which are makes them unhealthy for the population. These new food consumption patterns have led to a shift in the consumer preferences in regard to nutritionally poor diets and it has led to increase health issues such obesity and other nutritional related non-communicable chronic diseases for instance diabetes, heart diseases, stroke and even some forms of cancers (Higman, 2008).
There is also the issue of cultural beliefs that affect effective nutrition among Jamaicans especially children. Most of the food taboos that are there in the Jamaican culture are linked to child rearing and so children are not given certain food elements that are important for their nutritional values (Henry et al., 2015). One common taboo is that children should not eat chicken before they learn how to speak because it causes them never to talk. There is also the belief that when children eat eggs it will make them grow to become thieves while taking milk from a feeding bottle will make them turn into drunkards when they grow up (Noti, 2015). These beliefs cause the Jamaican people to deprive children from healthy nutritional foods that are important for their growth.
Iron deficiency is a common nutritional deficiency in Jamaica; it is the leading cause of anaemia among children and women. Iron deficiency anaemia in children is estimated to be about 30% which is a result of them taking diets that have low iron bioavailability (Henry et al., 2015). Anaemia is also a major concern among pregnant women in Jamaica where in the year 2011 about half of all pregnant women were anaemic. Early identification and treatment of anaemia is important, women should always be enlightened on the importance of knowing their anaemia status, the effects that anaemia has on them plus their babies and iron rich foods that they should take to increase their iron levels (Noti, 2015).
Most of the Jamaican foods are spicy and most of the people prefer to eat together as a family where table etiquette are of less importance as compared to enjoying the food and the company (Higman, 2008). A common meal in Jamaica includes rice and the red beans that they normally refer to as peas.
Social relativism
Traditional medicines are greatly used among the Jamaicans because most people believe in supernatural forces and any disease that cannot be clearly explained by medical interventions is considered to be as a result of supernatural forces (Picking et al., 2011). A large population has come to accept and adapt modern medicine but there are those who still tend to self-medicate using traditional medicines before seeking the help of a physician. Traditional medicine is mostly use by the people who lack financial resources to visit the hospital (Picking et al., 2011). These people use herbs for instance Epson salt, castor oil, bush tea and papaya juice among others to treat various conditions.
Cultural awareness
Great importance is placed on the sense of duty and responsibility toward the family in Jamaica; women are viewed as the primary providers for the family because the men are considered to be unreliable. Just like in most cultures, marriage is important in Jamaican culture and cohabitation is normally frowned upon because it does not give legitimacy to the children (Demir, 2014). When it comes to burial matters, a wake is held for nine days to respect and honour the departed soul, this time just like in many cultures, the family and friends share food and drinks as they say goodbye to the departed one. Jamaicans have a tendency of burying the umbilical cord of a child after birth on the ground where a plant is planted over the spot which they illustrate help unite the baby and their homeland (Demir, 2014). Christianity is widely practiced in the Jamaican culture and the culture allows for people to wear amulets and charms that are used as adornment.
Conclusion
Jamaicans are rich in cultural traditions and ethnic diversity, Family is important in the Jamaican culture, families are strong and loyal. The society struggles with the issue of nutrition because most they import most of the foodstuff which means that the society mostly consumes processed foods that adversely affect them. Though the Jamaican society has embraced the use of modern medicine, most people are not able to afford it and hence the continued use of traditional medicine. The national motto ‘Out of many, one people’ is a true representation of the diverse Jamaican culture that comes from multiracial roots.
References
Demir, M. (2014). Jamaican Cultural Awareness. Retrieved from
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