Administrative Applications in Health Care Organization, New Straitsville at Ohio

 Straitsville community in Ohio has been experience various challenges in the provision of health care, which are common in the entire Ohio state.  The issues facing the health care in Straitsville relates to access to health care services and affordability. These issues results from the fact that the population is unable to meet the health costs , understaffing and  diversity in culture especially among the immigrants who makes service provision difficult. Another issue that has affected this community involves increased drug and alcohol abuse in the region that has deteriorated the pressing heath issues in this region. The health care systems in all the regions of Ohio State including Straitsville appears to be broken especially due to increasing costs that have at times gone above the inflation of the country (OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital  2016). This means that majority of Straitsville families and even businesses are experiencing a hard time paying for the healthcare services. This is largely attributed to the fact that many of the residents do not have insurance coverage that could help in easing the burden. Even where the uninsured patients can access the health systems, it is often after being admitted in the emergency room (Interact for Health, n.d). This means that they bypass the primary care they require and shift the large cost to other people.

Even after the Congress passed the law on health care in 2010 that was supposed to ease the cost burden across the country, the primary care costs and other funding challenges were not fully addressed. However, the law has been blamed for the increased cost of health care services and the loss of preferred coverage for the residents of Straitsville. The law has also limited their choices on medical treatment and doctor options for the most of the population in this area. Those individuals with lower incomes mostly feel the burden of the cost since they have to spend a small portion of their income in seeking health care services (OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital 2016). There is also disparity in access to health care services especially among the people of color. These individuals have a higher rate of poverty and people from such races are mostly subjected to such high costs. In addition, the health care cost also affect children and adults with over 65 years of age and these individuals depend on government programs or support from family members (OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital 2016). Without enough insurance on their health these people are likely to be affected by the high cost of health care.

Cultural issues that affect the health care in Straitsville community are mostly evident while providing health care to people from different cultures. In the case of immigrants, it becomes hard to get patients to how the health problems and health care services provided will impact on their situation. The health care service providers may therefore, find it hard to provide client-centered services in a way that does not interfere with people’s behavior, lifestyle and belief.  Some patients may exhibit various characteristics that may affect their reception of treatment services and therapy options since they go against their personal judgments (OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital 2016). This can negatively affect the effectiveness of services provided by the medical staff. Nursing staff is a major health problem affecting the whole of Ohio State, and Straitsville is not an exception (OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital 2016). The problem can be found in major public health facilities including the nursing homes which can erode any public health benefits that have been gained among the residents and business employees.

 The health care facilities in the region are critical need of skilled worker, and the biggest shortage is among nursing staff. This is a problem that is not only affecting Straitsville but the entire Ohio State, which explains the seriousness of the matter. Moreover, medical assistants and other practitioners who extend the health care services are also needed in the various public facilities in Straitsville. The health practitioners’ shortage issue extends beyond the fact that they cannot be found to how they can be found. The problem is also complicated by the increasing number of practitioners who are retiring or headed to retirement. The individuals who have been working in conventional public health care setting are shifting to personal care givers and managers and leaving a gap in the health facilities that may require considerable amount of time to fill (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2014). This has forced health care facilities to share their services with other regions. The lack of enough nursing staff is a huge risk in providing public health care services.

The issue of drug and alcohol abuse has become of importance to health care in Straitsville where part of the population is under acute substance abuse. The health care facilities have to contend with helping individuals who have indulged in alcohol abuse and additions of other drugs such as Suboxone and crystal meth (Interact for Health, n.d). While there are various rehabilitation programs in this region, the issues of drug abuse have not reduced, and this denies these addicts a chance to live a sober life.

Reference

OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital (2016). Community Health  Community Health Needs Assessment. Retrieved from: http://www.ipacohio.org/Websites/ipacohio/files/Content/5875875/Athens_CHA2016.pdf

Kaiser Family Foundation, (2014).The Ohio Health Care Landscape. Retrieved from: http://www.kff.org/medicaid/fact-sheet/the-ohio-health-care-landscape/

Interact for Health ,(n.d).Ohio adults cite drug use, insurance as top health problems. Retrieved from: https://www.interactforhealth.org/upl/Ohio_adults_cite_drug_use_insurance_as_top_health_problems.pdf

Physician Assistant Suicide

Introduction

Physician assisted suicide (PAS) is the action of deliberately murdering oneself with the help of a doctor who offers the means to do so. In most states, physician assistance aid has been legalized, thus allowing a doctor to provide medical support to people who want to end their lives. A doctor may therefore offer the patients with medications which are responsible for ending their lives. However, this has not been taken in the same way in different states, since some people highly oppose PAS as it might lead to suicides. There are different views regarding PAS with some people terming it as doctor’s aid in death, while others term it as the best method of ending one’s life. Due to that reason, this paper will provide an argument for the reason as to why PAS is wrong and it should not be legalized. 

Rationale     

Physician assistant suicide is a very critical issue which should not be taken lightly, since it may affect the lives of most patients’. Doctors may use it as a means of murdering innocent patients (Jeffrey, 33). On the other hand, some patient’s might commit suicide in order to avoid paying debts, thus leaving family members and the hospital with the burden of hospital bills. This is a move which needs to be looked at carefully, since it may have adverse impacts on the lives of innocent patients. The cause of a given death may not also be known, since a person other than a doctor may support a patient in committing suicide, and implicate the case on an innocent doctor, a fact which may be very hard to oppose. This is a matter which should therefore be taken seriously through understanding the implications of PAS and its advantages (Kopelman, Loretta & Kenneth 56).

Argument     

Assisted suicide is very critical, and it may make doctors to use it as a means of murdering patients. Patients with huge hospital bills with no known relatives may be murdered as a means of ending the burden of incurring losses (Jeffrey, 33). Most hospitals tend to force the relatives of patients who may not be able to cater for the bills to move the patient to other hospitals. However, in a case whereby the relatives of the patient may not be around, doctors might be forced to end the patient’s life, and use assisted suicide as proof for enabling the patient to commit suicide (Carr, 40).

PAS cannot be regulated in anyway, and there are no measures which can be put in place to figure out if a patient commit suicide without the aid of the doctor or not (Paterson, 38). Doctors may therefore take matters into their own hands and use this as a means of murdering innocent patients who may not be able to foot hospital bills (Jeffrey, 34). Doctors will also have total power over the patients, making it hard for patients to do things according to their wish.      

PAS is a means of endangering the lives of the weak and the vulnerable, since they do not have the power and authority of going against any forms of attacks imposed on them. The rich, who might be having cases with the poor patients, might use this as a means of ending the cases through murdering the patients (Kopelman, Loretta & Kenneth 56). Death of patients may never be investigated, since doctors will be using assisted suicide as a means of getting away with murder.

Committing suicide and assisted suicide are one and the same thing, thus legalizing assisted suicide is similar to legalizing suicide. Committing suicide is illegal, thus legalizing assisted suicide will be going against the dictates of the law. More people will therefore commit suicide through assisted suicide as a means of justifying the act (Jeffrey, 35). The rates of suicide will be on the rise, murderers will also use assisted suicide as a scapegoat when they assassinate other people. There will be no one to be blame for the deaths of most people a move which will make it hard to determine whether a person was murdered or whether the person died through assisted murder (Carr, 41).

Assisted murder could also lead to euthanasia, whereby patients who are suffering and are about to die, are murdered in order to reduce their pain. Most relatives of suffering patients’ would consequently murder their relatives in order to ease the pain they are going through. Nurses and doctors may also use assisted suicide as a means of reducing the pain which the patients are going through (Kopelman, Loretta & Kenneth 57). In so doing, the number of patients in intensive care unit will be at risk of losing their lives. There will also be no reason for most patients to be allowed into ICU, since assisted suicide will be the best method of making it easier for the patients not to overcrowd in the intensive care units (Paterson, 39). 

Surgical patients will also be at very huge risks of losing their lives, since patients would use this as a means of assassinating the patients, particularly if the condition of the patient becomes complicated (Jeffrey, 36). Hospitals will not be trusted in anyway thus making most people to opt for other places rather than in hospitals if sick. The levels of healthcare provision will also drop, most people will be afraid of getting medication due to the fear of being murdered.

In short, assisted murder should not be legalized, as this could lead to more negative implications in the lives of both the rich and the poor, thus harming the nation in general.

In as much as assisted suicide is termed as bad and illegal, it has a lot of positive impacts at both the country and personal levels. Doctors and patients understand the benefits of assisted suicide, and that is the reason as to why they have been allowed to use such an act. The poor also see the benefit of assisted suicide because it is a means of dealing with their issues of huge hospital bills (Kopelman, Loretta & Kenneth 57). According to the poor, assisted suicide allows them to deal with the issue of huge medical bills, particularly if their relatives have been unconscious for a period of more than two months, which makes it hard for such a patient to survive. Instead of making the patient to remain a live but in a comma for a period of more than three months (Carr, 41).

The right of a patient should also be granted, based on the pain which the patient is going through (Jeffrey, 37). There is no reason as to why a patient should be allowed to suffer, if the doctors can offer measures of ending the lives of such patients, according to their will. There are chronic diseases which might not be cured. The best way of dealing with such an issue is therefore to end the life of a person in order to relieve the pain, and to also ease the medical bill.

The right to end life has been allowed according to the laws of the US, and citizens must enjoy such privileges (Carr, 42). If a person is not impressed with the type of life which he or she is leading, then death should be the best method of relieving oneself. One should therefore consult a doctor after making the necessary preparations of burial and in the end murder him or herself. This would consequently allow the person to die peacefully enabling the family members and other people to be able to live peacefully thereafter the burial (Kopelman, Loretta & Kenneth 58). 

People have the right to choose if they want to live or die. If a person desires to live or desires to die, then it should be upon oneself, and this should not be looked at negatively. This will be a means of ensuring maximum safety since most people will leave lives according to the way they want it (Jeffrey, 37). The government should not limit the way people want to live through rendering committing suicide as illegal, a move which will make it hard for the people to live freely as human beings. It is therefore the right of human beings to decide if they want to carry own their lives, or to die only if they will have put the right measures in place to ensure the safety of their families. This does not encourage death, but it allows people to choose the way they want to follow hence following the desires of their hearts (Carr, 45).       

Response to Opposing View Point

Assisted suicide should be looked at carefully, in order to ensure that each side of either the rich and the poor, or the doctors and the patients get to benefit from it (Jeffrey, 38). The law also needs to be carefully translated thus enabling people to understand what the law is about. In as much as both sides of the divide may either oppose or support assisted suicide, it needs to be understood to make sure that people do not understand it in the wrong way hence leading to poor utilization (Carr, 45). Patients and doctors should understand what it means by assisted suicide thus making it easier for them to enter into agreements which may not be binding. 

The right to live or die does not necessarily depend on a person, thus people should not be moved by their reactions and desires because committing suicide is not similar to assisted suicide. If one goes against the law then the person will be prosecuted, thus life should be lived in the right way possible (Kopelman, Loretta & Kenneth 59).

Conclusion

This argument has provided basic evidence on the reason as to why assisted suicide should not be permitted. In addition, the argument has also explained why the poor might suffer as compared to people of other social classes. The paper has also provided a counterargument whereby it was evident that people should be allowed to either live or die. This consequently means that whoever wants to die then he or she has the right to do according to one’s will. Finally the paper has provided a response to the opposing view point, where it stated that the lives of people does not necessarily depend on them, hence it is not one’s right to live or to die.

Works Cited   

Jeffrey, David. Against Physician Assisted Suicide: A Palliative Care Perspective. Oxford: Radcliffe Pub, 2009. Print.

Kopelman, Loretta M, and Kenneth A. Ville. Physician-assisted Suicide: What Are the Issues?Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2002. Internet resource.

Carr, Mark F. Physician-assisted Suicide: Religious Perspectives on Death with Dignity. Tucson, Ariz: Wheatmark, 2009. Print.

Paterson, Craig. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: a Natural Law Ethics Approach. Ashgate Publishing Group, 2008. Print.

Dworkin, Ronald. Life's Dominion: An Argument About Abortion, Euthanasia, and Individual Freedom. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Internet resource. 

Social Media and Healthcare Business

Abstract

            Similarly to other forms of technology, social media is evolving constantly to fitting into every day’s operations. Following the advancement of technology, it is without a doubt that social media use has transformed the communication amid the consumers and organizations on the online platforms. Social media has impacted almost every sector and healthcare is not an exemption. Today social media is not a voluntary marketing instrument for corporations particularly healthcare. Social media is not only beneficial to the patients who acquire health related information but it also benefits the healthcare sector in creating a desirable image and offering improved services based on the needs and preferences of the consumers. Thus, through the use of both secondary and primary data, this research paper will present a detailed evaluation of the impacts of social media on the healthcare industry.

Chapter One: Introduction

1.0 Introduction

Social media in the contemporary society has is widely utilized in the global context by businesses as well as individuals in maintaining a connection, communicate as well as markets their services and products (Ahmann, 2016). As digital innovation is becoming more and more integrated into the healthcare sector, health institutions are beginning to establish and embrace social media’s possibility to improving the experience of patients. The utilization of social media in the gathering of health related details has significantly augmented. The advent of technological innovation has generated more of renovation to the healthcare field by offering more options for gathering information, integrating and exploration of the available care alternatives. Moreover, for healthcare providers, social media can offer a wonderful opportunity to engage with a large client/patient community (Ahmann, 2016). Although there are many challenges associated with engaging in social media, there are also many benefits.

An increasing number of healthcare practitioners are working consistently to the effective social media utilization in enhancing the healthcare sector’s capability to engage patients, stakeholders as well as consumers (Ahmann, 2016). Health wellness is of great significance in the modern society due to the changes in lifestyle, the need to being physically and economically productivity and the necessity for prolonged life despite the prevalence of deadly illnesses. Via the use of effective communication and promotion strategies, corporations are thus able to shift from the conventionally advertising strategies and utilize the internet to connect with healthcare sector’s consumers. Consumers currently rely deeply on the information posted on the online social platforms and they utilize the internet as a means of gathering healthcare facts as well as connecting with the larger populace of patients to garnering encouragement, care and comprehend more in reference to similar health conditions (Boateng & Black, 2012). Others utilize the platforms to research and seeking health advice from the healthcare providers as well as other connected corporations. 

Patients from research have the tendency to gather information through the utilization of social media that is normally used in the selection of suitable physicians, healthcare institutions as well as specialists (Boateng & Black, 2012). The information acquired from social media is utilized in making informed decisions in regard to the most suitable places and practices that healthcare can be acquired. Individuals nowadays are using social media in posting their evaluations commentary that recommends or warns the public from opting for a certain healthcare institution, treatment option or physicians (Boateng & Black, 2012). Therefore it is highly essential for the healthcare providers to sustain accurate and reliable information in connecting with the society and also implement appropriate marketing strategies where required. It is apparent, that social media and contemporary healthcare are inseparable based on the potential it has on the quality and information distribution in creating awareness and the familiarity (Boateng & Black, 2012).

1.1    Research Question:

• What is the impact of social media on healthcare industry?

The research question is further divided into three major sub-question which are:

1. The impact on social media on healthcare quality?
2. The impact of social media on the communication and relation between patients and consumers?
3. How should social media utilization be integrated in generating healthcare communication success and informed decisions by consumers?

            The aim of the study is to review and measure social media’s influence on health systems in general and on patient behavior globally, and to show the advantages and also the risks and challenges of using these tools as a communication strategy on healthcare. Additionally, the research will be carried particularly in Saudi Arabia to investigate how social media impacted the healthcare.

1.2    Study Objectives

1. Establish social media role and enhance the utilization of these media sites within the healthcare sector
2. Establish the possible benefits and disadvantages of using social media as the communication means in healthcare
3. Determine how social media can be utilized in improving healthcare services

1.3    Significance of the Study

            The study will benefit the healthcare sector, healthcare institutions, stakeholders, medical practitioners, marketers and the public. In that social media is current a vital instrument in every individual’s life and most businesses and corporations are utilizing the tool in creating sustainable relationships with consumers, investors as well as patients. The subject is of significance to the healthcare sector given that it focuses mainly on building better relations with the consumers in delivery satisfactory services. The largest global populace is on these social integrating platforms which implies that the targeted patients demographic is on them too, awaiting to interact with the respective healthcare organizations and practitioners (Cangelosi,  Ranelli, & Kim, 2013). Consumers are the most important part of any given business based on their capability to drive performance and revenue generation. It is therefore the interest of any investor to know how an organization can generate more through communication. The society in general will get to understand some of the measures that should be taken in making decisions regarding healthcare and how the posted data can be evaluated. In fact the essence of social media on healthcare is one that cannot be underrated.

1.4    Problem Statement

Despite the demonstrated potential possessed by social media in transforming the healthcare sector, it is interesting to note that, there are only a few organizations that are utilizing the dynamism of communication that is offered by these platforms. Other than just gaining information patients can utilize the information in improving their wellness (Carter & Wilson, 2015). This is because social media provides a communication that is two-ways and patients therefore gets the chance of interacting with physicians and other ailing populace. However, most physicians considers the interaction as a time loafer forgetting that engaging the public in health debates is one of the most effective way to creating lifestyle change that is of necessity based on the dominating illnesses such as high-blood pressure, diabetes and obesity (Cangelosi,  Ranelli, & Kim, 2013).

However, despite the fact that social media is of essence to the healthcare sector it should be noted that the communication strategy should be adopted with caution. Most individuals are likely to share some misleading facts thus endangering the public health. In addition, too much detail might be offered to the public which might in turn hinder the capability to advocate for healthy existence (Carter & Wilson, 2015). In addition, there is a need to integrate a number of strategies in creating communication efficiency and avoiding the occurrence of misunderstanding amid parties. Familiarity of the use of these information is also essential given that based on statistics it is suggested that only the younger generation is reached by the information which demonstrate the need to engaging the larger populace in general.

1.5 Definition of Terms

1. Social Media – refers to the webpages and software’s application that permits users to develop and share information or engage in social integration.
2. Social Media Marketing – can best be described as an internet form that utilizes social interacting sites as their marketing platforms.
3. Healthcare – the upkeep and enhancement of physical and psychological health particularly via the provision of clinical services.
4. Practitioner – is an individual who is actively involved in profession, or artistic discipline particularly in medicine.
5. Consumer(s) – is an individual who is involved in the purchase of services or good for individual benefits or utilization.
6. Patient(s) - an individual requiring or acquiring medical treatment.

Chapter Two: Literature Review

2.1    The Internet Revolution

            The Internet has dramatically changed people’s life. The use of the internet started in the mid-1990s, and since that time the internet has had a dramatic impact on the culture. It has become a global means of our daily communication (Rozenblum & Bates, 2013). In 2015, the ITU, The International Telecommunication Union, estimated that almost half of the world's population (roughly 3.2 billion people), would be online by the end of the year. Indeed, this made a huge revolution in many different fields in our lives, one of them is healthcare.

            Based on Pinto (2015), since the discovery of the internet, the way of the internet use changed during the years. The first internet cohort popularly known as Web 1.0 is defined as the web system that only supported reading rather than participative interaction (Carter & Wilson, 2015). The advent only permitted individuals only to track as well as examine the required information. This therefore implied that the control power was only held by the online data providers. In 2004, the year of the emergence of social media, the online environment is rapidly evolved into a new usage. ON the other hand social media which normally permit the control of online information where one can search, read, share as well as leave commentary is regarded as WEB 2.0 (Chern, Wellington, Oliver, & Perkins, 2015). The system is more developed given that it permits the sharing of more textual as well as graphical content. The media accomplished several functions such as expertise integration, social integration, media and information sharing, content production, entertainment and creating awareness and familiarity regarding certain issues. Web 2 is more advantageous because it promotes participation, sharing as well as collaboration (Chern, Wellington, Oliver, & Perkins, 2015).

2.2    Social Media

            According to Polverini (2015), social networking is derived from the function of social media. Social media can best be described as the technology tool that permits individuals to communicate while sharing ideas, opinions, knowledge as well as experiences. In addition it allows them to track as well as work in collaboration with the needs of the real world (Peck, 2014). The participation by the universal community in social media has augmented abruptly over the previous years. For example, according to Facebook recent statistics in June 2017, users exceeded 2 billion persons universally, this number epitomizes 1/7^th of the global populace (Chaykowski, 2017). In all the social media platforms, there are over 2.5 billion active users worldwide and the number is increasing at a rate of 9% a year (Ward, 2016).

2.3    Social Media and Healthcare

            Social media is today’s integral portion of the global health. Many pieces of evidence show how healthcare, social media, and the Internet are beginning to come together. Since the year 2014 when social media advanced, the proportion of patients who utilizes the social media for reasons related to their health is increasing (Ventola, 2014). Research reveals that 80 percent of Americans have utilized the internet as per today in researching for health related details. Amongst the populace 78 percent of them have utilized social media in particular (Chern, Wellington, Oliver, & Perkins, 2015). The internet began to intensely with physicians in the year 2008 with physicians in the provision of health information (Chern, Wellington, Oliver, & Perkins, 2015). Patients or consumers use social media for many purposes, ranging from online appointment scheduling, patient support groups to social online training for smoking termination and weight reduction. Nowadays the Internet offers the users with essential health reservation and different health facilities.

            According to Rozenblum, & Bates (2013), this innovative platforms offers patients with an opening to effortlessly interrelate with practitioners and also other patients. For example, patients can express opinions about doctors, medications and share patient involvements of particular disease through blogging (Cordo, Bolboacă & Drugan, 2016). These frequently offer the ailing populace with a countless source of evidence in regard to specific institutions, practitioners and services. Twitter permits patients to interrelate and deliberate circumstances and involvements in factual time, these deliberations lead to better patient appointment (Cordo, Bolboacă & Drugan, 2016).

            Sarringhaus (2011), asserted that The search about certain conditions by the patients and the general engagement in the debates results in increased awareness and increased treatment options and are more probable to making the required lifestyle and attitudes transformations and they become more submissive with their treatment (Cordo, Bolboacă & Drugan, 2016). It was additionally established that established that the commitment of patients in regard to health consultations results in health improvements based on the awareness created (Belbey, 2016). It is not just an advantage to the patient but also the healthcare providers can advance knowledge which will result in health improvement. This phenomenon is consistently operating in changing the conventional attitudes and behaviors by focusing on healthcare quality. In that globally the internet has now grown to a tool for connect and not only to push information (Sarasohn-Kahn, 2008).

2.4    The Effect of Social Media on Consumer (Patient) Behavior

            In general, social influences have a great impact on patient’s health, they are a prime influences in the acceptance of new well-being behaviors. Many studies showed that amenableness with nourishment and diet programs, exercises maintenance and doing a preventive screening, all can be contingent on having interaction with your social peers, networks, and family who play active engagement in these actions. (Muhlen M, Ohno-Machado L, 2012).

            With the engagement of people to their social media world, and as broadband and mobile access spreads, their behavior in term of health-related consumption dramatically changing (Dejong, 2013). The internet has been categorized as an essential tool in the provision of details which might either certain prescription, or researching in regard to having a number of symptoms that might be utilized in diagnosis or that necessitates medical attention. This has not only grown to be a habit but individuals depend on such programs in keeping pathway of health wellness and some strategies that can be utilized in preventing the rise of illnesses (Dejong, 2013). In addition the internet is highly preferred based on its general capability to offer unlimited details based on the category of interest. Unlike the physical institutions it is easier to access this details at personal convenience at any provided time. The internet and social media is also, a way to bring patients together, to aid other individuals, and be assisted by them simultaneously (Fox, 2011).

            Patients today are not only getting to the online platforms in search of health information rather they are utilizing the platforms in interacting with other individuals in regard to healthcare. For instance, individuals are seeking to share and interact with patients affected by similar illnesses and acquire advice on how to better cope or manage the illnesses. In addition, they offer the ideas and commentary in regard to the existing care services (Squazzo, 2010, p.2). There has been a budding theoretical and experiential consideration over the previous period to the influence of social networks on the entire health system as well as populace healthiness. No one can deny that millennial are influenced by opinions posted on social media. Those are a group of people who have grown up with the Internet and are regularly engaged on this new media (Thomas & Woodside, 2016). They tend to refer to the online sites such as blogs and Facebook prior to making any choices relating to learning, career, travel, and acquisitions. For the majority of them, online social networking sites are their first option when they want to search for information, including health-related matters (Denecke, 2015).

            According to Wickramasinghe (2017), 24 percent of online platforms users have referred to online evaluations of precise drugs or medical managements and 4 percent of these users have in turn made commentary of their involvements with a certain drug or medical management (Denecke, 2015). Additionally, as mentioned before, the utilization of social media in the health sector is rapidly changing associations amid physicians and public who are the users and the patients thus permitting stronger involvements and empowerments. However, despite the increasing benefits of this kind of communication most adults tends to depend on other strategies in accessing information. They mainly shift to the physical access of health practitioner’s support and those close rather than from the internet while equated to the youths (Denecke, 2015).

            Based on Zadeh et al. (2016), It is clear that patients use social media as an accompaniment to health practitioner’s practices as well as the satisfaction of health curiosity that would not otherwise be solved by physicians (Dinh, 2011). In that the relations with healthcare providers are accounted to be more medical and therefore physicians are only required in the provision of expertise care and treatment but not to provide relative details. In addition patients prefer to acquire details from the online platforms on the grounds that physicians fails in satisfying their physical as well as emotional needs. Physicians experiences challenges in expressing the empathetic truth and therefore they opt on filtering the results which leaves the patients with a lot of unanswered questions (Smailhodzic, 2016).

2.5    What Does It Mean To Acquire Information Online? Who Is The Target?

            With the increasing internet, social integration sites and mobile phones utilization the users can be categorized in two kinds. Where one group is able to access as well as share the acquired information while the other group is mainly involved in searching and keeping track to the posted data for personal benefits (Ellaway, Coral, Topps & Topps, 2015). In reference to healthcare this normally incorporates individuals sharing details regarding their physical exercises operations, healthy lining that incorporates diets and healthy living.  In addition, individuals normally comments and evaluates in regard to medical treatments thus creating awareness as well as sustaining familiarity in regard to a number of health circumstances. This normally benefits the patients that engages actively in the distribution and acquisition of the knowledge acquired (Sarasohn-Kahn, 2008).

            There are two influences that plays part to the increased access of online health details which are internet high access and health consciousness (Flynn, 2012). In regard to the gender aspect both men and women are equally triggered in accessing online details but based on findings women are highly likely to search for health related facts on the online sites as compared to men. Moreover, the internet users who have experienced themselves or someone related to them, a recent medical emergency, will most definitely try to gather those with similar conditions to share the experiences when compared to those that are not social media users (Fox, 2011).

2.6 The Use of Social Media Marketing Strategy in Healthcare Industry

            For all kind of business, social media has become a very important strategy. At the beginning, every brand tried only to be present across the major social media platforms, but now they are doing more than that (Friedrichsen, 2012). Active planning strategic campaigns around social networks are one of the main marketing channels. And while many industries have foster social media, it seems that healthcare field has been slower to join the party. The internet offers unending choices for the organization that seeks to share specific health details with the public. However in acquiring success in this ventures there is a need to integrate innovation with knowledge in ensuring that the needs and goals of both an organization and involved persons are met (Geckle, 2016). This is because healthcare practices are mainly aimed at creating social integration value which can be acquired via continuously updates to ensure that the details are refreshed and updated to attract responses.

            One of the best practices that other industries made is the improvement of customer services through social media. For example, Comcast Corporation has a lot of customers to serve, 7.6 million Comcast Digital Voice customers nationwide (George, Whitehouse & Duquenoy, 2013). The company found that customers were going online to complain about cable service issues, they began reaching out to their customers online by answering their concerns. They found many areas to improve in their services just by listening and also responding to their customers via social media (Grundén & Lagrosen, 2013). The basic mode of communicating and listening to consumers based on the recent research is through the use of social media where direct responses can be acquired. These platforms are generally about forming connections with people (Hackworth, & Kunz, 2010).

            For those that seek efficiency, social media does not only incorporate the distribution of data but it mainly involves the formation of sustainable relationships (Squazzo, 2010). Furthermore, although healthcare organizations are slow in using social media, it is apparent that the technological advent can momentously enrich the reputation and perceptibility of hospitals and health centers (Hajirnis, 2015). Based on a recent study, 57 percent of consumers stated that the presence of physicians as well as a health institution in social media basis would powerfully impact their optimal concerning their search for facilities and 81 percent of these consumers interpreted that robust social media manifestation as the indication that an organization offers advanced technological services which are linked to quality (Ventola, 2014).Finally, Social media is not only used for regular communication with patients or staff, but it can be a vital, reliable form of communication in emergency situations.

2.7 Social Media Influence on Consumer (Patient) Purchasing Behavior

            The impact of using social media in healthcare business often is not straightforward. Healthcare and pharmaceutical companies that adopt social media to their strategy probably will not generate new sales immediately (Hajli, Bugshan, Lin & Featherman, 2013). However, it can, over the long term, benefit the company in many ways, such as; by educating people and provide them with health information they are seeking, assimilating patient upkeep and supporting steadiness, improve patients’ acquiescence with their treatments, and build friendliness in a community (Sarasohn-Kahn, 2008). And although there are many benefits in using social media, there are also many challenges and risks in using these tools, which will be discussed in the next part.

2.8    The Benefits of Using Social Media on Healthcare

            With the fast growth of social media in our life, although there are many challenges associated with engaging in social media, there are also many benefits to start with, Patient learning and spreading awareness are one of the major benefits (HARLESS, 2016). Social media Sites such as blogs, Facebook and other social networks are all fast-moving and inspiring communication with health information. Physicians are utilizing social media to endorse patient health care training. These tools have shown good results of patient education and increase health awareness (Ventola, 2014). In the America it is said that 30 percent of the adults populace have or know or an individual who has benefited from health material initiated online. Moreover, fully 44 percent of care providers report that they have acquired benefits from online investigation especially in learning about the available options of treatment as well as the healthcare needs and preferences of the consumers (Harmon & Messina, 2013).

            According to, Hewitt, (2011), social media utilization results in the increase of online health information. Social media allows people to share their experience and this led to a huge content of health information, some people call it “the supremacy of communal wisdom”, where the presence of more contributors in communal online  network means that the more value they create (Surowiecki J, 2005). It allows patients over the seas from a diversity of communal and environmental circumstances to share material in regard to new treatment technologies and preventive health screenings and provide novel well-being resources, stretching from material about food and nourishment to openings to study about patient encouragement (Centola, 2013). This positive network effects, when patients who manage the equivalent chronic disorder portion their experience and opinions with each other, this can produce clinical understandings more than an understanding of some single patient or even clinicians (Sarasohn-Kahn, 2008, p.6).

            Moreover, it leads to the creation of a network for professionals. Similarly, when physicians meet online and share information through their Facebook pages, twitter or any social media application, the results are beyond the conventional physicians meetings for sharing clinical understandings and perceptions (Househ, Borycki, & Kushniruk, 2014). In addition, physicians from the third-world nations can utilize social media to connect them with authorities in other developed countries which are more pathologically progressive. For instance, surgical measures can be viewed online and enquiries can be requested and answered in factual time. Therefore, social media delivers a fresh form of expertise communication that was never before possible (Ventola, 2014).

            Further, healthcare engagement in social media results in higher patients’ engagement. This huge content and the ability to engage the patients in their health condition brought a positive impact in healthcare. The World Wide Web, and it’s becoming more intellectual in penetrating. It’s more communicating (Khan, Hoffman & Misztur, 2014). In healthcare, patient enablement denotes to the integral capability to be accountable for an individual’s existence. This implies that patients are endowed by the information, services, and self- awareness required to recognize and achieve their health goals. Most studies have established that patient empowerment undeniably disturbs the patients’ self-reliance, ability and readiness to vigorously contribute in clinical connections (Smailhodzic, 2016).

            Social media offers patients interaction networks. Social influences can be described as primary influence in the acceptance or commitment to a new health behaviors, like amenability with food and nourishment initiatives, doing a defensive transmission scan, and upkeep of workout procedures all these and more can be contingent on having interaction with those that shares similar styles (Smith, Christakis, 2008) (17). Moreover, people with the same condition tend to talk to each other in social networks even before the Internet became widely available. The history of peer-to-peer collaboration in the health segment began a decade or so ago, with the conception of sustenance groups for liquor and tobacco nonparticipation, weight regulator, enduring treatment, depression and trauma therapy (Centola, 2013).

            Many studies showed that these networks had a positive impact on those patients. One large-scales study done in California in 1979, showed that supportive social networks improve people’s health outcomes, and they found that people who have low social interaction held a mortality probability between two and four percent higher as equated with those that have robust social networks (Martin, 2017). After the internet, this has been protracted into the computer-generated sphere with the expansion of online apparatuses for training and abstention. The online communal network facilitates this interaction between patients even over the seas. Internet chats became a great way to create communities of patients with similar medical problems and create simulated support groups (McCaughey et al., 2014). Through the wide internet expansion, users can link into networks based on shared interests. It includes over-all sites, or exact interest-based systems, such diabetes groups. These groups are a great method to attaching patients with other similar patients, so they are capable of funding themselves and this works well for improving compliance (Centola, 2013).

            The engagement also results in improving physician and patient communication and relation. Not only between patients but also it includes patient-physician communication. Meskó (2013), stated that more and better communication via social networks will have other benefits as well and will improve the overall quality of healthcare (McNeill, 2013). When practitioners are vigorous on these sites, it affords them with an extra chance to influencing patients and it is a simple technique to reach more individuals in the shortest time duration (Hawn, 2009). Moreover, these tools can be used to improve the quality of services provided to the patients by analyzing social media platforms actual and timely responses, this may be quicker and inexpensive than traditional examinations and Schemes scores, permitting managers, health providers, and investigators to speedily measure the influence of any innovative excellence improvement enterprises (Ranney, Genes, 2015).

            Clinical trials recruitment is another benefit. Patient enrollment and admission is frequently the largest obstacle to victory in a medical trial (Miller & Tucker, 2013). Many major academic institutions are active on social media platforms to promote clinical trial enrollment, this is because clinical trials and staffing for patient recruitment and enrollment use a large percentage of their budget (Nelson & Staggers, 2014). Social media can benefit the trial personnel by dispersion of the expression about a precise trial, links them to patients. In accumulation, once they are registered in the trial, it can be utilized for updates for issues as well as examination and can also be a great foundation of funding for issues and improve passivity (Belbey, 2016). Recruitment by this way may be quicker, more efficient and cost effective (Denecke, 2015).

2.9    Risks and challenges

            According to Nelson, Joos & Wolf, (2013), although, as mentioned before, there are many benefits in using social media, there are also many challenges and risks. Patient privacy is one of the major risks of healthcare engagement in social media. Health data can best be categorized as personal and therefore it should never be utilized to expose an individual or for exploitive purposes. With the evolution of social media, there are also growing concerns about how social media affects patient privacy and how to protect their health information (NORTON & STRAUSS, 2013). As more members connect with the social networks, this will allow more communication among many parties simultaneously. Some companies like Google stated that they will be implemented health data records a subject that raises many patients and consumer concerns about their privacy and they refused the idea, which led to failing of their plans (Hawn, 2009), this is because some would not want others to know about their true health status and concerns, or that their health be ‘broadcasted’ to their social network.

            Moreover, another concern raised because of the use of social media by HCPs, which may lead to potential negative effect resulting from the breach of patient confidentiality. given that corporations possess most of the consumers details ranging from the search patterns it is feared that the information might be utilized in future for undesirable purposes that the users has no knowledge about. This can best be described as the exploitation of individual’s based on their health needs a thing that is inappropriate (Von Muhlen, Ohno-Machado, 2012).

            The other risk pertains, the health information content online lacks quality and reliability. The content of social networks depends largely on the users to generate the information. And as more users join the social network, the more channels will grow and they will possibly diffuse and spread information that is inaccurate. Moreover, based on critics it is clear that social media data can be misleading and might result in deadly impacts (Sarasohn-Kahn, 2008). Therefore, it is important to create reliable online communication channels that can help patients and at the same time to prevent such misguided information (Carter, 2014).

            In addition, patient’s opinion is also affected. Social media consumption by the public for health-related motives results in shorter interactions amid them and healthcare specialists and it augmented converting of specialists by patients (Smailhodzic, 2016). Using social media by professionals can twist the edge amid one’s private and expert life. The rule holds that all the physicians are expected to sustain the required boundaries while connecting with patients by ensuring that confidential medical data is not exposed. In addition, personal lives should be separated from the professional ones given that this would affect the general quality of healthcare. (Pinto, 2015).

            Moreover, the continually evolving nature of the Internet, including social media tools, mobile applications, have raised questions and concerns about how to apply existing regulations for companies to promote in these newer media (Fox, 2011). Furthermore, until now there is no contemporary healthcare privacy legislation in North America or Europe stating that individuals should stop posting their health information online. The privacy today only protects an individual’s healthcare information from institutions (Denecke, 2015).

Chapter Three: Research Methodology

3.0 Introduction

            This chapter will be presenting an investigation plan that was utilized in the gathering specific information objected at providing answers to the study questions.

3.1 Research Methodology and Design

            A study design can best be described as a structurally developed plan for the objective of investigation on the ground of the presented study queries. On the other hand, a study methodology entails a calculated plan that seeks to generate answers to the study’s objectives and questions. The study applied a mixed procedure that combined both a quantitative and qualitative methods succeeding a descriptive study design.

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Boateng, B. A., & Black, E. W. (2012). Social media in medicine: The impact of online social networks on contemporary medicine. Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press.

Cangelosi, J. D., Ranelli, E., & Kim, D. (2013). Preventive Health Care Information Delivery Systems: Is Social Media Relevant? Atlantic Marketing Journal, 2(2), 2-13.

Carter, J. M., & Wilson, F. L. (2015). Cyberbullying: A 21st Century Health Care Phenomenon. Pediatric Nursing, 41(3), 115-125.

Chern Li, L., Wellington, S., Oliver, G., & Perkins, R. (2015). Social Media in Libraries and Archives: Applied with Caution. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 39(3/4), 377-396.

CORDO, A., BOLBOACĂ, S. D., & DRUGAN, T. C. (2016). Social Media as Source of Medical Information for Healthcare Students. Applied Medical Informatics, 38(1), 39-48.

Dejong, S. M. (2013). Blogs and tweets, texting and friending: Social media and online professionalism in health care. Amsterdam: Academic Press Inc.

Denecke, K. (2015). Health web science: Social media data for healthcare. Cham, Springer.

Dinh, A. K. (2011). Privacy and Security of Social Media in Health Care. Journal of Health Care Compliance, 13(1), 45-72.

Ellaway, R. H., Coral, J., Topps, D., & Topps, M. (2015). Exploring digital professionalism. Medical Teacher, 37(9), 844-849.

Flynn, N. (2012). The Social Media Handbook: Rules, Policies, and Best Practices to Successfully Manage Your Organization's Social Media Presence, Posts, and Potential. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.

Friedrichsen, M. (2012). Handbook of Social Media Management: Value Chain and Business Models in Changing Media Markets. Berlin: Springer Verlag.

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George, C., Whitehouse, D., & Duquenoy, P. (2013). EHealth: Legal, ethical and governance challenges. Berlin: Springer.

Grundén, K., & Lagrosen, S. (2013). Social Media Marketing: An Evaluation Study in the Wellness Industry. Proceedings of the European Conference on Information Management & Evaluation, 51-57.

Hackworth, B. A., & Kunz, M. B. (2010). HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL MEDIA: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS VIA SOCIAL NETWORKS. Academy Of Health Care Management Journal, 6(1), 55-68.

Hajirnis, A. (2015). Social media networking: Parent guidance required. (Cover story). Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter, 31(12), 1-7.

Hajli, M., Bugshan, H., Lin, X., & Featherman, M. (2013). From e-learning to social learning – a health care study. European Journal of Training & Development, 37(9), 851-863.

HARLESS, A. (2016). 7 Tips for Effectively Outsourcing Social Media. Marketing Health Services, 36(1), 14-15.

Harmon, C., & Messina, M. (2013). Using social media in libraries: Best practices. Scarecrow Press.

Hewitt, A. M. (2011). Aligning Social Media, Social Networking and Social Marketing: Engagement as the Key to Healthcare Marketing. Proceedings of the Northeast Business & Economics Association, 211-214.

Househ, M., In Borycki, E., & In Kushniruk, A. W. (2014). Social media and mobile technologies for healthcare. Hershey.

IGI Global, & In Information Resources Management Association. (2017). Health literacy: Breakthroughs in research and practice.

Khan, G. F., Hoffman, M. C., & Misztur, T. (2014). Best Practices in Social Media at Public, Nonprofit, Education, and Health Care Organizations. Social Science Computer Review, 32(5), 571-574.

Martin, E. J. (2017). The State of Social Media. Econtent, 40(1), 22-24.

McCaughey, D., Baumgardner, C., Gaudes, A., LaRochelle, D., Wu, K. J., & Raichura, T. (2014). Best Practices in Social Media: Utilizing a Value Matrix to Assess Social Media’s Impact on Health Care. Social Science Computer Review, 32(5), 575-589.

McNeill, D. (2013). A framework for applying analytics in healthcare: What can be learned from the best practices in retail, banking, politics, and sports? Upper Saddle.

Meskó, B. (2013). Social media in clinical practice. London: Springer.

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Marijuana

In the world, there are very many states which have adopted the use of marijuana in medication. One of the many resources people undergo treatment is the issue of pain which can be caused by headaches, cancer, glaucoma and many others. States which have legalized the use of marijuana, the doctors at those particular states recommend marijuana to treat the pain. Marijuana could be used to reduce the cancer pain and therefore people would neglect the use of narcotics which contribute too many accidental deaths such as overdose.  Marijuana does not affect the health o a person when used in low quantity and therefore an advantage (Hill, 2015). Marijuana currently is the only type of drug that a person with cancer can use as an anti-nausea medicine. Lack of enough scientific research could actually cause harm to the users and therefore dangerous to use marijuana. There will be continued coughing due to smoking marijuana to treat pain. Productivity will be lost and also an addiction to the product will be the outcome of marijuana use (Van et al., 2013). Use of marijuana is a deviant behavior since scientifically; the product does more harm than good to the body.

Marijuana distorts the kind of a person, therefore, leaving the person very empty minded and without focus. Illegal drug abusers in the society are viewed as people who have failed morals compared to people who have abused prescribed drugs (Volkow et al., 2014).  Lack of concern is also an issue since the members of the public will think negatively about an illegal drug user than those who abuse prescribed drugs. Neglecting illegal drug abusers can also happen since the abusers of prescribed drugs can be insured anytime which would not happen in the case of illegal drug abusers. One tactic the legislative bodies have applied to stop illegal drug abuse is prosecuting drug cartel and any person found holding illegal drugs. This move has been very successful since it has seen the number of cartels reduce significantly over the time.

References

Hill, K. P. (2015). Medical marijuana for treatment of chronic pain and other medical and psychiatric problems: a clinical review. Jama, 313(24), 2474-2483.

Van Boekel, L. C., Brouwers, E. P., Van Weeghel, J., & Garretsen, H. F. (2013). Stigma among health professionals towards patients with substance use disorders and its consequences for healthcare delivery: systematic review. Drug and alcohol dependence, 131(1), 23-35.

Volkow, N. D., Baler, R. D., Compton, W. M., & Weiss, S. R. (2014). Adverse health effects of marijuana use. New England Journal of Medicine, 370(23), 2219-2227.  

Benefits of Marijuana

Introduction

Marijuana which is also called weed, ganja, cannabis, has faced a lot of criticism over the years from different governments all over the world. The drug has been termed as illegal due to the negative effects which it has on the human body. This has however not been proven but most countries have ended up illegalizing the drug, without looking at the positive side of the drug. Due to the medicinal purposes of marijuana, some countries have started legalizing the drug, thus gaining from the sale of marijuana medicines, which are very effective as compared to other drugs. This paper is therefore going to look at the benefits of marijuana if used for medicinal purposes, and why it should be federally legal.

Medical Effects of Marijuana

Marijuana has a lot of medicinal purposes which include the following:

Glaucoma Treatment

Marijuana is one of best medicines which can be used in the treatment and prevention of eye diseases such as glaucoma (Tia, n.p). Glaucoma increases eyeball pressure thus affecting the optical nerve, which results in loss of vision (Caulkins, Beau, & Mark, 57). When smoked, marijuana reduces the pressure inside the eyes, thus preventing and reducing glaucoma’s normal pressure. According to a recent research, marijuana lowers intraocular pressure particularly when smoked, by those with glaucoma and normal pressure. In addition, due to these effects of marijuana, it can slow the advancement of the disease, hence preventing blindness (Barcott, 48).

Reversing Carcinogenic Effects of Tobacco    

Marijuana increases the functioning of the lungs, through increasing the of rate air intake, thus allowing a person to breathe easily. In addition, the drug increases lung capacity which helps in curing lung diseases. When compared to tobacco smokers, ganja smokers had increased lung capacity due to taking of deep breaths (Caulkins, Beau, & Mark, 57). On the other hand, tobacco smokers had lost their lung function.

Prevention of Dravet’s Syndrome

Due to high Cannabidiol and low THC in the body, it is very effective in the decrease of the seizures from 300 each week, to one seizure every week. Cannabidiol in marijuana is essential as it interacts with brain cells, hence stopping excessive activity in the brain, which is responsible for causing seizures (Caulkins, Beau, & Mark, 58).

Stopping the Spreading of Cancer in the Body     

Cannabidiol is responsible for stopping the spread of cancer in the body, as it turns off a gene which is commonly known as ID-1. Cancer cells multiply this gene as compared to other diseases, hence making cancer to spread throughout the whole body (Barcott, 48). Most people who were diagnosed with cancer, were able to live peacefully after taking cannabidiol, which prevented the spread of the disease, this is basically because Marijuana is responsible for making the gene less active, hence it spreads at a very low rate (Tia, n.p).  On the other hand, cannabis compounds can even kill cancer, however this has not yet been proven (Caulkins, Beau, & Mark, 58).

Decreases Anxiety       

Medical marijuana is very effective particularly when preventing pain and nausea. It is also useful for in relieving chemotherapy’s side effects (Caulkins, Beau, & Mark, 58).  In addition, it helps in reducing anxiety, thus making a person to work effectively. When it comes to stress, Cannabis is very effectives as it relaxes the mind hence making a person to relax and forget about past events. This should however be looked at carefully, since one should only take the drug in low doses. When taken in higher doses, the effects might be effective, as it increases anxiety, makes one to be paranoid (Neubauer, David, & Stephen, 33). 

Slowing down the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease

THC which is found in marijuana, is very important, as it helps in slowing down the formation of amyloid plaque in the brain, which is responsible for making Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid plaques usually kill brain cells, resulting in the formation of Alzheimer’s disease (Tia, n.p).   

Reduces Multi Sclerosis Pain

Marijuana is responsible for reducing the painful symptoms of multi sclerosis (Barcott, 50). According to a recent research, patients with multi sclerosis, which cause painful shrinkages in muscles, could not respond to other drugs (Caulkins, Beau, & Mark, 59). Nevertheless, after taking marijuana, they were able to respond positively, due to the effectiveness of the drug in the body which reduces pain. This is because THC in marijuana bores to muscles and nerves, in the receptors hence reducing pain (Tia, n.p).

It also helps other types of Muscle Spasms      

Medical marijuana is proven to respond quickly to diseases as compared to other drugs which are being used widely (Tia, n.p). Medical marijuana is responsible for treating diaphragm spasms, since the condition does not respond to strong drugs. Marijuana has however defied the odds, since it treats the condition without any problem at all. Smoking marijuana is very effective, as it does not only reduce the pain from marijuana, but it also helps in calming diaphragm muscles (Neubauer, David, & Stephen, 33).

Reduces of Treating Hepatitis C, hence increasing the Effectiveness of the Treatment     

Hepatitis C treatment is very harsh, with negative side effects such as, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea and depression which lasts longer (Caulkins, Beau, & Mark, 61). Due to this side effects, most people do not finish their treatment. 86% of people using marijuana have however completed their medication, as opposed to 29% of those who do not smoke marijuana (Tia, n.p). Marijuana is effective, due to the effect which it has on the body, thus reducing the side effects of the treatment. In addition, marijuana helps in improving the treatment of Hepatitis C by 54%, in marijuana smokers and 8% in marijuana non-smokers (Barcott, 54).      

Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Patient’s suffering from Crohn’s which is a type of inflammatory disease can also benefit from marijuana (Tia, n.p). When compounds found in marijuana work together body cells which play a significant role in immune reaction and instinctive function (Caulkins, Beau, & Mark, 63). Compounds which are made by the body such as THC increase the absorptiveness of the intestines hence allowing the absorption of bacteria. Marijuana cannabinoids are responsible for blocking THC made by the, thus preventing the absorptiveness thus making intestinal cells to easily bond tighter and together (Neubauer, David, & Stephen, 33).

Relieving Arthritis Discomfort      

Marijuana is responsible for promoting sleep, reducing inflammation, and easing pain, which may aid in reducing pain and distress for the patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (Tia, n.p). Most rheumatoid arthritis patients have consequently responded positively from marijuana, as it helped in making their lives much better, due to experiencing less pain (Picard, 70). The medication takes less time as compared to other certified drugs which take more than two weeks, and they may not respond.

Helps in keeping the body Slim, helping the Metabolism   

Marijuana smokers are slim as compared to non-smokers, and their metabolism is healthier and reaction to sugars is also healthier. Having a healthier response to sugars is essential for keeping the body fit, thus preventing any forms of diseases such as diabetes (Tia, n.p).

It improves Symptoms of Lupus which is an Autoimmune Disorder     

Autoimmune diseases are currently being treated by medical marijuana, autoimmune diseases are caused when the body starts attacking itself without any known reason (Tia, n.p). Chemicals in marijuana have calming effect on the immune system, and this may be the reason as to why it helps when dealing with Lupus symptoms. Medical is also important as it prevents nausea and pain, thus making the victims to be at ease (Barcott, 58).

When it comes to Creativity, marijuana is very Effective          

Marijuana has proven to improve creativity particularly in smokers. This is basically because of the positive effects which the drug has on the body (Tia, n.p). When in tests requiring people to come up with new ideas, marijuana smokers are better due to increased creativity. Nonetheless, short-term memories tend to be affected, functioning in the worst way possible (Picard, 70). Marijuana helps in increasing creativity thus allowing a person to do some things perfectly as compared to those who do not smoke marijuana. In addition, it is also evident that marijuana is responsible for improving verbal fluency and reducing nervousness. Marijuana smokers tend to be very fluent in speech delivery when high as compared to when they are not high. This is because marijuana relaxes the mind, making the brain to function in the best way possible. On the other hand, marijuana reduces nervousness by making the brain to relax thus having no fear or doubts, hence reducing nervousness (Neubauer, David, & Stephen, 35).

Prevention of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)         

Marijuana is approved in some states in the U.S, due to its effects of treating PTSD (Tia, n.p). Most people suffering from PTSD have resulted in using marijuana either through smoking or in medical form, and it has helped in preventing the effects of PTSD. Most soldiers tend to use marijuana in order to prevent the effects of PTSD. Marijuana has proven to be very effective particularly due to its fast reaction (Picard, 71). Most clinics and hospitals in California have also adopted the use of marijuana in the treatment of PTSD, thus making most people to benefit. The victims of 911 also suffered from PTSD, but after taking marijuana, they were able to recover, hence continuing with their daily activities. Chemicals in marijuana are responsible for regulating the system which causes fear and anxiety in the body and the brain in general (Barcott, 58). Due to this case, the body relaxes, hence one can be able to forget about past events.

Treatment and Prevention of Epilepsy

Marijuana gets rid of epilepsy through reducing seizures (Tia, n.p). It is estimated that more than 90 families have relocated to Colorado, due to the access of marijuana products in the state, which is significant for plummeting annexations in epileptic children (Hudak, 2016). Due to the effects of the drug, most families have opted to move into the state, in order to relieve their children from such pain. It is consequently taken as an oil, because marijuana contains cannabidol (CBD), which leads to the reduction of violent seizures which are attributed to childhood epilepsy. In addition, in oil form, the drug is not intoxicating, thus reducing the effect of addiction related to the abuse of marijuana (Barcott, 60).

Treatment of Inflammation

 Cannabis consequently helps in the treatment of the disorder, through preventing the damage, hence enabling the inflammation to heal within a short period of time (Kleiman, Caulkins & Hawken, 2011). Marijuana is therefore significant, as it helps the brain to repair itself in case of a concussion or a trauma. Rugby and American football players tend to use marijuana due to its effectiveness in treating inflammation.

Eliminates Nightmares

Nightmares affect sleeping, through making a person not to sleep comfortably (Barcott, 61). Marijuana affects the sleeping cycles particularly the last stage of sleep which is known as REM. However if overdosed it could lead to other problems in the body. Marijuana affects REM sleep, thus allowing the mind to relax, hence resulting in sleep. Most people suffering from this problem may therefore be able to sleep at ease (Picard, 72).

Economic Benefits of Marijuana

Creation of Job Opportunities

If marijuana is legalized, then the country can benefit, through the creation of job opportunities which leads to the growth of the economy. Marijuana will require employment of farmers, who will be tasked with the authority of planting and taking care of the plants until they become ready for use (Picard, 72). In addition, medical laboratories will also be created which will require medical personal to perform medical researches. This will be good for the country, as it will be able to gain a lot of funds from licenses offered to marijuana growers and the pharmacies selling marijuana products (Neubauer, David, & Stephen, 38). Due the creation of job opportunities, living standards will also be raised, a move which will boost the economy of the country (Tia, n.p).

Legalization of marijuana has a lot of benefits to the public and to the economy in general. Collection of taxes is likely to double, due to the sales of marijuana products, which are on high demand, since some most parts of the world have illegalized marijuana. For instance, in the years 2015 in Colorado, the sale of medical marijuana led to the collection of a total of $135 million in revenues (Picard, 74). This is however projected to increase, due to the increase in demand of medical marijuana all over the world. The public benefits fully from this, since the state will develop, more students will get college loans, hence improving the condition of the state of Colorado. This legalization therefore comes with a lot of benefits, since both the public and the state will be able to benefit fully from the sale of medicinal marijuana. The economy of the state will also grew, thus improving the economy of the country (Tia, n.p).           

Saving Tax Payers Money

A lot of money is invested in fighting illegal smuggling of marijuana into the country, a move which requires proper personnel and a lot of time and money invested. For instance, the U.S spends $13.7 billion annually, when dealing with illegal smuggling of marijuana into the country (Picard, 74). Despite of spending a lot of money in fighting the smuggling of marijuana into the country, the rates of marijuana abuse have increased in the country. On the other hand, most people have also been prosecuted and sent to jail, a move which also affects the economy of the country, since taking care of jailed persons is very expensive. Legalizing marijuana will not only help in earning money from the taxes but it will also save money from fighting with illegal smuggling of drugs. The money may be used for offering college loans, thus allowing most students to be able to continue with their studies. On the other hand, most marijuana smokers will not also be imprisoned, thus enabling the country to forge forward since most people who abuse marijuana are the youths, either in college or those who are working.

Socioeconomic Improvements

Due to the categorization of certain races as criminals and drug smokers, legalization of marijuana will help in reducing the effects of marijuana in the country. Most people will also be able to relate to other people positively hence fostering developments in the country. The number of people criminalized due to smoking marijuana will also drop drastically, thus saving the country the costs of catering for the needs of the prisoners (Picard, 75). Most of those people imprisoned may also be of positive impact to the growth of the country’s economy, but due to the habit of smoking marijuana, they have found themselves in the prison. In other words most people will start relating with each other positively due to the loss of criminal affairs related to marijuana abuse. The country will benefit, since most employers will employ people from races which were termed as criminals’. Furthermore, new opportunities will also crop up thus allowing most people to create jobs and improve their states’ of living (Neubauer, David, & Stephen, 38). 

Why Marijuana should be Federally Legal     

Due to the positive effects of marijuana, it should be legalized in order to allow the country to carry on with the production (Goldberg, 96). Legalization of marijuana will ensure the country abides by the laws governing the use of medical marijuana. In addition, the country will also control the abuse of marijuana only if the drug is legalized (Picard, 75). The growth of marijuana will also be regulated through the legalization of marijuana federally, thus allowing the relevant authorities to deal with the issues of enabling drug traffickers from benefitting from the plantation of marijuana.

Legalizing marijuana will also mean a change in the operation of the country, a move which will allow the country to move forward positively (Neubauer, David, & Stephen, 40). Most people tend to abuse marijuana because it is an illegal drug, legalizing marijuana will mean marijuana is not a high risk drug, thus making most people to avoid abusing marijuana hence focusing on their areas of concern other than on abusing marijuana (Picard, 77). Moreover, drug cartels will also be affected, since their business will not flourish after the legalization of the drug thus enabling the country to deal with the issues of illegal smuggling of marijuana into the country without spending a lot of money (Goldberg, 96). New measures will also be put into place thus allowing the country to come up with new laws governing the transportation and supply of marijuana in different parts of the country, thus preventing the transportation of marijuana by drug traffickers.

Conclusion

This paper has discussed the medical, economic impacts of marijuana and the reasons as to why the drug should be legalized federally. It is evident through the information provided, that marijuana has a lot of medical purposes as compared to negative effects. Legalization of marijuana means the country will benefit twice more than when fighting marijuana smuggling, a move which will improve economic growth in the country. Finally, the paper has also talked about the impacts of federally legalizing marijuana. Marijuana legalization enables the country to deal with the issues of illegally smuggling the drug into the country at no cost, thus making the drug smugglers to lack market in the country.

Work Cited

Stress

1. Stress is caused by the things which affect us in our daily lives. Due to being disturbed, people tend to be affected by stress, a thing which may result into illnesses. On the other hand, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), might also lead to high levels of stress. For instance, pregnant women who were affected by the 9/11 attack, gave birth to children whose levels of stress were high. This is consequently because of the effect of stress. In addition, their children’s response to stimuli was very strong, thus showing the magnitude which the attack hard on their mothers (Harmon, 2010)..

On the other hand, parents who were not affected by the attack while pregnant, gave birth to children who were less stressed. This research consequently shows the effects of stress on our bodies, and their outcomes. On the contrary, there are different levels of stress, which are basically caused by our daily activities (Harmon, 2010). A good example is losing a job, this consequently leads to stress, thus making the victim to feel uncomfortable. Similarly, the death of a family member may also result in high levels of stress, thus affecting the mental functioning of a person.

Finally, stress is not only caused by the worst things in life. People tend to be stressed even when they are about to do something good in their lives. A person who is about to get married tends to be stressed, due to nervousness (Harmon, 2010). This does not therefore mean that a stress of such a type may not affect the person. Moreover, a student may be stressed due to an exam, hence making the person’s life miserable. A person living in a country affected by war may also reach the same stress levels as that of a student who is stressed because of an exam.

2. Stress can affect a person depending on the way a person takes what he or she is passing through. Stress levels rise due to thinking about something which may lead to stress (Harmon, 2010). For instance, a student who is more concerned with achieving good grades tends to be more stressed during an exam, than the one who does not care at all. This consequently means that when one gives more attention to stress, then the person is likely to suffer.

People who do not care about anything in life, tend to lead peaceful lives as opposed to those who care so much. Stress can therefore be avoided through focusing on other things, rather than being idle (Harmon, 2010). Idleness makes one to think about past events, thus leading to stress. In addition, people who are affected by PTSD, tend to think more about those events, thus making it hard for them to focus on other things.

Stress can be relieved, and it can also be avoided. One of the best ways of relieving stress is through listening to music (Harmon, 2010). Whenever I get stressed over something, I listen to music, which carries my mind away making me to forget about stressful events. In order to avoid stress, I usually make myself busy, a thing which makes my mind to concentrate on other things rather than being stressed. The intensity of stress is therefore determined by the way one handles stress, if you take things too seriously, then one is likely to be affected by stress.

Reference

Harmon, D. E. (2010). Frequently asked questions about overscheduling and stress. New York: Rosen Pub.

Epstein - Barr virus

Introduction

Epstein - Barr virus can best be categorized as a collective human pathogen infecting the majority in global context (Hal, 2011). It is a virus that originates from the Herpes family which incorporates Herpes simplex virus as well as cytomegalovirus thus becoming one of the common virus amongst human beings most individuals are initially infected by EBV which in most cases is asymptomatic but mostly result in mononucleosis infection (Hal, 2011). Epstein - Barr virus can thus result in the infection which is universally referred to as glandular fever. The infectious mononucleosis is a result of an individual being exposed to the Epstein- Barr virus during or post the adolescence period. The virus is a global occurrence and most individuals are bound to be infected with this virus in a certain period in life. Infants, in particular, becomes EBV vulnerable as soon as the disappearance of maternal antibody guards occurs which is given at birth.  With the extent of this contamination midst, most children the virus does not frequently result in indications or they are unclear from all another brief, unimportant infantile illnesses. In America as well as in the developed nations most individuals are infected with Epstein - Barr virus during their childhood lives (Hal, 2011). When Epstein - Barr infection occurs either during the young or the adulthood stage this causes mononucleosis infection which accounts to 35 up to 50 percent of the period (Sulika et al, 2014).

More than 90 percent of the global adult populace is infected by Epstein - Barr virus thus carrying the virus throughout their lives (Sulika et al, 2014). It is the prime infection that results in asymptomatic seroconversion which might be the variable mononucleosis infection harshness. People with considerable cellular immunodeficiency are most likely to acquire lymph-proliferative malignancies disorders despite the fact that most of these carriers remain free from illnesses in their lifetime (Hal, 2011). EBV usually infects the inexperienced B-cells that are situated in the lymphoid body tissues thus changing them into proliferating lymphoblast that is particularly activated. In occasions, EBV might infect other kinds of cells particularly Oropharyngeal Epithelial Cells. The prime EBV contagion normally stimulates an aggressive cytotoxic T-cell reply which is essential in lymph proliferation limitation particularly of the disease-ridden B cells (Sulika et al, 2014). Severe mononucleosis infection presents an enormous preponderance of the mononuclear cells amongst the mingling leukocytes.

EBV infection leads to an illnesses range with the resistant host reply playing a chief part in the modelling of the medical entrances. Infectious mononucleosis can be described as the EBV Infection model that is frequently characterized by semantic problems connected to tiredness, fever, illness, sore-throat, prevalent and cervical lymphadenopathy besides the hepatosplenomegaly (Acton, 2012). The condition is most commonly a non-threatening, self-controlled infection in the healthy individuals.  Infectious mononucleosis can best be defined as the illness that results from EBV primary infection despite that other agents causes similar infectious mononucleosis disorders that are medically similar to the related EBV illness. The violent nonmalignant EB related proliferations like hemophagocytic syndrome and PTLS–Post-transplant Lymph proliferative syndrome occur in individuals with compromised immune system. In addition, EBV usually contributes to human beings distortions that include leiomyosarcoma, Burkitt Lymphoma as well as Hodgkin illness (Hal, 2011).

EBV- History of Recognition and Discovery

EBV’s discovery history as the primary infectious mononucleosis cause started with the initial medical description related to the illness known as Subacute Febrile which was conducted in 1885 by Filatov and the glandular fever description that was done in the year 1889 by Pfeifer (Ahmed, Philip, Tariq, & Khan, 2014). In the year 1920, Evans and Sprunt offered a detailed description of the atypical lymphocytes findings and ultimately created the term infectious mononucleosis as the description of the ailment. EBV discovery was, in addition, the first identification of the human beings tumor based virus. In the year 1964, Barr, Achong, and Epstein were able to discover the presence of some herpes virus in the jaw’s sarcomas tissues that had been gathered from children living in the African region (Almohmeed, Avenell, Aucott, & Vickers, 2013). This led to the linking of the virus in the year 1968 with the new discovery occurrence which was of the infectious mononucleosis by Werner Henle and Gertrude together with Niederman who confirmed the existing epidemiologic association (Hal, 2011). EBV thus become the first most virus to be associated with human beings cancer and this led to it becoming the first human tumor infection in discovery and recognition.

Epidemiology

EBV is categorized to be the y-herpes virus which possesses a DNA genome that is double stranded of the 184-kb measurement pairs which encode close to a hundred proteins. The two differentiated types which are type A and B which are additionally known as type 1 and 2 shares about 70 up to 85 percent homology sequence. EBV-1 is the more common in the global context when equated to EBV -2 which is in most cases established in the African region.  The prime EBV cellular target is known as lymphocyte-B (Hal, 2011). The EBV-1 induces the growth of B-cells transformation in a more efficient manner than the EBV -2. However, both infection types’ leads to lifelong infection without any identified kind-specific distinction in reference to the illness. The multiple, as well as the dual illness infection with the two EBV types, so far have been identified and documented in individuals who possess a compromised immune.

Given that EBV establishes lifelong illness infection, EBV infection usually increases with age increase. More than 95 percent of the global adult’s populace is infected chronically and seropositive. There is no any kind of symptoms that are established from the dormant persisting infection that comes after the initial infection (Hal, 2011). EBV is usually transmitted mainly by oral saliva contact which is most common in saliva exchange amongst the young individuals in direct association or in children while handling toys or during kissing amongst adolescents which accounts to the infectious mononucleosis being highly regarded as the kissing illness. EBV is out built in oral emissions constantly and the highest concentration for over a period of six months that follows an acute infection as well as intermittently at lower life concentration. There the transmission risk is usually higher from the recent scenarios with several transmission risks from any individuals that have ever acquired the infection. At any given period as many individuals as amid 20 and 30 percent of the healthy adults who have developed the EBV infection, even in the previous years, shed EBV infection in lower oral emissions concentrations (Aly Loutfy et al, 2017). The immunosuppression plays part in the reactivation of EBV latent and the EBV-infected portion where individuals who are suppressed in regard to immune emit the viral in oral nature thus increasing the prevalence to about 60 up to 90 percent. EBV is established both in the female as well as male emissions and can be exchanged during the sexual engagement (Andersson & Andersson, 1993).

Infectious mononucleosis epidemiology of medical principle is usually connected to the acquisition age of the EBV contamination. Despite the fact that infectious mononucleosis may develop and recognized in individuals of all ages it rare cases it recognized in children below four years since most infections are termed as asymptomatic.  In addition, the infection is additionally rare amongst adults who are over 30 up to 40 years when most individuals have already been infected with the virus (Hal, 2011). In the developing nations and amongst the populace that is socio-economically challenged in the developed countries the EBV transmission occurs almost collectively in the early childhood and infancy stages.  In the central region of Africa, almost all the children are infected with the virus by the time they turn three years which leads to the development of asymptomatic infection and in other times minor illness that cannot be differentiated from most of the other childhood infections as they hold almost the same symptoms. Therefore, infectious mononucleosis being an illness is technically not well understood particularly in the underdeveloped regions in the global (Apostolou et al, 2017).

Contrary in the industrialized nations and amongst affluent persons, infection in the childhood period normally takes place in less frequency, in particular, because of the high hygiene measures with a projection of about a third EBV transmissions happening during the adolescence period as well as amongst the young populace. Mainly, EBV development among the adolescent populace as well as adults is associated with a number of symptoms for above an approximation of 50 percent amid the infected persons (Assadian et al, 2017). The infections normally show a characteristic infectious mononucleosis fatigue threesome, lymphadenopathy as well as pharyngitis. The cases of infectious mononucleosis particularly in America is projected to be amid 20 up to 70percent in every a hundred thousand individuals every year among the youth populace and the incidences normally rise to up to close to a hundred persons in every a hundred thousand individuals (Hal, 2011).

Pathogenesis

Following the transmission that occurs through the oral cavity, primarily EBV affects the epithelial oral cells which occur with the severe duplication, virions proclamation, and cell lysis that usually spread to the contiguous structures that incorporate the salivary storage. The basic spread within the lymphoid and oral epithelial cells acts as the major grounds of pharyngitis symptoms (Balandraud et al, 2017). Viremia normally follows, with the prime cellular EBV target, the whole lymphoreticular system that incorporates the spleen and the human liver as well as the Lymphocytes-B. It is worth noting that the lymphocytes that are hosted in the peripheral blood which is associated with infectious mononucleosis are the well-developed CD8-plus Lymphocytes-T which contains both the cytotoxic and suppressor responsiveness. All these being the atypical lymphocytes in usual are activated anti-genetically being a major part of the EBV responsive immune that is affected by Lymphocytes –B. The complete rise of lymphocytes CD8 plus normally leads to reversal transient of the 2 to 1 ration (Banko et al, 2016). The pattern, however, differs from the CD4 plus/CD8 plus ration observed in the immune deficiency in humans with the HIV viral infection by the complete Lymphocytes concentration.

The immune response host normally lowers the EBV burden circulation in the human blood peripheral to lesser than a single copy of 10 five squared B-lymphocytes circulation which is equal to low than 10 DNA ug copies in the entire individual’s blood (Bienemann et al , 2015).  In the compromised individual’s immune, the encumbrance of EBV tends to be high and usually above 4,000 DNA ug copies. In addition, EBV normally affects the lymphocytes-T that is equated with the infection caused by EBV on the B-lymphocytes. EBV is normally recognized for infecting the epithelial body cells specifically of the cervix uterine despite that there are no local symptoms that have been defined or recognized as sexual contact transmission. However, it has been demonstrated additionally that EBV also affects the smooth muscle’s human cells found in the leiomyosarcomas that usually rise in individuals with compromised immune system. Following the main infection, similarly to other herpesviruses EBV usually establishes a persisting dormant contamination for the hosting individual’s life (Bjørnevik et al, 2017). The dormant EBV infection in usual cases basically ports locally within the epithelial oropharyngeal cells as well as within the B-lymphocytes memory in a systematic manner. Dormant EBV normally generates low viral proteins particularly the nuclear EBV antigens (EBNAs). Specifically, these proteins are involved in maintaining the infectious virus during the dormant period while the multiple spherical copies which are also referred as episomes that occur in the nuclear that are separated from the chromosome cells. EBV perseveres because of the severe replication of episomes with the division of cells thus migrating to the two daughter cells in the mitosis process.  In contra-difference, in Burkitt Lymphoma cases, EBV integrates into the chromosome cells with the translocation of reciprocal (Bowden et al 2012).

According to Brocqueville, et al (2013), For some reasons that remains unclear, some dormant affected B-lymphocytes gets into the severe replicative or rather a cycle that starts with early production of antigens (EAs) which proceeds to the viral replication of DNA that is accompanied by the structural production of glycoproteins that includes the Viral Capsid Antigens (VCAs) manufacturing and concludes in the death cells with mature virions release that are usually released via secretions. Then they infect other B-lymphocytes in a systematic nature. The reactivation is specifically asymptotic one (Busch, 2014).

Clinical Aspects

Infectious mononucleosis incubation period, particularly in adults as well as adolescents, is about 30 up to 50 days which might be lower in children. Mainly EBV infection in the younger populace in this case children are categorized as asymptomatic. This means that the symptoms it generates fail to differentiate EBV as the prime cause of most of the febrile infections which normally happen during the childhood stage (Camargo et al, 2016). Amongst adults as well as adolescents the infectious mononucleosis medical syndrome is a characteristic one. The illness’s commencement is insidious in usual which occurs in over one up two weeks with systematic complaints that are not specified related to fatigue, sickness and a low degree fever that is accompanied by lymphadenopathy painful or untender throat and in most cases vomiting, headache, stomach ache as well as myalgia. Complaints related to a fever and severe sore throat increases progressively thus necessitating medical treatment. In most instances, the bestowing complaints that are highly recorded are tenderness and upper quarter abdominal uneasiness because of the rapid splenomegaly growth (Chung-Chun, et al, 2017).

Medical physical examination mainly reveals pharyngitis which is in usual accompanied by average tonsillar expansion and in occasions with exudates which is complex to differentiate from the pharyngitis streptococcal. Petechial is common at the soft and hard palate connection. The effects normally affect reticuloendothelial system which is affirmed by a simplification of about 90 percent lymphadenopathy cases, 50 percent splenomegaly while the hepatomegaly cases account for 10 percent of all the recorded cases. Both in the posterior and anterior cervical and submandibular lymph nodes lymphadenopathy is rare (Crawford, Rickinson & Johannessen, 2014). Conventionally, epitrochlear lymphadenopathy is a prime infectious mononucleosis demonstration given that the findings are an unusual section of the comprehensive lymphadenopathy (Dalamaga et al, 2013). Despite the fact that increased expansion or enlargement is not often the presence of a tw0 up to three cm Splenomegaly is usual.

In a projection of about three up to 15 percent of the infected patient's rashes normally happen and in typical are Maculopapular. Close to or above 80 percent of these patients who acquire the infectious mononucleosis treatment with ampicillin normally experiences rashes related to this treatment (Dekate & Chetty, 2016). However, the experience happens in less frequency with the use of amoxicillin treatment as well as other beta-lactam family antibiotics. The copper colored pruritic outbreak is most potent immune mediated and thus it does not necessitate any particular treatment option except for the suspension of antibiotic use post which the outbreak usually resolves. EBV is additionally linked to Gianotti-Crosti condition (Dunmire et al, 2014). This is can best be described as the symmetric rash that holds the appearance of dermatitis atopic. In addition, there are usually a number of numerous erythematous papules that occurs particularly on the boundaries, cheeks as well as buttocks and might even grow into plaques and persistence rashes for about 15 up to 50 days (Dong Won et al, 2017).

The Non-nonmalleable EBV related proliferative illness usually occurs in individuals with a compromised immune such as for the individuals who are infected with HIV as well as transplant recipients for major organs such as kidneys (Eagle, 2011). Pneumonitis Interstitial Lymphoid in normal cases happens in young children who are characterized by HIV/AIDS which results in mild respiratory related illnesses.  In addition, Oral Leukoplakia that is covered by hair develops in adults with the AIDS virus which is usually characterized by white covers on the tongue’s lateral boundaries (Foster & Vitale, 2013). The Operation of the mentioned lesions determines high and extreme EBV duplication levels (Gantuz et al, 2017).

Diagnosis

Typical medical symptoms presence which is along with uncharacteristic lymphocytosis in the human peripheral blood is a suggestion of medical infectious mononucleosis. The diagnosis is required to be confirmed by the utilization of serologic examination for either specific EBV or heterophile antibodies (Gieß, 2017). In reference to infectious mononucleosis, the white blood cells count can either be normal or a revelation of the existence of slight leukocytosis with the account of about 2/3rd of all the white blood cells. The uncharacteristic lymphocytes normally account for about 20 up to 40 percent of all the white cells (Goldstein et al, 2017). Despite that, the uncharacteristic lymphocytes develop with the acquisition of cytomegalovirus infection, viral hepatitis, typhoid, malaria, and tuberculosis as well as some reactions that are associated with a number of drugs. Slight thrombocytopenia develops in about 25 up to 50 percent of the infected populace and s not often linked to these symptoms (Gumbo 2014). On the other hand, serious thrombocytopenia is rare occurrence. The slight hepatic transaminases increase is observed in a projection of 50 percent of those cases that are not associated with any complications but the involvement of the liver is indistinguishable with no jaundice.

Heterophile Antibody Examination

Heterophile antibodies can best be defined by their clump cells features from the classes that are different from the ones of the serum source. The fleeting heterophile that are observed within infectious mononucleosis which is referred to as Paul-Bunnell (Hagan et al, 2017). The heterophile antibody examination responses that occurs while using sheep’s red cells are in most cases positive for a number of months post the prime infectious mononucleosis while the examination of the horse can sustain positivity for over two years. The most utilized approach in the determination of heterophile is a qualitative erythrocytes examination.  The tests usually determine the existence of these antibodies in close to 90 percent of the EBV linked infections that develop amongst adolescents and adults but in just about 50 percent of these cases are observed amongst younger children below 4 years because practically the children normally grow titers that are low (Hayat, 2012). Based on this rationale the heterophile examination is not suggested for the diagnostic assessment for the presence of infectious mononucleosis amongst children who are below the age of 4 years.

Roughly 5 up to 10 percent of the clear infectious mononucleosis cases are not the result of EBV and fails to constantly hold a heterophile assessment response. The incorrect desirable rate is usually lesser than 10 percent that results from mistaken clarification (Höcker, 2013). If the heterophile examination leads to negative findings with the EBV infection uncertainty it is usually recommended that a specific EBV antibody examination is conducted for clarification and establishment of the most appropriate treatment approach (Hoffman, n.d.).

EBV Antibody Examination

Specific antibody examinations are best in confirming the existence of EBV infection. The examinations are usually of essence in the diagnosis of severe EBV infection, particularly with a resulting negative heterophile examination result. The tests, in addition, are helpful in the confirmation of previous infections thus determining the potential of further contamination in reference to EBV contamination. There are several differentiated EBV antigens systems that utilize differentiated EBV genes that are utilized in the diagnosis objectives. The EA, Nuclear EBNA, as well as VCA, tends to be the most helpful tools in accomplishing the diagnostic goals. VCA examinations are sufficient on confirming EBV infections on its own (Hosseini-Moghaddam et al, 2016).  EA antibodies are usually determinable in 80 percent of the affected populace in the severe infectious mononucleosis stage for a few months post the primary infection. On the other hand, EBNA antibodies grow relatively later post the EBV infection and appear progressively in the period of three to four months after the acquisition thus remaining at consistent detectability. The EBNA antibodies presence absence with other specific EBV antibodies being determinable is an implication of a recent virus infection with just a few months or rather weeks. However, EBNA antibodies presence means that the infection occurs in about three up to four months in the previous which could be within any period in the individual’s life (Jons, Sundström, & Andersen, 2015).

Differential Diagnosis

About 5 to 10 percent of the most uncomplicated infectious mononucleosis cases are generated zero EBV (Kato, Imai, Ochiai & Ogata, 2013). The infections that are similar to infectious mononucleosis are a result of prime infects by differing pathogens such as viral hepatitis, HIV and rubella virus. In addition, cytomegalovirus is an often cause of illnesses similar to infectious mononucleosis, particularly in adults. Streptococcal pharyngitis is bound to result in a sore throat which is hard to differentiate from that occurs with infectious mononucleosis. Given that the carriage rate is about 5 percent the failure to acquire health improvement after streptococcal pharyngitis with two to three days is a suggestion of the presence of infectious mononucleosis (Kraus 2017).

In the medical practice, the source of most EBV negative cases of diseases that are similar to infectious mononucleosis is not yet understood based on the confirmatory examination expenditures as well as the absence of medical imperative in establishing the self-controlled illness cause (Kuniholm 2013). Patients having the medical results of infectious mononucleosis in the high presence of the number of white cells that are combined with minimal to serious thrombocytopenia are a suggestion of leukemia which might recommit bone marrow test and hematologic session in without the diagnosis.

Treatment/Management

Observation over time period along with symptomatic treatment is usually the main management option for EBV infection. A sore throat is mainly managed with the utilization of no steroidal anti- provocative medications, acetaminophen as well as the gargling of salt water in addition to several other symptomatic medications. With the incapacitating fatigue, one is required to rest more (Kwok, Chan, Chan, & Chiang, 2015). In addition, the continuance participation in normal activities that leads to normal activities resumption is a recommendation. It is normal to offer advice against the participation of sports that encourages more body contact in the first two to three weeks of the ailment with the presence of splenomegaly in the minimization of splenic rupture risk.  The medical success of participation in therapy is low thus high acyclovir doses are a necessity with or with no company of corticosteroids (Li et al, 2017).

Short duration corticosteroids courses for less than two weeks are shown in a few specified infection complication related to infectious mononucleosis (Matsubara, et al, 2003). There is no kind of controlled information demonstrating the indications efficacy as well as their utilization in the off-labels. In general, the accepted indications usually indicates upper airway emerging impediment, meningitis, appropriations as well as thrombocytopenia that convoluted mainly by the presence of bleeding conditions (William, 2015). One of the suggested routines is referred as prednisone one for every day with the highest accounting to just 60mg every day that is accompanied by a tapering routine of more than 7 more days (Thompson and Kurzrock, 2004). In the perspective of the probable and the unestablished immunosuppression hazards for the infectious virus can be associated with oncogenic problems then corticosteroids are not to be utilized in routine nature.

Complications

There is an undying need in the development of EBV infection virus based on the associated risk of related infections, its increase in the global context and persistence (Visser et al, 2014). Despite the fact that some common complications amongst the healthy individuals are yet to be established the most severe complication historically is hemorrhage which is associated with trauma. In addition, the occurrence of ruptures has been reported mainly within the second week of the ailment which accounts for less than 0.5 percent of the adults (Scheld et al, 2014). The general rate amidst children is not established but is probably lower.

Tonsillar expansion may lead to the obstruction of the upper part airway. In addition, most uncommon as well as rare neurologic conditions are in particular reported to having a direct association with the infectious mononucleosis (Robertson, 2010). In close to 50 percent of this cases, head ache is common but severe complication like seizure are amongst less than 1 percent of the populace. Myocarditis and pneumonia can also occur which both resolves within three up to four weeks. Severe infectious mononucleosis is said to be rare amid adults but may occur based on the unmanaged lymph proliferative response. The treatment with the use of episode that is effective in the reduction of monocyte as well as macrophage operations along with corticosteroids can be an effective option (Simpson, Taylor & Van der Mei, 2015).

Prognosis

For the complete recovery’s prognosis from the IM is efficient as the symptoms normally last for about two up to four weeks that are followed by a progressive but rather stable recovery.  Some patients, however, experience long run symptoms as well as signs that in other times uncomfortable fatigue and illness that may persist for a number of weeks for up to about 6 months (Ting-bo et al, 2017). There is no direct or justifiable evidence that connects EBV infection to the prolonged fatigue complication. There are some secondary infections that possess differing EBV kinds which have been recorded in individuals with complicated immune but there are no symptoms or secondary attacks resulting from infectious mononucleosis that is a source of EBV in record as per today (Torii et al, 2017).

Conclusion

More than 90 percent of the global adult populace is infected by Epstein - Barr virus thus carrying the virus throughout their lives. EBV infection diagnosis is usually confirmed best through the use of serologic examination. It is demonstrated by expert’s studies that infectious mononucleosis management is of prime support on the path to recovery. Based on the most recent statistics it is apparent that the most beneficial intervention is the development of EBV vaccines in lower the risks of illnesses associated with EBV infection.

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Drug epidemic compare and contrast

Outline

-In 21^st century, opioids are used for both medication and non-medication use.

-Opioids addiction is a global problem

-There is a higher use of drugs from opiate category

-Licit drugs is the leading cause of drug poisoning

-Prescription opioids have intrinsic abuse and euphoric effects

-Non-medication use of opioids results to heroin use

-Prescription opioids maximizes pain and adverse effects

-Opioids medication releases acute and chronic pain

-It is estimated that about 52million people use prescription opioid for nonmedical purposes

-Abuse of prescription opioid creates a pathway for heroin use

-Tennessee is among the states which have encountered adverse effects from the prescription opioid abuse

- Prescription opioid has surpassed alcohol and heroin abuse

-Prescription opioid abuse and heroin have similar adverse effects

-Prescription opioid use leads to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

-Patients should conduct risk assessment to avoid abuse of drugs

-Physicians should comply with state and federal laws

Thesis: prescription opioids contributes to adverse health effects and this is due to the ‘environmental availability’ created by high prescriptions, social responsibility in drug use and high trading volume with pharmaceutical companies.

Drug epidemic compare and contrast

 Drug epidemic is an issue which has affected the globe in terms of health and socioeconomic welfare.  In 2012, research shown that 36million people are opioids abusers in worldwide and 2.1million are affected with substance use disorder and 467,000 suffer from heroin addiction in U.S (Nora & Volkow, 2014). The trend has led to devastating effects and there have been several cases of unintentional overdose deaths. Research also shows that there is a high rate of heroin abuse and non-prescribed use of opioids.  In comparing both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs, it is important to understand that both have an adverse effect on health.  For instance, prescription opioids are in the medications category and they are associated with abuse liability (Nora & Volkow, 2014). The opioid analgesics and abuse problem are contributed by the high rate of written and dispensed prescriptions, high rate of marketing and use of medication for various purposes. For example, prescription of opioid pain reliever has risen from 1991 to 2013 where the number has changed from 76million to 207million respectively. The higher rate of prescription has resulted to negative consequences such as mortality. Nonmedical use of the drug has resulted to abuse and mortality, and high rate of death due to opioids abuse has increased in 21^st century (Paulozzi, Budnitz &Yongli, 2006). Compared with heroin and cocaine, opioids analgesic poisoning was the leading cause of death in 2002. An important point to note is that prescription opioids have the same affects as heroin in the brain. Both have an intrinsic effect especially for non-medical purposes. Opioids abuse happens when the drug is used for non- medical use where patients purchase the drugs in the streets. For example, a research showed that over 5% of children aged 12yeras use the drug non-medically. This brings adverse effects to the economy since insurance companies are forced to pay high health-care cost and high rate of morbidity and mortality (Paulozzi, Budnitz &Yongli, 2006). Other point is that even though opioid is a prescribed medication, both drugs have are associated with overdoing risk and addictiveness. For example, fatal heroin overdoses increased by 50% in U.S   from 2000s to 2010 where they raised up to 2,789. It is important to understand that there is a relationship between prescription opioid and heroin use (Paulozzi, Budnitz &Yongli, 2006). In case of heroin, the number of men and women who are heroin users has increased and overdose of heroin results to adverse effects.

However, opioid play a fundamental role in minimizing pain and suffering as well as other adverse effects. Individuals who suffer from chronic pain are prescribed opioid therapy and majority develops tolerance and physical dependence (Nora & Volkow, 2014).  Mostly, physicians prescribe opioids such as OxyContin where they are attached with opioid receptor to maximize pain. The medication plays a significant role in increasing a sense of well-being.  Opioid medication is good for acute and chronic pain even though many people use it for non-medical use.  For example, when Oxycontin and Vicodin are taken against the doctor’s prescription, they produce similar effect with heroin (Nora & Volkow, 2014). Both have a feeling of euphoria, addiction, drowsiness, impaired breathing and other health effects. Especially when the medication is injected, it causes impaired breathing and the depressed respiration leads to hypoxia which then results to brain damage and coma. Opioid addiction also results to long-term effects such as effect on brain’s white matter and stress response (Nora & Volkow, 2014).

In discussing about drug epidemic, studies show that since 2000, deaths from opioid epidemic has estimated to be 500, 000.  Note that individuals use prescribed opioids such as hydrocodone and oxycodone and nonprescription opioids (illegal drugs) like heroin. Many deaths occur when individuals take nonprescription opioid and studied show that opioid overdose caused 28, 000 deaths in 2014 (TDMHSAS, 2014). In comparing drug epidemic in terms of prescription and non-prescription, several studies show that there is a high overuse of prescription opioids. The latter is associated with serious issues in U.S and in specific in Tennessee. Studies done in Tennessee state show that abuse of prescription drug is a big problem which has brought to devastating effects to families and communities.  For the past ten years, the state has combated the alcohol use and this substance abuse has affected families and communities (TDMHSAS, 2014). However, alcohol use is not ranked as the major substance use since it is surpassed by prescription opioids. Evidence on abuse of prescription opioids was achieved in 2012 through a survey which showed that individuals with heroin addiction were treated in methadone clinics. However, the survey showed that out of 9,221 individuals with heroin addiction, 78% were addicts of prescription opioid and 17% were addicts of prescription opioids and heroin and 4% were addicts of heroin (TDMHSAS, 2014). The reason for the high use of prescription opioid is because it was used as a drug of choice and for non-medical purposes. 

Other important point to note on the use of prescription opioid is that individuals in Tennessee State can easily access the drug through doctor’s prescription. Others obtain prescription drugs through ‘doctors shopping’. The latter term means that patients engage in unethical behaviors where they get prescriptions from multiple physicians. After getting treatment from regular physician, they obtain more medication from other physicians. Doctors also overprescribe drugs such as psychoactive drugs where individuals use for personal purposes such treating anxiety.  Given that individuals can easily access the drug, this is also an indication that there is availability of opioid drug which is a problem to the state (TDMHSAS, 2014). For example, Drug Use and Health survey which was done  in 2010 showed that 70%  access drugs  from friends, illegitimate pain clinic, pharmacy theft, doctor shopping among other sources.  Note that majority who abuse prescription opioid believe that the drugs are not associated with adverse effects compared with illicit drugs simply because they are from doctor’s prescription (TDMHSAS, 2014).  However, this is not true and an important point which everyone should know is that prescription drug abuse has adverse effects to the   health. For example, evidence comes from Tennessee State where individuals have lost their lives, the death has affected the economy in terms of lack of health workforce and the economy has also been affected because taxpayers’ dollars are used pay for incarceration and healthcare costs. The latter has increased in a high rate from 2005-20101.For example in 2001, the heathcare cost was $4,118,187 and in 2011, the cost increased up to $29, 308,823. Indeed, adverse effects have been counted since individuals who abuse prescription drugs engage in criminal activities where they end upon being prosecuted and incarcerated. Incarceration leads to loss of productivity (TDMHSAS, 2014). For example, loss of productivity caused a high cost to the economy which ranged from $142.9 million in 2008 to $155.2 million in 2013. Other point is that Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome is a problem which has been experienced in Tennessee where   infants show withdrawal system due to exposure to illicit drugs.  This result to serious medical problems and cost needed to stabilize the medical problem is $62, 973 (TDMHSAS, 2014).

Maxwell (2011) adds that abuse of prescription opioid has been a big problem in USA and the epidemic has been contributed by factors such as inappropriate prescription, easy accessibility of the drug, lack of collective actions from the government and aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies. There has also been a problem in pain management and this has made clinicians to increase opioid prescription for analgesia. To address this problem, OxyContin® was introduced to manage ‘non-malignant pain’ and minimize the abuse of prescription opioid (Maxwell, 2011). However, companies started to introduce methadone since it was cheap that OxyContin®. Nevertheless, prescription of methadone was done by trained and untrained physicians and this led to high mortality due to inappropriate prescription and failure to follow standard practices. In addition, public health officials failed to provide accurate information regarding the use of opioid prescription. Thus, the high epidemic has been brought by the high use of prescription opioid and this deteriorated from 2000 to 2009 where the total number of prescription  from retail pharmacy was 174.1 million to 256.9 million respectively (Maxwell, 2011). It is predicted that if the abuse of prescription opioid and  drug diversion  continues, clinicians will not be able to prescribe extended-release  opioids for main management and this is an indication that  they will not be able to manage or treat pain. To address these problems and prevent future problems, patients should conduct risk assessment, there should be an informed consent periodic review and clinicians should comply with state and federal laws. In drug diversion, there should a coordinated approach through treatment programs and medical agencies in order to reduce deaths and ensure to prescription of drug to legitimate needs (Maxwell, 2011).

A report from National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that nonmedical use of prescription drug   creates a big problem to the community given that 52million people take prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes. NIDA states that majority of abusers are young people and evidence is derived from a survey which was conducted in high school in 2010.The survey showed that 1in 12 abused Vicodin and 1 in 20 abused OxyContin. The abuse of prescription drug causes addiction and death. In comparing prescription opioid and non-prescription drug, NIDA states that people who abused prescription opioid rarely take heroin. Only less percent engage in heroin use and this is evidence from National Survey which showed that less than 4% of prescription opioid abuse used heroin within 5years National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 2014). However, it is important to note that prescription opioid abuse is a pathway to heroin abuse. The evidence for this is derived from the fact that opioid medication such as OxyContin has similar effects with heroin and abuse of prescription opioid leads to heroin abuse.  Recent survey showed that majority of young people who abused heroin had once been involved in the abuse of prescription opioids. They shift from prescription opioid to heroin since the latter is easy to access and it is cheap (NIDA, 2014). Patient should understand that opioids can cause drowsiness, breathing problems and other adverse health effects depending on the abused amount. On the same note, opioid can serve the intended purpose such as pain relief if it is used as prescribed by the doctor. However, abuse of prescription opioid cause brain damage since stimulants in opioid are able to act on neurotransmitter similar to illicit drugs like heroin (NIDA, 2014).

Reference

Nora D. & Volkow, M.D. (2014). Prescription Opioid and Heroin Abuse. National Institute on Drug

Abuse(NIDA).

Retrieved from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2016/prescription-opioid-heroin-abuse

Paulozzi J. Leonard, Budnitz S. Daniel &Yongli Xi MS.  (2006). Increasing deaths from opioid analgesics in the United States. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 2006; 15: 618–627.

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National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2014).Drug Facts: Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications. Retrieved from: https://teens.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/drugfacts_rx_12_2014.pdf

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Drug epidemic compare and contrast

Outline

• In 21^st century, opioids are used for both medication and non-medication use.
• Opioids addiction is a global problem
• There is a higher use of drugs from opiate category
• Licit drugs is the leading cause of drug poisoning
• Prescription opioids have intrinsic abuse and euphoric effects
• Non-medication use of opioids results to heroin use
• Prescription opioids maximizes pain and adverse effects
• Opioids medication releases acute and chronic pain

Thesis: prescription opioids contributes to adverse health effects and this is due to the ‘environmental availability’ created by high prescriptions, social responsibility in drug use and high trading volume with pharmaceutical companies.

Drug epidemic compare and contrast

 Drug epidemic is an issue which has affected the globe in terms of health and socioeconomic welfare.  In 2012, research shown that 36million people are opioids abusers in worldwide and 2.1million are affected with substance use disorder and 467,000 suffer from heroin addiction in U.S (Nora & Volkow, 2014). The trend has led to devastating effects and there have been several cases of unintentional overdose deaths. Research also shows that there is a high rate of heroin abuse and non-prescribed use of opioids.  In comparing both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs, it is important to understand that both have an adverse effect on health.  For instance, prescription opioids are in the medications category and they are associated with abuse liability (Nora & Volkow, 2014). The opioid analgesics and abuse problem are contributed by the high rate of written and dispensed prescriptions, high rate of marketing and use of medication for various purposes. For example, prescription of opioid pain reliever has risen from 1991 to 2013 where the number has changed from 76million to 207million respectively.The higher rate of prescription has resulted to negative consequences such as mortality. Nonmedical use of the drug has resulted to abuse and mortality, and high rate of death due to opioids abuse has increased in 21^st century (Paulozzi, Budnitz &Yongli, 2006). Compared with heroin and cocaine, opioids analgesic poisoning was the leading cause of death in 2002. An important point to note is that prescription opioids have the same affects as heroin in the brain. Both have an intrinsic effect especially for non-medical purposes. Opioids abuse happens when the drug is used for non- medical use where patients purchase the drugs in the streets. For example, a research showed that over 5% of children aged 12yeras use the drug non-medically. This brings adverse effects to the economy since insurance companies are forced to pay high health-care cost and high rate of morbidity and mortality (Paulozzi, Budnitz &Yongli, 2006). Other point is that even though opioid is a prescribed medication, both drugs have are associated with overdoing risk and addictiveness. For example, fatal heroin overdoses increased by 50% in U.S   from 2000s to 2010 where they raised up to 2,789. It is important to understand that there is a relationship between prescription opioid and heroin use (Paulozzi, Budnitz &Yongli, 2006). In case of heroin, the number of men and women who are heroin users has increased and overdose of heroin results to adverse effects.

However, opioid play a fundamental role in minimizing pain and suffering as well as other adverse effects. Individuals who suffer from chronic pain are prescribed opioid therapy and majority develops tolerance and physical dependence (Nora & Volkow, 2014).  Mostly, physicians prescribe opioids such as OxyContin where they are attached with opioid receptor to maximize pain. The medication plays a significant role in increasing a sense of well-being.  Opioid medication is good for acute and chronic pain even though many people use it for non-medical use.  For example, when Oxycontin and Vicodin are taken against the doctor’s prescription, they produce similar effect with heroin (Nora & Volkow, 2014). Both have a feeling of euphoria, addiction, drowsiness, impaired breathing and other health effects. Especially when the medication is injected, it causes impaired breathing and the depressed respiration leads to hypoxia which then results to brain damage and coma. Opioid addiction also results to long-term effects such as effect on brain’s white matter and stress response (Nora & Volkow, 2014).

Reference

Nora D. & Volkow, M.D. (2014). Prescription Opioid and Heroin Abuse. National Institute on Drug Abuse

(NIDA).

Retrieved from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2016/prescription-opioid-heroin-abuse

Paulozzi J. Leonard, Budnitz S. Daniel &Yongli Xi MS.  (2006). Increasing deaths from opioid analgesics in

the United States. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 2006; 15: 618–627.

 Retrieved from:https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/Increasing_Deaths_from_Opiod_Analgesics_in_US_339168_7.pdf

        Breast Cancer

1. INTRODUCTION

            It is undoubtable that cancer is amongst the leading death causes in the world today. It is estimated that about 184, 200 women are bound to be diagnosed with breast cancer every year in America (Russo, 2011). Cancer is a severe illness that can affect anyone but it can be prevented at cured when diagnosed during the early stages.

1. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
2. Lack or inadequate physical activity: living a sedentary lifestyle for instance in the developed states such as America with reduced physical exercises might increase breast cancer chances additional to obesity (Russo, 2011).
3. Poor diet: the consumption of diets with more fats or that lacks vegetables and fruits can additionally increase the associated risks (Russo, 2011).
4. Alcohol consumption: the more consumption the higher the chances for developing cancer (Russo, 2011).

• GENETIC FACTORS

1. Gender: it has been established that breast cancer tends to be almost a hundred times higher in women as compared to men (Tot, 2011).
2. Age: for two out of three women who are characterized by invasive cancer are usually diagnosed post achieving the age of 55 (Tot, 2011).
3. Family history or generic forces: if any member of the family had or has been diagnosed with ovarian or breast cancer then the chances for developing the illness are increased particularly if their diagnosis occurred prior to 50 years (Tot, 2011).
4. Polymorphism

1. GENE-ENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTION

            Cancer normally develops when the DNA cells becomes damaged but the manner in which the DNA is damaged is still not known (Jorde, Carey & Bamshad, 2010). However, generic and environmental forces are stated to be the leading causes which might occur on sole basis or the combination of both. The things that one is exposed to in the surrounding and generic factors such as history or personal health issues can affect an individual’s risk for breast cancer.

1. RESULTS

            By description cancer is an illness that is characterized by controlled development and spreading of abnormal cells (Tot, 2011). Breast cancer is still one of the major form of concern within the medical sector given that it exists in differentiated forms and it strikes the highest women population globally. Breast cancer is caused by the presence of generic or environmental forces or the combination which results to the damaging of the cells.

References

Jorde, L. B., Carey, J. C., & Bamshad, M. J. (2010). Medical genetics. Philadelphia: Mosby/Elsevier.

Russo, J. (2011). Environment and breast cancer. New York: Springer.

Tot, T. (2011). Breast cancer: A Lobar disease. London: Springer.

Community Preventive Health Improvement

            Introduction

Physical activities have grown to be prime necessities in the modern society due to the health effects that are associated with living sedentary lives with no physical exercises such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Plant City is one of the cities in Florida Hillsborough County that comprises mainly of agricultural, rural and residential areas. As per the current, the city is a home of more than 40,500 individuals (HCCCPC, 2016). Based on the research that was conducted in 2014 it is just 1.8 percent of the entire City land that accommodates recreational and parks facilities (HCCCPC, 2016). Most of the residents are not therefore able to access the facilities which raise concerns in regard to the community’s wellness. The city has the highest populace of obese individuals which has, in turn, increased the rate of illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. The purpose of this paper is therefore to propose a strategic plan aimed at increasing physical exercises in the area and improve fitness and health status for all residents through the implementation of community-based initiatives.

Background

Health fitness is a necessity toady in ensuring wellness for all communities. Plant City’s residents are highly becoming obese due to the lack of physical exercises on the grounds that majority tends to be lower income and minorities households as compared to those that reside in the established communities within the same region. Based on the national health goals it is stated that every individual should have access to physical activities by 2020 in the fight against obesity and hypertension which might not be achieved in the area without major interventions. For the aim of the paper, the target population is on Plant City’s rural residents. The area is the suitable selection for the paper based on the limited access to outdoor facilities and activities including sidewalks and parks.

Target Population

Hillsborough County is in particular ranked position 29 out of all the 67 Florida’s counties in regard to health outcomes based on a study that was conducted in 2016. Some of the prime forces that tend to be authorizing health issues such as diabetes and obesity are the lack of health insurance, physical inactivity and high unemployment levels (UWPHI, 2017). The United States Department of health and Human services (USDHHS) acknowledges that environmental and economic forces have demonstrated more influence to the physical activities rate among adults and the young group (UWPHI, 2017). One of the features that have shaped Plant City as distinct from the rest of the cities in Hillsborough it given that it is an individual municipality. This, therefore, creates the belief that the area is isolated from the major city and growth and that it has been neglected by the county's administration due to its location. It has been established by studies that recreational facilities accessibility results in higher levels of activity as well as the rise of health behaviors that are desirable.  Thus where an individual life is an essential health wellness determinant (Cohen, Hunter, Williamson, & Dubowitz, 2016). 

Health Goals

One of the prime Healthy Individuals 2020 objective is to enhance fitness, health as well as life’s quality via the growth of daily physical performances (USDHHS, 2016). The objectives of increased engagement in physical activities nationally for the year 2020 states that having adequate access to trails, bike lanes, parks and sidewalks most of which residents in the rural regions of Plant City lacks that resulting in high physical inactiveness (USDHHS, 2016). it has been agreed by the developers of the city that this is can be categorized as a shortage and thus there is an intense need for addressing the 2040 urban, rural and suburban’s vision of creating the capability to live, play and still acquire working opportunities in similar locations (HCCCPC, 2016). This is a comprehensive development plan for the city that will automatically result in wellness. Similarly, this paper’s projected plan will offer for development opportunities for physical exercises for Plant City’s rural residents.

Evidence Based Plan

Increased Physical Activities

According to Choi, Burgard, Elo, and Heisler (2015) the health of those that exist in lower socio-economic regions might be impacted by reduced recreational facilities access. One of the practices that are evidence based is grounded on the provision of recreational facilities and playing grounds for the area's residents to utilize. This can be categorized as a practical development strategy for plant City’s rural regions residents based on the ground that it is less costly and creates more options for the community.

Partnering with public schools can be termed as a reasonable approach given that these schools are characterized with numerous tracks, playgrounds as well as open grounds that can be utilized for physical practices for the wellness of everyone (Spengler, 2012). As per the current, Bryan Elementary School that is located in the area has engaged in agreements with football and the cheerleading forms for them to utilize its tracks (Spengler, 2012). In addition, residents are encouraged to utilize the areas for daily exercises although there lacks a formal agreement in regard to community access.

Plan’s Outcomes/ Effectiveness

There are a few public schools in America that are currently participating in the sharing of recreational facilities with their respective communities. For instance in North Carolina, about 88 percent of their schools have engaged in agreements which permit the community in utilizing their facilities for physical practices (Kanters, Bocarro, Moore, Floyd, & Carlton, 2014). Back in 2001, an initiative by the name Physical Active Residential Communities (PARCS) was developed amid a number of health organizations, Indiana University and public schools of Indianapolis (Keith, deGroot, Mi, Alexander, & Kaiser, 2016). The concept of the initiate was mainly to offer supportive and safe chances for physician practices to the community.

Additionally to the convenient location of the schools, these facilities could permit community members to be motivated to participate due to zero costs (Knobf, Thompson, Fennie, & Erdos, 2014). It is demonstrated by studies that for the individuals who would not have previously joined the fitness facilities because of the lack of membership costs are highly likely to utilize the advantages that come with the existence of such facilities that are discounted or even free. In addition, schools are perceived to be the safest options for residents given that their children usually attend the facilities daily (Kanters et al., 2014). In Plant City, it is apparent that convenience is the prime issue based on the lack of public transport, bike lanes, and even sidewalks.  Most of the residents are in high need of exercises which can be supported by easy walks, cycling and driving to the closest schools where there is the availability of public grounds use.

Implementation

Objectives

The first objective of the projected improvement would be to raise the general number of community-based initiatives provided to the rural people of the Plant City’s residents by 2018, July. The other objectives are mainly to improve fitness and health for the Plant City via the growth of physical activities by 2020. Based on the County’s website there are about 20 public schools within the city most of which are mainly suitable for physical exercises. Providing chances for exercises at the schools would be effective in meeting the goals. To begin with, it should be determined the schools that have already created partnerships with such communities in excluding them from being able to focus on acquiring partnerships with the ones without.

Level of Prevention

Public schools partnerships with the rural communities in the city will help in the promotion of social relations amid residents which will be useful in the creation of a sensation of the community’s wellness importance (Bragg, Tucker, Kaye, & Desmond, 2009). An additional benefit is that promotion of training that may help in the creation of preventative measures for the occurrence of illnesses such as obesity as well as undesirable health outcomes prior to their occurrence (Anderson & McFarlane, 2015). The increase of exercising chances is effective in preventing the occurrence of health complications particularly for the older people who have already been diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes as well as cardiovascular illnesses (Bragg, Tucker, Kaye, & Desmond, 2009).

Initiation of Intervention

The representatives of plant city, as well as HCPs, are required to corporate in making respective partnership arrangements. Programs such as Community Action Program (CAP) as well as Plant City Recreation and Park (PCRP) that are provided via Hillsborough are most likely to give adequate assistance in selecting suitable locations and establishing the activities that may best appeal to the residents in specific regions.

Some of the acquired donations can be utilized in creating awareness for the period in which the facilities are open for community use, policies as well as associated rules. In addition, some of the facilities might require services such as security and opening and closing the gates which can be paid via the money acquired from findings and donations. Local business facilities may sponsor the activities or locations. The prime advantage is that the approximated costs aligned with the projected intervention are particularly low. According to Keith et al. (2016), the general costs linked with the use of public schools facilities can often be covered via, annual reduced fees, donations as well as grants. Hillsborough has for a while been offering grants for such community-based programs.

Method of Evaluation

The most reasonable timeframe would be the creation of public access hours with a minimum of five public schools in Plant City by 2018 July. With an effective operation of the facilities than the general intervention will be accounted as efficient. The success of the seconding goal which is to increase the general physical activities number so that health and fitness can be improved will be reliant on the number of individuals utilizing the facilities and the activities supported.

Recommendations   

There is a need of an in-depth research completion in reference to financial facilitation for the joint-use intervention initiative. In that since grants and program’s donations have been present previously there is a need to establish whether they will still be present for the particular program. In addition one of the biggest challenges would be making effective negotiations with schooling facilities as well as with all the County’s public school systems. Despite the fact that there are a number of benefits linked to the use of schools facilities by communities it is undoubted that concerns like liability, safety as well as maintenance as the major concerns (Spengler, 2012). In this context, it is therefore recommended that a written agreement be documented including all the specifications and governing policies. There is a high likelihood mainly for sustaining joint-use initiatives given that the practice has been successful prior in America. In addition, the county leaders should focus on creating awareness in regard to the facilities and the associated participation benefits throughout the areas.

Conclusion

As shown by research the provision of exercising opportunities in the community where individuals exist is essential and effective in enhancing health wellness. Plant City residents occupying the rural areas hold limited outdoor activities access, public transportation as well as parks and sidewalks. Thus, increasing the general number of community-based initiatives by making partnerships with all the local public schools is bound to increase physical activities participation thus improving fitness and health within its populace.

References

Anderson, E.T., McFarlane, J. (2015). Community as partner: Theory and practice in nursing      (7th Ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Bragg, M.A., Tucker, C.M., Kaye, L.B., & Desmond, F. (2009). Motivators of and barriers to

Engaging in physical activity: Perspectives of low-income culturally diverse adolescents and adults. American Journal of Health Education, 40(3), 146-154.

Choi, H., Burgard, S., Elo, I.T., & Heisler, M. (2016). Are older adults living in more equal?

Counties healthier than older adults living in more unequal counties? A propensity score matching. Social Science and Medicine, 141, 82-90. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.07.020

Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission (2016). Imagine 2040: Plant City

Comprehensive Plan. Retrieved from

            http://www.planhillsborough.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Adopted-Imagine-2040-Plant-City-Comprehensive-Plan.pdf

Kanters, M.A., Bocarro, J.N., Moore, R., Floyd, M.F., & Carlton, T.A. (2014). Afterschool use

            Of public school facilities for physical activity in North Carolina. Preventative Medicine, 69, S44-S48. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.10.003

Keith, N., deGroot, M., Mi, D., Alexander, K., & Kaiser, S. (2016). PARCS: A safety net

            Community-based fitness center for low-income adults. Progress in Community Health Partnerships, 10(2), 185-195. Doi 10.1353/cpr.2016.0038

Knobf, M.T., Thompson, A.S., Fennie, K., & Erdos, D. (2014). The effect of a community-based

Exercise intervention on symptoms and quality of life. Cancer Nursing, 37(2), E34-E50. Doi: 10.1097/NCC.0b013e318288d40e

Spengler, J.O. (2012). Promoting physical activity through the shared use of school and

            Community recreational resources. Active Living Research. Retrieved from activelivingresearch.org

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2016). Healthy People 2020 Objectives:

Physical activity. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/physical-activity

Washtenaw Local Health Department

The local health department is Washtenaw county health department which is located at 555 Towner, Ypsilanti and the phone number is (734) 544-6706 FAX (734) 544-6706. The mission of Washtenaw health department is to ensure that the environment is in a good condition through protecting it in order to have the people of Washtenaw County live a happy comfortable life. Washtenaw county public health department started in the year 1941 with only six employees with a budget of only $18, 750. Currently, the department has close to over 100 employees and a budget that exceeds $13.2 million annually (Wells et al., 2015). The health officer at this public health department is Ellen G. Rabinowitz. The department conducts a soil evaluation of the septic systems that are on site, inspects all the restaurants in the area as well as the swimming pools for the public.

The public health nurses ensure that the illnesses, disability, and injuries are prevented through maintenance of quality systems. Washtenaw has allowed the members of the public to be vigilant in case of an emergency through encouraging them to have an emergency kit with them at all times (Somers et al., 2014). Services such as educating the society on the methods to deal with an emergency are not provided which is an essential part of the society today. Training all or some personnel’s is very important in order to offer help and assistance to the members of the public in case an emergency strikes.

Conclusion

Washtenaw health care department has been on the front line in offering services such as measles, polio and tuberculosis medications to the society. The health care department has also established a division that deals with the environmental health and this make the society to be in a better place. Safety is one of the neediest things in the society and when there is security in terms of hygiene then the society will thrive. 

References

Somers, E. C., Marder, W., Cagnoli, P., Lewis, E. E., DeGuire, P., Gordon, C., ... & Leisen, J. (2014). Population‐based incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus: The Michigan lupus epidemiology and surveillance program. Arthritis & rheumatology, 66(2), 369-378.

Wells, E. V., Benn, R. K., & Warber, S. L. (2015). Public Health and Preventive Medicine Meet Integrative Health: Applications of Competency Mapping to Curriculum Education at the University of Michigan. American journal of preventive medicine, 49(5), S270-S277.