Chronic Illness Essays (Examples)

Chronic Illness on the Family
ole of the Physician Assistant

The writer explains the impact of chronic illness on family dynamics from the viewpoint of both family and patient. The strategic role of the family's clinical Physician Assistant in problem resolution is noted. This is a paper with three sources.

Impact of Chronic Illness on Family Dynamics

Chronic illness impacts a family's dynamics in many profound ways, some obvious, and some not so obvious. In the book The Chronic Illness Experience: Embracing the Imperfect Life, the author reflects, "Getting sick for a lifetime is seldom a single, discrete event. The symptoms are more likely to come on gradually, altering your life in subtle ways that can often be explained away as a temporary aberration" (egister, 1999).

All types of families, and families in various stages, are affected by chronic illness. As a clinician, the Physician Assistant can play a strategic…

Health trajectory is the pattern of a person's health over time (Zangerle & Kingston, 2016). Health over time stems from numerus factors operational within a nested genetic, social, behavioral, environmental, biological, political, cultural, and financial contexts that change as an individual develops and grows. Nurses must understand the causes of change and course of change in health over time to better aid their patients in adapting to possible changes in the future. That is why managing the health of patients over time involves research not just in potential problems patients may face, but also in theories that can help facilitate a greater overall understanding.
One such article aimed to promote understanding of patient processes through self-management processes. "Three categories of self-management processes were identified: focusing on illness needs; activating resources; and living with a chronic illness. Healthcare providers can best facilitate self-management by coordinating self-management activities, recognizing that different self-management…

Living with chronic illness: A phenomenological study of the health effects of the patient-provider relationship' by Sylvia Fox and Catherine Chesla.
The relationship between patient and health care provider is important. There are a number of factors that have an effect on the relationship between patient and health care provider. Some of these factors include cultural as well as social changes, patient rights, informed consent, women's rights, gay's rights, and the pressures that are exerted on the healthcare system to understand the concerns of the patients (Herzlinger, 2004, p. 67). Some of the other factors that are important include giving an importance to the values of women. In these cases, it has been seen that increased input has been given to caring and nurturing involved in the traditional caretaking of women The main aim of the paper is to understand the relationship between health care provider and the patient. In…

Multiple Sclerosis
(Coping Strategies)

Multiple sclerosis is caused by the self triggered allergic reaction that scrubs away the myelin sheath that protects the nerve cells, creating plagues and fissures that cause problems with the normal functioning of the central nervous system. As with any chronic illness, being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis has a devastating effect on the lives of people. This degenerative nervous disorder alters the self-perception and self-identity of the individual and seriously compromises his/her relationship with the external world. Disease management is further complicated by the wide array of symptoms and their varying intensity. Symptoms may range from postural imbalance, tremor, weakness, incontinence, visual impairment to progressive decline in cognitive ability and serious disability. The diagnosis creates a stressful experience and coping with the disease particularly during the initial stages can be really frustrating. Let us discuss some important coping strategies for this debilitating disease.

Coping with Cognitive…

Sexual health is not restricted to the mere physical -- genital function. Sexuality comprises different facets. At the basic, instinctual level, it is the feeling of maleness or femaleness; and, how this sexuality and personality impacts and is impacted by society. (Sipski, Alexander, & Rosen, 1996) Finally, it includes such things as the right to be a sexual person following neurological injury, the opportunity to have knowledge about sexual changes and to make informed choices about appropriate options. This work involves a review of the literature associated with female sexuality following injury to the spinal cord.
efore delving into the sexual ramifications, it bears recognizing the anatomical and functional features of the Spinal Cord. The spinal cord enables the brain to communicate with every physical facets of the body -- independent action, and reaction to stimuli. When a spinal cord injury occurs, this communication between the central and afferent nervous…

Invisible Support from Family & Friends How might symptoms of memory loss, paranoia, and verbal and physical aggression be particularly hard for the caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients?
These symptoms might be hard for the caregiver as he or she is human and they might take it personally especially when it comes to physical and verbal aggression. When the patient with Alzheimer's disease becomes aggressive towards the caregiver, the caregiver might feel overwhelmed, sad, and isolated. These feelings are normal as the situation the caregiver finds him or herself in is what is causing those feelings. Memory loss from the patient might result in the patient not recalling some of the basic things and this might frustrate the caregiver as he or she will have to keep repeating or reminding the patient. Naturally, the caregiver will get frustrated and they might lash out too. However, it is vital that the caregiver…

However, he questions the research that has been done in this area. First, he wonders whether the exercise is a placebo effect based on the anticipation of improvement. The second question is the acceptability of this treatment. Many CFS patients actively avoid exercise and many healthcare providers in fact recommend rest at all costs rather than a concern of relapse. However, the positive aspect of the CBT and the exercise is that it has the patients question their fears. In both cases, there is a psychotherapeutic affect that may be beneficial.
The use of antidepressants is another approach that has been suggested and studied. However, the results on this have also been mixed. As Demitrack (1996, p. 282) states, "At the present time, it is unrealistic to present medication as a sole treatment for this disease." It may be that medications could work in the short-term and provide enough symptomatic…

Chronic sorrow is a continuous, pervasive sadness and also permanent and intermittently intense. An individual often encounters loss experience because of their disability, relative or chronic illness (Isaksson, 2007, p. 18). Chronic sorrow as a concept was introduced by Olshansky (1962) while he was dealing with children with disability of various kinds and their parents or relatives. He noted that the children's parents showed what he referred to as a pervasive reaction of psychological nature to the predicament of parenting mentally defective children (Monsson, 2010, p.16).
Such grief, he observed, was not dissimilar to the type shown by parents that have lost a child. The parents of mentally defective children have it worse because their pain is a continuous one. This is why he referred to the concept as chronic sorrow (Monsson, 2010, p. 16). It has been thought that chronic sorrow entails experiencing intermittent spans of distress and pain,…

Chronic disease is a growing problem in countries like the United States. Couple this with the high costs of healthcare and it makes a storm of problems for those seeking treatment and help with handling chronic disease. Common chronic diseases that become more and more prevalent each year are diseases like multiple sclerosis and diabetes. Diabetes is a notoriously expensive chronic illness to manage. Patients often experience complications from the disease like vision loss, high blood pressure, heart disease, and amputation (Institute of Medicine (U.S.), 2012). That is why diabetes must be managed and prevented.
Type II diabetes for example is often acquired through poor diet choices and leading a sedentary life (Institute of Medicine (U.S.), 2012). If people manage to identify and self-regulate these decisions and choose healthy alternatives and commit to more daily exercise, it can have a profound impact on the prevalence of chronic disease. There are…

Chronic Sorrow Theory
The term 'chronic sorrow' may be described as sadness of a persistent, periodically severe, increasing, and lasting nature. This condition may be triggered in a person because of ongoing loss, arising from personal chronic disease, a loved one's illness, or personal disability (Isaksson, 2007, p. 18). Olshansky (1962) first put forward the "chronic sorrow" concept when working with children suffering from physical or mental disabilities and members of their family (parents, siblings, etc.). The researcher noted that these children' parents exhibited a persistent psychological response to their experience of being the parents of a physically or mentally disabled child (Monsson, 2010, p. 16). Through inductive reasoning, the chronic sorrow theory -- a middle range model -- was developed, which was corroborated using both qualitative research and literature review. (Peterson & Bredow, 2013, p. 98)

The chronic sorrow theory helps create a framework to comprehend individuals' reactions to…

One aspect of a goal attainment program researched within the content of an article by Ng & sang, is group therapy work, where individuals are offered the opportunity to self-reflect through the group process to help assimilate "normal" behaviors and reasonable goals into their own hoped for future.
raditional psychiatric rehabilitation programs focus on 'problems' and 'negatives' of individuals and tend to ignore strengths and assets (Hagedorn, 1992). Unlike the traditional approach, this program uses a holistic and client-centered approach (Rogers, 1984) which helps individuals establish future directions in home and work resettlement. he Goal Attainment Program focused on the participants' future expected life roles and social functioning in relation to the environmental context (i.e. their 'participation level', according to the International Classification of Impairment, Disability and Handicap (ICIDH-2) of the World Health Organization). he program emphasized the needs and positive aspects of individuals (Rogers, 1984), as well as the…

It is also a population that often has limited resources and one that seeks to find others to help comfort and educate them. Modern technology has certainly improved both the diagnosis and treatment of the illness, but there are so many options that the patient is often left bewildered and frightened (Guadalupe).
A proactive and professional nursing approach to this illness takes Mishel's theory and uses it in four ways:

To combat ambiguity -- Patients are unaware of the progress and severity of their illness and often fill in with worst-case scenarios. Open and honest communication about that status of the illness will alleviate many concerns, or at least allow for uncoerced decision making.

To combat complexity -- Illness is complex and often based on statistical tables, not individual expressions. Using Michel, the nurse can simplify to the necessary degree both the illness and options.

To provide information -- More…

"The IOM report recognized the therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana and urged that marijuana be made available to individual patients while research continued on the development of new drugs developed from marijuana" (Zeese).
Conclusion

In conclusion, there are two schools of thought on this issue. One view sees very little difference in terms of health implication between marijuana and cigarette smoking. However, there is some resistance to the idea that marijuana is as unhealthy or as dangerous as cigarettes. This had led to the notion that marijuana is less harmful to the user than tobacco. However, many reports and studies tend to stress that while the effects of each substance on the individual differ, in the long - term both have negative effects that should be emphasized. (Vlahov et al., 2004)

While there is a strong case for the benefits of marijuana in certain instances and for certain conditions, this…

(De Leon, 2010)
Finally, in recent years there has been a call for more stringent regulatory measured to be put in place in order to prevent this category of disease. Many experts refer to outdated laws and policies that are not successful in detecting and prevent problems along the entire food production process (Jessen). They also refer to restricted and inadequate legal tools to check the spread of the diseases. There is therefore a need not only to update present legislation but also for organizations and individuals to be become more aware of the need to prevent this type of disease from occurring.

eferences

De Leon D. ( 2010) Start at the Store: 7 Ways to Prevent Foodborne Illness. etrieved from http://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/7ways.html

Definition of Foodborne disease. etrieved from http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=25399Focus on Epidemiology. Houston Health (2001). etrieved from http://www.houstontx.gov/health/HoustonHealth/winter01.pdf

Foodborne diseases take heavy toll on public health. etrieved from http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=18&ved=0CDgQFjAHOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbioniche.com%2Fnewsroom_factsheet.cfm&ei=SJ7ITMX1LdDCswako7iPDg&usg=AFQjCNESQAvUohGiQZZN1L1TCFwwl-DYQ&sig2=bnOdvFEDnTPpuZO8D2blQ

Foodborne Illness.…

, 2009). To the extent that these young people are perceived in terms of stereotypical views by clinicians will likely be the extent to which the therapeutic relationship will be adversely affected. In this regard, Villaneuva and her associates conclude that, "Myths and stereotypes about mental illness that can create personal biases and lead to discrimination. Such stereotypical views together with long-standing beliefs about mental illness can affect the nurse-patient relationship and ultimately influence the care that patients receive" (p. 221).
In response to this potential for stereotypical perceptions influencing clinicians' treatment of adolescents with mental disorders, a growing number of programs across the country have been launched in recent years to educate the public and healthcare professionals concerning stereotypes about mental illness in general and among young people in particular. Popular stereotypes about mental illness, though, can be powerful forces that are not easily changed. For example, a study…

psychological basis of mental illness is certainly only half of the story. Though mental illness is genetic, the actual symptoms and condition being presented is based on a careful marriage between biological and environmental factors. In particular, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), is a mental illness in which "people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations or obsession, or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions)" (National Institute of Mental Health, 2011). This mental illness, like many others is multi-faceted, in that there is a physiological process associated with it, a set of symptoms that manifest, certain diagnostic criterion and then a set of treatment options.
Foremost, the physiological process of mental illness is mainly concerned with the brain and certain regions of it. The physiological process is a process that evaluates the neural mechanisms of perception and behavior. esearch examining the brain has found that "a selective…

, 2001). (Corrigan, Watson, Byrne & Davis, 2005, p. 363)
Individuals who then enter the system and attempt treatment are taking a leap of faith that doing so will improve rather than continue to degrade their life and their options in it. Though HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) attempts to resolve issues of confidentiality, creating strict rules for who when and how communications about one's health can be communicated between individuals attempts to aide all health care clients they are specifically helpful with regard to mental health clients. Possible barriers they create with regard to the sharing of information between clinicians can also be specifically troubling in the mental health arena as the individual must be shown to be giving consent in some way to these communications and they also bar clinicians from sharing information with the individual's support network, such as family, unless permission has been granted…

he most common progressive chronic lung situations that would require the rehabilitation include interstitial lung disease, chest wall disease, bronchiectasis, and pre and post thoracic surgery. he fourth category of patients to offered pulmonary rehabilitation is those with recent exacerbation of COPD requiring hospitalization, without the anticipated recovery path, and whose functional baseline has changed significantly ("Service Specification," 2012).
he Problem:

Chronic lung diseases have developed to become one of the most common respiratory illnesses across the country. As the diseases have become one of the major reasons for hospitalizations of patients, they usually affect individuals at the age of 35 years and above despite of the fact that these individuals are usually not diagnosed until they are 50 years and above. he growth and rapid increase of chronic diseases is attributed to the tendency of many people with the disease not to get medical assistance. While the conditions continue…

Family Therapy Treatment of Mental Illness
There has been a growing movement towards the use of family therapy methods for the treatment of mental illness in recent years. To determine the facts about this trend, this paper provides a review of the relevant literature concerning family therapy treatment of mental illness in three sections. In Section 1, a discussion concerning the views of O'Hanlon and owan's (2003) and Zeig and Munion (1999) for working with clients with chronic or severe mental illness is followed by an analysis of the extent to which they succeed in making a strong case for "brief therapy" with intensive clients. An assessment concerning the contribution of Milton Erickson to the assessment and treatment of different mental health diagnoses is followed by an analysis of their respective approaches and the corresponding benefits and limitations of each of these models. Section II provides a discussion concerning the…

Continuous production of cortisol may also decrease the availability of tryptophan, the precursor for serotonin, resulting in depression, other mood disorders, and changes in appetite and sleep. Hyperactivity of the stress response has been implicated in the pathophysiology of melancholic depression, anxiety, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, and cardiovascular disease. Conversely, hyporeactivity of the stress response has been associated with disorders such as atypical depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, and obesity (Selhub, 2002).
It has been shown that there is a definite connection between chronic stress and physical and psychological responses in the body. Stress in small amounts is fine, but chronic stress over a long extended period of time has been shown to manifest itself in a number of different physical and physiological aliments. It is believed by many experts that people should take steps to decrease their stress levels in…

In order to treat this condition, patients were hospitalized and given a series of treatments that nearly always included multiple daily dosages of doxycycline. Other treatments included intubation, ventilation, intravenous penicillin (for the patient provisionally diagnosed with leptospirosis), antimicrobial drugs, and digital amputation (for the patient suffering from digital necrosis) (Hanson). Most patients were able to recover after hospitalization for seven days, and continued to be treated for another seven days with doxycycline out of hospital. Other more severe cases were kept hospitalized for two weeks, and in one case, the patient was unable to return to work for two months (Hanson). Multiple tests were performed on each patient in order to determine further infections that may have developed in skin and blood tissues and to discover other common symptoms and effects of this specific disease. It was through these tests that the best treatments for each case were also…

Psychological Reactions: Parents of Children With Life Threatening Illness
This article review will look at a research study that was conducted to determine more precisely what were the effects on parents who were recently given a diagnosis relative to their child that was potentially life threatening. As one might imagine, this can be a stressful situation for any parent. While a reaction that was based on acute stress might seem to be common sense, the research set out to study the phenomena in a systematic way.

Main Findings

At four weeks following a child's diagnosis of a serious illness, 49 -- 54% of parents met DSM-IV criteria for acute stress disorder, across a number of illness groups, whereas 15 -- 27% of parents were in the moderate/severe range for depression and anxiety, and 25 -- 31% for stress. Results from this study demonstrate that rates and severity of these psychological…

social structures exert a definite pressure upon certain persons in the society to engage in nonconformist rather than conformist conduct," (Merton, 1938, p. 672). With his own italics emphasizing the stress and strain that social structures can produce in the individual, obert Merton outlines the basis of strain and stress theories. Stress is a natural part of life; it is how people cope with stress or react to it that matters most. Individual differences in background, situational variables, and also personality and psychological traits can also impact how people deal with stress and respond to stressors. However, some people will naturally encounter more stressors and more strain than others. Merton and other sociologists who recognized the value of strain theory showed how poverty and other structural variables cause stress and strain, and can often be the cause for behavioral problems including criminality. Yet once a person has been labeled a…

Chronic Sorrow
Chronic illness is a concept that was brought to the fore over 40 years ago by Olshansky. The term is used to describe the grief and sadness experience that parents of children with disabilities go through for a lifetime. The intensity of this experience varies from person to person, family member to family member and situation to situation. Olshansky chose to view the phenomenon as a normal and continuous response as opposed to a pathological condition. Experts were encouraged to note the occurrence of the condition when dealing with a parent or a caregiver of a child with disability. They are encouraged to provide support the expressions and feelings of such parents (Peterson & Bredow, 2013, pp. 96-97).

The occurrence of chronic sorrow syndrome was validated by initial research carried out in the 80s. esearchers such as Burke et al. pointed out that the continuous nature of losing…

Chronic illnesses, for instance diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are liable for several deaths that take place in the United States. Primary or causal factors for these illnesses are in general nutritional factors for instance use of tobacco (smoking), poor nourishment, and sedentary living. In particular, this research study attempted to establish the behavioral and medical effect of a therapeutic lifestyle-change intervention on a set of community helpers. The method of the study encompasses 348 participants in a randomized clinical trial between the ages of 24 and 81 years of age. The participants were requested to participate along with their significant other and thereafter randomized as a unit in pairs. The remaining participants were randomized individually as units. This encompassed teaching the participants the significance of making better decisions with reference to their lifestyles. The program results, six months later indicated that the patients had been having better nutrition and had…

Chronic Illness: Coronary Heart Disease
Outline of Coronary Heart Disease

The Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) has been on the increase of late across the globe and this disease, alongside stroke have been the top causes of death in many countries like Australia (Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, 2017). There have been cases of people succumbing to complications occasioned by the CHD hence the need for any medic or clinician to fully furnish themselves with the CHD and the causes and effects as well as how it can be managed.

CHD is a disuse characterized by the development of a waxy substance called plaque building up in the inner walls of the coronary arteries. These are the arteries responsible for supplying oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscles. The buildup of plaque on the inner walls of the arteries results into atherosclerosis and this takes many years to pile up to harmful…

Forces of Healthcare
Numerous forces have changed the way healthcare has developed. Rising healthcare costs, service fragmentation, variable access and quality, poor health, high costs for disadvantaged, social and political conflict, infections, chronic diseases, and emotional and behavioral aspects have all been forces in the development of healthcare in the U.S. (Cunningham, 2003). Consumer awareness, high costs of insurance as well as health services, and chronic illness have been major contributors to the way healthcare has developed over time.

Consumer awareness has raised questions to the service quality of healthcare, more especially compared to the rising costs of the services. As a result, healthcare institutions are being challenged with the way healthcare services get delivered to the patient. Consumers are now more aware of healthcare standards and the way illness should be treated, which challenges the healthcare system in the way that service is delivered in treatment settings. This includes…

Researchers used standard sleep questionnaires to assess sleep problems and characteristics in ADHD (n = 122) and non-ADHD (n = 105) comparison youths. They concluded that ADHD may be one of the consequence of nightmares but is not an outcome of it.
This study is valuable to my study in that it teaches me to be skeptical regarding differentiating between outcome and cause.

4.

StRanjbaran, Z., Keefer, L., Farhadi, a., Stepanski, E., Sedghi, S. And Keshavarzian, a. (2007), Impact of sleep disturbances in inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 22: 1748 -- 1753.

Study showed that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients have significant sleep disturbance even when their disease is not active. This problem might affect quality of life, gastrointestinal symptoms and coping ability, and might potentially increase or decrease disease severity. A self-administered, mail-in questionnaire package was sent to 205 subjects using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index…

chronic disease?
A disease is classified as 'chronic' when it cannot be cured and will last throughout the duration of the patient's life. Type II diabetes is an example of a chronic disease which is on the rise and which can be managed but cannot be entirely 'cured.' Unlike type I diabetes, which typically manifests itself in early childhood as an autoimmune disorder, type II diabetes is caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. "The majority of people (80%) who develop type 2 diabetes are overweight" (Burden 2003).

What two nursing preventions can nurses do for this chronic illness?

Because type II diabetes is classified as a lifestyle-related disorder, treating it requires a change of diet and altering other habitual factors. "The basis of initial treatment is to pay attention to dietary intake and to encourage exercise so as to induce weight loss, the rationale being to improve…

Community Health Education
Obesity response

The aim of every community is to have a healthy society where each individual can carry on with their daily activities with ease and also contribute back to the welfare of the society. This is the target that I aim at in engaging in the community-based programs like the obesity reduction bid among adults. The number of obese adults within the U.S. was pegged at 34.9% between the years 2011 to 2012 and amazingly this was the same prevalence rates experienced between 2009 and 2010, meaning the prevalence rates did not change (CDC, 2013). This is a worrying trend since the adult risk of developing chronic illnesses and subsequent waste of their life in treatment is a real threat. This is one of the central motivating factors for my involvement in the pursuit to ensure the reduction in the number of obese adults and in…

Rather than treat this as a handicap, though, I think it can be used to the advantage to serve my future clients by putting their best interest as the primary consideration in any decision that need to be made.
In terms of value conflict, I don't think there will be any in when providing services to those who are vulnerable. Instead, I believe that the placing the welfare of others above my own is an overarching value that I have in my life, which is essential and should be inherent in any social-work professional and practitioner.

6. What do you consider your personal strengths and limitations in terms of your development as a professional social worker? What qualities do you possess which prepare you for graduate social work (insight, intuitiveness, self-awareness, etc.)?

As a young professional, my drive to continually strive to do something better is a personal strength that…

Biomedicine
Explain how sociological and lay ideas about illness differ from those of biomedicine

Individuals and societies have over the years engaged in identifying the causal factors which can be attributed with an ailment. Illness and its related explanation has been a focal point of health professionals. It is also important to note that the attribution of illness with a specific cause may not be the same in terms of biomedicine and sociological or lay ideas. Sociological ideas tend to lay emphasis on the norms, values and subjective experiences of the individuals as the core elements which formulate their perception about an illness (Blaxter 2010). The layman is more likely to base the explanation of an ailment on social causes rather than exploring the dimensions of the illness through medical explanation. On the other hand, medical professionals (biomedicine) seek causal factors which are linked with the physiological and anatomical aspects…

For elderly patients who have no one to appoint as their proxy, completing a living will that outlines their wishes is preferable to not providing any information at all about care preferences. This is equally so for patients who want to provide their proxy with some guidance about their treatment preferences and end-of-life care wishes, including artificial nutrition, ventilator support, and pain management. A living will (LW) provides specific instructions to health care providers about particular kinds of health care treatment that an individual would or would not want to prolong life. Living wills are often used to declare a wish to refuse, limit, or withhold life-sustaining treatment when an individual is unable to communicate. All but three states (New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan) have detailed statutes recognizing living wills. The usefulness of LWs is limited, however, to those clinical circumstances that were thought of before the person became incapable…

Letter of Intent: Personal Statement
To College of ____ Admissions Committee,

I am applying for the Master's degree in the School of Social Work, because I truly believe that it is my life's calling to make people's lives better by helping them with their daily struggles through practical help and techniques for self-empowerment. This is no easy task for either party, but I believe that if both parties are committed to the task of improvement and the task of making things better, then all things are possible. The strengths that I bring to this endeavor are a full commitment, a tremendous amount of empathy, and practical experience and theories under my belt to work for concerted improvements for other people.

Imagine that you have had the social work career of your dreams. Now, you have retired and written an autobiography.

I've been extremely blessed and fortunate to have a long…

Injustice in the society

he tenacity of Bill's hypothesis of workplace toxins takes a clear significance when it comes to other experiences which together form the narrative reconstruction of the illness genesis that carries a political image of the social world. When it comes to both the illness and the response to it there is the suggestion that there is a world power inequality. Lot of Bill's account highlights some injustices and the world was portrayed as an environment where ordinary people were exploited manipulated and conned by some social powers including doctors, police or bureaucrats.

Reconstruction of social psychology

Bill's reconstruction left out references of his identity as he did not portray any sense of his self-identity. He did not bring out any sense of personal responsibility or any socio-psychological involvement when it comes to the development of his affliction. Social relations are a place where social identity can…

Optimism and Pessimism Relates to Stress and Coping with Cancer
An increasing amount of research links negative and positive emotional states to wellness or ill health. The negative or pessimistic emotions seem to have a negative effect on the immune system and on general health. Pessimism has been shown to be unhealthy and have adverse effects on health, including increasing the risk of cancer and preventing recovery from the disease. On the other hand, positive or optimistic emotions have been shown to strengthen immune function and bring good health. (Gillman, 1989)

There is a wealth of research that suggests optimism has a positive association with better mental and physical health, as well as coping with stress. Pessimism has been linked to a higher risk of death before the age of 65, while positive emotions, like optimism, are linked to lowered production of the stress hormone cortisol, better immune function, and…

Patient Assessment
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT PLAN

Diagnosis and Disease Processes

Using an appropriate patient assessment form (Sample Forms, 2013), D.M. has been found to have uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, uncontrolled hypertension, chronic anemia, and probable hypothyroidism (Sample Forms).

Diabetes Type 2

is most probably on a poorly controlled diet of high cholesterol and high simple sugars. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a metabolic disease wherein the body is not able to properly use ingested food because of insulin resistance. If more simple or refined sugars are consumed, the less the body is able to process them as nutrients. These tend to stay and float in the blood stream, un-used, and in this condition, they cause trouble in the different parts of the body. These include the end organs, such as the brain, the eyes, the kidneys, the heart, and even the feet. A poorly controlled diet and the lack…

Bipolar I disorder is an axis 1 clinical disorder in the DSM-IV and is a serious mental illness that can lead to suicidal ideation or action. The history of bipolar disorder research is a long one, and understanding of the disease has deepened considerably over the last several generations. Diagnosis of bipolar disorder 1 is complicated by its resemblance to other mood disorders, mainly major depression but also psychotic disorders like schizophrenia. esearch is revealing new treatment interventions that are targeted to the biological needs of bipolar patients, as antidepressants are often or usually contraindicated. A Christian worldview suggests that individualized treatment plans take into account the family history and patient's lifestyle when recommending a treatment plan.
History

Bipolar I disorder is a serious mental illness that affects between 1 and 2.5% of the general population in the United States (Ghaznavi & Deckersbach, 2012). The more conservative estimate, 1%, is…

Emergency room usage [...] why African-Americans utilize emergency departments instead of primary doctors. What are the age, gender, and income of the African-Americans that come to E.D? What type of insurance (if any) do they have? Why do they utilize the E.D. (chronic conditions vs. acute conditions)? How is the health system viewed by the African-Americans and what if anything is being done to change and/or correct their conception? What obstacles exist and what accommodations are needed in African-American teaching? The use of emergency rooms by African-Americans is well documented and studied. There are many reasons African-Americans turn to emergency rooms rather than their own primary care physicians, and many ways the United States could turn this healthcare problem around.
Studies have clearly documented that African-Americans on the average receive less health care than whites, and there are several reasons for this dissimilarity in the health care process. One of…

Ulcerative Colitis
Initial presentation

The patient is an 18-year-old of the Filipino-American origin. He has no known family history of ulcerative colitis or chronic illnesses similar to colitis. He is a high school senior student.

Historical information

The patient complains of diarrhoea 3-4 times a month although it has been on and off for one year. There is no known allergy that the patient experiences.

Presenting Symptoms

He experienced rectal bleeding, rectal pain and often had an urgent need to empty his bowels. His diarrhoea had bloodstains with mucus at least once a month. This led to few red blood cells due to the low level of iron, which resulted from the bloody stool. He had belly pains, which he described as cramping and his belly felt sore if touched. He experienced constipation, but it was less frequent than diarrhoea. He had no signs of vomiting or nausea, but he…

Legalization of marijuana has been a controversial topic in the media as of lately. Completely legalizing marijuana would mean allowing just about anyone to have access to it -- of course with some government regulation. However, opponents of this process argue that the health detriments are enough to merit harsher punishments and the complete ban of this substance. Despite opposition to marijuana's legalization, there are many more benefits that need to be taken into consideration before rushing to any particular judgment. Marijuana should be legalized because it will bring a much needed boost to the economy, it has documented health benefits, and it is a safer drug than alcohol and cigarettes, which are already considered to be legal substances (ABC 20/20). In order for the welfare of all of the aforementioned entities to be established, marijuana needs to be legalized.
As of 2012, the states of Colorado and Washington have…

Osteomyelitis in the Diabetic Patient
Management OF OSTEOMYELITIS IN THE DIABETIC PATIENT

Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone or bone marrow which is typically categorized as acute, subacute or chronic.1 It is characteristically defined according to the basis of the causative organism (pyogenic bacteria or mycobacteria) and the route, duration and physical location of the infection site.2 Infection modes usually take one of three forms: direct bone contamination from an open fracture, puncture wound, bone surgery, total joint replacement, or traumatic injury; extension of a soft tissue infection such as a vascular ulcer; or hematogenous (blood borne) spread from other infected areas of the body such as the tonsils, teeth or the upper respiratory system.2(p807) Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli are the most common causative agents of the disease, although viruses, parasites and fungi may also lead to the development of osteomyelitis.3

Patients…

Personal Health History
Yes (Please list medications and reasons for usage below)

Medication

eason for usage

Tiotropium Breathlessness

Emsam Depression

Are you taking any vitamins or dietary supplements?

Yes (If yes then please list supplements and reasons for usage below)

I am taking Vitamin C through consuming multitude of fruits in order to fight muscle spasms, fatigue, and joint pain.

Do you now, or have you had in the past: Yes No

History of heart problems, chest pain or stroke?

Increased blood pressure?

Any chronic illness or condition?

Do you ever get dizzy, lose your balance or lose consciousness?

Difficulty with physical exercise?

Advice from physician not to exercise?

ecent surgery (last 12 months)?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

No

History of breathing or lung problems? No

Swollen, stiff, or painful joints? Yes

Foot problems? No

Back problems? Yes

Any significant vision or hearing problems? No

14.…

Coping With Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Half of all men and one-third of all women in the U.S. will develop cancer during their lifetimes. oday, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. he numbers are dismal; according to most statistical data American's possess almost a fifty percent chance of developing cancer. With these alarming statistics it is unfortunate and inevitable that almost everyone will have to in some way or another learn how face and cope with the depressing hardships and obstacles of cancer. Whether an individual is diagnosed personally with cancer or a friend or family member is, it seems as though all of us at some point in time may have to learn coping mechanisms for this illness.

his paper addresses the various coping techniques that individuals can employ…

Expressive functioning is related to communication such as emotional, verbal, and nonverbal communication, problem solving and roles within the family. Beliefs within the family are also a part of expressive functioning.
For the purpose of the Calgary Family Assessment Model, a family is defined as who they say they are. It is very important that the clinician performing the assessment not assign their own beliefs upon what he or she believes a family is, and take into account what the patient feels about family as to the patient is may mean not only the people who actually live within the household but can also address past, present and future emotional attachments.

Calgary Family Intervention Model:

The immediate family is composed of Mr. Herbert Schelley (the patient), Mrs. Annette Schelley (his wife), and their son Thomas Schelley. The extended family consists of the Schelley's two married daughters, their husbands and their…

The research results will demonstrate that alcoholism is a disease and support this notion with overwhelming evidence.
Conclusion

In short, alcoholism is a major problem for all countries across the world. Alcoholism destroys lives and tears many families apart. The purpose of this argumentative research paper is to demonstrate with supporting evidence that alcoholism is a disease and not a social stigma.

orks Cited

Foroud Tatiana, Howard J. Edenberg, and John C. Crabbe. "Genetic research: who is at risk for alcoholism?." Alcohol Research & Health 33.1/2 (2010): 64-75. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. eb. 9 June 2011.

Organization, orld Health. "Society should focus on reducing the negative impacts of alcohol." Alcohol. Ed. Andrea C. Nakaya. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. eb. 10 June 2011.

"Survey:…

RCT believes that everyone desires growth and that growth is by necessity connective in relational and cultural links. Mutual empathy and mutual empowerment foster these relationships in positive ways. (Jordan, "The role of mutual")
Sigmund Freud and Erik Erickson may arguably be two of the most influential icons in the field of human development and psychology. Their fundamental concept that human's develop over a lifetime and not just in a few stages from birth to adolescence and then are frozen into psychological patterns, revolutionized thinking in the field of developmental psychology. The term Life Span Development came to the fore as Erickson devised his eight stages of psychosocial development ranging from birth to eighty years old. Later as he himself passed eighty he realized that there is yet another stage and the count became nine. (Erikson & Erikson, 1997) One can see the striking resemblance between Erickson and Freud's stages…

The study will also be important to those in the future, because scientists have not yet found ways to cure these chronic illnesses or correct some of these problems that are seen today, and therefore it stands to reason that there will be more people in the future who will have to face the same problems as those with chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries today.
Scope of the Study

The scope of the study is relatively large, simply because there has been a great deal written about chronic illness and injuries from the perspective of the physician and from the perspective of the patient. Both sides are important, although the focus here will remain largely on the patient perspective. Because there are so many people today that suffer from a chronic illness or traumatic injury, much study has been done about these individuals. Despite these studies, however, not a lot…

Social, Cultural, And Political Influence in Healthcare Delivery
Social, cultural, and political inequalities are detrimental to the health and healthcare system of the U.S. This is because the U.S. is one of the most multicultural, overpopulated, diverse and undergoing rapid economic growth. The federal government has embarked on efforts geared at addressing unsustainable costs of health care in the U.S. With the leadership of the current president, Barrack Obama, initiatives of containing health care costs will evaluate and explore strategies to contain the growing costs of health care based on a system-wide while enhancing the value and quality of health care (Ubokudom, 2012). The apparent system of health care is rife with opportunities of minimizing waste, delivering coordinated, effective care, and improving well-being and health of all Americans. The government in collaboration with care providers must prioritize cost effective containment strategies with the greatest possibility for political success and non-partisan…

Patient Eduation
Patients eduation

Patient eduation an be desribed as a proess by whih majorly health professionals and other related stakeholders impart information to patients together with their aregivers so that there an be improvement of health status and also alter health behavior of patients. Those who may be involved in health eduation may inlude physiians, pharmaists, registered nurses, psyhologists, speial interest groups, and pharmaeutial ompanies. Health eduation an also be used as a tool by managed are plans in general preventative eduation and health promotion. Some of the important elements that are supposed to be onsidered when dealing with patient eduation are skill building and responsibility. It is neessary for patients to know why, when and how they are required to make their lifestyle hange. This proess of patient eduation is apable of reduing healthare osts.

Looking at studies pertaining ost ontainment, it shows that patient eduation results to…

This is the strategy used in Canada, where drug costs have been substantially reduced.
The challenges presented by this law have spilled over into the current health-care reform debate. Many people and many legislators who might have been more open to engage in productive dialogue during the current debate were no doubt made more leery of the process and of the possibility that there could be significant reform that would bring benefits to more people while bringing down the federal deficit.

The fears of opponents of the bill were correct in their fears that the bill would been even more expensive than originally budgeted. The initial estimate for the net cost was $400 billion for the period from 2004-2013. However, only a month after the bill's passage, that estimate was raised to $534 billion. It has since been raised to over $550. The cost over-runs in this bill will no…

ange Theory
MID ANGE THEOY OF SPIITUAL WELL BEING

Middle ange Theory of Spiritual Well Being in Illness

Nurse meta-theorists have recently been very much concerned about the different seasons of the patient's life, which has supported and promoted the development of middle range theories in the field of nursing. This is due to the reason that these theories focus on the specific health and illness issues instead of discussing the general issues. These specific health and illness issues focused in the mid range theories are extremely important for the practicing nurses as they spotlight on the particular problem and its solution.

History of Theory Development in Nursing

The practicing nurses started incorporating the nursing theories into their research and practically applying them to real situations during 1970s and 1980s. Majority of the early nursing theories fall in the category of grand theories of nursing because the concepts that described…

Optimal Health and Obesity for Older Adults
In older adults, obesity can aggravate physical function deterioration that comes with age, and result in frailty. However, appropriate obesity treatment in older adults is controversial, owing to decrease of corresponding health risks in relation to increased body mass index (MI) and concerns that loss of weight could potentially have harmful impacts on older individuals. Thus, it is especially vital to take into account therapies for weight loss, and alter one's lifestyle to nutritious food for improving obese older adults' physical function, as well as potentially improving or preventing medical complications linked to obesity. Health promotion strategy at individual and societal levels would enable older adults to adopt a changed and positive lifestyle, in addition to creating awareness among individuals of different age groups to urge older persons to keep up a healthy, nutritional lifestyle.

Introduction

At present, 7% of global population is…

2004: 45).
ecommendations

Many recommend use of minimally invasive techniques including SEPS to treat and address problems related to chronic venous insufficiency (Kalra & Glovisczki, 2002). Multiple studies confirm the safety and efficacy of SEPS when used early, especially resulting from its low complication rates compared with other procedures including the formerly popular Linton procedures (Kalra & Gloiscki, 2002; Lee, et al. 2003; Tenbrook, et al., 2004; Bianchi, et al. 2003).

More randomized clinical trials are necessary however to answer additional questions related to the efficacy of new procedures including SEPS, though this procedures remains important for patients with advanced CVI secondary to PVI or with patients who do not demonstrate other complications including DVT (Kalra & Gloiscki, 2002; Bianchi, et al. 2003).

Wagner-Cox (2005) also notes that it is important for nurses to be considerate, knowledgeable and compassionate toward patients with acute and chronic illnesses, especially when caring for…

Nursing & Humanities, Alice Munro
SLIDES FOR A PRESENTATION OF HUMANTIES AND NURSING: CHRONIC AND TERMINAL CARE ISSUES PRESENTED IN ALICE MUNRO'S "THE DAY OF THE BUTTERFLY," BELLE & SEBASTIAN'S "IT COULD HAVE BEEN A BRILLIANT CAREER," AND TONY KUSHNER'S "ANGELS IN AMERICA"

"The Day of the Butterfly" by Alice Munro is a quiet portrayal of elementary schoolgirls in 1950s Canada learning one of their classmates has a terminal illness.

"It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career" performed by Belle and Sebastian is a song about a young stroke victim and his caregiver.

"Angels in America" is a television-film adaptation of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning play by Tony Kushner, and depicts the AIDS epidemic in 1986 before any cure or medication had been discovered.

FOUR

From the standpoint of a professional Nurse, these artistic depictions of terminal and end-of-life illness teach us emotional lessons about the experience of survivors -- they ask…

Chapter 2:

Review of Related Literature

Chapter Introduction

This chapter provides a review of the literature concerning hypnosis, Eastern Meditation, Chi Kung, and Nei Kung and how these methods are used to treat various ailments and improve physical and mental functioning. A summary of the review concludes the chapter.

Hypnosis

In his study, "Cognitive Hypnotherapy in the Management of Pain," Dowd (2001) reports that, "Several theories have een proposed to account for the effect of hypnosis. State theories assume that the hypnotic trance is qualitatively different from all other human experiences. From this perspective, trance capacity is supposedly a fairly stale trait that exhiits sustantial individual differences. Nonstate theories, often referred to as social learning, social psychological or cognitive-ehavioral theories of hypnosis propose that hypnotic phenomena are related to social and psychological characteristics such as hope, motivation, expectancy, elief in the therapist, desire to please the therapist, a positive initial…

…Occupational Stress and Scientific MonitoringLiterature eview2.1 IntroductionThe definition of the term occupational stress is derived from the definition of its two constituent words. In this context, occupational refers to anything that is related to the workplace while stress is defined as a natural body reaction from physical, mental or emotional strain in an individual. Thus, occupational stress can be defined as any mechanism by which the body attempts to adapt to the workplace environment. These include normal mechanisms for dealing with workplace stress, commonly known as the fight or flight response as well as any expected or unexpected reactions in response to the workplace. These include eyestrain because of staring at computer screens for too long, emotional and physical stress, depression, anxiety, aggression, cognitive impairment such as degraded memory or reduced concentration span, etc. All of these reactions can lead to poor work output, increased employee turnover, higher absenteeism, cardiovascular…

The viruses that cause AIDS (HIV) and hepatitis can be carried in clotting factors however there have been no documented cases of such transmission in about ten years. Prevention of viruses can be prevented by: careful screening of donors; testing of donated blood products; treating donated blood products with a detergent and heat to destroy viruses (Hemophilia 2006). Both preventive and as-needed therapy can be administered at home, thus resulting in quicker treatment, fewer doctor or emergency room visits, and less costs. Vein access devices can be surgically implanted to allow easier access to a vein however infections can result from such devices (Hemophilia 2006).
All patients with bleeding disorders may benefit at times from using aminocaproic acid, an oral antifibrinolytic medication that helps stabilize clots (Curry 2004). Aminocaproic acid is the only product available in the United States in oral form, however it is not user-friendly, with dosing every…

Modality and Public Health
Naturopathic medicine is a system for primary healthcare described as a science, an art, philosophy and the practice of diagnosing, treating and preventing illnesses. This is usually practiced by registered or licensed naturopathic physicians (Meadows, 2013). Naturopathic medicine is a tradition which is science-based which promotes the wellness of patients through the identification of unique aspects of every patient and then employs natural therapies that are non-toxic in order to restore their psychological, physiological as well as structural balance. Naturopathic medicine is not usually defined by the type of substances that are used rather it is defined by principles which underlie and therefore determine its practice (The Healing Arts Center, 2010). These principles include; the healing power that exists in nature, finding the cause of illnesses, causing no harm to patients, treating the whole person, prevention of illnesses and doctors acting as teachers to patients. Naturopathic…

2008).. This points to the ethical responsibility of nurse educators -- it is not enough to treat the disease, bit one must treat the patient.
Failure to provide the proper level of education to a patient is certainly one way to fail them both ethically and medically, bit the opposite can also be true. That is, it is possible to provide too much care -- what is deemed "medically futile care" -- and this also raises very serious ethical issues in the realm of respiratory illnesses (Sibbald et al. 2007). This particular stuffy found that insufficient communication among the medical team was one of the primary causes for prolonging futile care, which often means increasing and/or prolonging a patient's discomfort without any reasonable expectation of an improvement in their condition (Sibbald et al. 2007).

The ethical choice here, of course, is to end care (with the consent of the patient…