How Gender Group Health Can Be Improved In Regards To Ageing - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2852 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Medicine Essay Type Critical essay Level High school Did you like this example? Choose one gender group and critically discuss how their health outcomes can be improved in regards to ageing. Introduction Wound infection post-surgery, now preferably known as Surgical Site Infection (SSI) refers to infections at or near a surgical site within 30 days after surgery or within one year, if the procedure involved insertion of an implant (Illingworth et al., 2013; Owens and Stoessel 2008). While definite statistics of the incidence of SSI are complicated given the gamut of surgical procedures, environment and patients, available data indicate that SSI contributes to more than 15% of reported Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) for all patients and about 38% for surgical patients (Campbell et al., 2013; Owens and Stoessel, 2008; Reichman and Greenberg, 2009). Also, data from across Europe indicate that, depending on surgical procedure and/or surveillance methods used, incidence of SSI may be as high as 20% for all surgical procedures (Leaper et al., 2004). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "How Gender Group Health Can Be Improved In Regards To Ageing" essay for you Create order Although, HAIs generally, and SSI are relatively less common in Orthopaedic surgery, compared with other surgical procedures (Johnson et al., 2013), however, when they do occur, osteo-articular infections for example, can be very difficult to treat, with significant risk of lifelong recurrence (Faruqui and Choubey, 2014). SSI leads to significantly higher costs of care from longer hospital stays; it poses a major burden on healthcare providers and the healthcare system, jeopardises the health outcomes of patients and remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality despite improvements in surgical procedures and infection control techniques (Owens and Stoessel, 2008; Tao et al., 2015). Consequently, understanding evidenced-based approaches to reduce/prevent incidence of SSI has attracted significant interests from researchers, healthcare administrators and policy-makers. This essay intends to review current best-practices in prevention of SSIs and to offer recommendations for future practice within orthopaedic settings. Rationale This review of best practices in the prevention of SSI following orthopaedic surgery is underpinned by two major reasons. One, despite the considerable improvement in surgical procedures and techniques in most orthopaedic settings, SSI negatively impact on patient outcomes and imposes significant cost on the healthcare system. According to a case-control study reported by Owens and Stoessel (2008), patients who suffer SSI are more likely to require readmission to hospital and have more than double the risk of death compared to patients without SSI. In addition, the median duration of hospitalisation required due to SSI was put at 11 days and the extra cost to the healthcare system estimated at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬325 per day (Owens and Stoessel, 2008). Two, the prevention of SSI is hardly straightforward. Given the wide range of factors that modify the risk of SSI, a bundle approach with systematic attention to multiple risk factor is required for any effective prevention of SSI (UÃÆ'à ‚ §kay et al., 2013). Thus, by undertaking a state-of-the-art review of orthopaedic SSI prevention techniques/processes, this essay may contribute towards better orthopaedic surgery outcomes for patients and providers. Prevention of SSI in orthopaedic surgery: Best Practices According to the Health Protection Agency (2011), the most common pathogenic organisms responsible for surgical wound infections in orthopaedic surgery include methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Coagulate negative Staphylococci (CoNS), Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus spp, Pseudomonas spp, Stretococcus spp as well as occasional cases of unspecified diphtheroids of the Corynebacterium spp. and other gram-positive organisms. Moreover, SSIs can be categorised into superficial incisional, deep incisional and organ space SSI (Reichman and Greenberg, 2009). Superficial incisional SSI refers to infection that involves only skin and subcutaneous tissue at the point of incision; deep incisional SSI refers to infection of the underlying soft tissues, while organ space SSI refers to infection involving organs or organ spaces that were opened or manipulated during the surgical procedure. Since the risk of ending up with SSI a nd the specific type of SSI suffered are determined by factors related to the patient, procedure and hospital environment, current best-practices and guidelines for preventing SSI can be broadly elaborated under these categories. Patient-related Practices Existing patient conditions like diabetes mellitus, obesity and/or rheumatoid arthritis have been associated with increased risk of SSI (Illingworth et al., 2013; Johnson et al., 2013). As part of effective patient management, pre-operatively, current body of evidence recommends aggressive glucose control for diabetes patient to reduce the heightened risk of infection due to hyperglycaemia pre or post-surgery. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, corticosteroids and anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy have been argued to delay wound healing and increase risk of infection. However, the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) recommends that in deciding whether to cease these medications for such patients, pre-surgery, the potential benefits of preventing post-surgery infection should be balanced with the risk of disease flare, pre-surgery (Dixon et al., 2006; Luqmani et al., 2006). In addition, orthopaedic surgery for patients who currently smoke or are obese (BMI above 30kg/ m2) should be delayed (until smoking cessation/loss of weight) to reduce the risk of SSI. For example, a randomised, controlled study reported that smoking cessation for just 4 weeks significantly reduced the odds of incisional SSI (Sorensen et al., 2003), while Namba et al. (2005) reported significantly higher odds of SSI in obese patients (35kg/m2) undergoing total hip and knee replacement surgery, compared with patients that were not obese. Screening patients for presence of MSSA and MRSA and subsequent decolonisation is one of the most recommended techniques for preventing SSI. Staphylococcus aureus colonisation is reportedly found in the nares of about 30% of healthy individuals (Kalmeijer et al., 2002). This nasal carriage of both methicillin sensitive/resistant S. aureus have been demonstrated as a significant risk factor for SSI. Kelly et al. (2012) reported a significant drop in SSI from 2.3% to 0.3% with the use of intranasal mupirocin and triclosan showers to decolonis e patients before orthopaedic surgery. Also, a review of eight randomised controlled trial by van Rijen et al. (2008) reported that the use of mupirocin significantly reduced the incidence of MRSA and MSSA associated SSI. However, guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2008) recommends a combination of nasal mupirocin and chlorhexidine showers for patient decolonisation while UÃÆ' §kay et al. (2013) indicated that available evidence from orthopaedic literature suggests that S. aureus screening, decolonisation and shower constitute a cost-saving, effective strategy to reduce the incidence of SSI in orthopaedic surgeries. Surgical Procedure-related Practices Preoperative preparation of skin before incision is one of the major avenues to prevent SSI (Kelly et al., 2012). However, there is no consensus on what antiseptic agent offers the most effective protection against SSI. While NICE (2008) guidelines suggest that both aqueous and alcohol based preparations e.g. povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine are suitable for skin preparation, Darouiche et al. (2010) and Milstone et al. (2008) have raised concerns about the development of bacterial resistance to chlorhexidine. These studies report the relative superiority of 2% chlorhexidine mixed with 70% isopropyl alcohol, while some experts have suggested increasing the chlorhexidine concentration to 4% or the use of 10% povidone-iodine (UÃÆ' §kay et al., 2013). Nevertheless, povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine still remain the gold standard for preoperative skin preparation. Also as part of skin preparation, NICE recommends that hair should only be removed if necessary, should be done immedia tely before surgery and with electronic clippers, not razor blades. Recent evidence suggests that use of razor blades can sometimes result in microscopic skin cuts that may act as foci for micro-organisms colonisation, thus increasing the risk of infection (Owens and Stoessel, 2008). Preoperative administration of antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce the risk of surgical wound infection is widely accepted for surgery in orthopaedic settings, including bone trauma. Several large scale studies have demonstrated that antibiotic prophylaxis, when administered properly, help reduce tissue contamination, during surgery, to levels that do not overwhelm the patients immune system, and thus, can reduce the risk of SSI by up to 75% (Chen et al., 2013; Faruqui and Choubey, 2014; Illingworth et al., 2013; UÃÆ' §kay et al. 2013). However, NICE (2008) recommends that potential adverse effects, optimal dosage and most effective time for administration pre-operatively should be carefully consider ed to maximize the benefit of antibiotic prophylaxis. UÃÆ' §kay et al. (2013) believe that first or second generation parenteral cephalosporins are sufficient in most cases, except in cases of skin colonisation with MRSA, in which case glycopeptide antibiotics may be more effective. However, this should be considered in relation to individual patients allergy history. UÃÆ' §kay et al. (2013) also recommend that 30mins à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 1hr before incision is the idea time to administer prophylaxis. While this is generally accepted, NICE (2008) recommends that prophylaxis may be given earlier in procedures where a tourniquet is used. In addition to minimising the risks from the skin and endogenous flora of the patient, the surgical team must also strive to reduce chances of contamination from either their person, the tools used or the procedure itself. NICE (2008) recommends that every member of the surgical team must thoroughly scrub before wearing surgical gown and gloves . There is growing support for double-gloving and frequent glove-changing to reduce the risk of contamination from tiny punctures in surgical gloves that often go unnoticed during surgery. While evidence in support of double-gloving and/or frequent glove-changing intra-operatively as a strategy for reducing risk of SSI remain inconclusive, Widmer et al. (2010) conclude that the practice is supported by expert opinion, especially for lengthy procedures. Moreover, excellent surgical techniques are crucial in preventing SSI. For example, maintaining effective haemostasis while preserving adequate blood supply, removal of devitalized tissues, eradication of dead space(s), gentle handling of tissue and effective management of surgical wound postoperatively can all help reduce the chance of SSI (UÃÆ' §kay et al., 2013). Hospital Environment-related Practices The CDC and World Health Organization recommend that doors to the operating room should be kept closed and traffic kept to a minimum to reduce potential contamination of surgical sites (Tao et al., 2015). To achieve this, essential equipment and tools should be stored in the operating room. In fact, Health Protection Agency (2011) suggest that frequency of operating room door opening is a positive predictor of increased bacterial count in the operating room. Airflow in the operating room is another modifier of SSI risk. Vertical or horizontal laminar-flow ventilation systems have been advocated for orthopaedic surgery to achieve ultra-clean air within the operating room and reduce airborne contaminants. Although evidence supporting the effect of laminar airflow systems on SSI risk remains inconclusive, the reduction in airborne contaminants is perhaps an added advantage (Owens and Stoessel, 2008; Reichman and Greenberg, 2009). Lastly, constant surveillance is an important part o f preventing SSI. By following up on patients post-operatively and reporting appropriate data to the surgical team, surgical decisions can be improved upon based on historical records (SkrÃÆ' ¥mm et al., 2012). Moreover, surveillance ensures that cases of SSI are identified early and treated before complications arise. Data from surveillance could also form the basis of evidenced-based decision making on facility specific service improvements to reduce incidences of SSI and improve outcomes for all concerned (SkrÃÆ' ¥mm et al., 2012). Recommendations This essay have reviewed current knowledge on surgical site infection and strategies to reduce its incidence. It is pertinent to state that despite the various precautions elaborated above, complete eradication of surgical site contamination is almost impossible as some endogenous micro-organisms always remain and environmental factors cannot be totally eliminated. To reduce incidence of SSI to the barest minimum, the following are recommended: It is crucial to adopt a bundle approach that ensures that patient, procedure and facility related factors are controlled for as much as possible. While improving surgical and care delivery is always crucial, surveillance and data collection should also promoted to ensure that changes/improvements in procedures and facility practices are evidenced-based New technologies and strategies are continually been developed to reduce complications like SSI and improve outcomes for patients, it is important to always stay on top of these developments to ensure that orthopaedic surgeries are not only evidenced-based but contemporary, achieving the best outcome possible for all parties. Conclusion Surgical site infection (SSI) poses a significant challenge to patients undergoing orthopaedic surgeries, the surgical team as well as the healthcare system in general. SSI negatively impact patient outcomes and imposes unnecessary demand on healthcare resources. Fortunately, much of the burden associated with SSI can be avoided. This review identifies the multitude of patient and procedure-related factors that modify SSI risk and highlights various evidence-based strategies to mitigate these risks. The paper demonstrates that there is consensus in the literature that by screening and subsequent decolonisation of patients, administering antibiotic prophylaxis, ensuring that surgical tools, equipments and garments are properly sterilised and the operating room is free of airborne contaminants, cases of surgical wound infection in orthopaedic surgeries can be effectively prevented. Bibliography Campbell, K. A., Phillips, M. S., Stachel, A., Bosco Iii, J. A. and Mehta, S. A. (2013) Incidence and riskfactors for hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection among inpatients in an orthopaedic tertiary care hospital. Journal of Hospital Infection, 83(2), pp. 146-149. Chen, A. F. M. D. M. B. A., Wessel, C. B. M. L. S. and Rao, N. M. D. (2013) Staphylococcus aureus Screening and Decolonization in Orthopaedic Surgery and Reduction of Surgical Site Infections. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 471(7), pp. 2383-99. Darouiche, R. O., Wall, M. J., Itani, K. M. F., Otterson, M. F., Webb, A. L., Carrick, M. M., Miller, H. J., Awad, S. S., Crosby, C. T., Mosier, M. C., AlSharif, A. and Berger, D. H. (2010) Chlorhexidineà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"Alcohol versus Povidoneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"Iodine for Surgical-Site Antisepsis. New England Journal of Medicine, 362(1), pp. 18-26. Dixon, W. G., Watson, K., Lunt, M., Hyrich, K. L., Silman, A. J. and Symmons, D. P. M. (2006) Rates of serious infection, including site-specific and bacterial intracellular infection, in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving antià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"tumor necrosis factor therapy: Results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register. Arthritis Rheumatism, 54(8), pp. 2368-2376. Faruqui, S. A. and Choubey, R. (2014) Antibiotics Use in Orthopaedic Surgery; An Overview. National Journal of Medical and Dental Research, 2(4), pp. 52-58. Health Protection Agency (2011) Sixth report of the mandatory surveillance of surgical site infection in orthopaedic surgery, April 2004 to March 2010. in,London: Health Protection Agency. Illingworth, K. D., Mihalko, W. M., Parvizi, J., Sculco, T., McArthur, B., el Bitar, Y. and Saleh, K. J. (2013) How to minimize infection and thereby maximize patient outcomes in total joint arthroplasty: a multicenter approach: AAOS exhibit selection. The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume, 95(8), pp. 1. Johnson, R., Jameson , S. S., Sanders, R. D., Sargant, N. J., Muller, S. D., Meek, R. M. D. and Reed, M. R. (2013) Reducing surgical site infection in arthroplasty of the lower limb: A multi-disciplinary approach. Bone and Joint Research, 2(3), pp. 58-65. Kalmeijer, M. D., Coertjens, H., van Nieuwland-Bollen, P. M., Bogaers-Hofman, D., de Baere, G. A. J., Stuurman, A., van Belkum, A. and Kluytmans, J. A. J. W. (2002) Surgical Site Infections in Orthopedic Surgery: The Effect of Mupirocin Nasal Ointment in a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 35(4), pp. 353-358. Kelly, J. C., OBriain, D. E., Walls, R., Lee, S. I., ORourke, A. and Mc Cabe, J. P. (2012) The role of pre-operative assessment and ringfencing of services in the control of methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus infection in orthopaedic patients. The Surgeon, 10(2), pp. 75-79. Leaper, D. J., van Goor, H., Reilly, J., Petrosillo, N., Geiss, H. K., Torres, A. J. and Berger, A. (2004) Surg ical site infection a European perspective of incidence and economic burden. Int Wound J, 1(4), pp. 247-73. Luqmani, R., Hennell, S., Estrach, C., Birrell, F., Bosworth, A., Davenport, G., Fokke, C., Goodson, N., Jeffreson, P., Lamb, E., Mohammed, R., Oliver, S., Stableford, Z., Walsh, D., Washbrook, C., Webb, F., Rheumatology, o. b. o. t. B. S. f., British Health Professionals in Rheumatology Standards, G. and Group, A. W. (2006) British Society for Rheumatology and British Health Professionals in Rheumatology Guideline for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (the first two years). Rheumatology, 45(9), pp. 1167-1169. Milstone, A. M., Passaretti, C. L. and Perl, T. M. (2008) Chlorhexidine: expanding the armamentarium for infection control and prevention. Clin Infect Dis, 46(2), pp. 274-81. Namba, R. S., Paxton, L., Fithian, D. C. and Stone, M. L. (2005) Obesity and perioperative morbidity in total hip and total knee arthroplasty patients. J Arthroplasty, 20(7 Suppl 3), pp. 46-50. National Institutte for Health and Care Excellence (2008) Surgical site infections: prevention andention and treatmenttreatment. Clinical guideline. in,Manchester: NICE. Owens, C. D. and Stoessel, K. (2008) Surgical site infections: epidemiology, microbiology and prevention. Journal of Hospital Infection, 70, Supplement 2, pp. 3-10. Reichman, D. E. and Greenberg, J. A. (2009) Reducing Surgical Site Infections: A Review. Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2(4), pp. 212-221. SkrÃÆ' ¥mm, I., Ã…Â  altytÄ— Benth, J. and Bukholm, G. (2012) Decreasing time trend in SSI incidence for orthopaedic procedures: surveillance matters! Journal of Hospital Infection, 82(4), pp. 243-247. Sorensen, L. T., Karlsmark, T. and Gottrup, F. (2003) Abstinence from smoking reduces incisional wound infection: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Surg, 238(1), pp. 1-5. Tao, P., Marshall, C. and Bucknill, A. (2015) Surgical site infection in orthopaedic surgery: a n audit of peri-operative practice at a tertiary centre. Healthcare Infection, 20(2), pp. 39-45. UÃÆ' §kay, I., Hoffmeyer, P., Lew, D. and Pittet, D. (2013) Prevention of surgical site infections in orthopaedic surgery and bone trauma: state-of-the-art update. Journal of Hospital Infection, 84(1), pp. 5-12. van Rijen, M., Bonten, M., Wenzel, R. and Kluytmans, J. (2008) Mupirocin ointment for preventing Staphylococcus aureus infections in nasal carriers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, (4), pp. Cd006216. Widmer, A. F., Rotter, M., Voss, A., Nthumba, P., Allegranzi, B., Boyce, J. and Pittet, D. (2010) Surgical hand preparation: state-of-the-art. J Hosp Infect, 74(2), pp. 112-22.

Mental Illness, Schizophrenia, And Eating Disorders

Like physical illnesses, mental illness is on a scale of severity. Although more than roughly 60 million Americans have some form of a mental illness a small amount actually seek or are given treatment. The statistic most often quoted is that one in four adults and one in five children will have a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. (What is Mental Illness? n.d.). The overall stigma that comes along with a mental disorder is still one of the biggest barriers that prevents those from obtaining treatment or retaining their treatment. â€Å"While there are over 200 classified forms of mental illness, the five (5) major categories of mental illness are: Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychotic Disorders, Dementias, and Eating Disorders.† (What is Mental Illness? n.d.) We all of come across anxiety in various forms throughout the routine of our day to day activities. However, the mechanisms that regulate anxiety may break down in a wide variety of circumstances, leading to excessive or inappropriate expressions of anxiety. An anxiety disorder may exist if the anxiety experienced is disproportionate to the circumstance, is difficult for the individual to control, or interferes with normal functioning. More than 19 million American adults are affected by an anxiety disorder. Children and adolescents also develop anxiety disorders. People with anxiety disorders also have other physical or mental disorders such as: depression, eating disorders,Show MoreRelatedMental Health And Social Work. Mental Health Social Workers1659 Words   |  7 PagesMental Health and Social Work Mental health social workers provide prevention, remedies, and healing of many mental illnesses, by working with the client as well as their family. This type of social work has been on the rise due to an increase in mental illnesses. Three examples of a mental illness are as follows: schizophrenia, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Those are just a few examples out of many, but with mental illness, you can be sure that a social worker is not farRead MoreParental Mental Illness And Eating Disorders Essay946 Words   |  4 PagesParental Mental Illness and Eating Disorder in Offspring, Bould and other researchers (2015) presented a study which investigated the causal relationship between parental mental illness of specific types and eating disorders in their offspring (p. 383). In addition to the data from a longitudinal record-linkage study of children resided in Stockholm County in Sweden from 2001 to 2007, Bould et al. (2015) used the eating disorder status of the children and their parental mental illness informationRead MoreMental Illness And Mental Health Essay936 Words   |  4 PagesMental health is being successful in doing mental functions resulting in being able to form relationships with other people, getting things done and having the ability to work around problems and stress. Your mental health can affect how you think, act and feel. Over the years of your life, your mental health is shaped by the events that you have experienced such as abuse or trauma. Having a healthy mind is just as important as having a healthy body. Conversely, just like how you can get a diseaseRead MoreThe Psycological Theory Behind The Black Swan1122 Words   |  5 Pagesrelationship which would in Psychological terms deal with attachment. There are also theories behind eating disorders and stress which could cause mental disorders and personality disorders. Are mental illnesses and personality disorders the same? Watching the movie with differen t theories in mind, I believe that we can roll all the theories into one and come up with one Psychological illness or diagnoses. First let’s start with a quick plot of â€Å"Black Swan.† Nina is a talented ballet dancerRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness With Information1007 Words   |  5 PagesFighting the Stigma of Mental Illness with Information When describing the brain, it can be labeled as many things but not one-dimensional or simplistic. This is an organ that we find hard to understand because, oddly enough, we have a brain that isn’t wired well enough to understand itself. What makes our brain so complex? Is it the billions of neurons or the trillions of synapses that make up all of our mental connections? The three pound mass in your skull is bursting with power. It comes completelyRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Health Stigma1178 Words   |  5 Pagesmany a stigma is a disgraceful flaw, that of a negative presence. In mental health this stigma is overwhelming. Approximately 57.7 million Americans experience a mental health disorder in any given year. (National Alliance on Mental Illness) People in dire need of help are not seeking it. Mental illnesses are going undiagnosed. The mental health stigma is having a negative impact on the proper diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. A stigma can simply be defined as a mark of disgrace associatedRead MoreIs Schizophrenia A Mental Illness?1726 Words   |  7 Pages SCHIZOPHRENIA Kennya Castro â€Æ' Schizophrenia is a mental illness that plagues about 1 out of every 100 Americans. Despite this fact, most of the general public remains ignorant to the basic pathology of the disease and the mechanisms of identifying and treating it. It is considered by some to be a â€Å"scary† mental illness and is often ignored, when compared to the other equally serious and caustic ones like Generalized Anxiety Disorder (also referred to as GAD), ADHD, and Chronic Depression. ThisRead MoreMental Illness And Theodicy Arguments1063 Words   |  5 PagesMental Illness and Theodicy Arguments Millions of Americans are affected with mental illness each year. Mental illness is very serious disorder and can get worse if left untreated. It can make it difficult for people to cope with everyday life and it can interfere with sleep and eating habits. Mental illness can affect anyone whether it ranges from mood disorders or even anxiety. The cause of mental illness is unknown but chemical imbalances in the body can trigger stress and even trauma, it canRead MoreA Research On Schizophrenia And Anorexia Nervosa1269 Words   |  6 Pagespsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder (MDD), post-dramatic stress disorder (PTSD), anorexia nervosa, and substance dependence. Even though the review article covers five types of mental disorders, I’m going to focus on schizophrenia and anorexia nervosa. Overtime, research has shown a robust relation between the social environment and the prevalence of mental illness. In large western cities, like NYC, there is a higher frequency in those that have schizophrenia, increasedRead MoreAdolescence Is A Special Stage Of Development1685 Words   |  7 Pagespsychophysiological disorders have a few types. The diathesis stress that the genetic predispositions to develop certain illness. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle.Some techniques to control stress is personal control, self-efficacy, personal organization and time management. In chapter five the author describe the different types of mental illness, what causes metal illness, the symptoms and treatments of common mental illness,categories of mood disorders, symptoms

A Firearms Violence on Teens Free Essays

Despite nationwide gun-free school laws that prohibit possession of a firearm on or near the property of a public or private school, students are bringing guns to school and using them against their fellow students and teachers with increasing frequency. What possesses these students to gun down their classmates? How are these students getting access to firearms? Who is ultimately responsible for these tragedies? What stresses contribute to these shootings? And how are parents and educators missing the warning signs that these children have reached the breaking point? Over the past few years, there have been an astronomical number of school shootings across the country, sending policy makers, parents, teachers, and other concerned citizens into a tailspin. These events are becoming more frequent and have shattered the sense of safety that children should have when they are in school. We will write a custom essay sample on A Firearms Violence on Teens or any similar topic only for you Order Now Shootings by students, some as young as 10, have occurred at sickeningly regular intervals in urban towns like Pearl, Mississippi, Jonesboro, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Tennessee and most recently Littleton, Colorado, where 12 students and 1 teacher lost their lives at the hand of two teen shooters who took their own lives. Firearm violence falls second only to automobile-related deaths, as the leading cause of injury-related death, in the United States. By the year 2003, firearm fatalities are projected to become the United States leading cause of injury-related death, unless the violence is curbed. In 1991, Texas and Louisiana saw firearm fatalities surpass automobile fatalities, and Virginia and Nevada also have continued this trend. In fact, the firearm death rate is increasing faster than any other cause of death except AIDS related fatalities. Recent public attention has focused on the problem of gun violence in the nation†s schools. A 1994 Gallup poll of Americans, for the first time, fighting, violence, and gangs have moved to the top of the list to tie with lack of discipline as the biggest problem facing schools. It is difficult to determine what effect the threat of violence has upon the learning of each student, but clearly education takes a back seat to one†s own sense of security and well being. According to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, one in 20 high school students carry a gun and one in five students would tell a teacher if he or she knew of another student carrying weapons to school. Theories differ about where young people get their guns. School security experts and law enforcement officials estimate that 80% of the firearms students bring to school come from home, while students estimate that 40% of their peers who bring guns to school buy them on the street. The United States has weaker firearm regulations and higher numbers of deaths involving firearms than all other industrialized nations. The greatest tragedy of gun violence is the tremendous numbers of children and youth killed or injured each year by firearms. These numbers continue to increase at alarming rates. According to Gunfree.Org, in 1985, the number of firearm homicides for youth 19 years and younger was 1,339, in 1995, it was 2, 574. In 1995, guns accounted for 84% of homicides of persons 13 to 19 years of age. Averages of 14 youth each day are killed by gunshots. A group studying juvenile violence in Multhomah County, Oregon identified the inadequate response of the juvenile justice system to students expelled for possessing weapons in schools, the need for additional efforts to detect weapons, and anti-violence education in schools as primary concerns. We must, as a society, recognize that there is a cycle of violence and that violence breeds more violence. There is no single answer to the problem of violence. A multi-faceted approach is needed. Prevention must be a priority. According to a ‘Public Health† Approach, recognition of three levels of prevention activities is essential: Primary prevention: These are interventions directed at people who have no obvious risk factors for development of violence. An example would be teaching grade school children to deal constructively with anger and conflict. Secondary prevention: These activities are directed to those who show clear-cut risk factors for violence. An example would be training in anger management for people who have a history of arguments or fighting. Tertiary prevention: These activities are directed toward minimizing the danger caused by those who have displayed violent behavior. Examples include interventions to allow gang-established patterns of serious or repeated violence. Any approach to violence must include education carried out in various ways and settings including collaboration among community groups, businesses, the schools, and government. Most of all, the parents must get involved. Schools offer the opportunity to reach a substantial percentage of the youth population and teach them skills aimed at the reduction of violence. Teachers are able to identify early on problem youth and families. Schools represent an important site to convey the message of society against weapons and violence. An important part of the anti-violence prevention strategy aimed at all youth is increasing the efforts to detect weapons in schools. While schools are already vigilant about responding to individuals when specific knowledge is available about weapons possession, this approach has not addressed concerns and perceptions that a number of weapons are present in schools undetected. Expanding the commitment to zero tolerance for weapons in schools would also better communicate to youth community standards, assuming that adequate consequences are in place. Most weapons are found through reporting by a concerned student. Such reporting should be praised. The National School Safety Center offers a checklist derived from tracking school-associated deaths in the United States from July 1992 to the present. Through studying common characteristics of youth who have caused such deaths, the following behaviors are a sampling of indicators of a youth†s potential for harming him/herself or others: History of tantrums and uncontrollable angry outbursts. Habitually makes violent threats when angry. Has previously brought a weapon to school. Has a background of drug, alcohol or other substance abuse or dependency Preoccupied with weapons, explosives, or other incendiary devices. Little or no supervision and support from parents or a caring adult. Reflects anger, frustration, and the dark side of life writing projects. Often depressed or has significant mood swings. Following the horrific shooting in Littleton, President of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Michael Beard, remarked, â€Å"As a country, we must do a better job of protecting young people. We must turn of the flow of guns into our communities. This is an adult problem that deserves an adult response. It is our responsibility.† If we, as adults, do not step forward and take action to prevent even one more senseless act of violence, the youth of today will never have a tomorrow. How to cite A Firearms Violence on Teens, Essay examples

Is Downloading Free Music from the Internet Unethical Essay Example For Students

Is Downloading Free Music from the Internet Unethical? Essay Is Downloading Free Music from the Internet Unethical? Copyright infringement is not a new issue. The issue has been debated in court since the development of the VS.. In Sony Corp.. V. Universal City Studios, the court ruled that the sale of copying equipment was legal because the VS. was capable of substantial infringing uses. (Hairbrush) The issue with music sharing is that its only purpose is a copyright infringing act. New advancements in technology have always made life faster, easier and more convenient. Theyve also had their share of court cases, which have defined rules and set guidelines for future cases. When trying to determine if downloading music from an online source is ethical, one must look at various court cases throughout the years to understand the history of the issue. The following court cases could help one make such a decision. A Records vs.. Anapest (2001) Their activities were ruled to be inductive to financial gain from illegal infringement. (Laws. Com) MGM Studios, Inc. . Grosser, Ltd. (2005) Providers of Software thats designed to enable file sharing of copyrighted works may be held liable for the infringement that takes place using that software. (Copyright. Gob) Arises Records LLC v. Lime Group LLC (2006) By distributing and maintaining Limier (they) intentionally induced direct infringement by users. (Gavin) Victim Vs.. Google (2007) Youth was not liable for infringement because it removed unauthorized videos when informed about them. Jeffrey) The consensus of previous court hearings seems to be that free music downloads are unethical because the artists are not being paid for their work. This however, has not deterred other websites from offering free music downloads. Tensions have eased substantially, as Youth has set up an automated system to detect and block infringing videos and has signed revenue-sharing agreements with more than a thousand media companies. I believe that original websites like Anapest, who didnt pay royalties to copyright owners, were unethical.