Sunday, May 3, 2020

Osteogenesis Imperfecta free essay sample

Osteogenesis Imperfecta was a severe, congenital genetic disorder which can cause the human bones to be extremely delicate. This disease is caused by a mutation(whether it be deletion or duplication) in chromosome 17q21, 31-q22, 7q22. 1, which are the chromosomes that help the body produce the proteins to make collagen, which is what makes bones and muscles strong. Because of the body not being able to create collagen, the bones become very brittle and can increase the risk of fracture by a substantial amount. The lifespan of those with Osteogenesis Imperfecta differs due to how severe the disease is. The physical features of those with the OI are short stature, triangular shaped face, breathing problems, some hearing loss, brittle teeth, and bone deformities. Brittle Bone disease is relatively rare, with about 20,000-50,000 US citizens currently living with the disease. Though children with OI generally become stronger and fractures occur less often as they age, in women, it may become active again during and after menopause. There are four types of OI; Type 1 is the most common and least mild, Type 2 is the most severe form of the disease, Type 3 has other physical complications(such as respiratory issues, deafness, etc. ) and the infant is usually born with fractures, and Type 4 is a less severe form of Type 3 but more severe than type 1. Often, cases of OI go undiagnosed, but simple testing can help to diagnose the disorder before worse things can happen. Type of Research There has been much research on OI and its patients and for cures, and not many have been actually discovered. There have been different ways to help with the pain that comes with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Medical Bisphosphonates could be given to the patient, which help strengthen the bones, but doesn’t fully cure the patient. Patients may only receive the medicine under extensive medical care. Bracing and casting is another alternative to help with the fractures(as well as pain medication for pain). This is usually for fractures but should be worn longer than typical patients because the healing process is longer for OI patients. Another way to strengthen the bones is light exercise. After you get a fracture, swimming or walking can help strengthen the bones(unless the patient is unable to walk because of the severity of the OI). For the more severe cases of Osteogenesis Imperfecta, medical operations may be the only option. Placing rods in curved bones, such as severely deformed limbs may be an option. This also is not an actual cure and more surgeries could result from doing so. This may also be for bones that don’t heal properly or repeated fractures in the same bone. Spinal fusion may also be an option for severe Scoliosis, because braces made for Scoliosis may cause the ribs to become deformed and in turn, causing the Scoliosis to worsen over time. Spinal fusion is the surgery of straightening out the spine and fusing the bones together to stop the Scoliosis from worsening over a long period of time. Though both procedures can help with OI, they DO NOT cure the disease in full. Scientific Investigation Osteogenesis Imperfecta can be tracked and even diagnosed by going through the families medical history. Other tests can be performed, as well, such as simple xrays to show fractures or thin bones which can indicate OI. A DXR scan can also be done to determine bone density, which plays a major role in Osteogenesis Imperfecta. DNA Blood tests are the most accurate to determine whether a child has OI or not. This shows all the genes and can show the actual mutation in the gene. A normal female Karyotype found on Google Images. There have been many legal issues with the rare disease. Many children have been taken away from their parents because of xrays showing the fractures. Without proper testing for the disease, families have been torn apart because of CPS getting involved because of the xrays showing multiple fractures or fractures that healed improperly and blaming it on the parents. The bones in the child with Brittle Bone Disorder are much weaker than those of children without the disease. With this being said, even the strongest bones can be broken fairly easily. Rib fractures, skull fractures, humorous and femur fractures can be mistaken as child neglect. The doctors often overthink the fact that it could actually be OI and directly assume that it could be child abuse. Relevance Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a rare, genetic disorder that not many people know about. It can be life threatening and needs to be treated as soon as they are diagnosed. Undiagnosed patients(children) more often than not, get suspected as child neglect. No family should be torn apart because of a disease that can be tested for with a simple blood test. People need to know that this is a serious disease that has no known cure to this day. If more tests get done on children before the law gets involved, that’s another family that can keep their child from being accused of child abuse. Not only that, but this disease is congenital. You are born with this disease whether you like it or not. It is very serious and needs more reorganization. If more people would learn about Osteogenesis Imperfecta, there could be more research done to find a cure. Though it is rare, every day, more research could always be done. The sooner a cure can be found for this awful disease, the sooner children won’t have to live with OI.

Friday, March 27, 2020

Saving Sourdi Essay Example

Saving Sourdi Paper â€Å"Saving Sourdi† by Mailee Chai, is a story of a women name Sourdi , where her life is been arranged for marriage to a husband who will provide a lifestyle suitable to raising a family. However, she was provided with a good environment to raise their children in, and a strong man who will support their needs financially. As a young child Sourdi was really close to her younger sister Nea; They talked about things every night before going to bed. Exclusively their relationship had fell down the Drain. When Sourdi, reached time for her to become a woman. She was arranged to get married to a man named Chhay, and moves out. Even though Nea didn’t like the whole situation, she had to deal with it. The fact her sister detached from her, and they barely see each other. When Nea answers one of Sourdi’s phone call one night, Sourdi Sound like she was crying. When Nea asked what happened , she ignored her question and asked for her mom. Nea got suspicious thinking Mr. Chhay had hit her sister. So Nea gets Sourdi ex-boyfriend and told him everything, but never mentioned that she never told Sourdi she was coming over, to see what was going on. We will write a custom essay sample on Saving Sourdi specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Saving Sourdi specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Saving Sourdi specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When Nea and Sourdi ex-boyfriend Duke arrived at Sourdi place, Nea sat there, waiting for a sign to go in. When Nea got in Sourdi’s House. Sourdi was surprised because, she was not expecting any company over. Nea saw a bruise in Sourdi’s face. At that moment Nea thought Mr. Chhay had hit Sourdi. Duke made a big movement by knocking Mr. Chhay in the mouth. But later on, they found out that the baby diapers had fell on her face. And the reason she was crying on the phone for mama because she was pregnant with another baby, and didn’t know what to do. When that was settled Nea was satisfied and went home.

Friday, March 6, 2020

The Southern Cult - Southeastern Ceremonial Complex

The Southern Cult - Southeastern Ceremonial Complex The Southeastern Ceremonial Complex (SECC) is what archaeologists have called a broad regional similarity of artifacts, iconography, ceremonies, and mythology of the Mississippian period in North America between about 1000 and 1600 CE. This cultural melange is thought to represent a Mississippian religion evolved at Cahokia on the Mississippi River near modern day St. Louis and spread via migration and diffusion of ideas throughout southeastern North America, impacting existing communities as far-flung as the modern states of Oklahoma, Florida, Minnesota, Texas, and Louisiana. Key Takeaways: Southeastern Ceremonial Complex Common Names: Southeastern Ceremonial Complex, Southern CultAlternatives: Mississippian Ideological Interaction Sphere (MIIS) or the Mississippian Art and Ceremonial Complex (MACC)Dates: 1000–1600 CELocation: throughout the southeastern U.S.  Interpretation: Major towns with mounds and rectangular plazas spread from Oklahoma to Florida, Minnesota to Louisiana, connected by broad-based religious activities and trade in copper, shell, and potteryShared Symbols: Morning Star/Red Horn, Underwater Panther Mound Cities The SECC was first recognized in the mid-twentieth century, although it was then called the Southern Cult; today it is sometimes referred to as the Mississippian Ideological Interaction Sphere (MIIS) or the Mississippian Art and Ceremonial Complex (MACC). The multiplicity of names for this phenomenon reflects both the significance of the similarities placed on it by the scholars, and the struggles those scholars have had trying to pin down the processes and meanings of an undeniable wave of cultural change. Etowah Mound B, Georgia, Mississippian Civilization. Kare Thor Olsen Commonality of Traits The core components of the SECC are repoussà © copper sheet plates (basically, three-dimensional objects cold-hammered out of copper), engraved marine shell gorgets, and shell cups. These objects are decorated in what scholars call the Classic Braden figural style, as it was defined by archaeologist James A. Brown in the 1990s. The Classic Braden style focuses on the winged anthropomorphic being known colloquially among archaeologists as the birdman, depicted on copper plates and worn as headpieces or breastplates. The birdman symbol is nearly a universal component at SECC sites. Other traits are found less consistently. Mississippians typically, but not always, lived in major towns centered around four-sided plazas. The centers of those towns sometimes included large raised earthen platforms topped by pole and thatch temples and elite houses, some of which were cemeteries for elites. Some of the societies played a game with disc-like pieces called chunkey stones. Artifacts of shell, copper, and pottery were distributed and exchanged and copied. Common symbols on those artifacts include the hand-eye (a hand with an eye in the palm), a falconid or forked eye symbol, a bi-lobed arrow, the quincunx or cross-in-circle motif, and a petal-like motif. The Peach Tree State Archaeological Society website has a detailed discussion of some of these motifs. Shared Supernatural Beings The anthropomorphic birdman motif has been the focus of much scholarly research. The birdman has been connected to the mythical hero-god known as Morning Star or Red Horn in upper midwest Native American communities. Found on repoussà © copper and shell etchings, versions of the birdman seem to represent anthropomorphized bird deities or costumed dancers associated with warfare rituals. They wear bi-lobed headdresses, have long noses and often long braids- those traits are associated with masculine sexual virility among Osage and Winnebago rituals and oral traditions. But some of them appear to be female, bi-gendered or genderless: some scholars note wryly that our Western concepts of the duality of male and female are hindering our ability to comprehend the meaning of this figure. Version of the Underwater Panther on a Mississippian Bowl from Moundville. CB Moore, 1907 In some communities, there is a shared supernatural being called the underwater panther or underwater spirit; the Native American descendants of the Mississippians call this being Piasa or Uktena. The panther, Siouan descendants tell us, represents three worlds: wings for the upper world, antlers for the middle and scales for the lower. He is one of the husbands of the Old Woman Who Never Dies. These myths strongly echo the pan-Mesoamerican underwater serpent deity, one of which is the Maya god ​Itzamna. This is remnants of an old religion. Reports by the Conquistadors The timing of the SECC, which ended at (and maybe because) the period of initial Euroamerican colonization of North America, gives scholars a vision albeit corrupted of the effective practices of the SECC. The ​16th century Spanish and the 17th century French visited these communities and wrote of what they saw. Further, echoes of the SECC are part and parcel of a living tradition among many of the descendant communities. A fascinating paper by Lee J. Bloch discusses his attempt to describe the birdman motif to Native American people who live in the vicinity of the SECC site of Lake Jackson, Florida. That discussion led him to recognize how some of the entrenched archaeological concepts are just wrong. The birdman is not a bird, the Muskogee told him, its a moth. One clearly evident aspect of the SECC today is that, although the archaeological concept of a Southern Cult was conceived as a homogenous religious practice, it was not homogenous and probably not necessarily (or entirely) religious. Scholars are still struggling with that: some have said it was an iconography that was restricted to the elites, to help cement their leadership roles in the far-flung communities. Others have noted that the similarities seem to fall into three categories: warriors and weaponry; falcon dancer paraphernalia; and a mortuary cult. Too Much Information? The irony is, of course, that more information is available about the SECC than most other massive cultural changes recognized in the past, making it harder to pin down a reasonable interpretation. Although scholars are still working out the possible meanings and process of the Southeastern Cultural Complex, it is eminently clear that it was a geographically, chronologically, and functionally variable ideological phenomenon. As an interested bystander, I find the ongoing SECC research a fascinating combination of what you do when you have too much and not enough information, which promises to continue to evolve for some decades to come. Mississippian Chiefdoms in the SECC A few of the largest and better known Mississippian mound cities include: Cahokia (Illinois), Etowah (Georgia), Moundville (Alabama), Spiro Mound (Oklahoma), Silvernale (Minnesota), Lake Jackson (Florida), Castalian Springs (Tennessee), Carter Robinson (Virginia) Selected Sources Blitz, John. New Perspectives in Mississippian Archaeology. Journal of Archaeological Research 18.1 (2010): 1–39. Print.Bloch, Lee J. The Unthinkable and the Unseen: Community Archaeology and Decolonizing Social Imagination at Okeeheepkee, or the Lake Jackson Site. Archaeologies 10.1 (2014): 70–106. Print.Cobb, Charles R., and Adam King. Re-Inventing Mississippian Tradition at Etowah, Georgia. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 12.3 (2005): 167–92. Print.Emerson, Thomas E., et al. Paradigms Lost: Reconfiguring Cahokia’s Mound 72 Beaded Burial. American Antiquity 81.3 (2016): 405–25. Print.Hall, Robert L. The Cultural Background of Mississippian Symbolism. The Southeastern Ceremonial Complex: Artifacts and Analysis. Ed. Galloway, P. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1989. 239–78. Print.Knight, Vernon James Jr. Farewell to the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex. Southeastern Archaeology 25.1 (2006): 1–5. Print.Krus, Anthony M. , and Charles R. Cobb. The Mississippian Fin De Sià ¨cle in the Middle Cumberland Region of Tennessee. American Antiquity 83.2 (2018): 302–19. Print. Meyers, Maureen. Excavating a Mississippian Frontier: Fieldwork at the Carter Robinson Mound Site. Native South 1 (2008): 27–44. Print.Muller, Jon. The Southern Cult. The Southeastern Ceremonial Complex: Artifacts and Analysis. Ed. Galloway, P. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1989. 11–26. Print.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Medical Legal Aspects Of Medical Records Term Paper

Medical Legal Aspects Of Medical Records - Term Paper Example The book brings one to the recognition of the changes in the documentation process that was caused by changes in technology. The book clearly talked about the disadvantages of implementing electronic medical records in the documentation of medical records. It raises the issues that are faced with the electronic medical records and also talked about the privacy, security and confidentiality issues that the electronic medical records have. It also talked about the forensic issues that the electronic system has, explaining that the failure to authenticate the data is a common problem with the electronic medical system. There are also some operational issues with the system as the authors made this very clear in the book. Electronic medical records can create problems for an attorney as they can easily spread information about controversies surrounding a particular patient. The strengths of the book are that it does not only cover medical issues, but goes a step further in highlighting t he forensic issues in the documentation of medical records. The authors took a critical look at the examination of medical records that were found as a result of forensic examination. The weakness of the book is that there is no real or central focus as the authors talked about many issues leaving the reader confused about what the real issue is.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Health and Wellness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health and Wellness - Essay Example The cost of cancer, the dreaded disease, is about half that amount. In the past few decades, obesity has increased by 100 percent among children and adolescents (Stevens, 2003). Overweight is not just about looks but it also encompasses a wide array of medical as well as emotional problems. The major risks related to overweight are poor quality of life and the reduction of life span due to diseases. Some of the medical consequences include diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, arthritis and cancer. The psychological consequences of overweight include disrupted self image, depression and lack of confidence. Hence, it is essential to creatively think how a physical exercise and nutrition wellness lifestyle would improve life Before we get into the details of physical and nutritional aspects of lifestyle it is essential to think what are the important lifestyle factors that play a large role in maintaining good health Positive health habits include: 7 to 8 hours of good sleep each night; healthy eating habits; maintaining a healthy weight; regular physical exercise; avoiding alcohol, smoking and drug abuse; performing self-examinations frequently; and 6 to 8 glasses of water each day (Assess Nutrition and Wellness, N.D.). Physical activity and nutrition have been identifi... Research conducted around the world has demonstrated the benefits of an active lifestyle and sound nutritional practices. The first major benefit that greatly influence an individual is the prevention of chronic diseases as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, as well as several forms of cancer (Nutrition Exercise & Wellness, 2005). Secondly, it is not only a benefit to individual but it is an economic gain for the entire nation as healthy people means healthy nation. 2. Two specific daily/weekly actions you can take toward your goal Unhealthy eating habits can cause long-term health consequences. Poor habits, lack of accurate information, and peer pressure can cause many individuals to jeopardize their health. Accurate information about nutrition and good decision-making skills will help them to improve their health now and for the future. It would be easier to ensure a healthful diet by relying on food supplements such as pills, liquids, or powders that contain purified nutrients in specific amounts. However, common man may find it difficult to buy expensive supplements. Hence, planning an appropriate diet with sufficient quantities of proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber is essential. One can sit with a dietitian to find out the specific need and plan accordingly. Physical exercise is an important step for having a healthy life. Regular exercise will help individuals to reduce weight and have a good physic. Health professionals advise to lose weight gradually i.e. approximately two pounds per week in weight loss is maximum recommended (Assess Nutrition and Wellness, N.D.). This can be achieved through proper exercise and planned diet. 3. Time lines for implementing your action

Monday, January 27, 2020

Effective Intervention Reduce Alcohol Consumption In College Students Nursing Essay

Effective Intervention Reduce Alcohol Consumption In College Students Nursing Essay Heavy alcohol consumption among college students remains a concern across colleges and universities in the United States. Approximately 80% of all college students drink, including nearly 60% of students ages 18 to 20 (Johnston, OMalley, Bachman, Schulenberg, 2008). Even more troubling, 40.1% of full-time college students underage for legal drinking engage in binge drinking and 16.6% of students engage in heavy drinking (National Survey on Drug Use and Health [NSDUH], 2006). Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days, bringing a persons blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 or above (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [NIAAA], 2004;NSDUH, 2006). Consuming five or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days is considered heavy drinking (NSDUH, 2006). All heavy alcohol users are also binge alcohol users. Many colleges and universities have implemented numerous initiatives ranging from enhanced enforcement to deferred community-wide celebratory events, but with little or no success (Turner, Perkins, Bauerle, 2008). College counselors and health education centers have been the main source of counseling for students who consume alcohol. Students have the opportunity to meet with counselors to discuss their alcohol use and their interest in moderating alcohol consumption and receive personalized normative feedback, advice, and behavioral strategies for avoiding alcohol-related harm (Barnett, Murphy, Colby, Monti, 2007). Although this traditional method is still used by counselors, advances in technology are allowing counselors to use new and innovative methods to educate students on the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption. Key programs include wireless devices, e-interventions, and cybercounseling. Wireless devices provide counselors with an interactive method of reducing drinking and alcohol consequences in college students. They range from mobile devices such as cell phones and handheld computers to audience response technology, or clickers (Bernhardt et al., 2009; Killos, Hancock, Wattenmaker McGann, Keller, 2010; Labrie, Hummer, Huchting, Neighbors, 2009; LeGreco, Hess, Lederman, Schuwerk, LaValley, 2010; Turner et al., 2008). Compared to one-on-one counseling sessions, easy accessibility and the ability to assess a group of students during one session are advantages of using this intervention model. The use of such technology varies, but the outcome is the same- providing fast and accurate assessments about college students own drinking habits and the drinking habits of their peers (Bernhardt et al., 2009; Killos et al., 2010; Labrie et al., 2009; LeGreco et al., 2010; Turner et al., 2008). Mobile devices would alleviate the need for pen and paper assessments. The Handheld Assisted Network Diary (HAND) is an effective and valid method of evaluating daily drinking among college students (Bernhardt et al., 2009). Rather than counselors expecting a student to complete a daily assessment and have them return it to them after 30 days, counselors can have students record this same data on mobile devices. Although more students are likely to complete a pen and paper assessment than HAND, Bernhardt et al. (2009) found no significant difference between the two methods when students recorded their total drinks, number of drinking days, and drinks per drinking day. This suggests that those students who did complete HAND were comfortable with using the device and provided accurate information similar to those who completed pen and paper assessments. The difference in completion rates between the two methods is due to the design of HAND; students have a particular time-frame to comp lete the days assessment and are locked out of their devices at a predetermined time. This inhibits students from completing missed assessments. The disadvantage of students self-reporting data in the HAND should not diminish its advantage of being able to be completed daily with little deviation from a students active lifestyle (Bernhardt et al., 2009). Although HAND may sound promising, it should be noted that Bernhardt et al. developed this program and any of their published results may be biased. Audience response technology, commonly known as clickers, is a second type of wireless device used by counselors and health educators. Clickers are used in group interactive-feedback alcohol education sessions to decrease students perceived norms of how much other students drink (Killos et al., 2010; Labrie et al., 2009). During these sessions, a counselor or health educator would ask a group of students a series of multiple choice questions pertaining to their own drinking habits and their perception of their peers drinking habits. Students can then simultaneously respond and have their answers recorded and displayed to the group in graphical form. Killos et al. (2010) found that students who attend at least one of these sessions are more likely to believe that the typical student drinks less alcoholic beverages than perceived; those who do not attend such sessions are more likely to over-perceive the amount of alcohol a typical student consumes. This demonstrates that group clicker sessions are effective in positively influencing students beliefs about their peers drinking behaviors (Killos et al., 2010). Clicker sessions are practical because they can be designed for any variety of student groups including resident assistants, freshmen orientation groups, and high-risk drinkers such as Greeks and athletes (Killos et al., 2010). Labrie et al. (2009) examined the effectiveness of one type of group intervention, brief live interactive normative group intervention (BLING), on collegiate athletes. During a one-month follow-up after the clicker session, athletes showed evidence of changes in perceived norms, leading to changes in their own drinking habits; no further changes were seen at a two-month follow-up (Labrie et al., 2009). This suggests that clicker sessions are a fast and effective model for educating students. Clicker sessions have expanded to include two-way communication models promoting health and encouraging dialogue, rather than the original one-way communication from facilitator to student. Lets Talk About It, for example, is a simulation game engaging students about decision-making and drinking on a college campus (LeGreco et al., 2010). It was created to generate, identify, and challenge the social norms that students utilize to construct and reconstruct reality through narrative sharing, facilitated learning, and inter-student dialogue. A scenario prompt about going to a party with a friend was given to a group of students and they were asked what they would do in a particular situation (e.g. your drunk best friend is about to leave with a boy she just met). LeGreco et al. (2010) concluded that facilitators can encourage students to complete the story of a night of drinking, filling the gaps with personal experiences, choices, and narrative details by utilizing incomplete scenario s. The advantage of using programs like this is that simulations can provide a safe place for individuals to critically examine their more risky behaviors and experiment with different possibilities for healthy changes (LeGreco et al., 2010). Wireless devices are intended to expose the truth about perceived norms of college drinking. Although the studies mentioned above have shown the effectiveness of these devices, particular limitations cannot go unnoted. The major concern is that these programs only evaluated the short-term effects of the devices, whether it was 30 days or 2 months. More research is needed to examine any maintained changes and long-term effects of using wireless devices as an alcohol intervention in college students. Another concern is attendance and participation rates. During the clicker sessions, the response results that are presented back to the students could be misleading if a handful of students do not respond to any of the questions. Since this is a device that is intended for rapid responses, facilitators would be spending unnecessary time trying to figure out which clickers did not answer any of the questions. E-interventions Computer programs are changing the way college students are learning about the dangers of heavy drinking. Aside from changing perceived norms, these programs are increasing students readiness to change their drinking behaviors (Chiauzzi, Green, Lord, Thum, Goldstein, 2005; Moore, Soderquist, Werch, 2005; Murphy, Dennhardt, Skidmore, Martens, McDevitt-Murphy, 2010; Walters, Miller, Chiauzzi, 2005). Electronic interventions, or e-interventions, are directing students away from face-to-face counseling sessions and more towards self-education with personalized feedback and preventative interventions (Chiauzzi et al., 2005; Doumas Andersen, 2009; Murphy et al., 2010). Counselors may be wary about assessing students drinking behaviors outside of a traditional office visit. Moore et al. (2005) addressed this as they studied the feasibility and efficacy of a binge drinking prevention intervention for college students via the internet. Students were sent either four email-based newsletters or four identical print-based newsletters in the mail. In each web newsletter, there was a link to a short process-evaluation survey. Mail newsletters had a hard copy of the survey that would be mailed back. A greater percentage of students receiving the email-based newsletter completed the process-evaluation surveys than did the students receiving the print-based newsletter (Moore et al., 2005). This could be explained by many reasons, including easy accessibility and convenience. Students who are receiving the newsletter via email are already online and can simply click on the links; the other students would have to take the time to complete the surveys and mail t hem back. Interestingly, Moore et al. (2005) observed that the greatest results in decreasing the number of drinks per occasion and the number of occasions feeling drunk were seen in binge drinkers. Students and counselors alike would benefit from using an email-based intervention. Students are comfortable with internet communications and it is fast and convenient; for counselors, the intervention is cheaper than printing materials, assessment results are easy to enter, and there is a higher response rate from students (Moore et al., 2005). E-interventions are different from all other types of interventions because they rapidly give students personalized feedback (Bersamin, Paschall, Fearnow-Kenney, Wyrick, 2007; Chiauzzi et al., 2005; Doumas Haustveit, 2008; Doumas Andersen, 2009; Murphy et al., 2010; Thombs et al., 2007; Walters et al., 2005). These programs provide students with personalized information as part of the intervention or the intervention itself. Most programs rely heavily on educational content, providing text information about the physical, social, and behavioral effects of alcohol in the form of interactive games and quizzes (Walters et al., 2005). Electronic Checkup to Go (e-CHUG) is a 15-minute intervention designed to reduce high-risk drinking by providing personalized feedback and normative data regarding drinking and its consequences. High-risk students who had access to e-CHUG reduced their weekly drinking quantity by approximately 30% compared to a 14% increase in students who did not have access to e-CHUG (Doumas Andersen, 2009). There was also a 30% reduction in reported alcohol-related problems for high-risk students in the e-CHUG group in comparison with an 84% increase in reported alcohol-related problems for high-risk students in the control group (Doumas Andersen, 2009). MyStudentBody (MSB) provides students with tailored motivational feedback about high-risk drinking according to gender (Chiauzzi et al., 2005). Both students having access to MSB and those who did not have access were asked to complete 4 weekly 20-minute sessions. The respective websites was available for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so students had flexible access. Chiauzzi et al. (2005) saw a significant decrease in the number of binge episodes in a typical week among all participants and a rapid decrease in the average consumption among persistent heavy drinkers who had access to MSB. Thombs et al. (2007) were the first to study normative feedback on the basis of a known blood-alcohol concentration. At night in the residence halls, freshmens BAC would be measured and recorded. The next day, these students were directed to a website where they found their BAC measure from the night before, the average BAC of the residence hall, and interactive activities. The results, however, were unexpected. BAC levels were lower in the residence hall that just had access to their own BAC level (Thombs et al., 2007). This could have been due to a number of reasons. The most practical reason, though, is that some students may have either increased their drinking on some nights or avoided providing data on nights they did not drink (Thombs et al., 2007). These automated interventions reflect the contributions of mailed self-help and in-person approaches. However, the advantage of the computer is the ability to provide much more information upon demand (Walters et al., 2005). As new programs are being developed, some questions remain unanswered. Although there is no clear relationship between the length of the intervention and its effectiveness (Walters et al., 2005), it is still unclear as to what type of information makes a difference and which approach is most relevant to college students. E-interventions have given counselors and students much to enjoy, but there is evidence that computer-based interventions are not as effective as in-person interventions with a counselor (Barnett et al., 2007; Carey, Henson, Carey, Maisto, 2009; Croom et al., 2009). These studies compared Alcohol 101 Plus with traditional brief motivational interventions (BMI). Students participating in the BMI were found to reduce drinking and related consequences (Carey et al., 2009). Similarly, at a 12-month follow-up from the initial intervention, students using a computer-delivered intervention were consuming a greater number of drinks per occasion than at baseline (Barnett et al., 2007). E-interventions focus on preventative measures and providing personalized feedback. Throughout the literature on these programs, researchers have noted a few limitations. The most commonly noted limitation is the inability to generalize the effectiveness of e-interventions. The students that are more likely to use such programs are those who report binge drinking and heavy drinking. Also, some students may find this type of intervention adequate, while others would prefer meeting with a counselor and work collaboratively on how to reduce their drinking habits. A second limitation is similar to that of the wireless devices. These studies on e-interventions only examined immediate and short-term effects of the program on alcohol reduction. Research with longer follow-ups would be ideal to examine the consistency of the students changed behaviors. Third, consideration should be given to the willingness of the university to invest in these computer programs. Lastly, concern arises with t he possibility of computers and the programs either malfunctioning or crashing. This could result in delayed feedback for students and loss of data for counselors. Cybercounseling Little, if any, research has examined the use of cybercounseling in reducing college drinking. Cybercounseling is the practice of providing professional counseling and information to clients when both are in separate or remote locations and they utilize electronic means to communicate over the Internet (Maples Han, 2008). E-mail, electronic bulletin boards, and chat rooms are all forms of cybercounseling. Counselors and students alike see the disadvantages of cybercounseling as outweighing the advantages. Maples Hans (2008) make it clear that communication by e-mail could pose a number of potential ethical concerns regarding the protection of students privacy. For instance, email accounts are prone to being hacked and the information between counselor and student could be compromised. Also, the absence of verbal and nonverbal cues in cybercounseling makes miscommunication between counselor and students more common (Maples Han, 2008). Proper assessment and interventions become non-existent when there is uncertainty about what is being said. This is especially true for counselors. Counselors are prone to use informal language while instant messaging with students; students are more likely to decrease their perceptions of the counselor as an expert and trustworthy (Haberstroh, 2010). Lastly, instant messaging is time consuming, especially if the student, the counselor, or both are slow typers (Haberstroh, Parr, Bradley, Morgan-Fleming, Gee, 2008). This creates a time-lag between responses that can lead to being distracted and slowing the pace of the session. Summary Excessive college drinking remains a national concern across all college and universities. Technology has made it possible for counselors to expand on the models of interventions used to educate college students and prevent heavy drinking. A few of these new interventions include wireless devices such as cell phones, smart phones, and handheld computers, clickers, and computer programs. Each method provides a unique, interactive experience for both the counselor and the student. Wireless devices are typically used to expose the truth about perceived norms of college drinking, while e-interventions are more focused on preventative measures and providing personalized feedback. With all technology, there exist flaws. One such flaw is seen in cybercounseling. Too many potential problems exist that the disadvantages of cybercounseling outweigh the advantages. Conclusion Technology is rapidly advancing and colleges are trying to keep up with it so that it may provide fresh solutions to existing problems such as alcohol consumption among college students. The programs that are available today vary in their purpose and their efficacy. Counselors need to consider what they want to use the intervention model for and then further research how they can get the most out of that particular intervention. E-interventions are the most popular alcohol prevention interventions; thousands of colleges and universities have implemented such programs among freshmen orientation groups and collegiate athletes. The reason for its popularity is that it is inexpensive, fast, and easy to use. Since an array of computer programs and software already exist, researchers today should be focusing on how to use these programs in the most efficient way possible. This includes studying the required length of the intervention to be effective and when the best time would be to use s uch programs.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Stopping Injustice

In â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† Martin Luther King Jr. claims â€Å"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere†. This statement is accurate because unfairness or wrongness done to one person or a group of people directly, affects all indirectly. In World War 2 Adolph Hitler wanted to clear Germany of all Jews and turn Germany into a communist country. The injustice that was happening in Germany was spreading across Europe. Eventually other countries like Italy and Russia were under the influence of communism. This injustice was spreading across Europe . The United States found this to be unjust and had to interfere because they found this to be a threat to them. If there is injustice anywhere, there is an immense possibility of it spreading, thus affecting everyone and everywhere. Another example of this is the Gulf war. This war was between Iraq and an alliance organized by a number of countries. Iraq tried to take over a piece of Persia because of its rich oil supply. The United States sent a lot of support to Persia. Even though the US didn’t have anything to do with Persia but, they took the first step to defending Persia from Iraq. They believed that a country’s borders should be respected and felt that if they did not get involved in stopping Iraq from invading Persia, and allowed this injustice to happen in Persia, the rest of the world might soon follow taking over other countries by force. So Iraq’s injustice to Persia was a threat to justice everywhere else in the world. A further example would be bullying in school. Bullying would be seen as injustice that goes on in schools. In the 4th grade, a teacher did not punish a student for hitting and making fun of another student. The teacher should have stopped this injustice but because this student went free, other students started to bully the same student that had been bullied before and eventually bullying had spread across the school. In this case, injustice was not stopped in one classroom and eventually spread across the whole school. In these examples injustice was seen as a threat to others and was stopped, but when it wasn’t injustice spread and affected justice. These instances prove that Martin Luther King Jr. s quote is accurate.