Community Health Nursing Assessment

Community Health Assessment of 78382 Chamberlain College of Nursing NR-443 Fall Session, November 2012 Audrey L. Hendrix Community Health Assessment of 78382 Introduction In an effort to promote the health needs within a community, a successful community health nurse (CHN) must focus on the entire population. In order to accomplish this task, the CHN utilizes a scientific approach to determine the priority population focused health needs for the community.According to Nies & McEwen (2011), a population focus involving an assessment of the community is a primary tool utilized in order to develop planning, interventions, and evaluations for the community at large. The purpose of this paper is to determine a priority health problem of a specific community based on demographic data, epidemiological data, and a windshield survey of the community. Community Data Zip code 78382 is the official postal identification for the city of Rockport, Texas. Rockport is the county seat of Aransas Coun ty.Rockport is a Texas Gulf Coast community located on Live Oak Peninsula between Copano and Aransas Bay on State Highway 35. Named for the rock ledge that lies underneath the coastal shore, Rockport was founded after the Civil War as a cattle slaughtering, packing, and shipping port. This industry continued until the late 1800’s when boatbuilding and fishing began to develop into important industries. After the railroad came to Rockport, tourism and the resort business began to thrive (Shukalo, 2005). After the turn of the century, a major hurricane almost destroyed the entire community.Recovery from this devastating natural disaster was slow but by the late 1920’s the community once again began to thrive. At that time, shrimping became a major industry within the community. Throughout the next four decades, the community continued to grow with the main sources of commerce remaining in the areas of fishing, shrimping, and tourism. Today Rockport is a favorite vacation spot known as the Texas Riviera. Major sources of commercial life today in Rockport are the restaurant and motel industries (Shukalo, 2005). Demographic and Epidemiological DataThe estimated population of Rockport is 8,846 compared to 25,674,681 for the state of Texas. The age breakdown for the population is 5% under the age of 5, 17. 9% under the age of 18, 28. 3% over the age of 65 and 51. 7% female. The state of Texas is 7. 7% under the age of 5, 27. 3% under the age of 18, 10. 3% over the age of 65 and 50. 4% female (U. S. Census Bureau, 2012). Caucasian is the largest ethnic group in Rockport at 88. 7%, African-American at 1. 5%, American Indians at 0. 7%, Asian at 2. 4%, Native Hawaiian at 0. 1% and Hispanics at 20. 8%. The state of Texas lists Caucasians at 70. %, African-Americans at 11. 8%, American Indians at 0. 7%, Native Hawaiian at 0. 1% and Hispanics at 45. 3% (U. S. Census Bureau, 2012). Currently 14. 7% of the population over the age of five in Rockport does not spe ak English in the home setting, 87% of the population over the age of 25 is a high school graduate, and 32. 3% over the age of 25 has a bachelor’s degree. In comparison, the state of Texas lists 34. 2% over the age of five that do not speak English in the home, 80% over the age of 25 with a high school diploma, and 25. 8% over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree (U. S. Census Bureau, 2012).Per capita income in Rockport is $30,513 compared to $24,870 for the state of Texas. The median income per household is $44,487 and the state of Texas is $49,646. Individuals living below the poverty level in Rockport are 17. 6% of the population compared to 16. 89% for the state of Texas (U. S. Census Bureau, 2012). Current infant mortality in Rockport is 4. 2 per 1000 live births compared to six per 1000 live births for the state of Texas. Adult obesity is 26. 6% of the population in Rockport and 10. 7% of the population is diabetic. Childhood obesity is 23. 3% of the Rockport p opulation compared to 32. % in the state of Texas (Kaiser Health News, 2012). In 2002, Aransas County was listed as one of the top 10 dirtiest counties in Texas due to air pollution from a local chemical plant (Scorecard, 2012). Windshield Survey Within the community, a large amount of individuals are visible. Many are entering convenience stores and some are standing in the parking lot areas talking. A variety of ages is noted and the two major ethnic groups in the community, Caucasian and Hispanic, are the two that are the most visible. Many of the individual are overweight or obese. Some are well dressed while others are disheveled in appearance.Pregnant women are visible as well as women with small children. The general condition of the homes in Rockport is diverse. Many of the homes are multi-million dollar structures while others are dilapidated and in need of serious repair. People seen in the downtown area are walking but away from that area, most people are travelling in ca rs. Some people are travelling on bicycles or golf carts in designated areas. Three areas of public housing are noted but there are no visible signs of public transportation. Numerous campaign signs are visible throughout the entire community.One adult day care and two child day centers are noted during the survey. Two grade schools, one middle school, two private church schools, and one high school are seen during the survey. Many of the homes in the neighborhoods in the area are dirty and in need of repair. The yards are full of garbage and items such as old appliances, empty beer cans, and cars on blocks. Some of the roads are in need of repair and almost too narrow for two cars to traverse safely. Most of the business buildings have handicapped ramps leading up the sidewalks. Parking lots have handicapped parking and the doors have handicapped buttons.One large park is noted during the survey but the park was sparsely populated during the survey. Very few children are visible du ring the survey. Numerous full service restaurants as well as fast food facilities are seen throughout the community. Rockport has no hospital but there is one emergency care clinic. Two dialysis centers, one assisted living facility, and three long-term care centers are noted. Two physical therapy facilities are also seen during the survey as well as three dentist offices. While driving throughout the neighborhoods, very few children are seen outside playing.No neighborhood watch signs are visible in any of the neighborhoods. Numerous churches are seen throughout the entire community. No evidence of gang activity, drug abuse or alcohol abuse is visible during the survey. One herbal shop is located in the downtown area. Next door to the herbal store, there is an advertisement for massage therapy sessions. Signs advertising health clinics, lectures, or health fairs are not visible during the survey. Problem Assessment data clearly defines obesity as a focus health area. The combined percentage totals for the adults and children within the Rockport community that suffer from obesity is 49. %. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) obesity is one of the most common and most expensive health problems facing the United States. One of the objectives of Healthy People 2020 is to improve nutritional status and promote weight loss. When individual are overweight or obese, they are also at a high risk for numerous other medical complications such as hypertension, Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, osteoporosis, and many more diseases (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Historical SignificanceBefore the 1900’s being overweight was considered a hallmark symbol of wealth and health. The additional weight indicated that the individual had the financial resources to obtain a vast amount of food. Today, however, obesity is indicative of current and future medical problems. Prior to the many modern day c onveniences that most individuals use today, people toiled at intense labor to make a living. Meals were prepared from scratch and microwave meals were not available. In addition, food was expensive and difficult to acquire. Walking was common and until the late 1980’s obesity was not a problem in the United States (Wiley, 2012).Summary Obesity is a medical health problem that has becoming an increasing health care dilemma for minorities, low-income populations, and immigrants. These populations are vulnerable to these health care issues due to a variety of factors such as cultural diet choices, genetics, lack of funds to resource more nutritious foods and lifestyle choices. Throughout the United States, obesity and diabetes are reaching epidemic levels (Candib, 2007). Individuals today live a more sedentary lifestyle. They eat more fast foods, fried food and consume drinks high in sugar content.Children in the public school system consume meals high in carbohydrates and ofte n engage in little or no physical activity. Lack of income reduces consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and parents often purchase cheaper luncheon meats such as hot dogs rather than the more expensive cuts of meat. When the fast food giants introduced the super sizing concept to the world, thus began the super sizing of the population. References Candib, L. (2007) Obesity and diabetes in vulnerable population: Reflections on proximal and distal causes. Retrieved online from: http://annfammed. org/content/5/6/547. ull Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) Obesity. Retrieved online from: http://www. cdc. gov/obesity Kaiser Health News (2012) Texas. Retrieved online from: http://www. statehealthfacts. org Nies, M. A. , & McEwen, M. (2011) Community public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations (5th ed. ). St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier Onboard Informatics (2010) Aransas County, Texas (TX). Retrieved online from: http://www. city-data. com/county/Aransa s-County-Tx. html Scorecard (2012) Pollution report card. Retrieved online from: http://scorecard. goodguide. com Shukalo, A. 2005) Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved online from: http://tshaonline. org/handbook/online/articles/hgr05 U. S. Census Bureau (2012) QuickFacts. Retrieved online from: http://www. census. gov/ U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (2012) Healthy people 2020: Nutrition and weight status. Retrieved online from: http://www. healthypeople. gov/2020/topicobjectives2020/overview. aspx? topicid=29 Wiley, S. (2012) Obesity history in the America. Retrieved online from: http://www. livestrong. com/article/359624-obesity-in-america/ Community Health Assessment of Rockport, Texas Introduction

Organizational Conflict Essay

Often when we come across the word conflict, we usually think of more than a simple disagreement. We think of individuals or groups in sharp disagreement over issues, ideas, or interests. This results in an emotional disturbance between the involved parties, with stress developing & undesirable behaviors being exhibited. [1] The present diverse workforce characterized by organizational change, competition, and complex communications are drawing attention to interpersonal conflicts among workers. 2] Organizational change for example, alters the status quo and requires members of an organization to work together in new ways and under new rules. Competition compounds issues of power and escalates conflicts of personalities and behavior. The complexities of communication make it more difficult for culturally, economically and socially diverse workers to resolve the issues and problems they encounter on the job. While conflict is inevitable in groups and organizations due to the complexity and interdependence of organizational life, theorists have differed about whether it is harmful or beneficial to organizations. Early organizational theorists suggested that conflict is detrimental to Organizational functioning (Pondy, 1967; Brow, 1983) and focused much of their attention on the causes and resolution of conflict (Schimidt & Kochan, 1972; Brett, 1984). More recently, researchers have theorized that conflict is beneficial under some circumstances (Tjosvold, 1991; Van de Vliert & De Dreu, 1994). [3] Thus, this paper attempts to present the losses and benefits from conflicts in organizations. I. CONFLICT IN GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS A. Definition Generally, conflict is defined as a contest of opposing forces or power. 4] it is a perceived difference between a two or more parties that results in mutual opposition. [5] Looking at conflict in the context of groups, there is what we call an Intergroup Conflict, which can be defined as the behavior that occurs among organizational groups when participants identify with one group and perceive that other groups may block their group’s goal achievement or expectations. [6] Intergroup conflict with in organizations can occur in both horizontal & vertical directions. A. 1 Horizontal Conflict. This type of conflict occurs among groups or departments at the same level in the hierarchy, such as between line & staff. 7] This is commonly observed between Production & Quality Control Departments, Sales & Finance Departments, or R&D & Marketing Departments. A. 2 Vertical Conflict. This arises over issues of control, power, goals, and wages and benefits. [8] A typical source of vertical conflict is between head quarters executives and regional plants or franchises. Status and power differences among groups are often greater for vertical conflict. Part of the reason vertical conflict occurs is to equalize power differences; for example, u nions try to give workers more power over wages or working conditions. [9] B. The Nature of Conflict Conflict as related to competition is illustrated by the following figure: The illustration shows how conflict and competition are related. Competition occurs when groups strive for the same goal, have little or no antagonism toward one another, and behave according to rules and procedures. In conflict, on the other hand, one group’s goals jeopardize the others; there is open antagonism among the groups; and few rules and procedures regulate behavior. When this happens, the goals become extremely important, the antagonism increases, rules and procedures are violated, and conflict occurs. 10] C. Causes of Conflict A number of factors contribute to conflict. Several of the most important causes are discussed below. C. 1 Task Interdependence. Task interdependence refers to the dependence of one unit on another for materials, resources, or information. [11] Two types of task interdependence are particularly prone to conflict. One is sequential interdependenc e, in which one individual or work unit is heavily dependent on another. For example, waiters generally are more reliant on cooks than the reverse because waiters must depend on cooks to furnish good meals in timely manner. Line and staff conflicts often arise because staff members frequently are dependent upon the line to implement their ideas. The second form of task interdependence is reciprocal interdependence, in which individuals or work units are mutually interdependent. For instance, purchasing agents want engineers to provide detailed generic specifications so that they can negotiate lower costs from suppliers. At the same time, engineers need to obtain materials of the proper quality on a timely basis, so they may find it more convenient to specify a brand name. 12] Generally, as interdependence increases, the potential for conflict increases. [13] Sequential & reciprocal interdependence require employees to spend time coordinating and sharing information. Employees must communicate frequently, and differences in goals or attitudes will surface. Conflict is especially likely to occur when agreement is not reached about the coordination of services to each other. Greater interderdependence mean s departments often exert pressure for a fast response because departmental work has to wait on other departments. C. 2 Scarce Resources. Another major source of conflict involves competition between groups for what members perceive as limited resources. [14] Possibilities for conflict expand when there are limited resources, such as office space, equipment, training, human resources, operating funds, and pay allocations. In their desire to achieve goals, groups want to increase their resources. This becomes another cause for conflict in groups. C. 3 Goal Incompatibility. Goal incompatibility is probably the greatest cause of intergroup conflict in organizations. The overall goals of an organization are broken down into operative goals that guide each department. The accomplishment of operative goals by one department may block goal accomplishment by other departments and hence, cause conflict. [15] Out of necessity, organization members frequently pursue goals that are somewhat different from one another, setting the stage for potential conflicts. [16] For example, sales personnel may find it easier to battle the competition by promising very quick deliveries, while people in manufacturing may find that small production runs on short notice interfere with their cost cutting efforts. C. 4 Communication Failures. Breakdown in communication due to distortions or lack of communication often lead to conflicts. [17] Conflict in an organization is an indication of the most basic communication failure. Failure to talk with someone. Failure to notify someone of something before it becomes public. Failure to involve someone in a problem-solving process. [18] C. 5 Individual Differences. Differences in personality, experience, and values make frequent conflicts likely. [19] Functional specialization requires people with specific education, skills, attitudes, and time horizons. When an individual who have ability and aptitude in marketing joins the marketing department. Eventually, that individual will be influenced by departmental norms and values, attitudes, and standards of behavior, differ across departments, which is often a source of horizontal conflicts. Cultural differences can be particularly acute in the case of mergers or acquisitions. Employees in the acquired company may have completely different work styles and attitudes, and a â€Å"we against them† attitude can develop. [20] C. 6 Poorly Designed Reward System.

Personality Profile of Barrack Obama

Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States of America on the 20th January of the year 2009 (Rollason, 2010). It was undoubtedly a monumental moment as he was the first African American president in the history of America. President Obama, in many ways, has been relatively compared so frequently to prestigiously remembered figure; Martin Luther King Jr (Abramsky, 2009). Critics and supporters alike have labeled Obama as being the once-in-a-lifetime charismatic leader (Abramsky, 2009).While some extremist critics was convinced that he could be a Manchurian candidate in a covert mission to sabotage the American way of life (Abramsky, 2009), most are unable to deny that he exudes the characteristic of leader, profoundly shifting the American psyche and minds alike and shining a beacon of hope to a society that much needed to believe in the American’s dream. Obama displayed the intellects of his genetics’ makeup; his mother and father whom both studied in Ha waii University. He possesses the profiles of his father; ambitiousness, articulateness and also the self confidence in the way he project himself to the world.Wayne (2010) elaborated on the social consciousness which is evidently inherited from his mother, Ann Dunham, as Obama has occasionally demonstrate that he is a listener, consistently seeking common grounds, showed his willingness to compromise, his marked adaptability and flexibility to changes which contribute significantly thereby earning him a place to where he is right now; a stark difference to his father, Barrack Obama Sr. , who was always quoted to be a bossy and possessing an unrelenting personality. In all of the political settings, Obama is quick to master the rules of the game (Abramsky, 2009).He understood the importance of the creation of close-knit group within the high echelons. His comprising manner and cool temperament image often exceeded him; he is cautious to rein in his anger when opponents pressed him, capable of masking his emotions thereby gaining a chance to regroup himself and very much aware and in control of his body language (Wayne, 2010: Abramsky, 2009: Winter, 2011). His most distinct trait was his unmistaken calmness which quickly garnered him the â€Å"No Drama Obama† tittle (Winter, 2011).Winter (2011) later suggested that Obama could be high on the emotional stability. Greenstein (2009) and Renshon (2008) mentioned Obama’s openness to the view of others; getting counsel from former opponents and allies before reaching to a decision, affirming the evidence that he is high to openness to experience (McCrae & Costa, 2008; Wiggins, 1996). Openness to experience is one of the five major clusters of traits or the â€Å"big five† model which also consist of agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability (Winter, 2011).Obama is also prudent in planning and when he set a course, he methodically and systematically follows through it (Abramsky, 200 9). His elaborate and time consuming process in decision-making point that Obama is rather high on conscientiousness (Wayne, 2010: Winter, 2011). The tricky part will be distinguishing the agreeableness and extraversion. Though one might agree, having his life exposed in the world certainly merit him to a certain degree of extraversion but on a contrary, Obama still exudes a certain level of enigma and mystery.Some observers cited him as being â€Å"cold† (Dowling & Warner, 2010). Interestingly, Wayne (2010) describes that as part of Obama’s â€Å"mystic† (p. 11). Overall, Abramsky (2009) stated that Obama’s presidency is no ordinary presidency. Due to the nature of his virtue, personality and historical legacy created by his campaign and his election, it has monolithically change the paradigms of how America view itself and the expectations of the future in its view of restructuring America in events of an economy collapse. Abramsky (2009) further stress ed that overwhelmingly, voters trusted Obama.Wayne (2010) however has a rather encompassing perspective. Wayne (2010) questioned readers whether Obama is a philosopher king; due to the fact that he is politically liberal, possess a distinctive cognitive style and eloquence in delivering speech; or is he simply a polarizing politician judging by the fact that he garners support specifically due to his complexity of his race and the prejudice that surround it. As Max Weber (2009) concluded in his book, â€Å"It takes both passion (polarizing politician) and perspective (philosopher-king)† (p. 28) to be able to ride the waves of a political settings. References: Abramsky, S. (2009): Inside Obama’s Brain, Penguin Group, United States of America: Penguin Books Ltd. Dowling, S. , & Warner, M. B. (2010, November 4). Obama comes across as cold, arrogant, and elitist. Spiegel Online. http://www. spiegel. de/international/world/the-world-from-berlin-obama-comes-a cross-as-cold-a rrogant-and-elitist-a-727235-druck. html [3 March 2013] Greenstein, F. I. (2009). The presidential difference: Leadership style from FDR to Barack Obama (3rd Ed. . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Renshon, S. A. (2008). Psychological reflections on Barack Obama and John McCain: Assessing the contours of a new presidential administration. Political Science Quarterly, 123(3), 391–433. Rollason, J. (2010): Barack Obama, Scholastic Ltd, London: Euston House. McCrae, R. R. , & Costa, P. T. , Jr. 2008. The five-factor theory of personality. In O. P. John, R. W. Robins, & L. A. Pervin (Eds. ), Handbook of personality theory and research (3rd Ed. , pp. 114–158).New York: Guilford. Wayne, S. J. 2010. The Impact of Personality on Performance: Barack Obama in Presidency. The American University, http://www. american. edu/spa/ccps/upload/AUS-Wayne-paper. pdf [3 Mar 2013]. Weber, M. (2009): Essays in sociology (pp. 77–128). New York: 2009. Wiggins, J. S. (Ed. ). (1 996). The five-factor model of personality: Theoretical perspectives. New York: Guilford. Winter, D. G. (2011): ‘Philosopher-King or Polarizing Politician? : A Personality Profile of Barack Obama’, Political Psychology, 32: 1059-81.

Managed Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managed Care - Essay Example In other words, managed care organizations mean two things: health insurance and delivery health care at relatively low rates. There are different types of managed care organizations. Some of them are as following: 1. Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): This is tipped as the first form of managed care. HMOs refer to organization wherein insuranceplans, hospitals and physicians are either closely related or are a part of the same organization. An important example of HMO is Permanente. An HMO has completely charge of the hospital including the salaries paid to the doctors In case of emergency, patients using the HMO plan have to use the plan affiliated care provider. The biggest advantage of the HMO plan is that it offers a fixed amount of money that can be spent on the patient. This in its own restricts the patients and physicians and they tend to opt for the most cost effective treatment or drug. Thus, one ends up paying less for an HMO plan compared to the rest. The biggest disa dvantage also emanates from its biggest advantage. HMO plans tend to focus more on cost control then the quality of care. 2. Fee-for-Service or FFS: This type of plan gives a lot of liberty to the patient. It gives them the freedom to choose their preferred doctor or health care provider. Physicians then get the fee for each and every service including the visit, the procedure and the tests. However, here freedom does not trump cost. Patients opting for this type of plan end up paying more. 3. Independent Practice Association, or IPA: In this kind of association, physicians are completely empowered. They can have patient from the HMO and FFS plans. 4. Preferred Provider Organization, or PPO: In this type of plan, the rates are low but physicians get more patients to deal with. This kind of plan works both ways. Patients not just get better care and freedom but they also get it at lower rates. On the other hand physicans get more business. Both sides benefit in this type of plan. 5. Point of Service Plans, or POS. This type of plan resembles the HMO plan in many ways. Here the doctors do not have to work in specific hospitals. They tend to receive compensations based on the number of patients they are handling per year. It is per patient per year compensation. References Managed Care Magazine (2000). Capitation Rates See Large Boost. Retrieved on July 26, 2010 from http://www.managedcaremag.com/archives/0012/0012.compmon.html. Managed Care Magazine (2000). Capitation: an update. Retrieved on July 26, 2010 from http://www.managedcaremag.com/archives/0005/0005.compmon.html. Managed Care Magazine (2000). Physician Financial Incentives: Another UM Tool Bites the Dust. Retrieved on J

Business Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Business Proposal - Essay Example SCM ensures effective and efficient integration of the several supply chains; for example, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, and customers. CRM enables businesses to practice proper relationships with stakeholders in sales, marketing and service; for instance proper communication with current or potential clients. KMS ensures effective and efficient collection, organizing and dissemination of business information; for instance, end year financial statements. The MIS has several importances. Firstly, the technology ensures businesses achieve competitive advantage. This enables the organization to perform operations better, cheaper, uniquely and faster; in comparison to competitors. Secondly, MIS enables the companies to analyze their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). This is because of adequate financial reports, and also employee performance trends (O’Brien, 2009). This analysis ensures that the organization improves the processes or operations of the business. Systems development is applied in creating information systems that address business problems. System development includes several processes; system analysis, design, implementation, production, and maintenance (Joshi, 2009). System conversion entails changing old information system, to current information

Market Model Patterns of Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Market Model Patterns of Change - Research Paper Example The business expansion that has characterized many companies in the industry has led the expansion in the size of large companies and eventual attainment of a competitive advantage over smaller companies. Currently, the industry is experiencing enormous changes as a result of changing customer needs, emerging markets, and entrance of new competitors, technological advancement, and the strict environment regulations due to substance emissions (Blum, 2009). The changes have affected the demand, value chains and markets that characterize the industry. This has led to the transformation of the market into a more mobile model that is more competitive. The industry players and the new entrants have been forced to apply new competitive strategies that will enable sustainable success in the competitive industry. Pattern of Change Both the emerging and mature markets in the automobile industry are characterized by risk and opportunities. The global automobile industries have engaged in price wars crating frequent capacity overlap and rivalry. Therefore, the oligopolistic market model has been transformed into a competitive model. The competitive pattern of change is evident in its production, international trade changes, and supply chain and pricing. ... However, the lowering of the trade barriers and advancements in globalization has changed the tradition whereby the production location decisions are influenced by the international competitiveness. The international competitiveness is a product of the level of different tasks within the industry due to the vertical disintegration of global production. This is a change from the traditional business norms whereby the global competitiveness was determined by the level of the industry. Variation in Production Table 1: Top 20 Motor Vehicle Producing Countries   China 18,418,876 United States 8,653,560   Japan 8,398,654   Germany 6,311,318   South Korea 4,657,094   India 3,936,448   Brazil 3,406,150   Mexico 2,680,037   Spain 2,353,682   France 2,294,889   Canada 2,134,893   Russia 1,988,036   Ã‚  Iran 1,648,505   Thailand 1,478,460   UK 1,463,999   Czech Republic 1,199,834 Turkey 1,189,131   Indonesia 837,948 Poland 837,132 Argentina 828,771   Italy 790, 348 Source: http://oica.net/category/production-statistics/ Table 2: Annual Change in Production in Automobile Industry Year Production Change 1997 54,434,000    1998 52,987,000 -2.7% 1999 56,258,892 6.2% 2000 58,374,162 3.8% 2001 56,304,925 -3.5% 2002 58,994,318 4.8% 2003 60,663,225 2.8% 2004 64,496,220 6.3% 2005 66,482,439 3.1% 2006 69,222,975 4.1% 2007 73,266,061 5.8% 2008 70,520,493 -3.7% 2009 61,791,868 -12.4% 2010 77,857,705 26.0% Source: http://oica.net/category/production-statistics/1999-statistics/ International Trade The international trade is characterized by the dominance from a small number of companies. However, the industry faces segmentation that has made it more regional than global. The industry is also characterized by cost pressures, overcapacity and low profitability

The Fight for Womens Rights, Laws, Social movements and Policies Essay

The Fight for Womens Rights, Laws, Social movements and Policies - Essay Example This research paper examines that organizations that are fighting for the rights of the Anishinabe people have a long way to go to ensure equalities. For instance, the mining of taconite in Minnesota has affected the Anishinabe people, other natives, and non-natives in the region. Forests have been deforested for the creation of mining pits. One in ten newborns contains mercury in their systems, and this leads to lung cancer. The organizations in Minnesota have been passing laws that have downplayed environmental protections. The North American Indigenous people have suffered for long periods due to oppression by the white people who came from Europe. They invited laws and policies that oppressed the indigenous people who were the rightful owners of the land. Immediately after the French and English landed, they noted how the indigenous people lived and how the male population treated the women with respect and honor. They introduced laws that had negative impacts on women and childr en and took the land of the aboriginal people. Many groups have come up to fight for the rights of the aboriginals and ensure that they get the chance to enjoy their rights fully. It is a shame how the United States and the Canadian governments have not provided laws to ensure that the aboriginals have obtained full equality. We should take the model of the Anishinabe people who treated everyone equal including the women who were respected. By doing so, we will change the perception of everyone and treat each other equal.

Literary analysis on Seize The Day by Saul Bellow to describe, Essay

Literary analysis on Seize The Day by Saul Bellow to describe, analyze, and interpret - Essay Example Without evaluating the self, one’s own abilities, individual races after secular achievements, thinking that there is no world beyond the external world, the world as interpreted by the power of one’s intellect. Many are not willing to accept that the inner world exists within every human being. God, call Him the Omniscient Power, All-pervading Reality, Light-Consciousness or any other name that various religions hail him, can not be comprehended by one’s intellect. Howsoever great may be one’s intelligence, one can not understand him through the mind-apparatus. The mystery of Nature is beyond description and intellectual arguments. The final frontier of logic and reasoning is mind. The primary duty of the mind is to confuse the human being. The scale of materialistic civilization has two measuring points-success or failure. It eulogizes the successful and condemns the failure! But it ignores the process of living by an individual. How one has faced life i n is trails, tribulations duty and beauty. The protagonist of the novel, introduced to the readers at the age of mid-forties, has the wrong start and finds it difficult to cope up with the challenges of life. He is unable to join the mainstream of society and finds himself a loner. †¦then some thing happens on a particular day, about which his mind has forewarned him! How Tommy Wilhelm encountered the predicament and made efforts to meet the cumulative pressure that has been building up within his inner self? â€Å"As a young man he has rejected his father’s profession, medicine, tried for a career in Hollywood, been tricked by a phony talent scout, ended up in sales and lost his sales district due to nepotism.† (Cronin, 2003†¦.)A college dropout, married and divorced, with two children, his finances are in a mess. He somehow wishes to recover the lost ground and

Microeconomic Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Microeconomic Theory - Essay Example Now, if there is a PBNE where player one chooses either to play B or C, or randomizes between the two, his expected payoff has to be greater than ? from such a move. Player 1’s expected payoff on the other hand depends upon player 2’s strategies and whether he randomizes and with what probabilities. Now, player 2’s expected payoff from playing D is PB-(1- PB) and that from playing E is -PB+(1- PB). He will pick D iff PB-(1- PB)> -PB+(1- PB)4PB>2 PB>1/2.He will be indifferent between playing D and E if PB=1/2 (and hence randomize between the two) and will pick E if PB1/2 is invalidated. Thus, we cannot have a PBNE with Player 1 choosing to play C and player 2 choosing D since this invalidates the required belief criterion. Similarly it can be shown that there cannot be a PBNE where 1 chooses B and 2 plays E that is consistent with the required beliefs for player 2. Finally, if player 2 randomizes, the maximal expected payoff for player 1 is 0 as well. Thus, in all PBNE, player 1 picks A. Since in the equilibrium path 2’s turn never comes, he can pick either D or E or choose to randomize in this equilibrium. So we can have the following PBNE: 1. (A, D) with PB>1/2, 2.(A,E) with PB v2. This is true since by bidding b2= v2 he has already won the auction and the final payment he has to make depends only on player 1’s bid. On the other hand, bidding less than v2 doesn’t change anything as long as the bid is greater than player 1’s bid = player 1’s valuation. However if b2

The influence of Gender and Alcohol Consumption Patterns on Alcohol Essay

The influence of Gender and Alcohol Consumption Patterns on Alcohol Expectancy amongst Undergraduate Students - Essay Example Its nearly impossible to study each and every single person's perceptions on the subject of alcohol prevalence rates, however, numbers and statistics are always an accurate tool for study. Many of the articles chosen to use for research include survey results, marketing opinions, college binge drinking studies, psychology related magazines and of course programs to cure alcohol related problems; such Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and social norms programs made by colleges to reduce and stop binge drinking. Fact, one in three eighteen to twenty-four year old persons admitted into emergency rooms for serious injuries are intoxicated. Fact, a twelve-ounce bottle of beer has the same amount of alcohol as a standard shot of eighty-proof liquor mixed or straight as well as a five ounce glass of wine. Fact, rates of binge drinking are increasing alarmingly. When alcohol and undergraduate students are near, they are contributing to the need for college anti-alcohol social programs, strict laws and regulations, and of course, serious and sometimes fatal injury. But, what is the major problem and why is it a problem Increasing rates of alcoholism on college campuses are creating a large number of negative consequences including long term brain damage, long term jail sentences, and extremely long term sleep; six feet under. The main contributing factors to the increasing rates of alcoholism are directly caused by ineffective laws and regulations and the superior power of manipulation from the multi-media. This paper will be divided into five sections; the first section will cover the laws and regulations made by Canadian and American governments, the second and most focused part of the paper, the marketing power of the mass media and its effects on the individual, the third section will discuss why current marketing strategies to lessen the rates of alcohol use are failing and will continue to fail, the fourth section will bring attention to many of the skewed statistics of alcohol studies and use real articles and statistics to strengthen this allegation, and the latter sections will deal with many of the internal and psychological factors that each individual faces before consumption of alcohol; here, research from psychology journals and magazines will be criticized and analyzed to make a rational an d proper conclusion of the previous discussions and arguments. Laws And Regulations Of Alcohol In most of the United States of America, patrons must be twenty-one years of age to purchase and consume alcohol, whereas in most of Canada, the age of consumption is nineteen, however, one strange fact is that at eighteen, Canadians are considered adults; that is, they are indeed permitted to vote, but not purchase or consume

Pidgins and Creoles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pidgins and Creoles - Essay Example One important point raised is the language age. The creole language which can be termed as the mother of languages as that is where language originated from has been in existence for centuries and hence it is considered as old language. The rest of the languages have recently been created and they keep on evolving as time goes by. They can therefore not be categorized the same as the Creole language. The more recent the language evolved, the younger it is. The other issue raised is about the evolution of languages from simple to more complicated ones. The creole language was very simple in terms of grammar and writing but as it evolved, it became much more complicated as well as organized. This is an indication that evolution of language can be equated to evolution of organisms which as they evolve become much more organized and less simple to understand as well as write (DeGraff, 2001). The article was indeed an education lesson for me. I had very little prior knowledge of the creol es and more so their huge input in language. My understanding was based on the literature that their language has simple grammar and issue that still remained under debate from linguists but none offered elaborate explanations about them. I am now in a better position having understood about the how the Creoles’ language simplicity and its maintenance of origin has made it a highly researched and subject of reference in as far as evolution of language is concerned. I am able to understand that the fact that their language has not undergone.

Argument in Encounters with the Archdruid Essay Example for Free

Argument in Encounters with the Archdruid Essay In the third section of John McPhees Encounters with the Archdruid, the author observes the discourse between conservationist David Brower and Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, Floyd Dominy, on the merits of dams in the southwestern United States. Brower hates all dams, large and small, while Dominy sees dams as essential to our civilization. The Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, which Dominy created, are the main issue of debate between the two men. Floyd Dominy graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1932 and, after an unsuccessful stint as a teacher, became a county agricultural agent for the federal government in Wyomings Gillette County. This was the time of the Great Depression and also a great drought in the American Midwest, which quickly garnered the name of the dust bowl. Frustrated by the lack of water available to farmers in his county, Dominy orchestrated the building of many dams in Gillette County, providing water to thirsty farmers and their livestock. Rewarded with a job in the Bureau of Reclamation for his efforts, Dominy became the Bureaus director in 1959 and oversaw the construction of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. Completed in 1962, the 710 foot tall dam built out of 4.9 million cubic yards of concrete has a reservoir (Lake Powell) that has a maximum capacity of 27 million acre-feet and is the one of the largest reservoirs in the world. Lake Powell has become a popular water recreation site and provides homes with about 1 million kilowatts of hydroelectric power and 8.23 million acre-feet of water and irrigation per year. Dominy views the dam as a great asset, both to provide utilities and to provide recreation Now people can fish, swim, water-ski, sun-bathe. Cant you imagine going there with your family for a weekend, getting away from everybody? But Mr. Brower says we destroyed it. (174) David Brower was born in 1912 in Berkeley Hills, California. When he was young his father used to take him to the Sierra, where Brower found his love for nature. After leaving his study of entomology at UC-Berkeley, Brower left for the Sierra, and became a world-class mountaineer, conquering over seventy mountain peaks. John McPhee even mused that if he were to be set  down at night anywhere in the Sierra Nevada, with the coming morning he would know just where he is. After serving as a decorated platoon leader in World War II, Brower started his work with the Sierra Club, becoming the first executive director of the club in 1952. Over this remarkable period until his dismissal in 1969, Brower would become the worlds foremost naturalist and environmental conservationist. The flooding of Glen Canyon was very personal to Brower, and his failure to stop the dams construction haunted him for the rest his life. He referred to it as Americas most regretted environmental mistake, and the greatest failure of his life. (163) In 1952, the Echo Park and Split Mountain Dams were proposed, which threatened the Green and Yampa Rivers and Dinosaur National Monument. Brower led the Sierra Club into action. Successfully, under his leadership, the Sierra Club defeated the Bureau of Reclamation hands down. But the victory at Dinosaur Monument was tempered by the Sierra Clubs offer of support for a dam downstream at Glen Canyon a higher dam, in fact, than one proposed earlier by the Bureau of Reclamation. Brower spoke in favor of a high dam at Glen Canyon, a speech he came to regret until the very end. While his supporters urged him not to blame himself, he repeatedly reminded whoever would listen that he could have done more to stop it. He believed that the fact he da m existed was his fault. He felt that he was not adequately prepared for his own mission, and if he had been, the dam would not have been built. Brower referred to Glen Canyon as the place no one knew. Before the construction of the dam and the creation of Lake Powell, Glen Canyon was one of the remotest places in the United States. Few people ever set foot in the Canyon, and after the construction of the dam, no one else would ever see it. Brower viewed nature as a sacred place, a place that must be earned. He hated the idea of people developing wilderness areas. He felt that cities should have strict boundaries, and people should stay there. Brower and Dominy have conflicting views in this situation. Brower is disgusted by the development around Lake Powell and the destruction of the wilderness that is now beneath it. Lake Powell is a drag strip for power boats. Its for people who wont do things except the easy way. The magic of Glen Canyon is  dead. It has been vulgarized. (240) Dominy, on the other hand, is proud that he has created such a beautiful lake and has made it accessible to the masses. Dominy is tired of trying to satisfy a noisy minority while trying to bring water, power, and recreation to the people. Im a greater conservationist that you are, by far. I do things. I make things available to man. Unregulated, the Colorado River wouldnt be worth a good God damn to anybodyDo you want to keep this country the way it is for a handful of people? (240) Beside these arguments, there is also a more quantitative side to the debate. The ecological detriments of the Glen Canyon Dam have been well-documented. Extensive changes were brought about in the Colorado River ecosystem by the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. Most of these alterations negatively affected the functioning of the system and the native aquatic species of the river. The reduced supply and transport of sediment is the primary factor responsible for the degradation of the post-dam Glen Canyon ecosystem. When the dam was completed, and the flow of the Colorado River was stifled, sediment traveling along with the river was blocked by the dam and began to build up in the Lake Powell reservoir. Due to the sediment-free water flowing evenly out of the dam and the associated extreme drop in water temperature, many species of fish, amphibians, and insects which use sediments for habitats, spawning ground, and protection, have been put at great risk. Another problem arising from the dam is silt aggradation. Aggradation is the accumulation of sediment where the river flow slows as it approaches Lake Powell. Aggraded sediment deposits accumulate upstream, eventually piling up hundreds of feet above the current reservoir level. Huge sediment deposits have already filled some of the upper sections of the reservoir. Under current hydrological conditions, enough sediment flows into Lake Powell to potentially fill it up to the river outlet valve level within 100 years. When silt reaches these safety valves, the dam will become unsafe and need to be decommissioned. Since the completion of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, enormous amounts of sediment have been steadily accumulating behind the dam.  While the impacts of sedimentation werent understood prior to the construction of the dam, significant problems have emerged with the relentless buildup of sediment behind Glen Canyon Dam. Economically, on the other hand, the Glen Canyon Dam has provided many benefits since its 1963 completion. It has provided water supply and power for much of the southwestern United States, and parts of Mexico. The Glen Canyon Dam is part of the Colorado River Storage Project, implemented mainly to supply power to Native American reservations, Rural Electric Co-ops, government facilities, and municipalities. The Glen Canyon Dam supplies 75-85% of the power generation for this project. 85% of the dams water goes to irrigation projects. With the input of irrigation, the arid regions of these states have become fertile agricultural lands. Because of the high productivity of these areas, many customers in the United States are provided with fruits and vegetables year-round. Lake Powell has also provided many economic benefits. It is one of the most popular tourist sites in the southwest, bringing in about 4 million tourists and $2.5 million each year. The Glen Canyon Dam issue is a complicated one. Do the benefits of electricity and water outweigh the ecological detriments? Is there any other option besides building a dam to provide these utilities? It is difficult to find unbiased information weighing these issues fairly. In addition there are the more metaphysical, moral issues surrounding dams. Is it right to impose ourselves upon nature is such a way? Are we really harming our future with short-sighted projects like the Glen Canyon Dam? The question is one of the true nature of progress and the advancement of civilization. Is the Earth meant to be subdued by man or to be preserved in a constant search for paradise? The ultimate goal, I suppose, is to find a way to make advance and enrich our lives without detriment to our environment.

Robert Mapplethorpe Photography Analysis

Robert Mapplethorpe Photography Analysis Mapplethorpe: Art or Pornography? art: the expression of creative skill through a visual medium such as painting or sculpture. pornography: printed or visual material intended to stimulate sexual excitement. (1) The question of art versus pornography is one that has long dogged the visual Arts of all mediums. Nudes on stage, actors fornicating on screen, and artists painting, drawing, sculpting, or photographing naked subjects or explicit acts, have all been scrutinised, discussed and argued over. Some have even been taken to court. Some depictions of naked forms do not even cause a stir. Nobody protests against the Romantic images of naked men or of the paintings and sculptures by Pre-Raphaelite artists of nude mythological beings. What is it then that determines whether something is classified as art or pornography? I would postulate that it is not quite as simple as categorising a piece as one or the other, and I will discuss this during the course of this essay. We must at this point turn to the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of pornography and the key word â€Å"intended†. The deciding factor appears to lie in the intention of the artist; if he or she intends to â€Å"stimulate sexual excitement† the result will be pornographic. Mapplethorpe has admitted that his pieces are homages to desire, and that he himself was sexually stimulated whilst photographing his male nude subjects. It would be unfair to say however, that his photographs are not expressive of â€Å"creative skill†. His images, which I will examine in greater detail later in the essay, are formally beautiful and skillfully posed and shot. Can a piece of work be both art and pornography? Mapplethorpe himself insists that he makes pornography that is art (2). If an artist’s technique is masterful, why should the fact that the piece is sexually stimulating to others prevent it from being classed as art? Why can’t a piece of art hav e multiple functions? Some view Mapplethorpe’s photography purely as pornography, believing it impossible to classify photographs of naked men and women as art. When Mapplethorpe’s retrospective exposition The Perfect Moment exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Republican Sen. Jesse Helms was the most forceful objector. So outraged was the Senator that he would carry around photographs from the exhibition to illustrate his point to journalists. One photograph he would often present was â€Å"Rosie†, showing a young girl of two or three pictured with her crotch exposed, which he argued constituted child pornography. Others have agreed with Helms. In 1996 the image was removed from a London exhibition on the grounds that it might attract paedophiles. As many others have argued however, this view casts both Rosie and Mapplethorpe in an unfair light. As with many of his other photographs of naked individuals, what is most striking about â€Å"Rosie† is the humanity and i nnocence of this little girl; it is what is revealed about the figure that is most interesting. Nakedness is represented in the Bible as the state of innocence to which we must all return if we are to know God. In Genesis it is only when Adam and Eve fall from innocence and know evil that they realise they are naked. Saying 37 in the Gospel of Thomas alludes to the innocence of naked children: His disciples say to him: On what day wilt thou appear to us, and what day shall we see thee? Jesus says: When you strip yourselves without being ashamed, when you take off your clothes and lay them at your feet like little children and trample on them! Then [you will become] children of Him who is living, and you will have no more fear. (3) â€Å"Rosie† is only seen in a sexual context by those with the predisposition to see it in that way, whether they be paedophiles or hard-line moralists (4). Rosie herself, aged 23 at the time of the London exhibition, protested that the photograph was beautiful and innocent and not at all indecent (5). She had even hung a copy on the wall of the restaurant she managed. Mapplethorpe’s most explicit photographs are seen as obscene by many who are not moralists or particularly religious. His X Portfolio contains graphic pictures of homosexual sexual acts and bondage, such as ‘Helmut and Brooks’, which depicts one man’s arm inserted up to the elbow in another man’s anus. ‘Man in Polyester Suit’, another of the photographs often produced by Helms to show journalists, depicts a black man’s semi-erect penis protruding from his flies. It is an odd image, the picture having been cut from just above the man’s knees to his chest, directing the gaze to the penis. Is this pornography? Against the cheap suit, Celant asserts, the penis becomes an object of beauty, like an emergent flower, beginning to bloom with desire. It is erotic, certainly, but is it obscene? Many certainly view ‘Helmut and Brooks’ as obscene and, accordingly, not art. In 1987 Dennis Barry, Director of the Cincinnati Museum of Art, was put on trial for exhibiting The Perfect Moment. In court his Defense asserted that the aesthetics of Mapplethorpe’s work made his photographs art and not obscenity. In Janet Kardon’s essay, written as a guide and an introduction to the exhibition, form is emphasised as the focus rather than the content or context. Even when faced with explaining the photographs depicting homoerotic sexual acts Kardon extols the virtues of Mapplethorpe’s camera technique, almost ignoring the sexual content altogether: There is a drama in each photograph; edges are used as the perimeters of a proscenium,  with subjects strategically sited within those boundaries and caught at a moment of  absolute stasis. Most sitters are portrayed frontally, aligned with the camera lens, in  direct eye contact with the photographer and, in turn, the viewer. Nudes generally  assume classical poses†¦ although his models often are depicted in uncommon sexual  acts, the inhabitants of the photographs assume gestures governed by geometry, and they  are shown against minimal backgrounds (6) Returning to ‘Man in a Polyester Suit’, Kardon refers to the image as â€Å"outrageous† but only because the shot has been set up to appear as a clothes advertisement, making the juxtaposition of the penis â€Å"unsettling† (7). As Kidd writes, it is interesting that Kardon uses the term â€Å"outrageous† rather than ‘obscene’, and that it is not the act of photographing a penis that is â€Å"outrageous† but the actual penis itself, being rather large (8). The reason for this being, Kidd continues, that the term ‘obscenity’, has sociological and legal implications. In terms of the sociological implications, the obscene is a subversion of what is sacred, and is also separate from daily life – it is perceived as taboo, especially by religious organisations. Its legal implications are what led Dennis Barry to victory in his court case. Congress defines the ‘obscene’ as: 1. the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that such project, production, workshop, or program, when taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; 2. such project, production, workshop, or program, depicts or describes sexual conduct in a patently offensive way; and 3. such project, production, workshop, or program, when taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. (9) The defense successfully argued that Mapplethorpe’s work had artistic value – it is formally beautiful and striking, and the composition is masterful. His photographs could certainly be argued to fall under the first two definitions but all three definitions must fit for something to be considered ‘obscene’, therefore legally Mapplethorpe’s photographs could not be labeled as such. Flageolle extolled the â€Å"exquisite tonal qualities of the platinum print and controlled studio lighting† of Mapplethorpe’s photography, which can be observed in both his ‘hard-core’ and less explicit work (10). Photographs such as ‘Ken and Robert’ and ‘Ken and Tyler’, where Mapplethorpe juxtapositions black and white models, are made even more striking by using black and white film and posing the subjects in a rigid, symmetrical stance. All of Mapplethorpe’s photography is extremely precise, which actually adds to the eroticism of the images. In pornography models tend to assume very overt poses, leaning into the camera and pushing their assets towards the lens, and by extension towards the viewers. Much of Mapplethorpe’s work however, is more restrained in that regard. Subjects may perform explicit sexual acts, urinating in other man’s mouth for example, but it often seems to be personal, intimate. In â₠¬ËœJim and Tom, Sausalito’ the two men are almost unaware of the camera, a feeling heightened by the placement of them in the shadows. Mapplethorpe’s figures can sometimes feel almost cold, and distant, looking past the camera at something we cannot see. However, as Samaras has contended, pieces of art cannot merely be considered for their formal qualities, as that â€Å"relegates art primarily to the role of timeless visual entertainment not historicised cultural elucidation† (11). Mapplethorpe’s photographs showed the public another world. The homosexual and SM communities were brought to the attention of thousands of people. Mapplethorpe wanted to capture new images. His intentions were not to shock; â€Å"I don’t like that particular word ‘shocking’. I’m looking for things I’ve never seen before† (12), he told ARTnews in 1988. In photographing those â€Å"things† he also showed a multitude of people things they had never seen before. â€Å"The point of making art is to educate people† Mapplethorpe once asserted (13). He wanted to force the public into awareness of gay issues. If Mapplethorpe’s primary intention is not to sexually stimulate viewers of his work, does that mean it cannot be pornography? Yet Mapplethorpe certainly wanted to capture the latent sexuality of every living thing in his photography. Even flowers become objects of desire and sexuality. His photographs of flowers are almost more erotic than his nudes. There is a raw sexuality in the way in which he photographs them; the calla lilly’s stamen takes on a phallic shape, the stems of two poppies writhe around each other. Unlike much of his other work, he often uses colour film to photograph his flowers, capturing their vibrant colours, bursting with sexuality. Mapplethorpe sees no need to photograph his flowers any differently than his nudes; â€Å"My approach to photographing a flower is not much different than photographing a cock. Basically it’s the same thing† (14). His black and white photographs of single, naked black men seem to be more a study of the perfect form than pornography. The visually striking image of ‘Thomas’ recalls ‘Vitruvian Man’, Da Vinci’s mathematically and architecturally calculated drawing of the perfect human physique. With his arms stretched out to the perimeters of the circular barrier he stands in, his muscles rippling, skin gleaming, Thomas presents a striking and beautiful image of man. An untitled photograph taken in 1981 shows, apart from his penis, the rippling quadriceps of an extremely fit man. It is his gleaming thighs, reflecting the light and producing shadows, which draw one’s attention in this photograph, rather than the penis, which is shrouded in darkness. Mapplethorpe’s earlier work juxtaposed pornographic acts and images with classic poses and studio lighting, resulting in the disruption of both the pornographic and the classical and creating an uneasy mix. His later photographs of beautiful, gleaming male bodies are almost totally preoccupied with aesthetic beauty, with Mapplethorpe controlling the rigid poses. There is certainly a pornographic dimension to Mapplethorpe’s work but it is not traditional pornography. In many of the photographs, the subjects’ faces cannot be seen. Penises hang alone, boobs are held almost begrudgingly, the subjects uninterested. Nor does the pornographic define Mapplethorpe’s work. It is also a study of aesthetic beauty, educational, and a presentation of exquisite formal technique. Mapplethorpe’s work could be described as pornographic art; a combination of explicit sexuality and a formal exquisiteness. Endnotes 1 Soanes, Catherine, ed. Oxford Compact English Dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press.  2000. 2 Cited in Levinson, Deborah A. ‘Robert Mapplethorpe’s Extraordinary Vision: A review of The   Perfect Moment’. Aug 6 1989. www.tech.mit.edu 3 Cited on www.gospelthomas.com 4 Tozer, John. ‘In the Eye of the Beholder’. Variant, issue 6. www.variant.org.uk 5 Cited in Gerry, Lyn. ‘Cut! At the Edinburgh Festival’. 1997. www.ainfos.ca 6 Kardon, J, Mapplethorpe, R. The Perfect Moment. Philadelphia Institute of Contemporary Art.  1988. ps. 9-10 7 Kardon, J, Mapplethorpe, R. The Perfect Moment. Philadelphia Institute of Contemporary Art.  1988. p. 11 8 Kidd, Dustin. ‘Mapplethorpe and the New Obscenity’. Afterimage. March-April 2003. 9 Public Law 101-151, November 5, 1990. Reprinted in Richard Bolton, ed., Culture Wars:   Documents from the Recent Controversies in the Arts. New York: New Press. 1992. p. 286. 10 Flageolle, Andree. ‘Mapplethorpe and Baudelaire’. History of Photography. Winter 1995. 11 Samaras, Connie. ‘Feminism, Photography, Censorship, and Sexually Transgressive Imagery:  The Work of Robert Mapplethorpe, Joel-Peter Witkin, Jacqueline Livingston, Sally Mann, and  Catherine Opie’. New York Law School Review. Vol. XXXVIII Nos 1-4. 1993. 12 Cited on www.mapplethorpe.org/biography 13 Cited by McDonald, Robert on www.queerculturalcentre.org 14 Cited by Celant, Germano. ‘Robert Mapplethorpe: Man in a Polyester Suit’ ArtForum.  September 1993. Bibliography Bolton, Richard, ed. Culture Wars: Documents from the Recent Controversies in the Arts. New  York: New Press. 1992. Kardon, J, Mapplethorpe, R. The Perfect Moment. Philadelphia Institute of Contemporary Art.  1988. Soanes, Catherine, ed. Oxford Compact English Dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press.  2000. Afterimage. March-April 2003 ArtForum. September 1993. History of Photography. Winter 1995. New York Law School Review. Vol. XXXVIII Nos 1-4. 1993 www.ainfos.ca www.gospelthomas.com www.mapplethorpe.org/biography www.queerculturalcentre.org www.tech.mit.edu www.variant.org.uk FREE Pocket Business English, ACT NOW!

Stress In The Medical Field Psychology Essay

Stress In The Medical Field Psychology Essay Problems of stress in various professions have attracted the attention of psychologists of different directions for a long time. A big majority of classical studies have shown that prolonged stress exposure leads to such adverse effects as the decrease in overall mental stability of the organism, the emergence of dissatisfaction of its activities, the tendency to reject assignments in situations of increased requirements, setbacks and defeats. Analysis of the factors that cause similar symptoms in different activities shows that there is a number of professions in which a person begins to feel self emotionally drained by the internal need for continuous contact with other people. It is a well-known fact that the medical profession like any other is related to interpersonal interaction, so timely diagnosis and correction of such violations are highly relevant to doctors and nurses. Thus, we are going to discuss stress in the medical field combining its impact on professional doctors a ctivities and personal lives. First of all, the interest in occupational stress in doctors is provoked by general trend towards the humanization of modern science, which is reflected in a wide variety of industries from the theory of management teams, to the fundamental philosophical epistemology and methodology of science. One manifestation of this trend is attracting the attention of researchers to the subject of professional activity, in particular the effect of chosen occupation on the nature and character of the person. Another reason for interest in this problem is the tightening of requirements for the professionals of different profiles and requirements tempo and rhythm of a modern lifestyle. The requirements for representatives of the so-called helping professions need additional attention, because their psycho-physiological state directly influences the effectiveness of their professional activities, whose importance in contemporary society can hardly be overestimated. In particular, studying of this problem in the annex to the medical staff is the question of extremely high importance, because exactly a human life is often the possible price of any mistake in their activities. Thus, the group of observation is doctors who provide mental, urgent, or palliative care and doctors in hospices. In psychology under the term stress we should understand the mental stress that occurs in humans under the influence of complicated, difficult, unfortunate circumstances of activities and daily life, or in special, extreme situations. As the stressors (the factors leading to the rise of human stress in short-term, and to the development of severe, long-lasting experiences) can be adverse physical effects of environmental emergencies, physical and psychological trauma, etc. Mental stress that arises under the influence of stressors may be a useful adaptive significance, mobilizing people to overcome difficulties. This phenomenon, for example, is well known to athletes or actors, prestarting excitement which serves as a setting for the upcoming activities. However, if stress is too high because of the intensity of exposure or its unexpectedness, human resources may be insufficient to cope with stress, and it begins to have a destructive effect on the person until the appearance of physiological disorders and complete disorganization of human life. Observing stress factors among doctors in hospices we see that exactly among people of this occupation the problem of occupational stress acutely announced itself at the present time, because in the modern post-industrial society, peoples attitude to work is changing at a pace that does not come across any previous generation. In developed countries, especially today, when the economic crisis continues, workers are increasingly losing confidence in the stability of their own social and material status, warranty in the workplace, and material well-being. Competition for the prestigious and highly paid job is rather high nowadays. On the one hand, parallel processes are taking a narrow specialization in the profession, and on the other hand the globalization of related industries is popular. Demand of the labor market is changing rapidly and facing some difficulties, one can not fully realize the accumulated energy due to physiological stress. As a result this energy begins to destroy human character and soul. In this case, instead of completely normal stress reactions the organism begins to literally tear apart the mechanisms of distress, when the energy can not be realized in constructive activities. As a consequence, a mental, emotional stress associated with stress in the workplace increases. People find in their behavior symptoms of revealed anxiety, depression, emotional burnout syndrome, psychosomatic disorders and other malfunctions. It leads to growing dependence on psychoactive substances, including alcohol, tranquilizers and other psychotropic substances. Thus, the data presented in Dollard, Winefield Winefield work shows that 81,4 % of examined doctors, 85,9% of nurses and 79,8% of medical students use alcohol. Also 33,3% of surveyed students regularly drink beer and other alcoholic drinks. (Dollard, Winefield Winefield, 2003). Thinking about the future of medical students and according to Levey we see that medical students are inundated with stress from the start of their medical training as they attempt to adjust to lifestyle changes and increasing hassles incurred by the demands of medical education. Characteristics commonly associated with medical training and identified as situational or professional stressors include: variable hour shifts, sleep deprivation, cumbersome administrative responsibilities, poor administrative support, and curriculum overload (Levey, 2001). Dollard, Winefield Winefield stated that Additional characteristics are: perceived lack of professional knowledge and skills, health care policy changes, difficult patients, patient care, life and death situations, and unexpected shill in academic performance. Further stressors mentioned in the literature include family responsibilities, incurring financial debt, decreased chances for social, leisure, or physical activities, decreased s upport network due to relocation, cultural and minority issues, and inadequate coping skills (Dollard, Winefield Winefield, 2003). The interest for the topic of stress in the medical field was provoked by Wicks words who wrote in the foreword for his own book, describing the appearance of stress and hardships of medical profession, the following: Who among us has not identified with the young leukemia patient who is refractory to treatment and scared to death, or the midcareer professional deeply unresponsive and too young to have had this massive stroke, or parents trying to absorb into their consciousness the sudden accidental death of a child? Instead of the afflicteds Why me? the caregivers frightened imponderable becomes Why not me? What roll of the dice, what act of fate, what divine intervention preserves me from any one of these circumstances? What makes it possible for physicians and nurses to confront these patients and circumstances day after day with caring and therapeutic resolve and to walk the balance beam between the paralyzing fear of their own mortality and the numbness of emotional disengageme nt or indifference? And while the hospital environment is the epicenter of personal exposure, the reminders are distributed ones day from office visits with patients to telephone calls with distraught family members. In each encounter, we see ourselves separated from our patients circumstances by the luck of the draw but believe at a subconscious level that we are somehow protected. Its like wearing a Red Cross arm badge in the battlefield. (Wicks, 2006) This phrase deeply impacts on people who work in the medical field and we can say with confidence that the structure of clinical manifestations of occupational stress among specialists of the helping professions (so-called emotional burnout) includes different features that bring together this phenomenon with the number of traditional mental (such as asthenic neurosis), and psychosomatic disorders. This state of affairs suggests the presence of etiopathogenetic structure of occupational stress in psychological level, playing almost the leading role in the origin and development of this phenomenon. WHO European Ministerial Conference (2005) noted that the stress associated with work, is an important issue for about one-third of workers in the European Union. The cost of solving problems related to mental health in this context includes in average 3-4% of gross national income of developed countries (Wicks, 2006). Observing literature about stress in medical field it was found that among physicians (as it was mentioned above the focus group for this project is doctors in hospices) as among other health professionals, there is a higher incidence of mental disorders compared with the averages in the population, and it is generally considered that it is connected with the peculiarities of the medical profession. In 1997, one of the issues of the journal Advances in Psychiatric Treatment was devoted to the overall theme of mental disorders among physicians with an emphasis on phenomenology and treatment. Interviewing Dr. Thomas, who is the doctor in hospice it was found that stress greatly influences not only professional life, but also personal life of any doctor. Dr. Thomas stated that often the patients life depends on the timely receipt of adequate medical care for high-quality rendering of which the doctor of hospice requires self-discipline, high level of concentration and clarity of action. The need for rapid decision-making under tough time constraints and information leads to long-term emotional suspense and, as a consequence, the development of stress. Dr. Thomas also mentioned during the interview that among health care workers professionals who are most distinguished by a heightened sense of responsibility, willingness to always come to the aid for the patient, the desire to be important, the desire to provide psychological support, a high degree of moral duty to the patient and the desire to conform to certain ethical-deontological requirements, experiences about their professional competence are in the group of risk for the stress development. While making the research of stress in the medical field it was found that according to British researchers as it was stated by Levey, in 41% of the cases among general practitioners high levels of anxiety are revealed, and clinically evident depression is present in 26% of cases. (Levey, 2001). The third part of doctors use medication for correction of emotional stress, and the amount of alcohol use exceeds the average level. According to Wicks stress is provoked by three types of factors in the big majority of cases (Wicks, 2006). In such situation personal role and organizational factors have the leading place in the medical field. Personal factor. It describes burning doctors as sympathetic, humane, gentle, fond, idealists, people-oriented, and at the dame time unstable, introverted, obsessed by fixed ideas, fiery and easily identifying themselves personalities. Role factor. The relationship between the role conflict, role ambiguity and emotional burnout was observed many decades ago. Wicks stated that employment in the case of a clear division of responsibility limit the development of stress in the medical field (Wicks, 2006). Moreover, doctors who feel fuzzy or uneven distribution of responsibility for their professional actions, understand that this factor increases sharply, even at much lower workload. Organizational factor. The main organizational factors that contribute to stress burnout include: high workload, lack or absence of social support from colleagues and management, insufficient remuneration for work, a high degree of uncertainty in assessing the work performed; inability to influence decision-making process; ambiguous requirements for the work; the constant risk of penalties, monotonous and unpromising activities, the need to outwardly show emotion, that is not conform to reality, lack of holidays, vacations and interests outside of the own medical profession. It is also necessary to mention that among the other important factors in the development of stress are the destabilizing organization of activities and unfavorable psychological atmosphere in the team. Making the accent on the development of stress among doctors of hospice we should mention that high medical pressure, twenty-four-hour regimen with the mandatory duty, the expectation of complications in the condition of patients require a high functional activity of the organism and can be qualified as the leading professional pathogenic factors. In addition, an aggravating effect on the health of workers has the contact with dying patients when the health worker does not see the positive results of the own efforts to save the patient and often feels his own weakness. As a result there can be mentioned developing brain disorders in the form of neurosis, hypertension, stenocardia, ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract and other health problems. It is obvious that professional activities often have an adverse impact on individuals that leads to depression. The greater medical workload lead to the fact that health care worker experiences less pleasure from the process of his own work. Exceeding regulatory number of patients, a large amount of clerical work-design, low technical equipment of the workplace and the permanent shortage of drugs also contribute to the manifestations of fatigue and nervousness. From the ergonomic factors doctors in the hospice often observe eye strain, overload of the musculoskeletal system. Thinking about the way how stress in the medical field relates to culture it is possible to say that the recent radical changes in society have an additional psychological burden on the medical staff, since society needs the higher quality workers in a much shorter time since economic restrictions are providing health services. Innovation activities of health care institutions is focused on the practical use of scientific and technical results and intellectual capacity to expand the range of services, methods for their production, to improve quality of care and meet patients needs for high quality medical services, and ultimately to optimize the level of health among population. The most part of health professionals who work in an innovative environment, have long working hours, overtime, associated with combining positions or additional training workload (training, development of new methods of diagnosis and treatment). Intensification of professional activities affects the health, helping to increase the level of overall incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases. In addition to the above observed facts Dr. Thomas stated that people working in health care facilities are often subjected to considerable personal stress They have problems in the private life because they cannot show their feelings to other people and have the predominant feature of the medical profession to deny the problems related to personal health. Due to the research work in the medical field we can state that among doctors in hospice there is a widespread idea that the stress at work is like a failure and doctors own weakness. Thats why stress calls denials based on the feeling of guilt and leads to the fact that doctors have many difficulties in admitting of the existence of these problems, respectively, it is difficult to share and solve them timely. Thinking about the negative impact of stress on the work of any doctor we should pay the specific attention to the fact that development of this state contributes to certain personality traits a high level of emotional lability (neuroticism), high self control, especially when expressing negative emotions with the desire to suppress them, the rationalization of the motives of personal behavior, a tendency to increased anxiety and depressive reactions associated with unattainability of internal standard and blocking negative emotions, rigid personality structure. The paradox is that the ability of health care workers to deny their own negative emotions can sometimes be a power in their hands, but often it becomes their weakness. Therefore it is useful to remember that we are always a part of our problem, or part of their solutions is always in our mind. Thus, the fieldwork shows that the syndrome of burnout is accompanied by the daily, routine professional work, often requiring from physicians a sufficiently intense, not spontaneous, unimportantly conflict, but for different reasons emotionally intense communication with patients, and therefore it is not associated with its extreme conditions. So, it becomes clear why frequency and intensity of this syndrome are much higher among oncologists and doctors in hospice than among surgeons or traumatologists. It is impossible to leave without attention the fact that the restriction of the possibility of using existing personal potential, the monotony of work, a high degree of uncertainty in the assessment of the work, dissatisfaction with social status are noted among the characteristics of communicative professions that have a significant impact on the development of stress. And only after the above numerated factors physicians emphasized that they considered low pay and poor working conditions as stress factors, considering them important, but not leading, as it often seems to be the sources of occupational stress in health care workers. Conformity / fail capabilities of professional in the medical field and social conditions of his activities lie in the focus of the problem of occupational stress. Therefore, this issue was explored in complex of specialist communication profession and its social environment. Emotional infectiousness burnout syndrome, which also emphasizes its social nature plays also an important role in the discussion of the information in this project. In conclusion, stress in the medical field and occupational stress in its wide sense are not the problem of difficult people, but the problem of difficult (unsolved) cases in the relationship and structure of interpersonal relations, fuzzy symbols of social roles and responsibilities, lack of emotional support from counterparts and leaders.

My Educational Philosophy :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Teachers Essays

My Educational Philosophy My decision to become a teacher isn’t because of a lifelong wish or even a childhood dream. My educational experience during childhood left me, for many years, feeling very indifferent towards the teaching profession. I grew up in a very rural area and the schools that I attended didn’t attract the best of teachers. Although I always tested marginally above average on standardized tests, my grades were mediocre and my attitude concerning my education rated a big, fat â€Å"F†. I wasn’t challenged, inspired, or motivated by any of the teachers that I encountered during my years in school. Maybe there were those who tried to reach out to me but I wasn’t interested. Whatever the case, I graduated high school with no thought of ever becoming a teacher and with the attitude that education wasn’t important. Several years later, as my children started attending school, my view concerning teachers gradually started to change. Through volunteering and being at the school s quite often I began to see how wonderful teachers can be, as the majority of the teachers that I came in contact with seemed to be very passionate about their jobs. This was foreign to me—caring teachers! It wasn’t long before I was in awe of the profession and I wanted to do MY part. I wanted to contribute what I could in attempt to obliterate childhood educational experiences such as mine. After all, anyone can sit back and criticize teachers and the education system. But, if you are going to criticize you must be ready to get involved to create change. That is exactly what I decided to do. Another huge catalyst for me in this process was that I wanted to set an example for my children to follow. How could I challenge them to do their best and to pursue college when I was not a college grad uate myself? The answer I came up with was to re-enter the academic world after fourteen years of absence. As you can guess from my brief testimony, my philosophy concerning education is eclectic in nature and centers naturally around the aspects of self-esteem and motivation. These two words go hand in hand. If children feel good about themselves, and are encouraged, they will be motivated to do their best.

Speed Limit :: essays research papers

Should Highway Speed Limits Be Increased? Should highway speed limits be increased? Should we strike down every sign that the government posts and uses to regulate the speed limit on the thousands of highways around the country? Should we trust the driving ability of each and every person to drive within a reasonably safe speed? The response that most people lean toward is one of negativity. People automatically assume that the speeds presently posted on our highways are there only for our own protection. People do not believe that the government is knowingly implementing speed limits that are below a safe speed for a given roadway. It is true that the government claims to set speed limits that are for the public well being. As the United States Department of Transportation puts it, "Speed limits are appropriate speeds based on the traffic of an area, road conditions, weather, and the lighting" (The Star Ledger). But the fact of the matter is that their arguments have no factual basis. Suppose the government is really setting speed limits that are safe. If this were true, speed limits would change constantly. If the roadway were wet, if the traffic is thick, or the visibility is bad at a certain point in time then the speed limit would have to change continuously. But, the government can't be on the highway twenty-four hours of the day changing signs. If the government wants to set a safe speed standard then it must be much more realistic. A driver knows their ability as wel l as their vehicles ability under diverse conditions. If the government tries to tell society that the faster speeds they are traveling is harmful; people will not feel that the government is looking out for their safety. They will instead feel as if though they were being treated as children. Therefor the speed limit on highways should be increased, and individuals should be allowed to drive at a safe "high" speed without being held back by an unrealistic law. From first-hand experience, one should easily realize that the common man would feel negativity toward raising speed limits. People fall into this trap because the general public is often mislead into believing that abolishing speed limits on highways will only cause more harm than good. People often are the victims of misunderstanding and people rarely observe the advantages offered by increasing the speed limit to a safe level.

Hindu Death Rituals

There is one thing that is certain in this lifetime that eventually we all must die. A belief in the cyclical reincarnation of the soul is one of the foundations of the Hindu religion. Death is viewed as a natural aspect of life, and there are numerous epic tales, sacred scriptures, and vedic guidance that describe the reason for death's existence, the rituals that should be performed surrounding it, and the many possible destinations of the soul after departure from its earthly existence (Retrieved from http://mailerindia. com/hindu/veda/index. php? death on 18th January, 2012).this essay will discuss the rituals performed for the soul of the dead body so it reaches heaven peacefully. Traditionally, a Hindu dies at home. Nowadays the dying is increasingly kept in hospitals, even when recovery is clearly not possible. Once family is certain that a person is taking his last breath, the start to chant mantras such as â€Å"om namoh narayana†. This helps the soul to leave the bod y peacefully. They also put holy ash or sandal paste on the forehead and put few drops of Ganga or holy water in the mouth so that the soul goes to heaven. The first mortal to meet his fate with Death was named Yama.Yama is aided by his two killer guide dogs who keep an eye as to whose life has come to an end. so they take the last breath of that person and take the soul to yama who directs them to their destiny . after the person dies the family member calls a chief priest who performs the rituals of†Homa† which is making afire and chanting mantras and doing offering to the â€Å"Agni Dewata† or fire god. The family gather together to cremate the body. Cremation is a ritual designed to do much more than dispose of the body; it is intended to release the soul from its earthly existence.â€Å"Hindus believe that cremation (compared to burial or outside disintegration) is most spiritually beneficial to the departed soul. † This is based on the belief that the â€Å"astral body† will linger â€Å"as long as the physical body remains visible. † If the body is not cremated, â€Å"the soul remains nearby for days or months†(Retrieved from http://mailerindia. com/hindu/veda/index. php? death on 18th January, 2012). The standard cremation ceremony begins with the ritual cleansing, dressing and adorning of the body. The body is then carried to the cremation ground as prayers are chanted to Yama, invoking his aid.It is usually the chief mourner and the eldest son who perform the â€Å"Agni† or fire ceremony. He circumambulates the pyre counterclockwise– for everything is backward at the time of death and lights the pyre. The death now is an offering to Agni. After burning the corpse the chief mourner cracks the skull with a bamboo , thus releasing the soul from entrapment in the body. After cremation a thirteen day ritual is done for the safety of the soul till it reaches heaven. Family read a holy book called Bhagwat Geeta every afternoon for the deceased person..Twelve hours after the cremation, the ashes are thrown into a river, ideally the Ganges river, and the mourners walk away without looking back. On the 3rd, 5th, 7th or 9th day, relatives gather for a meal of the deceased's favorite foods. A portion is offered before his photo and later ceremonially left at an abandoned place, along with some lit camphor. On the 31st day, a memorial service is held. In some traditions it is a repetition of the funeral rites. At home, all thoroughly clean the house. the chief priest than prays for the deceased and his ancestors so their souls can reunite in the next world.This ritual is called sapindikarana. Similar rituals are done after six months and then the last one is an year after death. a priest conducts the shraddha rites in the home, offering pinda to the ancestors. This ceremony is done yearly as long as the sons of the deceased are alive (or for a specified period) Retrieved from http ://mailerindia. com/hindu/veda/index. php? death on 18th January, 2012).. In conclusion we can say that Hindu funeral rites can be simple or exceedingly complex. These steps devotedly completed according to the customs, means, and ability of the family, will properly conclude one earthly sojourn of any Hindu soul.Religions such as Hinduism offer our own immortal souls satisfying answers to questions of life and death. Their ancient mythic texts provide real reasons for our existence here on earth. They also demonstrate that death is something that can be prepared for instead of being feared. In addition, they offer the possibility of something to look forward to, so we need not dread our last days on this planet. A true Hindu shall love death as he loves this life (Retrieved from http://mailerindia. com/hindu on 18th January, 2012).

Discuss empirically validated therapy in which specific therapies are effective for the certain mental disorder

Empirically-validated therapies are forms of preaching that are potently backed by scientific information obtained from various observations, studies, or experimentation. The hypothesis obtained is testable apply experimentation or observations. An empirical resolvent is obtained is an experi rational observation ( such(prenominal) as a clinical trial). Usually it has been seen that practitioners do non follow empirically-validated data and instead would go by their clinical experience.The clinical scientist on the separate hand would be concentrating enormously on empirically-validated therapies. In the field of psychiatry, empirically-validated therapies sport a genuinely major role. In the last few years, the concentration of rational tutelage has shifted hugely from well-established therapies which are routinely utilise to empirically-supported therapies. It has non hardly turn up to be rough-and-ready in the intervention of various mental bothers, but has besides falld the costs and has proved to be genuinely recitationful in managed care settings.State, local and federal bodies that fund healthcare are now paying greater amount of importance to empirically-validated therapies. In future, the psychiatricalal practitioner would be concentrating to a really great finish on empirically-validated therapies. In case of medico-legal issues, a practitioner could be held liable for malpractice if he/she holds up an empirically-validated intercession and goes in for a standard intervention process that has been use since several(prenominal) years.Accreditations organizations could to a fault be considering using the extent to which a hospital would be using empirically-validated discussion in the perseverings. The APA is also considering imposing stricter sanctions for not implementing empirically-validated give-and-take in mental healthcare (Guimon, 2007 & Levant, 2008). Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the manipula tion of moulding Personality malady Antidepressants and mental hygieneOne of the classical examples of Empirically-supported manipulation has been in the case of unhurrieds forgathering from perimeter personality disorders (BPD). such(prenominal) a patient would be affected with several symptoms including impulsiveness, hostility, suicidal behavior, anger outbursts, projective identification, low interpersonal relationships, long-standing fears, intolerance, conceit swings, suicidal behavior, front man of comorbid disorders, etc. Such an individual may give a history of child abuse, child neglect, presence of other psychological or neurologic disorders, etc.The exact cause of the disorders is not cognize but several factors including biological factors, catching factors, neurochemical factors, environmental factors, etc, would be playing a major role in the developing of the disorder. Borderline personality disorder may be early repartee mechanisms to familiar and aggressive drives (Guimon, 2007). Traditionally, no specific preaching has been addressable as a curative for BPD, but wholly management of the symptoms. releasings along with short term arrangement of medications has been traditionally been utilized.The medications utilized send word only treat the symptoms of anxiety, slack and aggressiveness and cannot be utilized to treat BPD per se. Non-clinical studies call for demonstrate that SSRI antidepressant drugs, narcoleptics and mood stabilizers can do only to a trusted extent in the preaching of BPD. Hospitalization may be essential to treat patients with the take chances of suicide or causing jeopardy to others. Some shrinks may feel that hospitalization of the patient is required only for medico-legal issues.However, empirically-performed data wee-wee shown that chronic suicidal thoughts may be an expression of belief and grief and can be usefully managed through and through ambulatory settings. Several antid epressants, whose effect on BPD was not known before, nominate proved to be beneficial through empirically-validated studies. Binks et al (2007) conducted a reputation to determine the capability of several agents utilized in the intervention of BPD. He free-base that among the antidepressants Fluoxetine was perfect in comparison to a placebo utilized in the give-and-take of first.There were not overmuch difference among MAOIs and placebos in the treatment of BPD, and between MAOIs and antipsychotics. Antipsychotics admirered only to a certain extent to reduce some mental states (Binks, 2007, & Guimon, 2007). Perry et al (1999) had conducted a comprehensive study to determine the efficaciousness of several purgative approaches in the treatment of BPD. Some of them include Interpersonal therapy, CBT and supportive psychotherapeutics. All forms of psychotherapy calculateed to be effective in the treatment of BPD, with about one-fourth of the patients recovering either year.This rate was seven times high than anticipated. During the early phases of treatment, psychodynamic therapy seemed to be effective, helping to make good alliances with the patient. Group therapy is at present existenceness effective in outpatient settings. In cognitive behavior therapy, greater emphasis is set upon the application of ones learning and knowledge in much blue-fruited outcomes. Psychoanalytical approaches are increasing organism utilized to repair the strength of the swelled head and to experience reality more(prenominal) appropriately.DBT (through a Cochrane review conducted in 2007 CA Binks et al), had been compared with other forms of treatment. Not many differences were found between DBT and other forms of treatment, but thither was a reduction in parasuicidal behaviors and the general psychiatric severity. Hence today, Evidence-based drug or psychotherapeutic approaches seem to be efficient and fail-safe in people suffering from BPD. more(pr enominal) studies in the field of BPD need to be conducted to determine the presence of more effective and safer treatment modes (Binks, 2007, Perry, 1999 & Guimon, 2007).Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the treatment of low Psychotherapy (A comparison between the traditionally utilized drugs and empirically-validated psychotherapy) Another field in which a lot of evidenced-based studies are being conducted is in the field of depression. This is soon sledding to be considered the second most commonest of tenuity and distress across the globe. In the US, more than 50 billion dollars is being spent annually in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. The loss in terms of unfitness to function appropriately at the exerciseplace is much higher.Many cases of depression go untreated in the US. In the past, antidepressants have been utilized as the standard in the treatment across the US. Physicians, hospitals and insurance agencies in the US stress on the use of antidepres sants in the treatment of depression. However, research today has present that there are much more effective and safer alternative treatments for depression. Drugs may be useful, but cannot be considered as the only treatment for the condition. Empirically-validated therapies can be considered as conventional, supplemental as well as alternative forms of treatments in the management of depression.Empirically-validated treatments to be utilized in the treatment of depression may be costly in the short-run, but beneficial in the long as they aim to relieve the symptoms and not change the character of the patient. As they would be utilized for short periods of time, the patient is advance to make modifications in the vitalitystyle. One of the of the essence(p) treatment modalities in the management of depression has been psychotherapy. Several modes under psychotherapy such as cognitive therapy, interpersonal therapy, behavioural therapy, etc, seem to be more effective in the tre atment of depression compared to before.They have several advantages when compared to drugs. Antidepressants tend to relieve the locomote symptoms of depression before the mood, whereas psychotherapy tends to improve mood before the motor symptoms. by dint of psychotherapy several issues such as difficulties at the workplace or home, tangled interpersonal relationships, well-disposed withdrawals, etc, can be more efficaciously managed compared to drugs which tend to reduce some of the physical and neurove dealative symptoms. Traumatic life events that are the root cause of depression can be more effectively managed through psychotherapy rather than medications.Psychotherapy is not only needed in the nifty stages of depression, but also in the semipermanent, as a maintenance therapy. Cases of relapse and recurrences are found to be lower when psychotherapy has been administered. Studies have also demonstrated that conspiracy therapy (short-term administration of medication alo ng with long-term psychotherapy) has been genuinely effective in the treatment of depression. Studies have shown that psychotherapy when administered alone or in combination with medication is more affective than when medication is being administered alone.Several depressive symptoms, absenteeism and stultification in functioning are significantly relieved following psychotherapy. Psychotherapy would help to correct the root causes of depression such as stressful work atmospheres, traumatic interpersonal relationships, fears, etc. Today, empirically-validated forms of psychotherapy can be utilized to a greater extent if they are given a go-ahead by the insurance companies and employers. In the past, these forms of treatment have been considered to be unproductive and costly.Studies have even demonstrated that patients, who suffer from depression under low lights, could eudaemonia from phototherapy. Only some patients in the observational group have benefitted from this treatme nt. Current studies have demonstrated that transcranial magnetic stimulation could be utilized as an effective alternative to ECT. But today, through evidenced-based studies more and more benefits of psychotherapy are being ascertain (Vaisle, 2001, Moore, 2004 & Markowitz, 2008). Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the treatment of obsessive Compulsive Disorder Clomipramine and SSRIs antidepressantsObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which obsessions (persistent thought and ideas) and compulsions (strange and repetitive behavior) develop. ahead it was thought that the disorder had a very poor outcome as there was a lack of studies conducted in this area. However, today a lot of experimentations have been conducted with psychotherapy and medications utilized to treat the disorder. About threesome to half the number of patients affected with the disorder are children.The outcome of OCD is especially poor if found in association with a personality dis order. However, compared to other psychiatric disorders, the response of OCD is low to both medications and psychotherapy. Several antidepressant substances seem to be effective in treating the symptoms of OCD. One of them is Clomipramine which has through a European study found to lower obsessions. In another study, several symptoms such as anxiety, social isolation, depression, etc, were reduced when clomipramine was combined with psychotherapy.Lower doses of clomipramine were useful in treating the obsessions, but the ritualistic move to be present. Several studies have shown that clomipramine as very useful in OCD. In another study, SSRIs were found to be very useful in treating OCD in children. However, these drugs need to be administered in higher doses. In adults, SSRIs seem to be not very effective in treating OCD. Overall very few drugs have been tested in the past for the treatment of OCD, and this has to change in the future (Herbert, 2001 & Goetz, 2007). Conclusion and Personal OpinionToday, practitioners should get more and more into following the empirically-validated forms of treatment in another disease, rather than the traditional model. In the past, doctors were only going by experience of what drug or therapy would be ideal to treat a special condition. Standard forms of treatment may seem to be safe but outdated, and the patient would not be gaining the benefits of updated research work conducted in the medical field. However, today practice of medicine is fast-paced and newer and more and more locomote forms of treatment is coming out, that also seems to be very much effective than the drugs compared to yesterday.If the practitioners use the traditional model in treating the patients, wherefore the treatment is not going to be effective and safe. Hence, it would be ideal for the psychiatrist to use the evidenced-based riseings in their practice. Through several clinical trials conducted on certain mental disorders including BPD, depr ession and OCD, it has been found that certain pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions have proved to be very effective. Further trials are required to help ensure that more effective and safer therapies are understood and made available to the patients.If the clinical scientists are unable to find efficient use of a finical drug or psychotherapy mode on the patient, it does not mean that it is inefficient for use, but rhater means further unified trials need to be conducted which would help to understand the drug better. Evidence-based and empirically-validated are new movements that have arisen in the medical and psychiatric being today. These movements have also considered ethical, legal, moral and social implications.