Teenage Pregnancy Essays (1948 words) - Midwifery, Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage Pregnancy The Truth About Teen Pregnancy Although the rate of teenage pregnancy in the United States has declined greatly within the past few years, it is still an enormous problem that needs to be addressed. These rates are still higher in the 1990's than they were only a decade ago. The United State's teenage birthrate exceeds that of most other industrialized nations, even though American teenagers are no more sexually active than teenagers are in Canada or Europe. (Gormly 348) Recent statistics concerning the teen birthrates are alarming. About 560,000 teenage girls give birth each year. Almost one-sixth of all births in the United States are to teenage women are to teenage women. Eight in ten of these births resulted from unintended pregnancies. (Gormly 347) By the age of eighteen, one out of four teenage girls will have become pregnant. (Newman 679) Although the onset of pregnancy may occur in any teenager, some teens are at higher risk for unplanned pregnancy than others. Teenagers who become sexually active at an earlier age are at a greater risk primarily because young teenagers are less likely to use birthcontrol. African-American and Hispanic teenagers are twice as likely to give birth as are white teenagers. Whites are more likely to have abortions. Teenagers who come from poor neighborhoods and attend segregated schools are at a high risk for pregnancy. Also, teenagers who are doing poorly in school and have few plans for the future are more likely to become parents than those who are doing well and have high educationsl and occupational expectations. Although the rate of teenage pregnancy is higher among low- income African-Americans and Hispanics, especially those in inner city ghettoes, the number of births to teenagers is highest among white, nonpoor young women who live in small cities and towns. (Calhoun 309) In addition to the question of which teenagers become pregnant, interest is shown in the social consequences of early parenthood. Adolescent parents (mostly mothers) may find that they have a lost or limited opportunity for education. (Johnson 4) The higher a woman's level of education, the more likely she is to postpone marriage and childbearing. Adolescents with little schooling are often twice as likely as those with more education to have a baby bafore their twentieth birthday. Some 58% of young women in the United States who receive less than a high school education give birth by the time they are twenty years old, compared with 13% of young women who complete at least twelve years of schooling. (Tunick 11) Teens who become pregnant during high school are more likely to drop out. (Calhoun 310) A teen mother leaves school because she cannot manage the task of caring for a baby and studying, and a teen father usually chooses a job over school so that he can pay bills and provide for his child. (Johnson 4) Teen mothers usually have fewer resources than older mothers because they have had less time to gather savings or build up their productivity through work experience, education, or training. (Planned Parenthood 1) Because of this, teen mothers are generally poor and are dependent on government support. (Newman 679) The welfare system is usually the only support a teen parent will receive. Welfare benefits are higher for families with absent fathers or dependent children. (Calhoun 309) In some cases, teen mothers may also receive help like Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). (Newman 679) Besides educational and financial problems, teenage mothers may face a great deal of emotional strain and may become very stressed. Teen mothers may have limited social contacts and friendships because they do not have time for anything other than their baby. Lack of a social life and time for herself may cause the teenage mother to become depressed or have severe mental anxiety. (Johnson 5) Depression may become worse for a teenage mother because she usually does not know much about child development or about how to care for their children. Children who are born to teenage mothers usually suffer from poor parenting. (Berk 188) Also, children of teenage parents start being sexually active before their peers and they are more likely to become teenage parents themselves. These children may also

The Holy Spirit Moves Us To Repent †Theology Essay

The Holy Spirit Moves Us To Repent – Theology Essay Free Online Research Papers The Holy Spirit Moves Us To Repent Theology Essay â€Å"That is what Pentecost is all about – freedom – from the burdens of life and the burdens of self. And if you don’t have that freedom, then you have not yet had your personal Pentecost. You have not met the risen Christ and received his power. This quote is found on page 54 of Half-Wits. Father Peter is giving a speech essentially about life and how each and every one of us can choose how to live it. There are two different states of living – the way Father Peter is living his life and the way Fitzsimmons, up until this point, has been living his life. Father Peter is living, as he says, â€Å"free from the burdens of life and the burdens of self† (54). He also says that his life has meaning and that he is a happy, joyful man (54). He has been rid of fear, despair, and anxiety all because of the â€Å"personal Pentecost† he refers to. Fitzsimmons, however, has not yet experienced that freedom or that personal Pentecost so he still experiences fear and despair, because of which he has allowed himself to become numb and had decided to close off from the world. Father Peter is different from Fitzsimmons because he has allowed himself to be open to the power of God. Father Peter realizes he is just a man. He has come to terms with the existence of evil and has turned himself over to God for help overcoming that evil. When he realized that God was the only one who could overcome the evils of the world and asked for his help, he became free from those evils and became a happier man. It isn’t until page 272 in the novel that Fitzsimmons truly experiences this: â€Å"†¦Fitzsimmons began to be aware of a tremendous sense of release. It was as if a great catharsis had taken place and all the weight of his past life had been lifted from him. He was, he knew, free of the burden of the deaths of Eileen and Sarah, and he was free of the foreboding that Sarz had caused him. He was also free, to some extent, he realized, of self.† This is where Fitzsimmons finally begins to experience his own personal Pentecost where he can be freed of all the burdens of his past, present, and future. The personal Pentecost can be achieved only once we realize God’s power and our need for his help. We learned that the divine trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – creates, redeems, and sanctifies. Through this, we can experience trinification and be made members of the Body of Christ. In addition, the Holy Spirit moves us to repent, which is related to the personal Pentecost. When we taste the Father’s pain and submit to it, we are repenting and this is essentially what Fitzsimmons finally does. He has had a lot of pain and suffering in his life and it is only once he finally gives in and submits to it that he can experience true happiness. This kind of happiness is different from what he had before with Eileen, which he says himself was shallow. Prior to this transformation in him, Fitzsimmons was guilty of sloth, one of the deadly sins. As we also learned, sins are the expression of our desire to kill Christ. Once Fitzsimmons goes through his personal Pentecost and repents, he is forgiven for his sins and can now be free from his previous bur dens. That is the true meaning of this quote. â€Å"Hey, Jay,† he said excitedly, â€Å"Blessed are the half-wits, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.† The next quote relates to what we have learned about the Beatitudes. In this quote, Tommy is relating the half-wits to what the Beatitudes say about the meek, the poor, etc. They are similar because one would probably consider a meek or a poor person to be on the same level of happiness as a half-wit. It may often be the assumption that they could never experience what we consider to be happiness. However, the Beatitudes present us with a paradox, a challenge, and a timeliness that prove this fact to be wrong. The first thing we are confronted with is the paradox of the Beatitudes. A paradox is a seeming contradiction – the statements in the Beatitudes seem crazy, but they are true. Pinckaers discusses this on page 33 of The Pursuit of Happiness: â€Å"As for ourselves, don’t we honestly think that riches, joy, health, and a good reputation will make us happy? Don’t we spontaneously seek these things and reject their opposites?† The Beatitudes are actually the opposite of what society tells us we need to be happy. Ultimately, they force us to look inside ourselves and this is when we can find the bottom rock and realize our need for God. There is also a challenge in the Beatitudes. The challenge is this: many people are living their lives on cruise control, thinking they have it all. What both the Beatitudes and the events they discuss (poverty, tragedy, etc.) force us to do is stop and think and essentially reevaluate the way we are making sense. The Beatitudes confront us with the â€Å"realities of existence and show us what lies in our own depths† (Pinckaers, 35). In this confrontation, we are sent inward and challenged to find joy and find God even in the worst situations. It dares you to believe Jesus’ seeming paradox. The Beatitudes also have a timeliness about them. Poverty, meekness, and sadness – these are all things that speak to all people of all times. They are not problems of the present or the past; they are problems all people must face. Pinckaers refers to them as â€Å"questions which have constantly recurred throughout history† (37) and this is something that will always be true, so the Beatitudes will in turn always be true. In the reading of Half-wits, Fitzsimmons is someone who seems to epitomize the Beatitudes and Tommy may have been pointing him to this in his statement. Fitzsimmons was broken and forced to look within himself in order to find meaning in his life again. When he was with his first wife, the relationship was shallow – it was not true happiness. It was only once he lost it all and experienced many of the things mentioned in the Beatitudes the he was able to start to come to terms with the bottom rock and ultimately find true happiness. On page 147 in Half-wits, we see Fitzsimmons at his ultimate low when he seems to have lost everything: â€Å"I cannot put the events in sequence. The moment I saw the blood something happened to my mental process. Perhaps I went a little mad, or maybe it was shock†. For a long period after his trauma, Fitzsimmons was walking around numb. It is only once he lets down his guard and allows himself to experience the pain and deal with it that h e can truly start to live again and find the happiness the Beatitudes are talking about. In addition, he is now in a place where he can realize his need for God and the fact that thing most worth crying over would be losing our relationship with Him. â€Å"I had second thoughts,† she said. â€Å"I was wrong.† Fitzsimmons extended his arm; she came to him and clung to him. â€Å"Thank God for second thoughts,† he said. This quote relates to what we talked about the very first day of class. The bottom rock and making sense of our lives are foundations to moral theology and Christian thought. When we go about our daily lives, we are continuously making sense. We do things such as brush our teeth or our hair and all the while we are making sense. We learned that doing this presupposes the fact that it makes sense to begin with, so this points to something beyond us, independent of our mind and will, that our making sense must lean upon. This thing is the bottom rock. The â€Å"second thoughts† mentioned in this quote come in when something in our lives interrupts our making sense. Sometimes things in our lives happen that cause us to reevaluate the way we are â€Å"making sense† – this is the activity of ethics. For Fitzsimmons, his experiences with Sarz and Amy caused him to reevaluate the way he was making sense, or have a â€Å"second thought†. Amy also stopped to reevaluate the way she was making sense. The novel itself shows us four different people, two of which know the foundation of their lives (Father Peter and Sarz), and the other two who are unsure (Amy and Fitzsimmons). The second thoughts are necessary parts of life to further connect us with the bottom rock. Without this questioning, many of us would continue making sense of our lives in ways that didn’t make sense. Research Papers on The Holy Spirit Moves Us To Repent - Theology EssayPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyLifes What IfsThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Effects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCapital PunishmentAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion

WRITE A REPORT in which you investigate the planning and control Essay

WRITE A REPORT in which you investigate the planning and control processes, and evaluate the supply chains including MRP and JIT systems in relation to Morrison - Essay Example The main purpose of supply chain management is to enhance quality and pace of all activities throughout the supply chain, so that products and services are supplied in the right quantity, to the right location, at the right time. Actually it is the series of links and shared processes between suppliers and customers. The links and processes cover all the activities from the purchasing raw materials to the delivery of final product. The whole process of supply chain as depicted above is controlled by a chain of command to facilitate best and profitable end product. The importance of planning and control of supply chain can not be denied. It plays a vital role in effective management of mass production factory. The complications allied with manufacturing systems value chains have not been resolved yet. It is because of the fact that the value chain may consist of many suppliers located in various areas. There are certain methods used by supervisor on plant floor to coordinate the processes in supply chain. One person dominated supervision: In this method one person takes direct responsibility of whole floor and control and monitors every move on the floor. This method is not considered very effective as it has its own pitfalls. Interdependent Supervision: In this method many person are involved in supervising and monitoring process by openly communicating and advising each other on a floor of plant. This method is considered more flexible and adaptable. Systemization: In this method a sophisticated system is evolved and every worker is assigned the job individually or in-group. Although this is a good method but it is only useful in automated plants. There are various other methods used to control the day to day performance on the floor of plant. But the methods mentioned above are more common. Traditionally most manufacturing control was done using reorder-point/reorder-quantity methods

The Perspective on Teaching Biology Research Paper

The Perspective on Teaching Biology - Research Paper Example The first one is a book with the title Influencer: The Power to Change Anything1. The second one is a report on Healthcare Community Discussions, which has been issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The paper has an introduction. Next, there is a discussion on leadership in health care followed by a section on leadership characteristics that are important for a Biology teacher. Finally, there is the conclusion part. Leadership in Healthcare In general, a leader is essentially somebody who can provide guidance. And importantly, he/she should be innovative as well. By utilizing experiential insight and specialist skills to help the subordinates achieve their pursuit, a leader can change and/or decide the very way of working of an organization or system (Sashkin and Sashkin, 2003). In this way, the leader should be a capable influencer too. And in complicated work environments, the leaders have to be â€Å"master influencers† (Patterson et al, 2008, p.67). I n the healthcare sector, leaders must be gifted with an ability to influence people. Contextually, Patterson et al (2008) have given the example of Dr. Don Berwick. Dr. Berwick wants to minimize the number of the patients who die or suffer seriously due to the mistakes of the healthcare professionals who attend them. ...   Something similar is happening in the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) as well. This nonprofit professional organization is trying to obtain ample and effective leadership development patterns to facilitate the respiratory therapists. Most of the leaders in contemporary respiratory care are expected to â€Å"jump in headfast†, which leads to a â€Å"sink or swim time† for them (Bunch, 2010). Consequently, AARC has developed a Leadership Institute that caters to the needs of the caregivers who have to lead their departments, peers, and communities. In sum, leadership in healthcare is already a field of extensive academic and empirical activities with substantial implications. Leadership Characteristics of a Biology Teacher In the making of a healthcare professional, concepts related to the Life Sciences are very important. While learning the school level lessons of Biology, the learners develop a basic understanding of healthcare. For example, topics like Anatomy, Physiology, Communicable Diseases, Health and Hygiene, etc. form the basic foundation of healthcare. A Biology teacher must help his/her students to learn the subject in such a way that he/she can prepare for the key career options in the field. Of course, all students who study Biology in the school do not necessarily become healthcare professionals. But every healthcare professional should have studied Biology at the school level. In other words, knowledge of Biology is an essential requirement for the healthcare professionals.

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS - Assignment Example My classmate does not show clearly whether the point on U.S restricting trade explains hurting or helping the auto industry. Although from the example given, one can conclude that he or she was talking about hurting the auto industry because the example shows that restricting imports would reduce innovativeness of auto industry. My classmates second answer is partly correct and partly out of context in addressing the question. He or she is correct by saying that autoworkers will be helped by the US’s efforts to restrict imports. The fact that foreign auto companies have branches in the US means that employment is made available to the US citizens. I do not agree with the idea that foreign companies such as Honda and Toyota hire only Japanese workers. The point on sales in Honda and Toyota cars going down and influencing the industry is out of context because it does not relate to government restricting imports. The point on government influencing auto industry is also not clear by not mentioning whether the policies created regard imports and exports according to the question. The point on manufacturers being forced to build safer and fuel efficient cars is also out of context. I think my classmate misinterpreted the

Smoking and Coronary Heart Disease Impact

Smoking and Coronary Heart Disease Impact Introduction Medical innovations and rapidly evolving technology has led to a decrease in the rate of mortality from diseases. However, the fast and constantly changing hectic lifestyle of today has led to the introduction of new diseases, unhealthy lifestyle and early, premature deaths. Todays technology has provided us with the benefits of early detection and preventive treatments and answers to some of the previously incurable diseases. But it has brought in increased stress and unhealthy eating and other habits that have in some ways caused more harm than benefit. This report titled Smoking: The Heart Breaker is a look at the current situation of coronary heart diseases caused by smoking, relevant legislations, policies and practices, strategies to deal with the situation and future of the disease at local, national and global levels. The report will start by discussing the smoking and coronary heart disease as a public health issue and the reasons for concern. It will provide a background to help better understand the present situation along with an epidemiology of the disease and its causes, with special reference to smoking. It will then go on to report about the legislative policies and strategies that are being currently undertaken in the region of Burnley, East Lancashire to counter this particular health issue. The report will also discuss the policies and initiatives and the status of the health issue at national and global level, so as to provide a complete and holistic picture of the seriousness of the health issue. Finally the report will discuss the current strategies being employed by the government as well as non-government agencies to tackle the health issue. Recommendations will also be made to help make an improvement in the current situation. Public Health Issue: Coronary Heart Disease due to Smoking The term Coronary heart disease is used to describe a condition of blockage or interruption of blood supply to the heart due to build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries (NHS, 2009). This build-up (called atheroma) can lead to insufficient supply of blood to the heart causing pain in the chest known as angina. A completely blocked artery can lead to a heart attack (called myocardial infarction) (NHS, 2009). There are various mild to critical impacts of this condition that even result in death. According to the British Heart Foundation Statistics (2009), diseases related to the heart and circulatory issues are the biggest cause of deaths in the UK, resulting in over 90,000 deaths in the UK in a year. This has resulted in not only raised concerns about the disease but also growing efforts to increase the awareness about the disease, its causes, and preventive as well as precautionary measures that can help to avoid the disease. The situation isn t any brighter in other par ts of the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the majority of countries around the world are affected by coronary heart disease and the disease is a major killer, especially in developing and transitional countries of the world. In a WHO report, cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease is considered to be the leading cause of death and is projected to increase from 17.1 million in 2004 to 23.4 million in 2030 (WHO, 2004). Among the various causes of coronary heart disease, smoking is regarded to be one of the primary causes. According to the WHO report, tobacco-related deaths are expected to rise from 5.4 million in 2004 to 8.3 million in 2030, representing 10% of all global deaths; and smoking has been associated to cardiovascular diseases and subsequent deaths (WHO, 2004). According to a study conducted in 2008, smoking is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease (Bullen, 2008). Though increasing age has been thought as a cau se of coronary heart disease, two studies have found that improper lifestyle, stress, etc are increasing the mortality rates due to coronary heart disease among the young population in the UK, USA and Australia (Nemetz, Roger Ransom, 2008) (Ford Capewell, 2007). Therefore, the growing concern for this disease and its preventable yet common cause is the choice of topic for this report. Background and Epidemiology Cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease have been found to be an unbiased killer that can create havoc in any society irrespective of its economic, political, cultural, religious, regional or racial identity. Similarly, tobacco smoking (either active or passive) is known to be a major cause of many diseases including the coronary heart disease. Given the stressful lifestyle in today s world, many people take up smoking to tackle the stress levels and in the process get addicted. They not only harm themselves but also people around them. The region of Burnley in East Lancashire, is no exception to this trend. Being witness to many friends and family members taking up smoking in the name of relieving stress and then getting addicted and finally ending up suffering from diseases, especially coronary heart disease inspired the choice of topic for this report. There are several causes that can result in coronary heart disease. The NHS lists smoking as the major cause of the disease (NHS, 2009). The various other causes of coronary heart disease have been listed as high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol in blood, presence of thrombosis and / or diabetes unhealthy lifestyle with no regular exercise, obesity and a family history of angina and / or heart attack (which are hereditary) (Nemetz et al, 2008). The risk factors associated with coronary heart diseases which cannot be treated, modified or changed include age, gender and heredity (or race). Increasing age increases the risks of coronary heart disease and fatality from it. Men are found to be at a greater risk of suffering from coronary heart disease in comparison to women (Wells, 1999). Heredity of coronary disease or its causes such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol are also known to create risks of coronary heart conditions. The causes such as smoking, high le vel of cholesterol in blood, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, being overweight and / or obesity and diabetes (diabetes mellitus) are some of the risk factors of coronary heart disease that can be modified, changed and controlled by taking medication and / or by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Other risk factors and causes of the disease include stress and alcohol addiction and can in certain circumstances prove to be fatal causes of the coronary heart disease (Ewles Simnet, 2003). Comparative data of the effects of coronary heart disease in different countries do not provide a very positive picture (see appendix 1). According to a World Health Organisation survey report, the mortality from cardiovascular diseases in 2002 for the developed nations like the United Kingdom and the United States was higher than many other developing nations like China, India, even Nigeria (WHO, 2002). It is clear from the data, that developing countries have a much higher mortality rate from cardiovascular and consequently coronary heart diseases in the developed countries like UK, USA, Germany; and an important fact to notice is that the death rate is higher in the European region in comparison to other regions of the world. This most probably can be attributed to the excessive use of tobacco, alcohol, improper lifestyle that increases stress levels, improper eating habits that leads to blood sugar and cholesterol in the blood. The tobacco usage in different countries around the world also points towards the grimness and enormity of the situation, through which one can appreciate the risk of tobacco causing further deaths due to coronary heart disease (WHO, 2008). The WHO report on tobacco consumption in different countries show that despite government initiatives and regulations, the tobacco consumption has mostly increased and has led to increased mortality especially in the age groups between 25-45 years. Though coronary heart disease is of global nature without any kind of boundary, various specific groups of people are in greater risk of having the disease in comparison to others. The affinity to having coronary heart disease is dependent on factors such as geography, heredity, age and gender. Men are at an increased risk of suffering from coronary heart conditions as compared to women (Wells, 1999). Increase in age increases the chances of suffering from coronary heart disease (DoH, 2004). Coronary heart conditions are also known to be prevalent among Mexican Americans, some Asian Americans, American Indians, and Native Hawaiians (American Heart Association, 2010). England is one of the most vulnerable nations in Europe when it comes to coronary heart diseases (NHS, 2009). Populations in developing and underdeveloped nations of the world too are at a higher risk of suffering from coronary heart disease and related fatalities (American Heart Association, 2010). Smokers, obese people and people with high blood cholesterol are also included in the high risk group for coronary heart disease. Female smokers are more susceptible to the disease especially with increased age since females are more susceptible to the dangers of smoking in comparison to men (WHO, 2002). With increased impact of aggressive and unhealthy lifestyle and stress, the young population across the developed nations of the world too are increasingly coming under the risk of coronary heart disease (NHS, 2008). Therefore, these risk factors result in the coronary heart disease taking on a pandemic nature if certain precautionary and preventive measures are not taken to control the risk factors that can be influenced. Strategies, Policies and Initiatives Given the growing concern about coronary heart diseases, deaths due to the disease and the impact on the younger population, government agencies around the world are taking steps to combat the growing menace. Non-governmental and private agencies too are joining the efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle and awareness about preventive techniques that can help to bring down the risks associated with the disease and the rising cases of fatalities. This section of the report looks at the strategies, agenda, policies, that are being undertaken at the local (NHS East Lancashire, 2010), national and global levels to combat coronary heart disease. Local Public Health In East Lancashire, several workshops and other programmes have been undertaken to increase awareness, educate and help the residents of the area give up smoking and adopt a healthy lifestyle that will help prevent and fight coronary heart disease. The MPs in the region are encouraging antismoking legislations and policies being adopted by the authorities. The NHS has introduced the concept of smoke free zones. The SMYL programme is promoting healthy lifestyle and eating habits (NHS East Lancashire, 2010). Another campaign called Could it be you was also started in 2008 to help people fight coronary heart disease and adopt healthy and preventive lifestyle (Chime Communications Plc, 2008). The authorities in East Lancashire have also collaborated with different agencies to start networks that can promote anti tobacco campaign and raise awareness on coronary heart disease (NHS Networks, 2010). This involvement of the government as well as non-government agencies in the area, one can b e hopeful that headway will be made into the matter. However, it is important that the public realise the criticality of the situation and take advantages of the programmes being undertaken to have a long, healthy and disease free life. Implications at the National Level The National Heart Forum (2006) indicated that heart diseases cost the UK around  £29 billion per year and was termed as economic burden . There are several programmes that have been taken up by the health care authorities and the government in collaboration with non-government agencies to promote anti smoking habits in the country. Several regional programmes such as Bolsover Teenage Smoking Programme, Corby Smoking Cessation Programme, Halton Smoke-Free Programme, London Borough of Tower Hamlets Tobacco Control Alliance, Pendle Smoke-free Council, Heartbeat Awards, the GO Smokefree Campaign, etc have been launched in an earnest to curb the growing effect of smoking in the country (IDeA, 2009). Several governmental legislations have also been put into place (IDeA, 2007). The Department of Health has also started programmes such as Start4Life, 5 A Day, National Support Teams and Let s Get Moving to promote healthy lifestyle that can help to prevent coronary heart disease (DoH, 201 0). Therefore the various government and nongovernment agencies in UK are making effort to control smoking habit and improve lifestyle of the citizens of the country thereby ensuring a brighter future free from smoking and coronary heart disease. Global Health The fight against smoking and coronary heart disease has taken enormous proportions with the growing realisation that these are two of the most important killers in the world today. Especially, the understanding that smoking causes diseases such as the coronary heart disease not only in the smoker but also in non-smokers who have been in the presence of smokers, has led major organisations and developed nations of the world to taking a stand against smoking. The Work with Heart project by WHO is helping to spread the message of preventive actions that can help in prohibiting coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases (WHO, 2010a). WHO has also taken up research and global partnership initiatives to help the developing countries of the world fight cardiovascular diseases (WHO, 2010b). Furthermore, WHO has aligned with several countries in the world to promote regional activities under the global strategy to counter cardiovascular diseases which includes America, Eastern Mediterranean, Africa, South-East Asia, European region and Western Pacific (WHO, 2010c). To help fight the smoking addiction growing among countries, WHO has set up the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) (WHO, 2010d) and is also collaborating with different international organisations such as the United Nations and the governments of various countries to help campaign against sale and use of tobacco among different nations (WHO, 2010e). Recommendations and Conclusion Upon analysing the current situation on a local, national and global basis, the following recommendations can be made: Initiatives to prevent coronary heart disease and promote anti smoking habits need to be undertaken at the grass root level, i.e. at local level. This will make the initiatives and campaigns more effective. The developing nations such as India, Brazil and China need to be targeted with confidence. Further researches into preventive and curative medicines and technologies for coronary heart diseases need to be promoted. Healthy lifestyle needs to be promoted at every level since preventive practices are more beneficial than curative ones. It is important to realise that despite several initiatives being taken by local, national and global agencies and governments, smoking trends are increasing around the world and has started to affect the young population. Coronary heart disease too has started to take its toll on the population around the world due to the hectic and unhealthy lifestyles that have come to permeate people s lives. It is highly essential that for the success of the initiatives and programmes, people must be involved in them and everyone across the globe has to realise that simple changes to their lifestyle, eating habits and anti smoking measures will help to fight and prevent coronary heart disease. The changes in lifestyle will also bring down coronary heart disease caused due to other factors such as stress, alcohol, blood sugar and cholesterol. To conclude, it can be stated that prevention is better than cure and quitting smoking and leading a healthy lifestyle can protect everyone from the silent killer, the coronary heart disease (Ewles Simnet, 2003). References American Heart Association (2010) Risk Factors and Coronary Heart Disease [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4726 ASH (2009) Ash facts at a glance: Implementation of the Smoke-free Law in England, Wales and Northern Ireland [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_594.pdf Ash (2007) Ash facts at a glance: Smoking and Diseases [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_94.pdf Ash (2010) Ash facts at a glance: Smoking Statistics [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_93.pdf Ash (2010) Ash facts at a glance: Tobacco Economics [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_95.pdf Ash (2009) Ash facts at a glance: Tobacco Regulations [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_96.pdf British Heart Foundation Statistics Website (2009) Mortality [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.heartstats.org/topic.asp?id=17 Bullen, C. (July, 2008). Impact of Tobacco Smoking and Smoking Cessation on Cardiovascular Risk and Disease. Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy, Vol. 6, No. 6, pp. 883-895. Chime Communications Plc (2008) East Lancashire PCT Enlists BMT to Develop a Campaign to Tackle the Region s Biggest Killer [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.chime.plc.uk/press-releases/bmt-launches-east-lancashire-pct-campaign-could-it-be-you Department of Health (DoH) (2010) Public Health [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/index.htm Department of Health (DoH) (2004) The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease: Wining the War on Heart Disease [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4077154 Ewles L, Simnett I. (2003). Promoting Health: A Practical Guide. London: Balliere Tindall. Ford, E. S. Capewell, S. (2007) Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Among Young Adults in the U.S. from 1980 Through 2002. Concealed Levelling of Mortality Rates Journal of the American College of Cardiology Vol. 50, pp. 2128-2132. 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(July, 2008). Impact of Tobacco Smoking and Smoking Cessation on Cardiovascular Risk and Disease. Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy, Vol. 6, No. 6, pp. 883-895. Chime Communications Plc (2008) East Lancashire PCT Enlists BMT to Develop a Campaign to Tackle the Region s Biggest Killer [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.chime.plc.uk/press-releases/bmt-launches-east-lancashire-pct-campaign-could-it-be-you Department of Health (DoH) (2004) The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease: Wining the War on Heart Disease [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4077154 Department of Health (DoH) (2010) Public Health [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/index.htm Ewles L, Simnett I. (2003). Promoting Health: A Practical Guide. London: Balliere Tindall. Ford, E. S. Capewell, S. (2007) Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Among Young Adults in the U.S. from 1980 Through 2002. Concealed Levelling of Mortality Rates Journal of the American College of Cardiology Vol. 50, pp. 2128-2132. Hill, S. Blakely, T., Kawachi, I., Woodward, A. (2004) Mortality Among Never Smokers Living with Smokers: Two Cohort Studies British Medical Journal Vol. 328, No. 7446, pp. 988-989. Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) (2007) Smoke-free Legislation [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=6166044 Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) (2009) Smoking [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=5889940 Jiang, H.E., Vupputuri, S., Allen, K., Prerost, M. R., Hughes, J., Whelton, P. K. (1999) Passive Smoking and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease A Meta Analysis of Epidemiological Studies New England Journal of Medicine Vol. 340, No. 12, pp. 920-926. 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(2008) Recent Trends in the Prevalence of Coronary Disease: A Population-Based Autopsy Study of Non-natural Deaths Archival of Internal Medicine Vol. 168, No. 3, pp. 264-270. NHS East Lancashire (2010) SMYL If you want to live longer [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.smyl.eastlancspct.nhs.uk/welcome/ NHS Networks (2010) East Lancashire Public Health Network [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.networks.nhs.uk/networks.php?pid=727 Smoke Free (2007) Smoke-free Legislation Compliance Data [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/files/dhs01_03-smokefree_report_final.pdf Wells, A. J. (1999) Passive Smoking and Coronary Heart Disease New England Journal of Medicine Vol. 341, No. 9, pp.697-698. Whincup, P. H., Gilg, J. A., Emberson, J. R., Jarvis, M. J., Feyerabend, C., Bryant, A., Wakler, M., Cook, D. G. ( 2004) Passive Smoking and Risk of Coronary Disease and Stroke: Prospective Study with Cotinine Measurement British Medical Journal Vol. 329, No. 7459, pp. 200-205. World Health Organisation (WHO) (2002) Global Burden of Disease in 2002: Data Sources, Methods and Results [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at https://apps.who.int/infobase/compare.aspx?dm=10countries=818%2c250%2c414%2c484%2c554%2c566%2c643%2c710%2c826%2c840year=2002sf1=mo.cg.059sex=all World Health Organisation (WHO) (2004) Causes of Death (part 2). The Global Burden of Disease: 2004 Update [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_part2.pdf World Health Organisation (WHO) (2008)Tobacco Use: Infobase [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at https://apps.who.int/infobase/report.aspx?rid=116dm=8 World Health Organisation (WHO) (2010a) Cardiovascular Diseases: Key messages to protect heart health [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/en/ World Health Organisation (WHO) (2010b) Research and Global Partnership Initiatives [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/research/en/ World Health Organisation (WHO) (2010c) Regional Activities to the Global CVD Strategy [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/region/en/ World Health Organisation (WHO) (2010d) Global Information System on Tobacco Control [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.who.int/tobacco/global_data/en/index.html World Health Organisation (WHO) (2010e) Global Network [Online] last accessed 2nd December 2009 at http://www.who.int/tobacco/global_interaction/en/ Smoking and Coronary Heart Disease Impact Smoking and Coronary Heart Disease Impact Introduction Medical innovations and rapidly evolving technology has led to a decrease in the rate of mortality from diseases. However, the fast and constantly changing hectic lifestyle of today has led to the introduction of new diseases, unhealthy lifestyle and early, premature deaths. Todays technology has provided us with the benefits of early detection and preventive treatments and answers to some of the previously incurable diseases. But it has brought in increased stress and unhealthy eating and other habits that have in some ways caused more harm than benefit. This report titled Smoking: The Heart Breaker is a look at the current situation of coronary heart diseases caused by smoking, relevant legislations, policies and practices, strategies to deal with the situation and future of the disease at local, national and global levels. The report will start by discussing the smoking and coronary heart disease as a public health issue and the reasons for concern. It will provide a background to help better understand the present situation along with an epidemiology of the disease and its causes, with special reference to smoking. It will then go on to report about the legislative policies and strategies that are being currently undertaken in the region of Burnley, East Lancashire to counter this particular health issue. The report will also discuss the policies and initiatives and the status of the health issue at national and global level, so as to provide a complete and holistic picture of the seriousness of the health issue. Finally the report will discuss the current strategies being employed by the government as well as non-government agencies to tackle the health issue. Recommendations will also be made to help make an improvement in the current situation. Public Health Issue: Coronary Heart Disease due to Smoking The term Coronary heart disease is used to describe a condition of blockage or interruption of blood supply to the heart due to build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries (NHS, 2009). This build-up (called atheroma) can lead to insufficient supply of blood to the heart causing pain in the chest known as angina. A completely blocked artery can lead to a heart attack (called myocardial infarction) (NHS, 2009). There are various mild to critical impacts of this condition that even result in death. According to the British Heart Foundation Statistics (2009), diseases related to the heart and circulatory issues are the biggest cause of deaths in the UK, resulting in over 90,000 deaths in the UK in a year. This has resulted in not only raised concerns about the disease but also growing efforts to increase the awareness about the disease, its causes, and preventive as well as precautionary measures that can help to avoid the disease. The situation isn t any brighter in other par ts of the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the majority of countries around the world are affected by coronary heart disease and the disease is a major killer, especially in developing and transitional countries of the world. In a WHO report, cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease is considered to be the leading cause of death and is projected to increase from 17.1 million in 2004 to 23.4 million in 2030 (WHO, 2004). Among the various causes of coronary heart disease, smoking is regarded to be one of the primary causes. According to the WHO report, tobacco-related deaths are expected to rise from 5.4 million in 2004 to 8.3 million in 2030, representing 10% of all global deaths; and smoking has been associated to cardiovascular diseases and subsequent deaths (WHO, 2004). According to a study conducted in 2008, smoking is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease (Bullen, 2008). Though increasing age has been thought as a cau se of coronary heart disease, two studies have found that improper lifestyle, stress, etc are increasing the mortality rates due to coronary heart disease among the young population in the UK, USA and Australia (Nemetz, Roger Ransom, 2008) (Ford Capewell, 2007). Therefore, the growing concern for this disease and its preventable yet common cause is the choice of topic for this report. Background and Epidemiology Cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease have been found to be an unbiased killer that can create havoc in any society irrespective of its economic, political, cultural, religious, regional or racial identity. Similarly, tobacco smoking (either active or passive) is known to be a major cause of many diseases including the coronary heart disease. Given the stressful lifestyle in today s world, many people take up smoking to tackle the stress levels and in the process get addicted. They not only harm themselves but also people around them. The region of Burnley in East Lancashire, is no exception to this trend. Being witness to many friends and family members taking up smoking in the name of relieving stress and then getting addicted and finally ending up suffering from diseases, especially coronary heart disease inspired the choice of topic for this report. There are several causes that can result in coronary heart disease. The NHS lists smoking as the major cause of the disease (NHS, 2009). The various other causes of coronary heart disease have been listed as high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol in blood, presence of thrombosis and / or diabetes unhealthy lifestyle with no regular exercise, obesity and a family history of angina and / or heart attack (which are hereditary) (Nemetz et al, 2008). The risk factors associated with coronary heart diseases which cannot be treated, modified or changed include age, gender and heredity (or race). Increasing age increases the risks of coronary heart disease and fatality from it. Men are found to be at a greater risk of suffering from coronary heart disease in comparison to women (Wells, 1999). Heredity of coronary disease or its causes such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol are also known to create risks of coronary heart conditions. The causes such as smoking, high le vel of cholesterol in blood, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, being overweight and / or obesity and diabetes (diabetes mellitus) are some of the risk factors of coronary heart disease that can be modified, changed and controlled by taking medication and / or by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Other risk factors and causes of the disease include stress and alcohol addiction and can in certain circumstances prove to be fatal causes of the coronary heart disease (Ewles Simnet, 2003). Comparative data of the effects of coronary heart disease in different countries do not provide a very positive picture (see appendix 1). According to a World Health Organisation survey report, the mortality from cardiovascular diseases in 2002 for the developed nations like the United Kingdom and the United States was higher than many other developing nations like China, India, even Nigeria (WHO, 2002). It is clear from the data, that developing countries have a much higher mortality rate from cardiovascular and consequently coronary heart diseases in the developed countries like UK, USA, Germany; and an important fact to notice is that the death rate is higher in the European region in comparison to other regions of the world. This most probably can be attributed to the excessive use of tobacco, alcohol, improper lifestyle that increases stress levels, improper eating habits that leads to blood sugar and cholesterol in the blood. The tobacco usage in different countries around the world also points towards the grimness and enormity of the situation, through which one can appreciate the risk of tobacco causing further deaths due to coronary heart disease (WHO, 2008). The WHO report on tobacco consumption in different countries show that despite government initiatives and regulations, the tobacco consumption has mostly increased and has led to increased mortality especially in the age groups between 25-45 years. Though coronary heart disease is of global nature without any kind of boundary, various specific groups of people are in greater risk of having the disease in comparison to others. The affinity to having coronary heart disease is dependent on factors such as geography, heredity, age and gender. Men are at an increased risk of suffering from coronary heart conditions as compared to women (Wells, 1999). Increase in age increases the chances of suffering from coronary heart disease (DoH, 2004). Coronary heart conditions are also known to be prevalent among Mexican Americans, some Asian Americans, American Indians, and Native Hawaiians (American Heart Association, 2010). England is one of the most vulnerable nations in Europe when it comes to coronary heart diseases (NHS, 2009). Populations in developing and underdeveloped nations of the world too are at a higher risk of suffering from coronary heart disease and related fatalities (American Heart Association, 2010). Smokers, obese people and people with high blood cholesterol are also included in the high risk group for coronary heart disease. Female smokers are more susceptible to the disease especially with increased age since females are more susceptible to the dangers of smoking in comparison to men (WHO, 2002). With increased impact of aggressive and unhealthy lifestyle and stress, the young population across the developed nations of the world too are increasingly coming under the risk of coronary heart disease (NHS, 2008). Therefore, these risk factors result in the coronary heart disease taking on a pandemic nature if certain precautionary and preventive measures are not taken to control the risk factors that can be influenced. Strategies, Policies and Initiatives Given the growing concern about coronary heart diseases, deaths due to the disease and the impact on the younger population, government agencies around the world are taking steps to combat the growing menace. Non-governmental and private agencies too are joining the efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle and awareness about preventive techniques that can help to bring down the risks associated with the disease and the rising cases of fatalities. This section of the report looks at the strategies, agenda, policies, that are being undertaken at the local (NHS East Lancashire, 2010), national and global levels to combat coronary heart disease. Local Public Health In East Lancashire, several workshops and other programmes have been undertaken to increase awareness, educate and help the residents of the area give up smoking and adopt a healthy lifestyle that will help prevent and fight coronary heart disease. The MPs in the region are encouraging antismoking legislations and policies being adopted by the authorities. The NHS has introduced the concept of smoke free zones. The SMYL programme is promoting healthy lifestyle and eating habits (NHS East Lancashire, 2010). Another campaign called Could it be you was also started in 2008 to help people fight coronary heart disease and adopt healthy and preventive lifestyle (Chime Communications Plc, 2008). The authorities in East Lancashire have also collaborated with different agencies to start networks that can promote anti tobacco campaign and raise awareness on coronary heart disease (NHS Networks, 2010). This involvement of the government as well as non-government agencies in the area, one can b e hopeful that headway will be made into the matter. However, it is important that the public realise the criticality of the situation and take advantages of the programmes being undertaken to have a long, healthy and disease free life. Implications at the National Level The National Heart Forum (2006) indicated that heart diseases cost the UK around  £29 billion per year and was termed as economic burden . There are several programmes that have been taken up by the health care authorities and the government in collaboration with non-government agencies to promote anti smoking habits in the country. Several regional programmes such as Bolsover Teenage Smoking Programme, Corby Smoking Cessation Programme, Halton Smoke-Free Programme, London Borough of Tower Hamlets Tobacco Control Alliance, Pendle Smoke-free Council, Heartbeat Awards, the GO Smokefree Campaign, etc have been launched in an earnest to curb the growing effect of smoking in the country (IDeA, 2009). Several governmental legislations have also been put into place (IDeA, 2007). The Department of Health has also started programmes such as Start4Life, 5 A Day, National Support Teams and Let s Get Moving to promote healthy lifestyle that can help to prevent coronary heart disease (DoH, 201 0). Therefore the various government and nongovernment agencies in UK are making effort to control smoking habit and improve lifestyle of the citizens of the country thereby ensuring a brighter future free from smoking and coronary heart disease. Global Health The fight against smoking and coronary heart disease has taken enormous proportions with the growing realisation that these are two of the most important killers in the world today. Especially, the understanding that smoking causes diseases such as the coronary heart disease not only in the smoker but also in non-smokers who have been in the presence of smokers, has led major organisations and developed nations of the world to taking a stand against smoking. The Work with Heart project by WHO is helping to spread the message of preventive actions that can help in prohibiting coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases (WHO, 2010a). WHO has also taken up research and global partnership initiatives to help the developing countries of the world fight cardiovascular diseases (WHO, 2010b). Furthermore, WHO has aligned with several countries in the world to promote regional activities under the global strategy to counter cardiovascular diseases which includes America, Eastern Mediterranean, Africa, South-East Asia, European region and Western Pacific (WHO, 2010c). To help fight the smoking addiction growing among countries, WHO has set up the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) (WHO, 2010d) and is also collaborating with different international organisations such as the United Nations and the governments of various countries to help campaign against sale and use of tobacco among different nations (WHO, 2010e). Recommendations and Conclusion Upon analysing the current situation on a local, national and global basis, the following recommendations can be made: Initiatives to prevent coronary heart disease and promote anti smoking habits need to be undertaken at the grass root level, i.e. at local level. This will make the initiatives and campaigns more effective. The developing nations such as India, Brazil and China need to be targeted with confidence. Further researches into preventive and curative medicines and technologies for coronary heart diseases need to be promoted. Healthy lifestyle needs to be promoted at every level since preventive practices are more beneficial than curative ones. It is important to realise that despite several initiatives being taken by local, national and global agencies and governments, smoking trends are increasing around the world and has started to affect the young population. Coronary heart disease too has started to take its toll on the population around the world due to the hectic and unhealthy lifestyles that have come to permeate people s lives. It is highly essential that for the success of the initiatives and programmes, people must be involved in them and everyone across the globe has to realise that simple changes to their lifestyle, eating habits and anti smoking measures will help to fight and prevent coronary heart disease. The changes in lifestyle will also bring down coronary heart disease caused due to other factors such as stress, alcohol, blood sugar and cholesterol. To conclude, it can be stated that prevention is better than cure and quitting smoking and leading a healthy lifestyle can protect everyone from the silent killer, the coronary heart disease (Ewles Simnet, 2003). 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Smoking Trends Among Teenagers Essay -- essays research papers

Cigarette smoking is a habit that kills approximately million of people per year. It is surprisingly being picked up by myriad amount of children every day. Smoking becomes a growing trend in the youth community. The number of young smokers have been increased in most American middle schools and high schools. Both girls and boys are smoking because they think it is cool. The four reasons that cause many teenagers to start smoking are peer-pressure, image projection, rebellion, and adult aspirations. Approximately 3,000 teenagers pick up the smoking habit each day in America. That is roughly one million new teenage smokers per year. About 60% of all high school students try smoking by the time they are seniors because they think it is a cool thing to do (Johnston.) In 1996, smoking rates are 21 percent among eighth-graders (13-14 years old), 30 percent among 10th-graders (15-16 years old), and 34 percent among 12th-graders (17-18 years old). These rates are impressively high, especially when compared to the fact that about 25 percent of all adults are classified as current smokers according to the National Health Interview Survey. Cigarette smoking peaked in 1996 among eighth, and tenth graders nationwide, and in 1997 among 12th-graders. Since those peak years, there has been a gradual decline in smoking rates, which continued in 1999. (Johnston). Rates of daily smoking are also down from their peak levels (in 1996 for eighth- and 10th-graders and in 1997 for 12th-graders) but did not show much improvement in 1999 specifically, according to Johnston. "Because young people tend to carry the smoking habits they develop in adolescence into adulthood, the substantial and continuing increases in teen smoking bode ill for the eventual longevity and health of this generation of American young people," concludes Johnston. "Hundreds of thousands of children from each graduating class are likely to suffer appalling diseases, and to die prematurely, as a result of the smoking habits they are developing in childhood and adolescence." Young people continue to report cigarettes as being easily available to them: 77 percent of the eighth-graders, who are 13 or 14 years old, report that cigarettes would be "very easy" or "fairly easy" for them to get, and 91 percent of th... ...e you smoke. However, in some cases, the young kids are getting addicted after their first try. Finally, they want to be an adult. Adult aspiration is also one of the reasons that lead some teenagers to smoking. Some teenagers believe that by smoking they are acting like an adult. If the teenager is raised in a community where most of the adults smoke, then this is perhaps a logical conclusion. They have the tendency to imitate what the adults around them did. For some teenagers, they are smoking because they think with a cigarette in their mouth makes them look and feel like an adult. According to my friend John, he said that he was smoking since he was 16, he thought that cigarette made him look cool and feel like an adult. Thus, there has been a trend increasing over the past few years and a little decline in 1999 among young smokers; however, it did not show much improvement. America is a freedom country, but how can we free the number of young smokers from those cigarettes or seduced advertisers? Therefore, we should find a solution to help the young smokers to quit before the cigarettes put their lives in danger.