How Abortion Harms Womens Health Essay Example for Free

How Abortion Harms Womens Health Essay Advocates of legalized abortion downplay or deny the health risks associated with abortion. However, the research indicates that abortion isolates women and can often cause physical and psychological suffering. Physical complications Abortion can cause both short-term and long-term physical complications, and can significantly affect a womans ability to have healthy future pregnancies. Physical complications include cervical lacerations and injury, uterine perforations, bleeding, hemorrhage, serious infection, pain, and incomplete abortion.[3] Risks of complications increase with gestational age and are dependent upon the abortion procedure. [4] Long-term physical consequences of abortion include future preterm birth and placenta previa (improper implantation of the placenta) in future pregnancies.[5] Premature delivery is associated with higher rates of cerebral palsy, as well as respiratory, brain, and bowel abnormalities. One recent large-scale evaluation published in Pediatrics, has concluded that preterm birth is the most frequent cause of infant death in the U.S.[6] Pregnancies complicated by placenta previa result in high rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, perinatal death, and maternal morbidity.[7] While the question of whether abortion can increase the risk of breast cancer is hotly debated, a number of scientific studies have indicated that induced abortion can adversely affect a womans future risk of breast cancer. Further, it has been clearly shown that induced abortion in young women causes the loss of a protective effect from a first, full-term pregnancy which when followed by a delay in child bearing, has the net effect of an increased risk for breast cancer.[8] Physical complications from chemical abortion with the drug RU-486 include hemorrhage, infection, and missed ectopic pregnancy (a potentially fatal complication). Since 2000, at least 8 women have died from RU-486 due to hemorrhage and infection.[9] Psychological complications A pro-choice research team in New Zealand, analyzing data from a 25-year period and controlling for multiple factors both pre- and post-abortion, found conclusively that abortion in young women is associated with increased risks of major depression, anxiety disorder, suicidal behaviors, and substance dependence.[10] This is the most comprehensive, long-term study ever conducted on the issue. Other studies also conclude that there is substantial evidence of a causal association between induced abortion and both substance abuse and suicide.[11] A review of over 100 long-term international studies concluded that induced abortion increases risks for mood disorders enough to provoke attempts at self harm.[12] Researchers have also identified a pattern of psychological problems, known collectively as Post- Abortion Syndrome, in which women may experience depression, anxiety, anger, flashbacks, guilt, grief, denial, and relationship problems. Post-Abortion Syndrome has been identified in research as a subset of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.[13] Further, studies analyzing the effects of induced abortion in adolescents have shown that those who abort reported more frequent problems sleeping, more frequent marijuana use, and an increased need for psychological counseling, when compared to adolescents who give birth.[14] Moira Gaul is director of womens and reproductive health at the Family Research Council. She has a Master of Public Health degree with an emphasis in maternal and child health. Consequences for women There is extensive evidence of physical, mental and emotional consequences for women and their families when pregnant mothers use abortion to end an inconvenient pregnancy. Major Articles and Books Concerning the Detrimental Effects of Abortion reports that in the short term (eight weeks after the abortion), there are numerous indicators of emotional distress: 44 per cent of women who have abortions complain of nervous disorders, 36 per cent have trouble sleeping, 31 per cent regret their decision to abort and 11 per cent have been prescribed psychotropic drugs. But it is the longer-term problems that bear more scrutiny. Using the most conservative estimate of post-abortion syndrome, or PAS, Dr. Brenda Major in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 2000, found 1.6 per cent of women who have an abortion will suffer from PAS, a variant of post-traumatic stress disorder. In Canada, that would mean approximately 50,000 women are suffering emotionally due to their abortions. Dr. Hanna Sà ¶derberg’s studies suggest the number could be closer to 60 per cent. Either way, there are many women with PAS. In Canada, the 1977 Report of the Committee on the Operation of the Abortion Law cited a five-year study in two provinces that found women who had an abortion used medical and psychiatric services much more often than others; in fact, 25 per cent of women who aborted made at least one visit to a psychiatrist compared to just 3 per cent of other women. Alcoholism and drug abuse are higher among women who have abortions than those who don’t. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology noted in December 2002 that later alcohol and drug use during subsequent pregnancies could place newborn children at higher risk of congenital defects, low birthweight and even death. In all, there are nearly two dozen studies that link abortion to alcohol and drug abuse. Extrapolating from research conducted by Dr. David Reardon of the Elliott Institute, as many as 5,000 Canadian women will â€Å"begin abusing drugs and/or alcohol as a means of dea ling with post-abortion stress.† In 1996, the British Medical Journal reported that the suicide rate for women â€Å"after an abortion was three times the general suicide rate and six times that associated with birth.† This confirmed earlier studies and has been replicated since. Reardon says â€Å"one reason for the strong abortion-suicide link exists in the fact that in many ways, abortion is like suicide. A person who threatens suicide is actually crying out for help. So are women who contemplate abortion. Both are in a state of despair. Both are lonely. Both feel faced by insurmountable odds.† So it is no wonder that abortion does not solve the perceived problem: that of the inconvenient pregnancy. Post-abortive women are more prone to suicide, cigarette smoking, divorce, low self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, eating disorders and reduced maternal bonding with future children, resulting in child neglect or abuse. Women who have had abortions are more likely to be on public assistance, because their pathologies (promiscuity, inability to form healthy relationships, drug and alcohol abuse) are likely to make them single parents. In 2004, Thomas Strahan, a researcher with the Association of Interdisciplinary Research in the United States, found that abortion hurts women economically: â€Å"The repeated utilization of abortion appears to lead not to economic prosperity or social well-being, but to an increasing feminization of poverty.† But post-abortion health problems are not merely emotional. The Elliott Institute has collated the best available data on the physical risk complications of abortion and it reports that â€Å"approximately 10 per cent of women undergoing elect ive abortion will suffer immediate complications, of which approximately one-fifth (2 per cent) are considered life threatening.† The most common immediate major complications include infection, excessive bleeding, embolism, ripping or perforation of the uterus, anesthesia complications, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury and endotoxic shock. Minor complications include infection, bleeding, fever, second-degree burns, chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, gastro-intestinal disturbances and Rh sensitization. In the Canadian context, that means 10,000 women a year suffer complications and 2,000 face potentially life-threatening major complications. Other problems manifest themselves over time. There are more than 30 studies that show a correlation between abortion and breast cancer, with women who had abortions more likely to get breast cancer. Women also face increased risk of cervical, ovarian and liver cancer. The risk for these four cancers are linked to the unnatural disruption of hormonal changes accompanying pregnancy. Untreated cervical damage increases the chances of getting cervical cancer. Between 2 and 3 per cent of all abortion patients suffer perforation of the uterus; this often leads to complications in subsequent pregnancies, the need for a hysterectomy and other complications, including osteoporosis. Smaller cervical lacerations can also cause problems, including cervical incompetence and subsequent labour complications. Abortion also increases the risk of placenta previa in later pregnancies, which is life-threatening to both mother (excessive bleeding) and unborn child (perinatal death), and increases the chance of fetal malformation. Women who have abortions are more than twice as likely to suffer subsequent labour complications, including premature delivery. Pre-term delivery increases the risk of neo-natal death and handicaps. Abortion increases the risk of ectopic pregnancies and pelvic inflammatory disease, both of which can reduce future fertility or threaten the life of the mother. Recent nation-wide data is unavailable in Canada, but Alberta and Nova Scotia statistics indicate that repeat abortions account for about one-third of all procedures. Repeat aborters vastly increase their risk of complications and this has serious consequences for those who routinely utilize abortion as birth control; it also costs the health care system. Perhaps most worrying is that women who have abortions are more likely to die prematurely. Reardon notes, â€Å"Women who abort are approximately four times more likely to die in the following year than women who carry their pregnancies to term† – and that † women who carry to term are only half as likely to die (pre-maturely) as women who were not pregnant.† That includes accidental deaths, suicides and homicides, among other causes. The evidence that abortion harms women – and their loved ones – is overwhelming. But the harm goes beyond individuals. Societal costs No one knows for sure how much abortion costs taxpayers through the country’s socialized health care system. With the exception of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, which do not cover the entire cost of abortions committed in private facilities, the provinces pay for abortions in both hospitals and free-standing facilities. LifeCanada estimates that the cost just for the surgical abortion procedures is $80 million (an average of $800 multiplied by 100,000 abortions). Because of under-reporting of abortion, there is reason to believe the cost is actually greater. In 1995, the Library of Parliament Research Branch said determining the cost of abortion is a â€Å"complex and inexact process.† But that is only the surgery. The number of follow-up visits for immediate complications is not made public (if tracked at all) and so those costs are unknowable. There is also the cost of long-term problems including fertility treatments, psychiatry and drug/alcohol treatment. There are other costs, as well; that of missing students, consumers and taxpayers. The loss of 100,000 children every year means smaller classrooms and closed schools. In 2005, People for Education, an advocacy group, reported that the rate of school closures in Ontario has more than doubled in recent years. Between 1986 and 1995, an average of 24 Ontario schools were closed every year, but between 1999 and 2005, it was an average of 52 schools per year. Remarkably, that is despite attracting the bulk of the country’s immigrants. The fact is that Canada is an aging country in which many smaller communities and older neighbourhoods no longer have the children and teens to sustain elementary and high schools. According to the Canadian Council on Learning, â€Å"The steepest declines tend to occur in small, rural and remote school districts.† It cites as an example British Columbia, where 10 school districts have seen their enrolments fall by at least 15 per cent since 200 1, seven of which are rural districts with smaller populations. From 1997-2005, 11 of 13 provinces and territories experienced a drop in enrolment, with six of them seeing declines of at least 10 per cent. The problem is worst in Atlantic Canada. Dr. Gerald Galway of the Faculty of Education at Memorial University in St. John’s gave a presentation to the 2009 Atlantic School Boards Conference entitled, â€Å"Where have all the children gone?† In it, he noted that school enrolment in Atlantic Canada has fallen precipitously over the past several decades. While intra-provincial migration accounts for some decline in population, he mostly blames falling fertility rates. Notably, in Newfoundland, enrolment has declined every year since 1971, except in 1984 (with the introduction of Grade 12). In fact, the school-aged population has been cut in half since 1971, from 160,000 to 80,000. Over the long term, more communities will lose their schools and policy makers will have to make difficult decisions on how to provide quality education in sparsely populated areas. There are also ramifications for public finance. Pierre Fortin, a professor of economics at the Università © du Quà ©bec à   Montrà ©al, says there will be â€Å"a marked deterioration of public finances† because of increased health care costs and pension liabilities as the number of seniors grows rapidly and income tax revenues decrease due to fewer workers. The result is fewer taxpayers supporting more retirees. By 2015, there will be more seniors over 65 than children under 15; it is estimated that by 2030, those over 65 will comprise 25 per cent of the population. According to the 2008 documentary The Cost of Abortion, the cumulative financial loss of nearly 50 million abortions in the United States from 1973-2007 was $37 trillion in GDP over the course of 35 years. That’s lost production and lost consumption due to the 50 million missing children and (later) workers. Assuming that Canada would have suffered a proportionate loss, the Canadian GDP over the past four decades would be in the neighbourhood of $4 trillion – or $100 billion per year. That represents about 7 per cent of the current Canadian economy. In other words, the economic activity of a population not decimated by abortion would be equivalent to more than twice the stimulus package Ottawa announced in January. But after 3.2 million abortions over four decades, the missing children translate into missing economic activity. The cheapening of human life The greatest cost imposed on a society that permits abortion is the devaluing of human life and the diminishment of family life. Abortion does not stalk the nation alone; but rather, as part of the larger culture of death. Since the legalization of abortion, contraception, gay sex and divorce in the 1960s, there has been a decline in marital stability, with growth in sexual activity outside marriage and other sexually deviant behaviour and new assaults on human life. There are more ways to chemically eliminate newly conceived life with the abortifacient morning-after pill and abortion drugs like RU-486. With pregnancy made easily avoidable, is it surprising that courts (and later Parliament) ignored the reproductive role of marriage when they redefined the institution to include same-sex partners? In 2003, the Liberal government passed legislation opening the door to destructive embryonic stem cell research, cloning and other scientific experimentation that treats human life as raw m aterial to be harvested and exploited. If inconvenient human life can be eliminated by mothers and doctors, why not create convenient lives for scientists and other researchers? And lastly – though not yet – is euthanasia. Once the principle is established that inconvenient human beings can be killed, the question becomes who’s next. The answer, if the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Oregon and Washington are harbingers, is the terminally ill, the disabled and the old. Of course, we’ve already had Tracey Latimer and Sue Rodriguez and dozens of others whose names weren’t quite national news. But these are renegades, operating outside the law. Perhaps, though, not for long. Twice in the past four years, Bloc Quebecois MP Francine Lalonde has introduced a private member’s bill to legalize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Public opinion leans toward so-called â€Å"mercy killing.† The principle of eliminating inconvenient people is well established. The great corrupter Abortion corrupts every institution that promotes or even countenances it. Two examples are government (and politics) and the medical profession, although one could also look at the failure of religious leadership, the denigration of the law and so much more. As Fr. Alphonse de Valk noted in his 1979 pamphlet The Worst Law Ever, the medical profession didn’t take long to become fanatical in its support for abortion. In fact, de Valk said â€Å"the one group which obviously has suffered most from the 1969 law is the medical profession.† In the 1960s, the Canadian Medical Association lobbied for widening the abortion law to permit abortions to save the life or protect the health of the mother (albeit with a broad understanding of mental and emotional health). By 1973, it endorsed abortion on demand. Two years later, it amended the Hippocratic Oath to remove the reference against abortifacients that had been in place for 2,500 years. In 1977, it attempted to make abortion referrals mandatory, even in cases in which doctors were morally opposed. That battle continues more than three decades later. Over the past 40 years, medical professionals have been harassed over their opposition to abortion and most medical schools screen applicants to keep pro-lifers out. Nurses have been fired, removed from certain duties and refused work because of their pro-life views, as have pharmacists. In order to make â€Å"choice† available to those seeking abortions, the choice of health care professionals to act according to their consciences has been compromised and even excised. Abortion has also corrupted the political process. Parliament fashioned a dishonest and untenable amendment in 1969 – the therapeutic abortion committees which sanctioned the killing of the unborn. The Supreme Court threw out the minimal restrictions in 1988 and ordered Parliament to write a new abortion law. The Mulroney government twice introduced legislation to address the abortion issue, but the limits were once again giant loopholes that would not have restricted abortion. Since then, abortion has been permitted within the vacuum created by the absence of a law. Politicians are scared of the issue. Many provincial politicians refuse to answer questions about abortion, claiming it is a federal matter (which it is as a matter of criminal law, but not as health policy). Many federal politicians hide behind the false notion that the 1988 Morgentaler decision established a right to abortion. (It did not, with only one of seven justices suggesting such a right.) In the 2000 federal election, then-prime minister Jean Chretien declared that Canada had â€Å"social peace† on the issue of abortion; in reality, it was the silence of timorous politicians enforced by a rigid media censorship of any substantive debate on the topic. That censorship is widespread. Since 1995, British Columbia has had a legislated bubble zone prohibiting any pro-life speech near abortion facilities. In 1994, the Ontario government asked for and received a â€Å"temporary† injunction prohibiting pro-life speech near five abortion mills; that injunction remains in place today. In Quebec, a limited bubble zone is in place in several municipalities. Such censorship has moved to university campuses, where pro-life groups are denied club status and pro-life speakers or demonstrators are prevented from making their presentations. To protect abortion from any criticism or resistance, genuine human rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of conscience, are curbed. Such illiberal and intolerant measures are deemed necessary to defend â€Å"choice.† Conclusion These are but a few of the consequences of a broad abortion licence, a quick overview of the toll of abortion. Sold to a willingly ignorant public as a matter of personal choice, abortion has had terrible consequences for society and, tragically, the women who choose abortion thinking it is a solution to their perceived problems. The enormity of the consequences, one would presume, would lead to a massive re-thinking of unrestricted legal abortion. But instead of either sober reflection or a vigorous debate on abortion’s societal and individual ramifications, there is silence. And more death. And more suffering. Forty more years and millions more deaths are too great a cost for a dearth of necessary leadership to oppose abortion. But someday, these costs and consequences will be too great to ignore. Until then, we will continue to pay in blood, treasure, women’s health and a myriad of other ways. Is Abortion Safe? Psychological Consequences Clinical research provides a growing body of scientific evidence that having an abortion can cause psychological harm to some women. Women who report negative after-effects from abortion know exactly what their problem is, observed psychologist Wanda Franz, Ph.D., in a March 1989 congressional hearing on the impact of abortion. They report horrible nightmares of children calling them from trash cans, of body parts, and blood, Franz told the Congressional panel. When they are reminded of the abortion, Franz testified, the women re-experienced it with terrible psychological pain They feel worthless and victimized because they failed at the most natural of human activities the role of being a mother.[106] The emergence of chemical abortion methods poses a new possibly more devastating psychological threat. Unlike surgical abortions, in which women rarely see the cut up body parts, women having chemical abortions often do see the complete tiny bodies of their unborn children and are even able to distinguish the child’s developing hands, eyes, etc. [107] So traumatic is this for some women that both patients and researchers involved in these studies have recommended that women unprepared for the experience of seeing their aborted children not take the drugs. [108] Long-term psychological implications of this experience have not been studied. Researchers on the after-effects of abortion have identified a pattern of psychological problems known as Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS). Women suffering PAS may experience drug and alcohol abuse, personal relationship disorders, sexual dysfunction, repeated abortions, communications difficulties, damaged self-esteem, and even attempt suicide. Post-Abortion Syndrome appears to be a type of pattern of denial which may last for five to ten years before emotional difficulties surface. [109] Now that some clinicians have established that there is an identifiable patterns to PAS, they face a new challenge. What is still unknown is how widespread psychological problems are among women who have had abortions. A Los Angeles Times survey in 1989 found that 56% of women who had abortions felt guilty about it, and 26% mostly regretted the abortion.[110] Clinicians’ current goal should be to conduct extensive national research studies to obtain data on the psychological after-effects of abortion.[111] With the growing awareness of Post Abortion Syndrome in scholarly and clinical circles, women with PAS can expect to receive a more sensitive appreciation of the suffering that they endure. Fortunately, a growing network of peer support groups of women who have had abortions offers assistance to women who are experiencing emotional difficulties. Many post-abortive women have also been speaking out publicly about their own abortion experiences and the healing process they went through.. Women or family members seeking information about this particular outreach can contact American Victims of Abortion, 419 7th Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C., 20004. Physical Consequences after abortion DEATH: According to the best record based study of deaths following pregnancy and abortion, a 1997 government funded study in Finland, women who abort are approximately four times more likely to die in the following year than women who carry their pregnancies to term. In addition, women who carry to term are only half as likely to die as women who were not pregnant.(16) The Finland researchers found that compared to women who carried to term, women who aborted in the year prior to their deaths were 60 percent more likely to die of natural causes, seven times more likely to die of suicide, four times more likely to die of injuries related to accidents, and 14 times more likely to die from homicide. Researchers believe the higher rate of deaths related to accidents and homicide may be linked to higher rates of suicidal or risk-taking behavior.(16) The leading causes of abortion related maternal deaths within a week of the surgery are hemorrhage, infection, embolism, anesthesia, and undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies. Legal abortion is reported as the fifth leading cause of maternal death in the United States, though in fact it is recognized that most abortion related deaths are not officially reported as such.(2)

AIDS and HIV :: Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues

AIDS and HIV    The HIV virus poses one of the biggest viral threats to human society today.   It is contracted through bodily fluids such as blood and semen, and sometimes even saliva and tears.   AIDS kills 100% of its victims and puts them through agony before they die.   It has been a threat for about 15 years, and it is not going to stop now.   In fact, AIDS is just getting started:   It consumes more people each year.   There is no known treatment for it either, only antibiotics to slow the reproduction of the virus. HIV is passed from one person to another by bodily fluids only.   It is usually gotten through sexual intercourse or other intimate contact, through the exchanging of unsterilized intravenous needles, or by the contact of HIV-infected bodily fluids and an open wound.   It cannot permeate though intact skin, hence it cannot be spread through informal contact. AIDS has not been found to travel in insects or tame animals.   In pregnant women, the virus only infects the infant near or at the time of birth.   The virus dies quickly without a host.    AIDS (Acquired ImmunoDifficiency Syndrome) weakens the body ¹s immune system so it is sensitive to infection.   The AIDS virus primarily attacks the T lymphocytes, which are a main part of the immune system.   The virus is also incubated in cells called macrophages, where it is accidentally sent to other, healthy cells in the body like neurons and lymphatic cells. After HIV is contracted, the person looks and feels healthy for up to 20 years before symptoms start occurring.   During this time, the person can give the virus to another even though it cannot be detected by sight or smell.   Usually, symptoms start developing within 1 to 2 years.   Typical indications of the virus are fever, weariness, weight loss, skin rashes, a fungal mouth infection called thrush, lack of immunity to infection, and enlarged lymph nodes. When AIDS overtakes the body, the body becomes especially susceptible to tuberculosis, pneumonia, and a rare form of cancer called Kaposi ¹s Sarcoma.   Once AIDS has fully taken hold, the body may suffer damage to the nerves and brain.   The life expectancy of an AIDS victim after the birth of symptoms is 1 to 5 years. AIDS was believed to have begun in Central Africa around 1979.   Nearly all of the first AIDS patients were male homosexuals.   However, after 1989 90% of all new cases of AIDS were from heterosexual intercourse.   Public awareness rose as famous people began to die, like Rock Hudson, Perry Ellis, Michael Bennett, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Tony Richardson.

Community Teaching Experience Paper Essay

It was merely a decade ago that the obesity epidemic was thought to only be a minor problem and had only alarmed a small number of endocrinologists interested by the size of the situation (James, 2008). However today, the problem of obesity is vast with more awareness of its presence by doctors and individuals alike. In fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention states, â€Å"More than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese (CDC, 2014)†. These numbers are outrageous and eye opening, leaving millions looking for a solution to this troubling epidemic. Obesity is not simply a cosmetic flaw as some might think, but is actually a very dangerous state of being for any individual to sustain long-term. Mentioned further in this paper, obesity leads to several debilitating diseases and disorders such as, type 2 diabetes. The teaching summary provided offers an understanding into the relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as information given to assist those who currently struggle with obesity. Obesity is not simply an inconvenience or a cosmetic issue but a very dangerous and potentially deadly circumstance. In fact, one source explains, â€Å"Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death (CDC, 2014)†. Although obesity is preventable and reversible, it is not easy for most to do. The task of sheading unwanted pounds is not entirely determined by will power alone, defeating cravings and the decrease in the metabolic rate that complements weight loss are also factors (Skolnik & Ryan, 2014). The fact that will power is not the single factor in weight loss, this task is very difficult to achieve, especially with life stressors involved. The teaching summary includes diet and e xercise recommendations as well as information on weight loss surgery. The relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes’ existence has been scientifically proven and continues to remains a real threat for millions. The recognized meaning of obesity, globally, is centered on body mass index (BMI), and is a superior connection of total body fat than body weight alone, particularly on a populace basis (Skolnik & Ryan, 2014). According to one source, â€Å"†Over ­ weight† is defined as having a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2 and â€Å"obesity† applies to patients with a BMI >30.0 kg/m2 (Skolnik & Ryan, 2014)†. As previously stated, obesity has a high likelihood of leading to  co-morbidities such as type two diabetes; but what you may not know is how. Having excess weight, especially belly fat, makes the insulin our bodies produce resistant to fat cells. Therefore, our bodies are making the insulin and because of the adipose (fat) cells, the insulin cannot find the receptors. Furthermore, insulin resistance is due to hered itary, environmental influences and saturated and trans-fat high intake, obesity and an inactive routine (Servan, 2013). Once the insulin is unable to find the receptors, our bodies are no longer able to regulate glucose (sugar) consequently, our blood sugars rise causing havoc in the body over time. Individuals may ask the question, â€Å"Why not just lose the weight?† Unfortunately, for many, simply losing the weight is not a hop, skip, and a jump away! However, weight loss can be achieved through, diet modifications, exercise, or possibly weight loss surgery as a last resort. Quantifiable studies have credibly presented that lifestyle change is the greatest approach in the deterrence or suspension of type 2 diabetes. For overweight and obese individuals, a slight weight-loss goal of 5-10% can considerably decrease the diabetes threat (Servan, 2013). Weight loss surgery is also an option for those who feel they have tried everything and still yet struggle. Weight loss surgery is not a â€Å"quick fix†; its recipients must also change their diets forever. The teaching power point was pre sented in a group setting with other nurses as well as bariatric patients. I felt that it was important to teach the information to other nurses so that they could go and teach others afterwards. During the presentation I was very nervous and dislike speaking in front of crowds; I feel I did well simply because I am passionate about the topic. My own evaluation of the experience was overall a positive one. The information presented to the audience was over thirty-minutes, several individuals had questions, primarily regarding the weight loss surgery. However, the next time a teaching experience such as this one is conducted, I feel that a measure to test the audience would be beneficial. I feel like a fun group quiz or a trivia game would have been valuable in testing the audience’s knowledge. The only complaint I have is the time restriction. I had thirty minutes to present an introduction and the power point and feel I could have went more in depth if given more time. Overall, I feel this teaching experience was a success. The community response was a mixed one. I delivered the power point as planned and about  half of my audience turned out to be really focused on obtaining more information regarding weight loos surgery. Although I provided information in the power point about weight loss surgery, it was not my focus. Answering questions, to the best of my knowledge, about weight loss surgery took up a lot of my time. I did not have the â€Å"know how† to get the presentation back on track after the weight loss surgery slide. However, I did have a lot questions from the audience regarding the relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes that I felt very comfortable answering. Although I did not have a means of measuring the audiences’ knowledge pre and post presentation, I feel the presentation was effective in teaching about the relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes, and how to prevent such co-morbidities with obesity. As for my thoughts on improvement, the provider, as well as myself feel I could have used more eye contact while presenting. The daunting task of speaking in a group setting is nothing less than terrifying. However, I feel like I could have made more of an effort to make eye contact and be more engaging. As previously stated, a pre and post quiz would have been helpful in determining the effectiveness of the teaching. Although the crowd appeared appreciative of the knowledge, I have no way of knowing wheatear or not the audience actually learned the information. The provider complemented my on the variety of information I provided, as well as my confidence in my knowledge. I do agree that I feel adequately knowledgeable on the topic of the relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes however; I feel that if I would have shown more eye contact towards the audience I could have displayed further confidence. The provider also mentioned that I had a keen attention towards the sensitivity of obesity. I personally do not feel inclined to dislike or disrespect any population for any reason whether they be a different race other than my own, extremely short or tall, or obese. The provider also complimented my thorough explanation of disease process in easy to understand way of explaining. Explaining medications and disease processes in non-technical language, or easy to understand ways of explanation is important to ensure the patients understanding. As a nurse, it is sometimes easy to forget that we know medical terminology only because we have taken courses to teach us this as well as working in the medical field. The patient may often times feel inferior to the medically educated professional, leaving the patient to  agree to understanding information when in reality they have no idea what you are saying. My goal as a nurse is to help anyone and everyone I can, through education and encouragement. I realize that change, whether it be smoking cessation, losing weight, or increasing activity; changing our routine that we are comfortable with is not easy. However, if it is harming our health, change is necessary. Health care providers cannot make anyone change but what we can do is educate on the harmful effects of what the patient is doing and provide encouragement. More importantly is to provide a non-judgmental atmosphere. The patient will be more willing to listen to the nurse’s education as well as have trust in that nurse when they feel like an equal and are not being judged. References Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2014, September 9). Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics: Adult Obesity – DNPAO – CDC. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html James, W. P. (2008). The epidemiology of obesity: the size of the problem. Journal of Internal Medicine, 336-352. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=9ede2d6d-4d02-42e9-aff7-dd9b2486a3c3%40sessionmgr4004&vid=8&hid=4203 Servan, P. R. (2013). Obesity and Diabetes. Nutricion Hospitalaria, 28(5), 138-143. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=11&sid=57543655-ca3d-4380-8d2c-28a71d3ce225%40sessionmgr110&hid=120 Skolnik, N. S., & Ryan, D. H. (2014). Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, and Assessment of Obesity in Adults. Journal of Family Practice, 63(7), 3. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=57543655-ca3d-4380-8d2c-28a71d3ce225%40sessionmgr110&vid=8&hid=119

Langston Hughes Theme For English B - 845 Words

In â€Å"Theme for English B† Langston Hughes dramatizes race and self-identity. Hughes is struggling to relate himself to his teacher and everyone around him, so he starts off by telling readers about his background such as his age and where he has lived. â€Å"I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston- Salem† (2). Through the first stanza of the poem we know that Hughes is living through a time where race is a big issue and not too many African American adolescents are in school like he is. He is learning more and more about himself by asking questions about the society he lives in and if and how he fits in it. He is trying to discover truths about his self-identity by comparing himself and his white teacher several times. â€Å"You are white- yet a†¦show more content†¦Also, there are references to the YMCA, Bessie Smith, and Bop Music. These allusions show an insight into the elements that affected the student in this piece and their everyday life and cult ure. The rhyme, rhythm, and allusions shown in this poem allow a reader to follow a more relatable and understanding of the poem. There are many symbolic elements incorporated into â€Å"Theme for English B† by Langston Hughes. For example, there are many â€Å"black and white references† in the concern of racial bias. In line 10, a reader will see the word â€Å"colored† instead of African American. This a vivid symbol that shows that the student in isolate in an all-white class and makes them seem alone. The word colored was meant to be a description of the student, but during the time period it was written the word â€Å"colored† was also derogatory and degrading. Imagery is prominent in the piece. Lines 11-15 provide the ready a scenic walk through Harlem. The author does this by providing lines such as 11-15, â€Å"The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem, / through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas, / Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y, / the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator/ up to my room, sit down, and write this page:† Allegory is also a major element found in this poem.Show MoreRelatedLangston Hughes Theme For English B785 Words   |  4 PagesTheme for English B by Langston Hughes A â€Å"Theme for English B† is a poem written by Langston Hughes, in 1949 during the Harlem Renaissance. In his poem Langston Hughes was able to raise the question to anyone who was struggling to find his or hers identity, I was able to relate towards the poem because I too struggle with my identity and what my goals are in life. Hughes was also able to express that two people can learn from each other no matter their race or gender, by trying to relate to hisRead MoreLangston Hughes Theme For English B1332 Words   |  6 PagesMy response to Langston Hughes in Theme for English B is we have a variety of interests that are relatable to both of us. We encountered and conquered the greatest battles in our lives. We confronted segregation and rejection in view of the color of our skin and identity. After reading his poem, I was reminded of how I experienced discrimination and rejection throughout public school and I was labeled an outsider. I was discriminated and rejected no t only just the color of my skin, it’s becauseRead MoreTheme For English B By Langston Hughes1273 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout my life I have experienced many trials that are quite different to that of the narrator in â€Å"Theme for English B†; however, there are some similarities such as his life experiences, that can be compared to those of the narrator. In this poem Langston Hughes writes of a man who is given an assignment with very abstract and philosophical instructions for writing this paper. Accordingly, the narrator has some difficulties at first because he thinks of how different he and the professor isRead More Analysis of Theme for English B by Langston Hughes Essay1793 Words   |  8 Pages Langston Hughes was an African American poet and author who joined other black artists to break literary barriers during the civil rights movement. The poem entitled Theme for English B was written thirty years or so after the birth of the Harlem Renaissance, but still embodies why the Renaissance had originated in the first place. I believe this poem reflected on Hughes life in general, but more importantly on the fight against the ignorance that created discrimination. James Mercer LangstonRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes Poem Theme Of English B911 Words   |  4 PagesThe more you know, the greater you individual power becomes. Upon reading Langston Hughes poem â€Å"Theme of English B† I understand that knowledge does not discriminate or separate people based upon race, age, or educational level. However, it brings us together and allows us to grow. Once you obtain any form of knowledge from anyone power is gained. Every time you quire new information you become powerful. â€Å"Theme of English B† brings light that we as a nation learn from each other if we are open mindedRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Girl `` By Jamaica Kincaid And Theme For English B By Langston Hughes1228 Words   |  5 PagesHow can two completely different texts convey the same message while covering different issues? In this paper I will argue that â€Å"Girl† by Jamaica Kincaid and â€Å"Theme for English B† by Langston Hughes are both addressing the same issue but in different ways. I will look at the similarities of characters, symbolism, and text found in the story. Even though the texts are different, th ey are both revealing social issues found in society. â€Å"Girl† by Jamaica Kincaid is a short story that consists ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s Poem Theme From English B 1592 Words   |  7 Pages What Lies Beneath Langston Hughes was an American poet who spent a majority of his life growing up in Cleveland, Ohio as well as Lincoln, Illinois. Hughes was able to travel across the states and to several different countries which allowed him to experience diversity and hardships like poverty and racial discrimination. His teenage years was around the time that he would start to write poetry. The poetry that he wrote throughout his life incorporated Black culture and revealed his deeper viewsRead MoreLangston Hughes Theme for English B and Gerald Graff’s Hidden Intellectualism882 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes â€Å"Theme for English B† and Gerald Graff’s essay â€Å"Hidden Intellectualism† portray racial separation and intellectual isolation, respectively. Hughes’ essay is poetic justice, and Graff’s is a call to arms. Hughes’ is short and to the point and is simply what it is, no arguing or convincing, just raw thought. Graff’s is hig hly intellectual; offering examples and reasoning, and it could even be seen as a not-quite-finished plea to the nation to reevaluate our education system. But theRead MoreLangston Hughes: Spokesman for Civil Rights960 Words   |  4 PagesTracy Johnson Mr. Bush English Comp. 11 26 October 2012 Langston Hughes: Spokesman for Civil Rights The purpose of this essay is to examine the theme of three Langston Hughes poems; â€Å"I. Too,† â€Å"Mother to Son,† and â€Å"Theme for English B.† The theme of these three essays is civil rights. Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902. His parents separated early in his life, he lived with his mother in Kansas City. Langston Hughes attended High School where as a senior he wrote, â€Å"The NegroRead More`` True Freedom `` By Langston Hughes1163 Words   |  5 Pagesup for beliefs. Langston Hughes, an American poet known for his writing during the Harlem Renaissance period said, â€Å"In all my life, I have never been free. I have never been able to do anything with freedom, except in the field of my writing.† (citation). As a young African American man, Hughes faced man obstacles, but writing gave him a sense of freedom of expression. His poetry reached people of various social, cultural, and racial backgrounds. Hughes’ poetry has timeless themes that give insight