What are some possible strategies for women to use in finding balance in their professional, educational and personal lives?
Women tend to juggle many roles and therefore need to find a way to balance all of those roles in order to help from getting stressed. First of all, women need to decide the importance of the activities they do on a daily basis. For instance, if you say “yes” to an offer for dinner with a friend that may mean less time for exercise or time with the children. You have to decide if it is worth it. Also, divide the workload fairly for women that are married. The spouse can help with household chores, grocery shopping and helping with the kids. We don’t have to be superwoman. Communication is a great strategy to help balance a full day. Communicate appropriately with a boss and coworkers as well as a spouse. Let them know that you have to leave work on time to pick up the kids or for whatever else you may have to do. Finding great childcare can be a challenge but definitely can help a woman balance everything. If a woman can find someone they trust to look after the children then they at least won’t worry about the kids while at work and can focus more on work. An important strategy to help keep balance and a good relationship with a spouse is to schedule time with them every once in a while. A weekly date night would be good to reconnect without the kids. Also women need to schedule time for themselves either with friends or alone. This could be a few hours at the gym, a night out with the girls or a pedicure and massage will usually do the trick. Busy woman needs to recharge without feeling guilty about it.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Blog 14
What can a woman do to reduce her risk of assault?
Women can be such easy targets for assault because they are often viewed as the weaker of the sexes. There are some things that we as women can do to reduce our risk of assault. The first thing is to realize that anyone of any age or background can become a victim. Some women have the mentality that it won’t happen to them. These are the women that it will happen to because they will not be prepared. There are several things that can help reduce the risk such as always locking car and home doors, parking in a well lit public area, and be cautious of giving out too much information to people that you barely know. Also, many women do online dating now. One important thing is when you meet someone on the internet set the date site in a public place and drive your own car there. There is also a risk of having your drink spiked when on a date or at a party. Women should never leave their drink unattended because someone could slip a drug into it. If you leave to go to the bathroom simply order a fresh drink when you return. Another great idea is for a woman to take a self defense class. This would teach ways to help defend yourself against an attacker. A woman can greatly reduce her risk of assault if she had the knowledge to defend herself or prevent herself from becoming a victim to begin with.
Women can be such easy targets for assault because they are often viewed as the weaker of the sexes. There are some things that we as women can do to reduce our risk of assault. The first thing is to realize that anyone of any age or background can become a victim. Some women have the mentality that it won’t happen to them. These are the women that it will happen to because they will not be prepared. There are several things that can help reduce the risk such as always locking car and home doors, parking in a well lit public area, and be cautious of giving out too much information to people that you barely know. Also, many women do online dating now. One important thing is when you meet someone on the internet set the date site in a public place and drive your own car there. There is also a risk of having your drink spiked when on a date or at a party. Women should never leave their drink unattended because someone could slip a drug into it. If you leave to go to the bathroom simply order a fresh drink when you return. Another great idea is for a woman to take a self defense class. This would teach ways to help defend yourself against an attacker. A woman can greatly reduce her risk of assault if she had the knowledge to defend herself or prevent herself from becoming a victim to begin with.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Blog 13
Is it a sign of personal weakness or strength for a woman to admit that she has a problem with drugs or alcohol?
I think it is an amazing sign of strength for a woman to admit that she has a problem with drugs or alcohol. It takes such courage to admit to something so life changing. It is a great first step that gets the ball rolling for a complete recovery. To become clean though a woman has to want to do it. Forcing someone to do something they do not want to do is not always a good idea and can cause more harm than good. I think that women who hide their drug and alcohol problems are weak and in denial and are very selfish, especially if they have a family because they are probably hurting their family more than themselves. They need to know that there is help available but only if they are willing to accept it. Even for a woman to want to get into a rehab program and get clean the first step they still have to take is to admit they have a problem.
I think it is an amazing sign of strength for a woman to admit that she has a problem with drugs or alcohol. It takes such courage to admit to something so life changing. It is a great first step that gets the ball rolling for a complete recovery. To become clean though a woman has to want to do it. Forcing someone to do something they do not want to do is not always a good idea and can cause more harm than good. I think that women who hide their drug and alcohol problems are weak and in denial and are very selfish, especially if they have a family because they are probably hurting their family more than themselves. They need to know that there is help available but only if they are willing to accept it. Even for a woman to want to get into a rehab program and get clean the first step they still have to take is to admit they have a problem.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Blog 12
Have you ever known someone with a mental illness? How did/does the illness impact his/her life? What have you learned about this mental illness just from knowing them?
I worked with a guy a couple of years ago who had been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD. This illness is an anxiety disorder where a person develops persistent and intense fears, worries or superstitions and repeats actions over and over for relief (Alexander, et al, 2010). My coworker was a very nice man in his forties, had never been married and had no children. From what I learned through interacting with him on a daily basis I tried not to judge but understood why he was alone. Even though he was on medication he still had a great fear of germs. He wore mittens or something over his hands all the time in fear of getting germs from doorknobs or from shaking hands with other people. Also, anytime he entered a room he had to do it three times. He would enter, step outside, enter again, step outside until he had done it three times. Also, he always brought his lunch and everything that he needed to eat it with. He would never use the silverware or glasses or bowls that we had in our department or from the cafeteria. Also, everything on his desk was in a perfect place that he had put it in and if it were moved he would freak out and he would frequently come to check his desk to make sure that nothing was out of place. I talked to him a few times about his disorder because I was very curious as to how his brain worked. He was very much aware that he had OCD and would talk about it when asked. He said his Mom had it as well. He saw a therapist frequently and was on medication to help control it. I felt sorry for him many times because some of our other coworkers were mean to him sometimes and would rearrange stuff on his desk just to see what kind of reaction they would get. By working with him, I understood that it wasn’t his fault that he had this mental illness that he had inherited. His brain worked a little differently than the rest of us but that didn’t mean that he was crazy or should have been discriminated against because in fact he was a very smart and nice person.
References
Alexander, L., et al. (2010). Mental Health. New Dimensions in Women’s Health. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
I worked with a guy a couple of years ago who had been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD. This illness is an anxiety disorder where a person develops persistent and intense fears, worries or superstitions and repeats actions over and over for relief (Alexander, et al, 2010). My coworker was a very nice man in his forties, had never been married and had no children. From what I learned through interacting with him on a daily basis I tried not to judge but understood why he was alone. Even though he was on medication he still had a great fear of germs. He wore mittens or something over his hands all the time in fear of getting germs from doorknobs or from shaking hands with other people. Also, anytime he entered a room he had to do it three times. He would enter, step outside, enter again, step outside until he had done it three times. Also, he always brought his lunch and everything that he needed to eat it with. He would never use the silverware or glasses or bowls that we had in our department or from the cafeteria. Also, everything on his desk was in a perfect place that he had put it in and if it were moved he would freak out and he would frequently come to check his desk to make sure that nothing was out of place. I talked to him a few times about his disorder because I was very curious as to how his brain worked. He was very much aware that he had OCD and would talk about it when asked. He said his Mom had it as well. He saw a therapist frequently and was on medication to help control it. I felt sorry for him many times because some of our other coworkers were mean to him sometimes and would rearrange stuff on his desk just to see what kind of reaction they would get. By working with him, I understood that it wasn’t his fault that he had this mental illness that he had inherited. His brain worked a little differently than the rest of us but that didn’t mean that he was crazy or should have been discriminated against because in fact he was a very smart and nice person.
References
Alexander, L., et al. (2010). Mental Health. New Dimensions in Women’s Health. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Blog 11
If everyone lived with our future in mind, do you think that we would live differently?
I do think that we would live differently if we were looking at future. Many of us just live for today and don’t think about how our actions today could have a major impact on our future health. For example, people who smoke may not realize what the long term consequences are for smoking otherwise they may choose not to smoke today. My uncle recently passed away at the age of 61 from complications of years of smoking. All he was thinking about when he started smoking was how cool he looked doing it in high school when everyone else smoked. When he went into the hospital he said he wished he could tell every person that smoked what kind of problems it would cause later in life. He never got the chance to but I tell everyone I know about it. Also, I think that eating unhealthy is something that we do because many of us don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal. It is so much easier to drive through a fast food restaurant for dinner. We are not thinking with our futures in mind when we do that. Years down the road we might have atherosclerosis or build up of plaque in our arteries and eventually have heart disease from the food we eat today. Also many of my friends tan at the tanning salon. They are just thinking about the vacation they are going on next month and not thinking about years down the road when their skin will become ugly and wrinkled due to the tanning beds extensive damage. Skin cancer is also a risk factor later in life when using tanning beds frequently. So, the point being that many people only have time to live in the moment that we are in today. Those people may regret their choices in the future while others try to live for the future and ensure that they do everything they can to fight off aging and health problems.
I do think that we would live differently if we were looking at future. Many of us just live for today and don’t think about how our actions today could have a major impact on our future health. For example, people who smoke may not realize what the long term consequences are for smoking otherwise they may choose not to smoke today. My uncle recently passed away at the age of 61 from complications of years of smoking. All he was thinking about when he started smoking was how cool he looked doing it in high school when everyone else smoked. When he went into the hospital he said he wished he could tell every person that smoked what kind of problems it would cause later in life. He never got the chance to but I tell everyone I know about it. Also, I think that eating unhealthy is something that we do because many of us don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal. It is so much easier to drive through a fast food restaurant for dinner. We are not thinking with our futures in mind when we do that. Years down the road we might have atherosclerosis or build up of plaque in our arteries and eventually have heart disease from the food we eat today. Also many of my friends tan at the tanning salon. They are just thinking about the vacation they are going on next month and not thinking about years down the road when their skin will become ugly and wrinkled due to the tanning beds extensive damage. Skin cancer is also a risk factor later in life when using tanning beds frequently. So, the point being that many people only have time to live in the moment that we are in today. Those people may regret their choices in the future while others try to live for the future and ensure that they do everything they can to fight off aging and health problems.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Blog 10
How does heart disease manifest differently in women than in men? Support your answers with supporting documentation. What can you do now to prevent heart disease later?
Heart disease is a serious condition and people need to know the warning signs of a heart attack as well as things they can do to help prevent heart disease. The main warning sign of a heart attack is chest pain or discomfort but it can manifest differently in women than men. Women are more likely than men to experience other symptoms such as shortness of breath or pain in the arm, back, neck or jaw (American Heart Association). Since women may not have the typical pain in the center of the chest they may think their symptoms are a result of something else and may not realize that they are experiencing a heart problem. They may not seek help right away and this is a reason that heart disease is the number one killer of women in America (Cleveland Clinic). There are some things that people can do to help prevent heart disease later. First of all everyone needs to know their family's heart health history. This is a risk factor that you can't really do anything about except make sure your doctor knows and they can maybe run some helpful tests such as stress testing from time to time to make sure that heart disease has not started. A family history of heart disease puts a person at a greater risk for also developing it. The other important things such as exercise, avoiding smoking and eating healthy are all things that people can individually control and can all greatly reduce the risk of developing heart disease for men and women (Cleveland Clinic). If a person knows their risk factors for heart disease and how to help prevent it they can hopefully use those tools to live a long healthy life.
References
Heart Attack, Stroke and Cardiac Arrest Warning Signs. Retrieved October 31, 2009 from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053.
Women and Heart Attack. Retrieved October 31, 200 from http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/women/miwomen.aspx.
Heart disease is a serious condition and people need to know the warning signs of a heart attack as well as things they can do to help prevent heart disease. The main warning sign of a heart attack is chest pain or discomfort but it can manifest differently in women than men. Women are more likely than men to experience other symptoms such as shortness of breath or pain in the arm, back, neck or jaw (American Heart Association). Since women may not have the typical pain in the center of the chest they may think their symptoms are a result of something else and may not realize that they are experiencing a heart problem. They may not seek help right away and this is a reason that heart disease is the number one killer of women in America (Cleveland Clinic). There are some things that people can do to help prevent heart disease later. First of all everyone needs to know their family's heart health history. This is a risk factor that you can't really do anything about except make sure your doctor knows and they can maybe run some helpful tests such as stress testing from time to time to make sure that heart disease has not started. A family history of heart disease puts a person at a greater risk for also developing it. The other important things such as exercise, avoiding smoking and eating healthy are all things that people can individually control and can all greatly reduce the risk of developing heart disease for men and women (Cleveland Clinic). If a person knows their risk factors for heart disease and how to help prevent it they can hopefully use those tools to live a long healthy life.
References
Heart Attack, Stroke and Cardiac Arrest Warning Signs. Retrieved October 31, 2009 from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053.
Women and Heart Attack. Retrieved October 31, 200 from http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/women/miwomen.aspx.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Blog 9
What should a woman do if she has a friend whom she suspects to have an eating disorder?
Eating disorders are common among young women and can be triggered by social, emotional and biological factors in women’s lives. Pressure to “fit in”, a desire to avoid consuming food as a way of dealing with emotions and feelings of euphoria when skipping meals are behaviors that can undermine one’s health, self-esteem and sense of competency (Alexander, 2010). Talking about eating disorders with a friend or loved one can be a difficult subject to bring up, and I have had to talk to a friend about it before. A couple of years ago my best friend was going to get married and wanted to look good in her wedding dress. I knew that she was working out a lot at the gym but what I didn’t know is that she had become a bulimic in the process. She drastically started loosing weight, and I told her that maybe she shouldn’t exercise so much. One day I caught her in the bathroom getting rid of the lunch she had just eaten. I didn’t know what to say so I just jumped right in and asked her what she was doing. Of course she denied everything at first and we would get into fights about it frequently. I would tell her that I was worried, and I just wanted her to get help. Then one day she admitted it and started saying how she just wanted to look good in her wedding dress and it had just gone too far. She asked me not to tell her fiancé, and I wanted to keep her trust so I promised not to. She said she couldn’t stop because she liked the way she looked in clothes. At five feet four inches tall she now weighed 98 lbs. Pretty much all I knew about eating disorders at the time is what they can do to the heart. I do cardiac ultrasound for a living and frequently scan patients with eating disorders. I proceeded to tell my friend what she was doing to her heart and surprisingly it scared her. I also told her that she was probably hurting her teeth as well by frequently vomiting. The heart stuff scared her enough that I was able to talk her into getting some help. She checked into an outpatient eating disorder program and after a few months had gained all of her weight back that she had lost. Two years later she is happily married and doing fine. I often wonder what I would tell someone if I had to do it again. Pretty much all you can do is earn their trust and let them know that you are there for them and worried about them. You can also point out whatever facts you know about eating disorders and recommend counseling. I got lucky in that my friend trusted me enough to help her.
References
Alexander, L., et al. (2010). Nutrition, Exercise, and Weight Management. New Dimensions In Women’s Health. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Eating disorders are common among young women and can be triggered by social, emotional and biological factors in women’s lives. Pressure to “fit in”, a desire to avoid consuming food as a way of dealing with emotions and feelings of euphoria when skipping meals are behaviors that can undermine one’s health, self-esteem and sense of competency (Alexander, 2010). Talking about eating disorders with a friend or loved one can be a difficult subject to bring up, and I have had to talk to a friend about it before. A couple of years ago my best friend was going to get married and wanted to look good in her wedding dress. I knew that she was working out a lot at the gym but what I didn’t know is that she had become a bulimic in the process. She drastically started loosing weight, and I told her that maybe she shouldn’t exercise so much. One day I caught her in the bathroom getting rid of the lunch she had just eaten. I didn’t know what to say so I just jumped right in and asked her what she was doing. Of course she denied everything at first and we would get into fights about it frequently. I would tell her that I was worried, and I just wanted her to get help. Then one day she admitted it and started saying how she just wanted to look good in her wedding dress and it had just gone too far. She asked me not to tell her fiancé, and I wanted to keep her trust so I promised not to. She said she couldn’t stop because she liked the way she looked in clothes. At five feet four inches tall she now weighed 98 lbs. Pretty much all I knew about eating disorders at the time is what they can do to the heart. I do cardiac ultrasound for a living and frequently scan patients with eating disorders. I proceeded to tell my friend what she was doing to her heart and surprisingly it scared her. I also told her that she was probably hurting her teeth as well by frequently vomiting. The heart stuff scared her enough that I was able to talk her into getting some help. She checked into an outpatient eating disorder program and after a few months had gained all of her weight back that she had lost. Two years later she is happily married and doing fine. I often wonder what I would tell someone if I had to do it again. Pretty much all you can do is earn their trust and let them know that you are there for them and worried about them. You can also point out whatever facts you know about eating disorders and recommend counseling. I got lucky in that my friend trusted me enough to help her.
References
Alexander, L., et al. (2010). Nutrition, Exercise, and Weight Management. New Dimensions In Women’s Health. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Blog 8
Interview a woman who has or is going through menopause and has decided to take hormones.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) consists of medications that increase the levels of hormones in the body. Hormones are used to treat symptoms such as hot flashes that are associated with menopause when the body stops producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone (Alexander, 2010). I am not real familiar with menopause and hormone therapy since I am several years away from experiencing it so I decided to ask my Aunt for her view on it. She said that for a while she had been experiencing bad hot flashes. She would have sweat running down her face at work and the sheets would be dripping in sweat while she was sleeping. At first she did not want to take hormone therapy because she had always heard that it was associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer. For a while she tried natural and herbal remedies but they didn’t work. Finally she took her doctor’s advice and started taking Prempro, a pill that combines progestin and estrogen. Her doctor also told her that taking hormone therapy would help reduce the risk of getting osteoporosis. After taking pills for a few months now she says she has seen a dramatic difference. The hot flashes have subsided and she feels like a normal woman again. She said though that she does have some side effects such as breast tenderness and occasional spotting but these are much more manageable than hot flashes. I learned a lot about menopause and hormone therapy while talking with my Aunt. I feel so fortunate to have a great relationship with the women in my family where I can talk to them about anything or go to them when I need advice on women issues.
References
Alexander, L., et al. (2010). Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy. New Dimensions in Women’s Health. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) consists of medications that increase the levels of hormones in the body. Hormones are used to treat symptoms such as hot flashes that are associated with menopause when the body stops producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone (Alexander, 2010). I am not real familiar with menopause and hormone therapy since I am several years away from experiencing it so I decided to ask my Aunt for her view on it. She said that for a while she had been experiencing bad hot flashes. She would have sweat running down her face at work and the sheets would be dripping in sweat while she was sleeping. At first she did not want to take hormone therapy because she had always heard that it was associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer. For a while she tried natural and herbal remedies but they didn’t work. Finally she took her doctor’s advice and started taking Prempro, a pill that combines progestin and estrogen. Her doctor also told her that taking hormone therapy would help reduce the risk of getting osteoporosis. After taking pills for a few months now she says she has seen a dramatic difference. The hot flashes have subsided and she feels like a normal woman again. She said though that she does have some side effects such as breast tenderness and occasional spotting but these are much more manageable than hot flashes. I learned a lot about menopause and hormone therapy while talking with my Aunt. I feel so fortunate to have a great relationship with the women in my family where I can talk to them about anything or go to them when I need advice on women issues.
References
Alexander, L., et al. (2010). Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy. New Dimensions in Women’s Health. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Blog 7
What would you tell a friend or loved one who suspected that she might have an STD but was afraid to get tested?
I would tell a friend or loved one that it is very important they get tested to either confirm their suspicions or hopefully find out their suspicions were wrong. I actually had this talk with one of my good friends recently. She was worried about how people would perceive her if they found out. I told her it didn’t matter how she was perceived and that it important to find out early if in fact she did have an STD because it could be treated sooner if found early. If I had to talk to someone again about why they should get checked, I am much better prepared now after doing some research. Obviously anyone engaging in sexual activity can get an STD regardless of racial ethnicity, class or social standings. It is all in how we as women protect ourselves but if a women thinks she may have contracted a disease she definitely needs to get tested because most sexually transmitted diseases come with complications such as infertility problems, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical cancer or even death. Pelvic inflammatory disease is the most frequent complication of an STD and affects over a million women each year causing infertility, ectopic pregnancies and even death (Alexander, 2010). Infections such as Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Syphilis can be treated with high doses of antibiotics if caught very early. Others such as Herpes cannot be cured and there is still an infection remaining even between outbreaks when the sores have healed (Alexander, 2010). It is so easy to get an STD in today’s world because people tend to have multiple sex partners and do not always use protection. I would definitely encourage a friend or loved one to get tested as soon as possible if they feel they may have an STD before the complications get worse and the treatments are not as effective.
References
Alexander, L, et al. (2010). Reproductive Tract Infections and HIV/AIDS. , New Dimensions in Women’s Health (pp.174-191.). Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
I would tell a friend or loved one that it is very important they get tested to either confirm their suspicions or hopefully find out their suspicions were wrong. I actually had this talk with one of my good friends recently. She was worried about how people would perceive her if they found out. I told her it didn’t matter how she was perceived and that it important to find out early if in fact she did have an STD because it could be treated sooner if found early. If I had to talk to someone again about why they should get checked, I am much better prepared now after doing some research. Obviously anyone engaging in sexual activity can get an STD regardless of racial ethnicity, class or social standings. It is all in how we as women protect ourselves but if a women thinks she may have contracted a disease she definitely needs to get tested because most sexually transmitted diseases come with complications such as infertility problems, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical cancer or even death. Pelvic inflammatory disease is the most frequent complication of an STD and affects over a million women each year causing infertility, ectopic pregnancies and even death (Alexander, 2010). Infections such as Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Syphilis can be treated with high doses of antibiotics if caught very early. Others such as Herpes cannot be cured and there is still an infection remaining even between outbreaks when the sores have healed (Alexander, 2010). It is so easy to get an STD in today’s world because people tend to have multiple sex partners and do not always use protection. I would definitely encourage a friend or loved one to get tested as soon as possible if they feel they may have an STD before the complications get worse and the treatments are not as effective.
References
Alexander, L, et al. (2010). Reproductive Tract Infections and HIV/AIDS. , New Dimensions in Women’s Health (pp.174-191.). Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Blog 6
In your opinion, why should prenatal testing be routine for all pregnant women?
I think prenatal testing is extremely important and should be routine for all pregnant women. There are so many diseases and conditions that babies can be born with, and it is such a miracle when a baby is born healthy. If some simple prenatal tests can help bring a healthy baby into the world then those tests need to be performed. Most birth defects occur within the first trimester of pregnancy and risk factors that increase the chances of having birth defects include previous children with birth defects, certain medications used during conception, diabetes and women over age 35 when the baby is due (Alexander, et al., 2010). Simple tests such as lab tests and sonograms can help reveal abnormalities with a pregnancy or with the baby and some of these abnormalities may be treatable. Other advanced testing such as an amniocentesis can help detect more complex abnormalities such as Down's Sydrome. Hopefully the tests would be conclusive that the baby is going to be healthy but if results are abnormal then parents would need support to make important decisions regarding their baby's future. Prenatal testing can help give parents information on their baby so they can plan for the future. If a baby is going to be born with a syndrome then a least the parents can find out in advance and be prepared. There are even women's clinics that perform testing for free or low costs for those that have no insurance and can't afford to see a physician. With all of the medical advances that are available now there is really no reason not to have routine prenatal testing performed.
References
Alexander, L., et al., (2010). Pregnancy and Childbirth. New Dimensions in Women's Health(p.145.). Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
I think prenatal testing is extremely important and should be routine for all pregnant women. There are so many diseases and conditions that babies can be born with, and it is such a miracle when a baby is born healthy. If some simple prenatal tests can help bring a healthy baby into the world then those tests need to be performed. Most birth defects occur within the first trimester of pregnancy and risk factors that increase the chances of having birth defects include previous children with birth defects, certain medications used during conception, diabetes and women over age 35 when the baby is due (Alexander, et al., 2010). Simple tests such as lab tests and sonograms can help reveal abnormalities with a pregnancy or with the baby and some of these abnormalities may be treatable. Other advanced testing such as an amniocentesis can help detect more complex abnormalities such as Down's Sydrome. Hopefully the tests would be conclusive that the baby is going to be healthy but if results are abnormal then parents would need support to make important decisions regarding their baby's future. Prenatal testing can help give parents information on their baby so they can plan for the future. If a baby is going to be born with a syndrome then a least the parents can find out in advance and be prepared. There are even women's clinics that perform testing for free or low costs for those that have no insurance and can't afford to see a physician. With all of the medical advances that are available now there is really no reason not to have routine prenatal testing performed.
References
Alexander, L., et al., (2010). Pregnancy and Childbirth. New Dimensions in Women's Health(p.145.). Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Blog #5
Interview a woman on her decision to have children or be childless.
For this blog, I interviewed my coworker Amy. She does not have any children so I asked her why. Amy said that she always wanted children and her husband did too. However, she and her husband work long and crazy hours at work and don’t feel that they are in a place in their lives where this could happen. She said it is unfair to a child to be left in daycare for twelve hours a day or be raised by a nanny. She said she barely even gets enough time to spend with her husband. Also, when they do get time off from work they like to travel and adding a child to the family may mean less traveling. She said that hopefully when they get more financially stable in the next few years she can hopefully quit working and have a baby. This would give her more time to spend with the child and she could raise it the way she and her husband want to. I think that it is good that she wants to be able to have time for a child before she has one, but not many households in the country work like that. Sometimes if you keep waiting for something to change then you may never have a family. I remember when I was little my parents drove an hour and a half to work each day one way. They were gone for twelve hours a day, and I ended up making sure that my little brother and I got dressed and caught the school bus every morning. I didn’t mind that my parents worked so much because I knew that they were just trying to earn the money to give my brother and I a good life. They spent time with us when they could but to me it wasn’t about the quantity of time but the quality of time. We spent much quality time together as a family.
For this blog, I interviewed my coworker Amy. She does not have any children so I asked her why. Amy said that she always wanted children and her husband did too. However, she and her husband work long and crazy hours at work and don’t feel that they are in a place in their lives where this could happen. She said it is unfair to a child to be left in daycare for twelve hours a day or be raised by a nanny. She said she barely even gets enough time to spend with her husband. Also, when they do get time off from work they like to travel and adding a child to the family may mean less traveling. She said that hopefully when they get more financially stable in the next few years she can hopefully quit working and have a baby. This would give her more time to spend with the child and she could raise it the way she and her husband want to. I think that it is good that she wants to be able to have time for a child before she has one, but not many households in the country work like that. Sometimes if you keep waiting for something to change then you may never have a family. I remember when I was little my parents drove an hour and a half to work each day one way. They were gone for twelve hours a day, and I ended up making sure that my little brother and I got dressed and caught the school bus every morning. I didn’t mind that my parents worked so much because I knew that they were just trying to earn the money to give my brother and I a good life. They spent time with us when they could but to me it wasn’t about the quantity of time but the quality of time. We spent much quality time together as a family.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Blog #4
Should sex be taught in the nation's public schools and if so what kind?
This can be a controversial topic because many cultures and religions do not promote sex until marriage, and parents in those cultures may not want their children learning sex education in school. I believe that sex education should be something that parents talk to their children about first, however, I do believe that this should be taught in school also. Many adolescents are embarrassed about talking with their parents about this subject and may engage more in conversation about it with a teacher at their school along with classmates. Sex education classes should promote abstinence until marriage, however, in this society this does not happen much anymore. For this reason kids need to learn about their bodies and how to practice safe sex and pregnancy and STD prevention. I believe girls need to be taught the methods of birth control, the risks and side effects associated with each and how to use them correctly. Adolescents also need to know that there are many sexually transmitted diseases that they can acquire through unsafe practices. For this they need to be taught prevention methods and to get regular STD checks if they are sexually active. Sex education is definitely not a topic that many parents are ready to deal with. I know when I was growing up I found out the majority of my information from a class at school and from my friends. Having education on this at school may be the only way that some kids get the education they need about sex. In America there are too many teen pregnancies and too many kids getting sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. If a sex education class in school can help prevent this at all then it needs to be taught in school.
This can be a controversial topic because many cultures and religions do not promote sex until marriage, and parents in those cultures may not want their children learning sex education in school. I believe that sex education should be something that parents talk to their children about first, however, I do believe that this should be taught in school also. Many adolescents are embarrassed about talking with their parents about this subject and may engage more in conversation about it with a teacher at their school along with classmates. Sex education classes should promote abstinence until marriage, however, in this society this does not happen much anymore. For this reason kids need to learn about their bodies and how to practice safe sex and pregnancy and STD prevention. I believe girls need to be taught the methods of birth control, the risks and side effects associated with each and how to use them correctly. Adolescents also need to know that there are many sexually transmitted diseases that they can acquire through unsafe practices. For this they need to be taught prevention methods and to get regular STD checks if they are sexually active. Sex education is definitely not a topic that many parents are ready to deal with. I know when I was growing up I found out the majority of my information from a class at school and from my friends. Having education on this at school may be the only way that some kids get the education they need about sex. In America there are too many teen pregnancies and too many kids getting sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. If a sex education class in school can help prevent this at all then it needs to be taught in school.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Blog #3
How can we encourage adolescents to follow healthy behaviors?
In this technological world that we live in it is sometimes hard to encourage kids to practice healthy behaviors such as exercising and eating healthy. Most kids are into playing video and computer games and spend a lot of time watching television or using the computer. These kids tend to eat a lot more junk food. With fast food restaurants everywhere, it is difficult for them to eat healthy. First of all, education starts at home. Parents can be great role models for kids, and if the parents are healthy themselves more than likely the kids will be too. Parents can exercise with their kids at home by going for a walk or taking a bike ride together. Also, meals made at home are usually healthier than ones bought at a restaurant. At home you can pick and choose exactly what is going into the food that you are eating. If you have to go out to eat, most restaurants now have a healthy section on their menu. Parents can encourage adolescents to order food from that part of the menu or simply eat a smaller portion. Kids also spend a lot of time at school. Hopefully most schools are making gym classes mandatory to help promote physical activity. Parents and educators need to also promote sports leagues through the school. Kids involved in sports will get the exercise they need, and it will keep them busy so they will not spend much time watching television, playing computer games, or getting into trouble with friends or alcohol and drugs. Schools also need to make sure they offer well balanced healthy meals and limit the amount of junk food that they offer. Health care providers should educate kids on the importance of getting plenty of sleep and keeping immunizations current. Vaccines such as flu shots can keep a kid from catching a bad illness and missing a week of school. Finally the media and society need to keep informing adolescents about what drugs and alcohol can do to the body. This also needs to be taught at home as well as sex education. It is tough to get adolescents to practice healthy behaviors. Parents and educators are the main people that kids spend time with so they have to educate and be good role models.
In this technological world that we live in it is sometimes hard to encourage kids to practice healthy behaviors such as exercising and eating healthy. Most kids are into playing video and computer games and spend a lot of time watching television or using the computer. These kids tend to eat a lot more junk food. With fast food restaurants everywhere, it is difficult for them to eat healthy. First of all, education starts at home. Parents can be great role models for kids, and if the parents are healthy themselves more than likely the kids will be too. Parents can exercise with their kids at home by going for a walk or taking a bike ride together. Also, meals made at home are usually healthier than ones bought at a restaurant. At home you can pick and choose exactly what is going into the food that you are eating. If you have to go out to eat, most restaurants now have a healthy section on their menu. Parents can encourage adolescents to order food from that part of the menu or simply eat a smaller portion. Kids also spend a lot of time at school. Hopefully most schools are making gym classes mandatory to help promote physical activity. Parents and educators need to also promote sports leagues through the school. Kids involved in sports will get the exercise they need, and it will keep them busy so they will not spend much time watching television, playing computer games, or getting into trouble with friends or alcohol and drugs. Schools also need to make sure they offer well balanced healthy meals and limit the amount of junk food that they offer. Health care providers should educate kids on the importance of getting plenty of sleep and keeping immunizations current. Vaccines such as flu shots can keep a kid from catching a bad illness and missing a week of school. Finally the media and society need to keep informing adolescents about what drugs and alcohol can do to the body. This also needs to be taught at home as well as sex education. It is tough to get adolescents to practice healthy behaviors. Parents and educators are the main people that kids spend time with so they have to educate and be good role models.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Blog #2
What are your feelings about the present state of health care in the US?
The health care system in the U.S., like many other health care systems worldwide, is not perfect. Most health care systems have their flaws, but they also have their strong points. One of the weaknesses of U.S. health care is that you get the services that you pay for. Those who have no insurance coverage or not so good coverage may only be allowed to have procedures that are absolutely necessary and still may have to pay out of their pocket leaving them in financial difficulties. Also if people do not have access to health insurance they may not have a choice of hospitals or physicians that they can use. These patients have to take what medical care they can get or where they can get it. In doing so, many Americans are less likely to visit physicians or hospitals for preventative or urgent medical care and usually end up a lot more ill than people with health coverage. Another weakness is the cost of insurance and prescription drug coverage. Even people that have these coverages still may not be able to afford their premiums, deductibles, co payments, and prescription drug costs. In turn, many Americans do not regularly visit doctors and do not properly take their prescription medicines because they cannot afford them. The great thing about the heath care in the U.S. is that we, compared to other countries, are very advanced in medicine. We have physicians that are highly skilled and all the new medical technologies to diagnose disease. We perform some of the most amazing procedures that would not be performed elsewhere. Again, though, you get what you pay for and not all Americans can utilize this nation's great medical technologies. We have some great health care here in the U.S. , but there is always room for improvement. All Americans should be allowed access to this great health care whether young, old, rich, or poor.
The health care system in the U.S., like many other health care systems worldwide, is not perfect. Most health care systems have their flaws, but they also have their strong points. One of the weaknesses of U.S. health care is that you get the services that you pay for. Those who have no insurance coverage or not so good coverage may only be allowed to have procedures that are absolutely necessary and still may have to pay out of their pocket leaving them in financial difficulties. Also if people do not have access to health insurance they may not have a choice of hospitals or physicians that they can use. These patients have to take what medical care they can get or where they can get it. In doing so, many Americans are less likely to visit physicians or hospitals for preventative or urgent medical care and usually end up a lot more ill than people with health coverage. Another weakness is the cost of insurance and prescription drug coverage. Even people that have these coverages still may not be able to afford their premiums, deductibles, co payments, and prescription drug costs. In turn, many Americans do not regularly visit doctors and do not properly take their prescription medicines because they cannot afford them. The great thing about the heath care in the U.S. is that we, compared to other countries, are very advanced in medicine. We have physicians that are highly skilled and all the new medical technologies to diagnose disease. We perform some of the most amazing procedures that would not be performed elsewhere. Again, though, you get what you pay for and not all Americans can utilize this nation's great medical technologies. We have some great health care here in the U.S. , but there is always room for improvement. All Americans should be allowed access to this great health care whether young, old, rich, or poor.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Health Concerns
My main health concern is cancer. Cancer is one of the scariest illnesses there is because there is usually no cure for it, and it can spread quickly throughout the body before anyone even knows they have anything wrong. There are treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation that may shrink the tumors or keep them from spreading, but those don't always work. Cancer is prominent in my family but not just one kind in particular. My grandfather had a cancerous tumor removed from his colon. My uncle passed away in his early thirties from pancreatic cancer, and my grandmother died from bone cancer.
I talked with two of my coworkers about their health concerns. One of them is very young and was only married a few years when her husband was diagnosed and died from stage 4 lung cancer. She was shocked as he had never smoked a day in his life. She agrees with me that supporting cancer research for finding a cure is critical. My other coworker was concerned about something different. She does general ultrasound for a living and frequently scans pregnant women. She sees a lot of young pregnant women who are malnourished because they can't afford proper nutrition. They also do not receive proper medical attention while they are pregnant generally because they do not have insurance.
This just shows that all women do have different health concerns.
I talked with two of my coworkers about their health concerns. One of them is very young and was only married a few years when her husband was diagnosed and died from stage 4 lung cancer. She was shocked as he had never smoked a day in his life. She agrees with me that supporting cancer research for finding a cure is critical. My other coworker was concerned about something different. She does general ultrasound for a living and frequently scans pregnant women. She sees a lot of young pregnant women who are malnourished because they can't afford proper nutrition. They also do not receive proper medical attention while they are pregnant generally because they do not have insurance.
This just shows that all women do have different health concerns.
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