Communicable Disease Paper Essay Example for Free

Communicable Disease Paper Essay Hepatitis B is a viral infection that is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. Acute HBV is less than six months and ones immune system is able to fight and clear the infection. Chronic HBV lasts longer than six months and ones immune system is unable to fight the infection leading to liver failure, cancer or cirrhosis. Occasionally chronic HBV can go undetected for years due to a person being asymptomatic (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Mode of Transmission In highly infected areas of the world, HBV is most commonly spread from mom to baby at birth or from person to person in early childhood (World Health Organization [WHO], 2013). The HBV is also spread via parenteral contact with infected blood or blood products, sharing of or accidental needle sticks and having unprotected sex with one who’s blood, saliva, semen or vaginal secretions are infected and enter your body (Copstead and Banasik, 2010). Signs and Symptoms Signs and symptoms of HBV may never appear or appear over a two to six month period. Signs and symptoms include abdominal pain, dark urine, fever, joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weakness and fatigue and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and or sclera) (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Complications Having chronic HBV can lead to serious life threatening complications such as, cirrhosis, liver cancer, failure, hepatitis D infection or kidney failure. Liver cirrhosis occurs when HBV has caused inflammation to liver leading to scaring and formation of fibrotic cell tissue that blocks hepatic blood flow and cell function. This in turn results in overgrowth of new cells attempting to regenerate causing decreased liver function Liver cancer and failure can occur if a patient has cirrhosis due to being a risk factor (Copstead and Banasik, 2010). Treatment Treatment of HBV is supportive. Care focuses on nutrition, hydration and comfort (WHO, 2013). For those who have been infected with acute HBV, may not even need treatment but only management of symptoms. Those infected with chronic HBV may need more invasive treatments such as, antiviral medications or need a liver transplant (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Antiviral medications are used to slow and fight the virus from destructing the liver. Liver transplants are an option if a patient has end-stage liver disease where traditional treatments have not worked and are a qualified candidate (Copstead and Banasik, 2010). Demogrphics Approximately 60,000 people die every year from HBV (WHO, 2013). There are about 200 billion people living around the world with HBV with an estimated 1. 2 million living in the United States (CDC, 2013). In 2011 the United States was estimated to have 18,800 actual new cases of the HBV (CDC, 2013). Those who are at greatest risk for developing HBV are Asian and Pacific Islanders, African Americans, gay and bisexual individuals, those who have multiple sex partners and do not practice safe sex or are intravenous drug users. Gay and bisexual men make up 20% of new HBV cases and 50% Asian and Pacific Islanders are living with HBV (CDC, 2013). Most Asian and Pacific Islanders were infected with HBV as infants or children and 1 in 12 are living with it and are not even aware. Determinants of Health Environmental factors such as living conditions, social networks and social support systems are all key drivers for one becoming infected with the HBV. For example, a homeless person who has a poor health status, is uninsured, unemployed and has a lack of education is more likely to be diagnosed with HBV. Also certain races are more likely to be infected with the HBV, as stated above, Asian and Pacific Islanders make up 50% of the population living with HBV (CDC, 2013). In addition there is a lack of resources available to protect, improve and maintain one health due to the cost and lack of good health services to individuals with low socioeconomic backgrounds. Therefore, focus needs to be made on improving access to care as well as treating the environmental and social factors of health. Epidemiologic Triangle The epidemiologic triangle is used to analyze the natural history of a disease. It asses the agent â€Å"what†, host â€Å"who† and environment â€Å"where† (Maurer and Smith, 2013). The biological agent for hepatitis B is a virus. The host’s demographics can range from infancy into adulthood and any race is susceptible to the virus. The body’s defenses are more likely to fight off acute than chronic HBV. A person’s behavior as well plays a large role in one becoming infected. Those who are intravenous drug users or have a history of multiple sex partners are my susceptible to developing HBV. Environmental factors based on social and economic considerations could be direct person-to-person contact of bodily fluids via kissing or sexual intercourse or receiving contaminated blood products from infected individuals. Within the workplace, an individual could accidently prick himself or herself with a contaminated needle increasing their chances of becoming infected. Role of Community Health Nurse It is important for the community health nurse to educate and promote prevention of HBV. Teaching risk reduction interventions and strategies such as not having unprotected sex and using condoms can help prevent transmission of hepatitis B. For those who have already become infected with the HBV it’s important to provide timely referrals for sexual health related services to further prevent others from becoming infected. Making the hepatitis vaccinations more accessible and available is an effective way to prevent hepatitis B. Educating health and human service providers about hepatitis B promotes quality of care and awareness as well as reduces chances of transmission. Ensuring adequate resources are available (state and local surveillance) to accurately monitor disease trends, transmission and how effective treatment is can improve and ensure correct data collection. It’s also important that the nurse refers patients to accessible care and treatment facilities so that compliance can be obtained and the rate of transmission, morbidity and mortality can be reduced. National Organization The World Hepatitis Alliance is a non-profit international umbrella non-governmental organization that represents every region of the world with viral hepatitis. They raise awareness, reduce the stigma associated with viral hepatitis, work with the WHO and provide preventive care as well as support and access to treatment. Their goal is eradication of HBV and HCV. They plan on achieving this goal by having more countries with a complete hepatitis strategy in place, regional patient organizations in all WHO regions, on going support for global hepatitis groups, acceptance at a global level of HBV and HCV, increased alliance and a more diversified funding base for the alliance. Conclusion There are two billion people worldwide that are infected with HBV and more than 350 million are infected with chronic liver infections, which increases their risk of death significantly (Maurer and Smith, 2013). Fortunately, there is a vaccine for hepatitis B but it has not become easily accessible to those in developing countries. This is a virus that can be prevented if individuals are being educating on the causes and risks as well as ways to protect themselves. It is up to us healthcare providers to spread awareness and makes our patients more knowledgeable about the types of communicable disease in our world so that they can make healthy choices.

Annual Budget Model Essay -- Business, Traditional Budgeting Model

Introduction Budgeting is a process in which every firm has to be involved with not only the board of director (Principle) who authorize the budget but also management team (Agent) who use it as well. In other words, budgeting need communication with every level of employee in the company in order to construct the goal or strategy of the company. Moreover, budgets are an instrument of power as well as being a reflection of power (Ashton et. al., 1995, p.289). Budgets that are not based on well-understood activities and costs are poor indicators of performance (Drury, 2005). Nowadays, at the time of information and technology the conventional budgeting is not good enough for withstand the rivalry in the global market. As Hope and Fraser, 2000 cited from Young, 2006 say the traditional performance management model cannot reflect today’s discontinuous change economy, which is why they point that annual budget model may be seen as having a number of intrinsic weaknesses and acting as a barrier to the effective implementation of alternative models for utilize in the success of strategic change. Therefore, I separate my essay into two parts. First, indicate and criticize on five inbred weaknesses of annual budget model. Second, explain ways in which the conventional budgeting process may be seen as an obstacle to accomplishment of the aims of Benchmarking, Balanced scorecard, and Activity-based models for the fulfillment of strategic change. Discuss on inherent weakness of annual budget model There are many weaknesses of traditional budgeting model and it has been the matter of considerable caviling. From recently research by Libby and Linsay, 2010 cited from Hansen et. al., 2003 encapsulated several discussions of budgets an... ...vities are prepared on an incremental basis or called incremental budgeting. This means that running operations and the current budgeted allowance for existing activities are taken as the starting point for preparing the next annual budget. The base is then adjusting for changes such as changes in product mix, volumes, and price that are expected to occur during the new budget period. For example, the allowance for budgeted expenses may be based on the previous budgeted allowance plus an increase to cover higher prices caused by inflation The major disadvantage of incremental approach is that the majority of expenditure, which is associated with the ‘base level’ of activity, remains unchanged. Therefore, the costs of non-unit level activities become fixed and past inefficiencies and waste inherent in the current way of doing things is perpetuated (Drury, 2005).

How Do Octavio Paz and Albert Camus Convey Their Respective Views on Death

How do Octavio Paz and Albert Camus convey their respective views on death? World Literature 1 22/08/2010 Many aspects of death are pondered and questioned throughout Octavio Paz's poems, the two I have chosen to particularly focus on are Plain and Near Cape Comorin. Albert Camus has also considered the aspect of death within his novel, The Outsider. The title, The Outsider is vital to the text, as it reflects many aspects of the author's life. David Simpson explained that ‘Camus lived most of his life in various groups and communities without really being of them’ (iii).This also shows similarities between Camus and the protagonist, Meursault, as throughout The Outsider, Meursault seems to neutralise all his emotions allowing himself to watch his own life as an ‘outsider’. However, Camus was born as and brought up to be an outsider, whereas Meursault assumes his detached, individualised life himself. Both Camus and his protagonist share an existentialist vi ew on death, this is evident in the novel The Outsider. Whereas Paz shows a more positive stance on death.Both Paz and Camus convey the notion that death is an inevitable product of life, however they go about this in very different ways. While Camus takes a negative view of death, hauntingly reflected in his protagonist's amoral, emotionless attitude towards his death sentence, Paz juxtaposes images of death and decay, with that of beauty, and nature. Plain is saturated with sexual imagery, however, it is displayed to the reader in a grotesque manner, suggesting that life shares an intrinsic link with death.Visceral imagery such as that of ‘decapitated phalluses' and a gushing ‘open wound' would normally point towards mortality, but the presence of sexual imagery contrasts this notion as, sexual intercourse is representative of the fruition of life. Camus presents a similar concept in The Outsider; as he articulates the idea that the only certain thing in life is the in evitability of death, and, because all humans will eventually meet death, all lives are all equally meaningless.This theory manifests itself in Meursault's nonchalant response to his own impending death. Whereas during his trial Meursault passively observed the judgements levelled against him, in prison he begins to ponder the fact of his inevitable death. He begins to see his life as having a past, present, and future, and concludes that there is no difference between dying soon by execution and dying decades later of natural causes. This revelation comes about when Meursault experiences a sense of liberation in his jail cell.His emotional outburst towards the chaplain, ‘hurl[ing] insults at him’ (124), contrasts hugely against the blunt, nonchalant opening sentence ‘Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I can’t be sure’ (11). While awaiting his execution, Meursault takes the final step in the development of his consciousness. This capacity for self -analysis is a new development for Meursault, and it contrasts greatly with his level of self-awareness earlier in the novel. This is significant, as it catalyses his self enlightenment, enhancing his mindset into that of an existentialist.Meursault's approach to death, and in fact his entire belief structure points to that of an individual with an amoral stance on life. He is neither moral or immoral, he simply does not make the distinction between good and bad in his own mind. His encounter with the chaplain presents the reader with a clear binary opposite; differentiating between a rational, Christian system of belief and that of Meursault who refuses to succumb to Christianity. Meursault concludes that the universe is, like him, totally indifferent to human life.He decides that people’s lives have no grand meaning or importance, and that their actions, their comings and goings, have no effect on the world. This realisation is the culmination of all the events of the novel . When Meursault accepts ‘the benign indifference of the universe,' (127) he finds peace with himself and with the society around him, and his development as a character is complete. Paz asks similar philosophical questions in Near Cape Comorin; using the first person to rhetorically inquire: ‘Am I a lost soul or a wandering body? In the same poem he uses nature to convey various elements of religion, as it is universally known that people look for answers in their faiths. Hinduism is alluded to, with references to ‘a troupe of begging monkeys'; possibly a nod to the Hindu deity â€Å"Hanuman†. This is juxtaposed with references to Christianity; such as the ‘cobra' from Genesis; a binary representation of western versus eastern religion. Nature is also used to depict death in Plain when Paz talks of ‘the buzzing of the flies' connoting decay.The theme of insects continues as he mentions a statue of ‘a saint painted blue and pink. From his l eft eye' streaming ‘grey winged insects that†¦ fall turned to dust'. This again, savours of death and decay; creating in the reader's mind, the image of a rotting corpse. This is starkly juxtaposed with the cheery colours of the ‘saint' which could themselves represent the gender stereotyped clothes given to newborn babies. Lastly, death itself is evoked with the personification by Paz, of a ‘a bird dressed in black'.This is a regularly used symbol of death, and the notion that the ‘bird flies in circles' points to the cyclical nature of life and death. This bird, however, may also be used to portray hope as it ‘rests on the only living tree' showing hope in the preservation and search of life. This hope is also present in The Outsider because once Meursault dismisses his perceived difference between execution and natural death, he must deal with the concept of hope.Hope only tortures him, because it creates the false illusion that he can change th e fact of his death. The leap of hope he feels at the idea of having another twenty years of life prevents him from making the most of his final days or hours. Hope disturbs his calm and understanding, and prevents him from fully coming to grips with his situation. By using imageries of religion, nature and sex, Paz creates a relatively positive outlook on death, in stark opposition to Camus' melodramatic, emotionless stance on death.Through Meursault's actions, Camus implicitly challenges society's accepted moral obligations, which state that one should grieve over death, especially for a loved one or family member. Because Meursault does not grieve, society classes him as an outsider, a possible threat, a man with ‘a criminal mentality' (105) and stands ‘no place [within] a community' (108). Meursault's mindset and possibly that of Camus is transferred to his views on death; views which fit into an existentialist way of thinking.Paz also portrays death as an inevitable product of life nd existence, as exemplified by the sinister bird, ‘dressed in black', flying in monotonous circles, landing on ‘the only living tree' presumably as a portent of its certain death. (1,133 words) Bibliography: †¢ Camus, Albert (1971) L’Etranger, (translated from original French to English by Stuart Gilbert,) London: Heinemann Educational Books Limited †¢ Paz, Octavio,. 1979. Selected poems. A bilingual edition. Middlesex: Penguin Books Ltd †¢ Simpson, David â€Å"Themes and Ideas: iii) The Outsider,† The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://www. iep. utm. edu/camus/

Emperors of Chinas Xia Dynasty

According to legend, the Xia Dynasty ruled China beginning more than four thousand years ago. Although no firm documentary evidence has yet been found for this period, it is possible that some form of evidence exists, like the  oracle bones  that have proved the existence of the Shang Dynasty (1600 - 1046 BCE). The Xia Kingdom supposedly grew up along the Yellow River, and its first leader was a sort of community organizer named Yu who got all of the people to cooperate in creating dams and canals to control the annual river floods. As a result, their agricultural production and their population increased, and they selected him to become their leader under the name of Emperor Yu the Great. We know about these legends thanks to much later Chinese historical chronicles such as the  Classic of History  or  Book of Documents.  Some scholars believed that this work was compiled from earlier documents by Confucius himself, but that seems unlikely. Xia history is also recorded in the  Bamboo Annals, another ancient book of unknown authorship, as well as in Sima Qians  Records of the Grand Historian  from 92 BCE. There is often more truth than we might guess in ancient myths and legends. That certainly has proved true in the case of the dynasty that came after the Xia, the Shang, which was long thought to be mythical until archaeologists discovered the above-mentioned oracle bones bearing the names of some of the mythical Shang emperors. Archaeology may one day prove the doubters wrong about the Xia Dynasty as well. Indeed, archaeological work in the Henan and Shanxi provinces, along the ancient course of the Yellow River, has turned up evidence of a complex early Bronze Age culture from the correct time period. Most Chinese scholars are quick to identify this complex, called the Erlitou culture, with the Xia Dynasty, although some foreign scholars are more skeptical. The Erlitou digs reveal an urban civilization with bronze foundries, palatial buildings, and straight, paved roads. Finds from the Erlitou sites also include elaborate tombs. Within those tombs are grave goods including the famous  ding tripod  vessels, one of a class of artifacts known as ritual bronzes. Other finds include bronze wine jugs and jeweled masks, as well as ceramic mugs and jade implements. Unfortunately, the one type of artifact not discovered so far is any trace of writing that conclusively states that the Erlitou site is one and the same with the Xia Dynasty. China’s Xia Dynasty Yu the Great, c. 2205 – c. 2197 BCEEmperor Qi, c. 2146 – c. 2117 BCETai Kang, c. 2117 – c. 2088 BCEZhong Kang, c. 2088 – c. 2075 BCEXiang, c. 2075 – c. 2008 BCEShao Kang, c. 2007 – c. 1985 BCEZhu, c. 1985 – c. 1968 BCEHuai, c. 1968 – c. 1924 BCEMang, c. 1924 – c. 1906 BCEXie, c. 1906 – c. 1890 BCEBu Jiang, c. 1890 – c. 1831 BCEJiong, c. 1831 – c. 1810 BCEJin, c. 1810 – c. 1789 BCEKong Jia, c. 1789 – c. 1758 BCEGao, c. 1758 – c. 1747 BCEFa, c. 1747 – c. 1728 BCEJie, c. 1728 – c. 1675 BCE To learn more, go to the list of China’s Dynasties.