Religion Healthy Aging Essay Example

Religion Healthy Aging Essay A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF SPIRITUALITY, RELIGION AND FUNCTIONAL HEALTH OF THE ELDERLY A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the School of Health Administration Kennedy-Western University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Health Administration by Kendall Brune St. Louis, Missouri Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 Statement of the Problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 Purpose of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Importance of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Scope of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 Rationale of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Overview of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 Definition of Terms†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 141 Chapter 2 – Review of Related Literature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 13 History of Religious Studies-Health Care†¦15 Demographic Trends in Health Care†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦16 Science Religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 23 Review-Religion in Medical School †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 26 The Relaxation Response: Harvard. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦26 Aging as a Spiritual Journey: Loyola†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦27 Faith- life-promoting: Emory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 30 Physician Religion: St. Louis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦31 International Center for the Integration of Health and Spirituality†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦. 34 Centers for Disease Control†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦35 Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Or ganizations (JCAHO) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 37 A Review of: Patient Satisfaction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 41 Spiritual Directives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 42 ii Health Outcomes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 38 Spiritual Emotional Needs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 40 Clinical Cohorts from Benjamins†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦44 Clinical Cohorts from Daaleman†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 45 Patients Desire for Religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 47 Clergy Issues in Healthcare†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦53 Ethical Issues in Healthcare †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦. 56 Summaries Conclusions. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 57 Chapter 3 – Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 59 Approach of the Benjamins’ Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 61 Benjamins’ Conceptual Framework†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦61 Benjamins’ Study Mechanisms†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦61 Benjamins’ Control Mechanisms†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 62 Benjamins’ Social Resources †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 The Database of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 66 Variables in the Benjamins Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 71 The Approach of the Daaleman Study†¦.. 75 Daaleman’s Conceptual Framework†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 76 Daaleman’s Study Variables†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦77 Daaleman’s Well Being Questionnaire†¦.. 79 Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 86 Chapter 4†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 87 Demographics and Statistics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 89 The Data Analysis for Daaleman†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 92 The Data Analysis for Daalema n†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 94 Data Charts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 96 Chapter 5†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦108 Theory on Aging†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 109 iii Recommendations/Action Items†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 112 Spiritual Care Assessment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 121 Role of the Physician†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 21 Conclusion: National Impact of Studies†¦132 Final Comment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 136 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. I Tables and Charts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. XVIII Chart 1: Faith Support Flowchart†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦XVIII Table 1: Relative Risk of Dying, Strawbridge†¦XXI Table 2: Life Expectancy Religious Activity†¦XXI Table 3: JCAHO RI. 1. 13 Care @ End of Life†¦. XX Table 4: JCAHO Reading Referrals to Patients. XXII Table 5: Benjamins Statistical Results†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. XXIII Table 6: Daaleman – Demographics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦XXV Table 7: Spirituality Index of Well Being†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. XXVII Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. XXVIII A: Joint Commission Regulations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦XXVII We will write a custom essay sample on Religion Healthy Aging specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Religion Healthy Aging specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Religion Healthy Aging specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer B: SF – 12v1 Survey Description†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. LIII C: SES Descriptive Charts †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. LXIII D: Health Retirement and Survey Data†¦. LXVI E: JCAHO Spiritual Assessment Tool†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦CXXII F: Geriatric Depression Scale†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. CXXVI G: Spirituality Survey – 12-item Scale†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦CXXII iv Abstract of Dissertation A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF SPIRITUALITY, RELIGION AND FUNCTIONAL HEALTH OF THE ELDERLY By KENDALL BRUNE Kennedy-Western University THE PROBLEM Religion is a source of comfort to some and a conflict to others. A study done by Gallop at Princeton claimed a vast majority of Americans (94%) claim to believe in God. Koenig’s study found among older Americans, 98% believe in God, and pray. Maungans, et al. found physicians tend to ignore religious issues in the care of their patients (Maugans, 1991. pp. 210-13). However, this trend is changing. As reported by Koenig (1999, p. 25) Hundreds of major scientific studies by other researchers have found statistical benefits to the consistant exposure to religion. The risk of dying from all causes is up to 35 percent lower for people who attend religious services once or more a week than for those who attend less frequently. This statistical significance has rompted two thirds of the medical schools to offer required or elective courses on religion, spirituality, and medicine. In the published medical literature, there is a conflict regarding the effects of religion on the functional health of older Americans. Sloan et al. reviewed the literature and found inconsistent and weak links between religion and health. In v contrast, the reviews by Levi n and Schiller and by Larson et al. found positive effects of religion on physical and mental health. Koenig and Benjamins found in their clinical research that religion has a direct relationship with functional health. Given this conflict, this study is a critical review of the medical literature and how two particular studies focus on whether the attendance at religious services has an inverse association with functional health among the elderly. The Daaleman study is a regional review of geriatric patients participating in a program at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Daaleman performed a cross-sectional analysis of 277 geriatric outpatients participating in a cohort study in the Comparatively, Maureen Benjamins from Kansas City area. the University of Texas at Austin developed a less involved tudy that is a longitudinal and cross sectional analysis of national data sets. Benjamins states it is critical to examine the possible differing effects of religion and functional health with the elderly population, because this age is rapidly expanding. More information on religion and functional health is also needed because the information is not conclusive, but rather conflictive. METHOD The go al of this study is to assess the impact (positive or negative) of religion on functional health outcomes. The Daaleman Study was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from a larger cohort study. The parent study was designed to determine the feasibility of performance measures in predicting future health service utilization, health status, and functional status in older, community-dwelling primary care patients (Studenski, 2003). Patients underwent a home assessment of multiple health status, performance, and functional indicators by trained research assistants. A previously validated five-item measure of religiosity was utilized from the National Opinion Research Center in Chicago, and a twelve-item spirituality instrument developed in an earlier vi Daaleman Study (2002) were embedded during the final data ollection. The current study represents data collected 36 months after enrollment. Participants were older adults who were screened and recruited for the parent study between April and November of 1996 from primary care sites within a Veteran’s Affairs (VA) network (n = 142) and a Medicare health management organization (HMO) (n = 350) serving the Kansas City metro politan area. The Benjamins Study used the Assets and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old Survey, a nationally representative, longitudinal data set, to estimate the effects of religious attendance and salience on functional health in the elderly. The primary study hypothesis proposes that religious attendance and salience will be associated with a decrease in functional limitations for older respondents. FINDINGS In conclusion, the researcher presents the results of this study as a contribution to the growing body of knowledge regarding the issue of religion services and its positive impact on functional health of the elderly. The results of the current studies in review were consistent with the previous studies by Idler and Kast (1997), which also found that â€Å"more frequent church attendance is associated with lower levels of disability. Despite the limitations of the various studies, the preponderance of evidence supports the beneficial effects of religion on health outcomes. The need for ongoing research in this area is evident. Considering the elderly think religion is important, religion likely benefits health outcomes, and religion is without financial cost, health care providers should include religion in the care of their elderly patients. vii Chapter 1: Introduction Spirituality and Faith Communities Throughout history, humans have suffered ills and sought healing. In response, the two healing traditions— religion and medicine—historically have joined hands in aring for the sick. The same person often conducted these efforts; the spiritual leader was also the healer. Hospitals, which were first established in monasteries then spread by missionaries, often carry the names of saints or faith communities. As medical science matured, healing and religion diverged. Rather than simply asking God to spare their children from smallpox, people began vaccinating them. Rather than seeking a spiritual healer when burning with bacterial fever, they turned to antibiotics. It was a very logical progression, but has lacked the human compassion experience. However, the separation between religion and medicine is now shrinking. Spirituality has made a comeback (Koenig, 2001, p. 25): †¢ †¢ †¢ Since 1995, Harvard Medical School has annually attracted 1000 to 2000 health professionals to its Spirituality and Healing in Medicine conferences. Duke University, a leading Research Medical Institution in the United States, has established a Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health. 86 of Americas 126 medical schools offered spirituality and health courses in 2002, up from 5 in 1992 (Koenig, 2001). 1 †¢ †¢ 94 percent of HMO professionals and 99 percent of amily physicians agreeing that personal prayer, meditation, or other spiritual and religious practices can enhance medical treatment. (Yankelovich,1997) This renewed convergence of religion and medicine appears in such books as The Faith Factor (Viking, 1998), The Healing Power of Faith (Simon Schuster, 1999), Religion and Health (Oxford University Press , 2000), and Faith and Health (Guilford, 2001). Is there fire underneath all this smoke? Do religion and spirituality actually relate to health, as polls show four out of five Americans have believed (Matthews, 1997)? Statement of Problem: Does Faith Impact Health Healing? More than a thousand studies have sought to correlate the faith factor with health and healing. Does religion significantly influence the health outcomes of the elderly? Very few studies have followed cohorts long enough to examine a cause and effect relationship. It is possible the increasing levels of religious participation may strengthen the functional health of the elderly (Benjamins, 2004, pp. 355-74). Kark and his colleagues in 1996 compared the death rates for 3900 Israelis either in 1 of 11 religiously orthodox or in 1 of 11 matched nonreligious collective communities (Kark, 1996, pp. 341-46). The researchers reported that over a 16-year period, belonging to a religious collective was associated with a strong protective effect not 2 explained by age or economic differences (Kark, 1996, p. 345). Koenig and Larson have found religion has a salutary or protective effect on a variety of health outcomes. Despite numerous studies that indicate positive benefits from religious involvement, Sloan states the evidence is not empirical. It is the â€Å"Sharp Shooters Accuracy† model of study. If you take a sharp shooter out and have him fire six rounds into a concrete wall and then draw a target, the accuracy will be incredible. Sloan believes it is hard to control for all the variables involved in religious beliefs. Purpose of the study The purpose of this study is to review two significant different cohort groups that were focused on the impact of religion on the health outcomes of elderly individuals. The first study was a large national longitudinal study completed by Benjamins at the University of Texas at Austin. One of the concluding remarks was that smaller, regional studies should be completed to accommodate for denominational influences over lifestyle and environmental variations. The second study in comparison is a small regional nalysis completed in a large midwestern metropolitan area. Daaleman and colleagues from the University of Kansas Medical Center completed a smaller regional study focused on elderly clients served through its outpatient clinics. In every age group, those belonging to the religious communities were about half as likely as their nonreligious counterparts to have died. To fu rther understand the 3 relationship among religion, spirituality, and self-reported health status, Daaleman performed a secondary analysis of the parent studies cross-sectional data. Daaleman utilized a health status model developed by Johnson and Wolinsky s the research model to examine the relationship between self-reported health status and religiosity (Johnson, 1994). A similar large cohort study of 91,909 persons in one Maryland county found those who attended religious services weekly were less likely to die during the study period than those who did not—53 percent less from coronary disease, 53 percent less due to suicide, and 74 percent less from psoriasis of the liver (Comstock Partridge, 1972). In response to such findings, Sloan and his skeptical colleagues remind us that mere correlations can leave many factors uncontrolled (Sloan, 1999). Consider one bvious possibility: Women are more religiously active than men, and women outlive men. So perhaps this might sugg est religious involvement is merely an expression of the gender effect on longevity. Importance of the Study Epidemiologist Strawbridge and his co-workers followed 5286 Alameda, California, adults over 28 years. After adjusting for age and education, the researchers found that not smoking, regular exercise, and religious attendance all predicted a lowered risk of death in any given year. Women attending weekly religious services, for example, were only 4 54 percent as likely to die in a typical study-year, as were non-attendees. With the focus of health maintenance organizations centered on prevention and profit, religious activity might soon become a question for new insured’s (Strawbridge et al. , 1997, 1999; Oman et al. , 2002). A National Health Interview Survey (Hummer et al. , 1999) followed 21,204 people over 8 years. After controlling for age, sex, race, and religion, researchers found nonattendees were 1. 87 times more likely (See Table 1) to have died than were those attending more than weekly. This translated into a life expectancy at age 20 of 83 years for frequent attendees and 75 years for infrequent attendees. Hummer showed regular attendance at religious services is associated with an additional eight years of life expectancy when compared to never attending. These effects of religious attendance were consistent across all age, gender, and race/ethnicity groups and for all major causes of death (Hummer et al. , 1999, pp. 273-85). Dychtwald, psychologist, gerontologist and entrepreneur, suggests the educated senior consumer desires to take charge of the quality of life by participating in his/her mental and physical well-being. If there is an increased awareness of positive mental and physical health enefits for seniors, marketing dollars will be redirected toward spiritual health in this growing demographic (Dychtwald, 2005). The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has acknowledged that patients’ â€Å"psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural values affect 5 how they respond to their care† (Joint Commission Resources: 2003 Comprehensive Accredi tation Manual for Hospitals: The Official Handbook. 2003, p. RI-8) and has addressed spirituality and emotional well-being as aspects of patient care. Researchers’ interest in the connections between mind and body (Damasio, 1999; Penrose, 1999) oincides with increasing interest in the holistic view of health care, in which emotional and spiritual needs are considered inextricable from physical and psychological needs (Sherbourne et al. , 1999, pp. 357-63). For example, Standard RI. 1. 3. 5 refers to â€Å"pastoral care and other spiritual services† (p. RI-15). The intent for Standard RI. 1. 2. 8, â€Å"The hospital addresses care at the end of life† (p. RI-13), refers to â€Å"responding to the psychological, social, emotional, spiritual, and cultural concerns of the patient and family† (p. RI-13). Scope of the Study The purpose of the Benjamins Study is to examine the nteraction of religion and spirituality with self-reported health status in a community -dwelling geriatric population. The two main studies in review differ in scope and breadth of patients sampled. The Benjamins Study utilizes the national data base AHEAD, developed by the University of Michigan. The Benjamins Study review found over 1200 comprehensive reviews (Koenig, 2001 Larson, 1998) have focused on the association between religion and physical and mental health (Chatter, 2000, pp. 355-67; Ellison Levin, 1998, pp. 700-20; Jarvis Northcott, 1987, pp. 813-24). The Daaleman Study is a regional review of geriatric patients participating in a program at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Daaleman performed a crosssectional analysis of 277 geriatric outpatients participating in a cohort study in the Kansas City area. This study tested the hypothesis from a large continental longitudinal study design to a focused univariate and multivariate logistical regression analysis study design from a specific region of the United States. In a national health survey financ ed by the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, religiously active people had longer life expectancies (Hummer, et al. 1999). These co-relational findings do not indicate non-attendees who start attending services and change nothing else will live eight years longer (See Table 2), but they do indicate as a predictor of health and longevity, religious involvement rivals nonsmoking and exercise effects. Such findings demand explanation. First, religiously active people tend to have healthier life-styles; for example, they smoke and drink less (Koenig, 1999, p. 24; Strawbridge et al. , 2001, pp. 957-61). Religiously orthodox Israelis eat less fat than do their nonreligious compatriots. But such differences are not reat enough to explain the dramatically reduced mortality in the religious kibbutzim, argued the Israeli researchers. In the recent American studies, too, about 75 percent of the longevity difference remains after controlling for unhealthy behaviors such as inacti vity and smoking (Musick et al. , 1999, pp. 73-86). Social support is another variable that helps explain the faith factor (George et al. , 2002, p. 115). For Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, faith is not solo spirituality but a 7 communal experience that helps satisfy the need to belong. The more than 350,000 faith communities in North America nd the millions more elsewhere provide support networks for their active participants—people who are there for one another when misfortune strikes. Moreover, religion encourages another predictor of health and longevity— marriage. In the religious kibbutzim, for example, divorce is almost nonexistent. But even after controlling for gender, unhealthy behaviors, social ties, and preexisting health problems, the mortality studies find much of the mortality reduction remaining (George et al. , 2000, pp. 102-116). Healthy Behaviors Religious Involvement Social Support (Faith Groups) Health (Absence of Illness) Positive Emotions Hope /optimism (Adapted from: Koenig Larson, 1998) Researchers therefore speculate a third set of intervening variables is the stress protection and enhanced well-being associated with a coherent worldview, a sense of hope for the long-term future, feelings of ultimate 8 acceptance, and the relaxed meditation of prayer or Sabbath observance. These variables might also help to explain other recent findings, such as healthier immune functioning and fewer hospital admissions among religiously active people (Koenig, 1999, p. 25; Koenig et al. , 1995, pp. 365-75). Rationale of the study Hospitals have often assigned the responsibility of ddressing emotional and spiritual issues to chaplains or to pastoral teams. Yet others—nurses, physicians, clinicians, and other caregivers—play equally important roles. The hospital staff’s ability to address patients’ emotional and spiritual needs factors into patients’ perceptions of the overall experience of care, the p rovider, and the organization. Patients have a desire to feel their circumstances and feelings are appreciated and understood by the health care team professionals. Shojania states it as follows, â€Å"If patients feel that the attention they receive is genuinely caring and tailored to eet their needs, it is far more likely that they will develop trust and confidence in the organization† (Shojania Bero, 2001, p. 160). A comprehensive literature review was completed by JCAHO staff to guide hospital administrators’ management of patients’ emotional and spiritual needs. This review provided the national literature benchmark for hospitalized patients’ emotional and spiritual needs and presents JCAHO’s survey findings on the importance of these needs in patients’ perceptions of care. Three questions are 9 addressed: (Values and Beliefs Respected; RI. 2. 10. May, 2005. Appendices A) 1. Are patients’ emotional and spiritual needs important? 2. Are hospitals effective in addressing these needs? 3. What strategies should guide improvement in the near future and long-term? The religion factor is multidimensional and therefore, very hard to measure. Although the religion-health correlation is yet to be fully explained Pincus, deputy medical director of the American Psychiatric Association, believes these findings have made clear that anyone involved in providing health care services . . . cannot ignore . . . the important connections between spirituality, religion, and health (Pincus, 1995). Consider the fact that older Americans will more than double in number from 35 million today to 70 million by year 2030. Already, some 6,000 Americans turn age 65 every day in our country. In just 10 years, the number reaching that personal milestone will rise to about 10,000 Americans each day. As hard as it may be for some to admit, the very icons of American youth and the Baby Boom generation will soon become part of the largest Medicare generation in history (Alliance for Aging Research. â€Å"Social Security Widow(er) Insurance Benefits† Web site report, 2005). 10 Overview of the study Religion and spirituality have entered the agenda of research on psychosocial factors in health. Benjamins found over 1200 comprehensive reviews have focused on the association between religion and physical and mental health (Chatters, 2000, pp. 335-67; Ellison Levin, 1998, pp. 700-20; Jarvis Northcott, 1987, pp. 813-24). These studies have separately reported both long-term and shortterm beneficial effects of individual religiousness on physical health status. The goal of this study is to assess the impact (positive or negative) of religion on functional health outcomes. The Daaleman Study performed a crosssectional analysis of 277 geriatric outpatients participating in a cohort study in the Kansas City area. Patients underwent a home assessment of multiple health status and functional indicators by trained research assistants. A previously validated 5-item measure of religiosity and 12item spirituality instrument were embedded during the final data collection. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the relationship between each factor and self-reported health status. The Benjamins Study used the Assets and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old Survey, a nationally epresentative, longitudinal data set, to estimate the effects of religious attendance and salience on functional health in the elderly. The primary study hypothesis proposes that religious attendance and salience will be associated with a decrease in functional limitations for older respondents. This review of literature is a small snapshot of findings that represe nts a variety of national population groups, 11 validated outcome measures, different study designs, various analytical techniques, multiple follow-up periods, and focused geographic regions. 12 Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature A History of Religious Studies in Health Care Most of the time, a doctors advice for successful aging would offer the familiar mantras of good health: quit smoking, exercise regularly, and eat five to seven helpings of fruits and vegetables a day. Yet perhaps the day could be coming when your family physician might prescribe some unusual advice: go to your house of worship, meditate, and pray. In the United States, the traditional boundaries between church and state are blurring with President George W. Bushs recent initiative to allow faithbased charities to compete for government funding. Family medical providers emphasize medical care for the whole erson, which includes the complete understanding of a patient’s family and living environment. Daaleman completed a survey in 1998 that showed 72% of the physicians interviewed were interested in training in prayer, but only 33% believed in prayer as a legitimate medical practice. King’s research within healthcare settings found that â€Å"religious and spiritual bel iefs wield substantial influence on patient health benefits, and some may directly affect clinical outcomes† (King, 1994, p. 351). Might the boundaries between medicine and religion be blurring as well? Does the Baby Boomer generation eally want to know this information? According to Keyes (2002) the Baby Boomer generations are better economic consumers and civic citizens, investing in methods and products that improve health outcomes (Keyes, 2002, p. 55) January 1, 2011, is more than just a 65th birthday for the first of the 76 million Baby Boomers in the United 13 States. On this date, Baby Boomers will begin to enter the rolls of many federal programs. This will undoubtedly place a substantial economic burden onto both the government and taxpayers alike. However, it is important to strengthen our research on medicine and religion now in order to repare the nation for the influx of older Americans, as they help to preserve the independence and quality of life of our nationâ €™s seniors (Alliance for Aging: Medicare Report, 2005). Demographics Economic Impact So many creative and innovative programs are being implemented by faith communities throughout the nation that we can begin to think in terms of a faith and health movement in America. The objective of the Interfaith Health Program is to nurture this movement, because health is central to the mission of every faith tradition (Gunderson, 2002). The contributions of faith communities to health and ealing have been relatively insignificant in this century. This was due largely to the scientific breakthroughs that gave modern medicine enormous prestige and power. However, concern for healing was never lost in faith communities. This concern was evident in prayers for the sick, the establishment of Jewish and Christian hospitals, medical missions, and the practice of faith healing. Until recently, however, both medical and faith groups have focused almost exclusively on the treatment of disease. Th e emphasis in the last two decades has shifted from healing to health, from a narrow focus on physical ailments, 14 o the health of the whole person. This shift of emphasis, as welcome as it is, still reflects a narrow individualism within our culture. The leading edge of the faith and health movement is focusing attention on the health of communities. A bipartisan effort in congress was pushed by the United Jewish Federation in partnership with other faith groups to pass a critical piece of legislation call â€Å"The Return to Home† bill. Under the â€Å"Return to Home† legislation, most hospitalized elderly patients of all faith groups living in senior facilities and who are temporarily hospitalized will not be prohibited by their HMO s from eturning to their local communities for post-hospitalization recovery and rehabilitation (Koenig, 2004, p. 43). Promoting health is the challenge both religious and health leaders face as America ages into the next century. No Am ericans want to be without modern medical advances, but health is more than the absence of disease. It involves mental and spiritual well-being as well as physical health. It involves the health of communities as well as the health of individuals. Physicians should be aware of the role religion plays in how patients cope with illness. Scientists are only now beginning to discover the owerful effects the mind and social relationships can have on health outcomes. By reclaiming health as part of their mission, faith groups once again are partners with other community agencies in improving health (Koenig, 1999, pp. 42-43). Where do the healthcare policy makers need to focus their efforts? First, more than half of the leading causes of death in this country are preventable. Deaths 15 due to alcohol, tobacco, and inactivity would decrease significantly if lifestyles were modified. The 10 Leading Medical Causes of Death Deaths Lifestyle Factors Deaths Leading to Half of Them Heart Disease 20,000 Tobacco Cancer 505,000 Diet, Sedentary 300,000 Lifestyle Cerebrovascular Disease 144,000 Alcohol 100,000 Accidents 92,000 Infections 90,000 Chronic Pulmonary Disease 87,000 Toxic Agents 60,000 Pneumonia and Influenza 80,000 Firearms 35,000 Diabetes 48,000 Sexual Behavior 30,000 Suicide 31,000 Motor Vehicles 25,000 Liver Disease, Cirrhosis 26,000 Illicit Drug Use 20,000 AIDS 25,000 400,000 16 Total 2,148,000 Total 1,060,000 (McGinnis Foege, 1993). In addition to promoting lifestyle changes, faith groups share with public health agencies a commitment to social justice as this relates to health. There is a clear connection between socioeconomic status (SES) and health. No matter how SES is measured, persons who are impoverished, homeless, or vulnerable are likely to have negative health patterns. Health is a goal for everybody, but socioeconomic status factors undermine it in spite of personal efforts. Because health is a goal for all, community members have a moral imperative to address socioeconomic status (McGinnis, 1993, pp. 2207-2211). Public health agencies and faith communities share social justice as a fundamental core value. This provides a basis for collaboration. Community-level systemic change n addressing problems like substance abuse and violence can best be achieved through partnership. Aging Stats: †¢ In 10 years, 10,000 Americans will turn 65 each day. †¢ By 2030, the older population of the United States will have doubled to more than 70 million people. †¢ By 2050, the â€Å"oldest old† (over age 85) will increase almost fourfold, from 4 million today, to nearly 19 million by 2050. 17 Boomer Health Care Needs: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ In 2011, hospital spending is expected to reach $885. 2 billion (CMS, National Health Expenditures, 2002). Prescription drug expenditures for 2011 are expected to reach $435. 2 billion (CMS, National Health Expenditures, 2002). Nursing home expenditures will reach an expected $164. 4 billion in 2011 (CMS, National Health Expenditures, 2002). It is estimated that by 2010, 2. 6 million Americans will be moved to a nursing home (Data from Bureau of US Census, 2005). By 2010, expenses related to Alzheimer’s disease are expected to increase by 54. 5% to $49. 3 billion (Medicare and Medicaid Costs for People with Alzheimer’s disease. Washington, D. C. : April 2001: The Lewin Group). By 2050, the need for direct care/long-term care workers will grow from 4. 2 million workers to 8. 6 million, though this workforce is expected to increase nly slightly (HH

Definition of Chinese Exclusion Act

Definition of Chinese Exclusion Act The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first United States law to restrict immigration of a specific ethnic group. Signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882, it was a response to a nativist backlash against Chinese immigration to the American West Coast. The law was passed after a campaign against Chinese workers, which included violent assaults. A faction of American workers felt that the Chinese provided unfair competition, claiming they were brought into the country to provide cheap labor. Chinese Workers Arrived During the Gold Rush The discovery of gold in California in the late 1840s created a need for workers who would perform grueling and often dangerous work for low wages. Brokers working with mine operators began to bring Chinese laborers to California, and in the early 1850s as many as 20,000 Chinese workers arrived each year. By the 1860s the Chinese population constituted a considerable number of workers in California. It was estimated that approximately 100,000 Chinese males were in California by 1880. A series of economic downturns in the 1870s created an atmosphere in which Chinese workers were blamed for the loss of work by white, generally immigrant, laborers. A financial crisis that began in 1873 with the collapse of a prominent New York City bank, Jay Cooke and Company, rippled through the economy and hit California. Up to that point, railroad construction had been booming in the West. In the railroad business, Chinese workers had earned a reputation for taking on difficult and often very dangerous labor. The railroad companies openly discriminated against the Chinese in some ways, such as not allowing them to attend the ceremony when the golden spike was driven to make the completion of the transcontinental railroad. But the railroads relied on Chinese labor. The banking collapse in the east put an end to railroad construction in California, and in the mid-1870s many thousands of Chinese workers were suddenly idled. As they sought other work, white workers began to bitterly complain that they were taking their jobs. Hard Times Led to Violence With competition for work, the situation became tense and often violent. American workers, many of them Irish immigrants, felt they were at an unfair disadvantage as the Chinese were willing to work for very low pay in dismal conditions. The Chinese were also targeted as they tended to be far outside the mainstream of American society. They tended to live in enclaves which became known as Chinatowns. They often didnt wear American clothing, and few learned English. They were seen as very different than European immigrants, and were generally mocked as being inferior. Economic downturns in the 1870s led to job losses and wage cuts. White workers blamed the Chinese and persecution of Chinese workers accelerated. A mob in Los Angeles killed 19 Chinese in 1871. Other incidents of mob violence occurred throughout the 1870s. In 1877 an Irish-born businessman in San Francisco, Denis Kearney, formed the Workingmans Party of California. Though ostensibly a political party, similar to the Know-Nothing Party of earlier decades, it also functioned as an effective pressure group focused on anti-Chinese legislation. Kearneys group succeeded in attaining political power in California, and began to be considered the real opposition party to the Republican Party. Making no secret of his racism, Kearney referred to Chinese laborers as Asiatic pests. Anti-Chinese Legislation Appeared in Congress In 1879 the U.S. Congress, spurred on by activists such as Kearney, passed a law known as the 15 Passenger Act. It would have limited Chinese immigration, but President Rutherford B. Hayes vetoed it. The objection Hayes voiced to the law was that it violated the 1868 Burlingame Treaty the United States had signed with China. In 1880 the United States negotiated a new treaty with China that would allow some immigration restrictions. And new legislation, which became the Chinese Exclusion Act, was drafted. The new law suspended Chinese immigration for ten years, and also made Chinese citizens ineligible to become American citizens. The law was challenged by Chinese workers, but was held to be valid. And it was renewed in 1892, and again in 1902, when the exclusion of Chinese immigration was made indefinite. The Chinese Exclusion Act was finally repealed by Congress in 1943, at the height of World War II. Sources: Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Gale Encyclopedia of American Law, edited by Donna Batten, 3rd ed., vol. 2, Gale, 2010, pp. 385-386. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library, edited by Lawrence W. Baker, et al., vol. 5: Primary Sources, UXL, 2004, pp. 75-87. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Commercial Property Development in London Essay

Commercial Property Development in London - Essay Example A report by Ball, Lizieri, and Macgregor (2012, p.41) indicate that the city has witnessed a faster growth of commercial properties in the recent past. In this regard, the report showed that many property developers have been targeting central London as the best place to put up a commercial property. Nevertheless, this growth in commercial property, in London, is taking place at the backdrop of the recent financial crisis that did affect the U.K. adversely. Research has shown that the recent financial crisis of 2007/2008 did affect all the economic sectors in the nation including the property market, which dropped to an all-time low as many people could not afford to invest in commercial properties due to lack of enough funds required for the project. In fact, the U.K. is still struggling to recover from the effects of the financial crisis, by introducing measures aimed at improving the state of the economy such as opening up the country for investments. O’Kelly (2012) noted t hat the economy of the U.K. shrunk by about 4.9% in 2009 due to the effects of the 2007/2008 financial crisis. In fact, the economy of the U.K. has not been able to experience any significant improvement since then. Only recently, in 2012, did the economy registered a growth rate of about 1%. However, economists remain positive that the economy is on the right course and is likely to enjoy significant growth over the next few years. However, as earlier stated, central London has overcome all these odds and has been experiencing increased growth in commercial property development over the last six years.

King leopold's destruction of the Congo followed the themes of Essay

King leopold's destruction of the Congo followed the themes of dehumanization and greed - Essay Example Some very land mark issues of the world seem to fade from memory and become invisible to powers that be. The Congo story is a good example of such. The rule was characterized by exploitation of Africa. Hochschild notes, â€Å"There is no trade going on here. Little or nothing is being exchanged for the rubber and ivory. † 1 The colonization of Africa had elicited mixed results. The prominent impact was the exploitation. Davidson points out that, â€Å"On one side, the colonial systems had continually drained Africa of the wealth produced by African labor, land, and natural resources.†2 Twain says, â€Å"Rape was routine, but so was the mutilation of the male and female genitalia in the presence of family members†3. Adam Hochschild captures this very well in his book King Leopolds’s Ghost. Belgium's King Leopold II and his ownership of the Congo from the late 1800 until after the turn of the 20th century is a perfect example of bad leadership and governance . Hochschild asserts, â€Å"... the Congo Free State, as it is then called, the huge territory in central Africa that is the world’s only colony claimed by one man†4. He managed the Congo as his own property; this was at a time when the Congo was arguably one of the biggest colonies in Africa. Through lies, crafty political manipulations, tricks and simple ignored activities, the monarch who wanted to rule more than small Belgium, found himself ruling a colony which was to be a good example of how not to run a country. It is stated, â€Å"Leopold formed the ironically named Congo Free State and set in place a bureaucratic-sadistic operation to extract rubber and other raw materials†5. What was being experienced in Congo under his leadership was akin to slavery. Hochschild notes, â€Å"More than two hundred mass meetings to protest slave labor in the Congo would be held across the United States†6. King Leopold, a young king who could never have enough of a nything. He continually exploited Africa, Congo in this case, to fulfill his desires. These activities were carried out using crude means backed by ludicrous paper work such as having village chiefs sign (or rather, "X") complicated, legalese-filled documents some of whose content they did not understand. The term "Association" was a term he used to confuse the African into believing that the contracts they were singing were for their own. This gave him an upper hand against the rest of the explorers especially the Arabs and Indians. The Belgian King Leopold capitalized on the image of the Congolese as being "in need of help" back in the late 1800s when he wanted to colonize the area. This idea carried the day because a conventionally-accepted perception at the time was that Africans had to be saved from each other and themselves though legislation and imposed measures of western civilization The exploitation of Congo by Leopold is one of the worst in history. It is recorded,  "This is the story of that movement, of the savage crime that was the savage crime that was its target.† 7 Few Europeans could stand in Leopold’s way let alone the naive Africans. The public in their naivety, continued to praise the new machine gun created by Hiram Maxim. The world at the time was not any different from Leopold's vision, through his exemplary political maneuverings, Leopold succeeded in convincing the United States to recognize his Congo with little if any investigation. The impact in terms of economic gains on Africa was not one sided. Davidson notes, â€Å"

Use of Force Essay Example for Free

Use of Force Essay Use of force can be defined as the right granted to the authority or an individual to settle conflicts through measures that are aimed at either preventing or dissuading a given party from a certain course of action or physical intervention to stop the individual(s) from taking a certain course of action. As such, use of force may be applied by the military, the police, other security personnel or corrections in an effort to stop or prevent crime. The executive branch may also exercise the use of force in such cases as deploying the military or the police in an effort to maintain law and order or to defend the sovereignty of the country in question. However, the use of force by the executive branch is dependent on political jurisdiction passed by the legislative branch. In essence, the use of force is vested in statutes in the constitution with a series of progressive actions authorizing given authorities and security bodies to apply the use of force in certain situation. Unlike the use of negotiation and conflict resolution techniques, forced is useable by a law enforcement officer if a law breaker decline from desisting a certain course of action or if he attempts to run. Use of force in this context includes physical restraint and lethal force to solve or to restrain such an individual from committing the crime. The general rule however remains that only a reasonable force maybe used and only the necessary one given the circumstances under which force is required. As such, individuals authorizing the use of force are always held accountable for the degree or the level of force employed in any given situation (Marie, 2001, p. 43). Law enforcement officers and security personnel are usually faced with varying situation in their line of duty that requires them to use force in deterring crime or even to protect themselves. An example of such a situation is when a police officer is involved in a shoot out with criminals. In such a situation, force will be required not only to deter the criminals but also for self defense. While use of force is permissible in certain circumstances, the level and the degree to which force is applied is usually limited by the circumstance in question. Security and police officers are required to use only the necessary force given a certain circumstance and are thus held responsible and accountable for force used in such circumstances. On the other hand, the degree of force applied by an officer is dependent on not only the circumstance at hand but also on how such an officer is equipped in terms of a gun, handcuffs or other equipment and tools used by law enforcement officers such as pepper spray. As opposed to police officers, security officers are not authorized to make arrests but situation may bid them to take a criminal into custody. Whether a security officer or a police officer, dealing with any situation require the application of reasonable force by avoiding excessive force under the circumstance in question (Regina, 2001, p. 38). In this regard, the officer involved is required to access the seriousness of the situation, the risk associated with such a situation and the situation immediacy. In case it is a security officer who is present in such a situation, the best action to take is to inform law enforcement authorities to take the relevant action. Diffusing any given situation requires that the police officers be well trained and informed regarding the laws applicable and especially on the use of force continuum which gives the necessary guidelines in regard to the degree of force applicable in different situations (Thomas, 2002, p. 62). The use of force continuum can be broken down to six levels that are designed in an elastic manner in the context of the need for using force given that situations keep on changing. For example, a situation may require that the level of force used bounce from level one to level two and back again in a matter of minutes or seconds. In regard to the use of force continuum, the first level includes the presence of a visible and uniformed police officer or a marked vehicle. This is usually seen as enough to stop or deter a crime. The presence of an officer here includes walking, running or standing. Also defined in the concept of presence is use of vehicle lights, speaker or a horn. In this context, the police officer is capable of stopping a crime without a word but rather through the use of gestures and body language. However, such gestures should be professional and non-threatening. The second level involves the combination of presence of an officer and the use of verbal communication to deter or stop a crime in progress. In essence, variation in voice can be used such as whispering, shouting or just normally to achieve the desired results. Officers are usually advised to start calmly in a firm but non-threatening manner. Words chosen and their intensity can be varied as deemed necessary and short commands can be used in dealing with serious situations. This level requires that a police officer be well trained in communication skills so as to be able to communicate effectively in any given situation. In essence, the use of verbal communication combined with the presence of the police officer can be able to deter or stop a crime without the need for physical force (Ian, 1998, p. 23). Level three involves the use of control holds and restraints where words and presence fails to apply. This requires the physical involvement of the police officer present in the situation. However, minimal force should be used including bare hands for guiding, restraining or holding the law breaker. Thus at this level, use of offensive moves such as punching should be avoided. The officer in question may make use of pain compliance holds where ordinary holds fail to control a suspect who is aggressive. On the other hand, the officer may make use of handcuffs where a suspect exhibits traits of aggression, where he or she poses a real threat of where such a suspect exhibits the possibility of fleeing. On the other hand, not all suspects require handcuffs and if the officer uses handcuffs, he is responsible for guiding such an individual to prevent him from falling or tripping. Great care should also be observed to avoid any bodily harm to the suspect such as positional asphyxiation. Training is therefore important to help police officers apply the necessary measures in situations that require use of control holds and restraints (Marie, 2001, p. 52). The forth level of use of force continuum involves the use of chemical agents to diffuse a crime. If the officer establishes that the suspect is threatening or violent, extreme but non violence measures can be used to control the suspect. This however is subject to the assumption that all other levels of force continuum have failed to be effective. In this regard, pepper splay or tear gas can be used to diffuse the situation. It is important to note here that proper care should be taken when using chemical agents to deter or stop a crime as such agents may cause death or severe reactions to suspects with allergic and other medical conditions. Moreover, they can cause the suspect to fall down a staircase or walk into traffic (Regina, 2001, p. 27). Level five involves measures aimed at temporary incapacitating the suspect in question. The assumption behind use of force in this level is that the circumstance was extreme, immediate and violent. The officer then can use empty hands or impact tools. In this regard, defensive and offensive moves are allowed but must be applied properly and in the right circumstances. Temporary incapacitation is useful in preventing an injury in regard to the officer and other people involved in the situation. The officer may make use of baton blows on certain joints areas or on soft tissues or use of stun gun to incapacitate the suspect long enough to handcuff him or get more help. Care must however be taken while applying any measures as some of them such as neck compressions are very risky and poses a threat to the livelihood of the suspect.

Essay --

Cauvery River Dispute - The Cauvery river dispute is one of the longest river dispute today. The dispute began in 1974 when the 50 year old agreement between the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Collapsed. The Cauvery basin covers majorly 3 states and 1 UT – i.e. it originates Talacauvery in Coorg in Mysore state and then flows to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. But the Use and development of Cauvery Waters were regulated by agreements of 1892 and 1924, which were solely between the Mysore and Tamil Nadu. According to the Karnataka government the 1924 agreements states the discontinuation of the water supply to Tamil Nadu after 50 year. In 1990, SC directs centre to constitute Cauvery Water dispute tribunal (CWDT). The tribunal heard both the parties and reached a conclusion that Karnataka should release 205TMC of water to Tamil Nadu, every month. Karnataka denied the ruling and argued that it is impossible to implement the decision as in failed monsoons many areas of Karnataka are left without water. In that case they have to transfer water at the cost of their own people. In August 1998 the Centre constituted the Cauvery River Authority to ensure the implementation of the CWDT. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) announced its final verdict on 5 February 2007, after 16 years. The Tribunal made the two agreements of 1892 and 1924 functional. According to the verdict, Tamil Nadu was supposed to get 419 billion ft ³ of Cauvery water while Karnataka was supposed to get 270 billion ft ³. But the Karnataka still didn’t release the water as per the tribunal ruling. On 19 September 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and also the Chairman of the Cauvery River Authority, ordered Karnataka government to release around 9,000 cus... ...sing rapidly.† Karnataka depends heavily on Cauvery to fulfil its drinking needs where as Tamil Nadu depends on Cauvery for irrigation. Wide scale Rice cultivation in Tamil Nadu is one of the reasons that Cauvery needs so much water. The question is why the food security of Tamil Nadu depends heavily on rice, as TN doesn’t have the resources to grow rice in such quantities. According to R K Sivanappan, former head of the Water Technology Centre of the Coimbatore Agricultural University, â€Å"Tamil Nadu could meet all its municipal water requirements by reducing the area under paddy cultivation by just 2 per cent from the present level of 2.7 million ha†. Bothe states should start looking for other methods to solve their water woes or should try to get into a mutual understanding, instead of politicising the issue. Nishant Sharma Radio Stream Essay -- Cauvery River Dispute - The Cauvery river dispute is one of the longest river dispute today. The dispute began in 1974 when the 50 year old agreement between the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Collapsed. The Cauvery basin covers majorly 3 states and 1 UT – i.e. it originates Talacauvery in Coorg in Mysore state and then flows to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. But the Use and development of Cauvery Waters were regulated by agreements of 1892 and 1924, which were solely between the Mysore and Tamil Nadu. According to the Karnataka government the 1924 agreements states the discontinuation of the water supply to Tamil Nadu after 50 year. In 1990, SC directs centre to constitute Cauvery Water dispute tribunal (CWDT). The tribunal heard both the parties and reached a conclusion that Karnataka should release 205TMC of water to Tamil Nadu, every month. Karnataka denied the ruling and argued that it is impossible to implement the decision as in failed monsoons many areas of Karnataka are left without water. In that case they have to transfer water at the cost of their own people. In August 1998 the Centre constituted the Cauvery River Authority to ensure the implementation of the CWDT. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) announced its final verdict on 5 February 2007, after 16 years. The Tribunal made the two agreements of 1892 and 1924 functional. According to the verdict, Tamil Nadu was supposed to get 419 billion ft ³ of Cauvery water while Karnataka was supposed to get 270 billion ft ³. But the Karnataka still didn’t release the water as per the tribunal ruling. On 19 September 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and also the Chairman of the Cauvery River Authority, ordered Karnataka government to release around 9,000 cus... ...sing rapidly.† Karnataka depends heavily on Cauvery to fulfil its drinking needs where as Tamil Nadu depends on Cauvery for irrigation. Wide scale Rice cultivation in Tamil Nadu is one of the reasons that Cauvery needs so much water. The question is why the food security of Tamil Nadu depends heavily on rice, as TN doesn’t have the resources to grow rice in such quantities. According to R K Sivanappan, former head of the Water Technology Centre of the Coimbatore Agricultural University, â€Å"Tamil Nadu could meet all its municipal water requirements by reducing the area under paddy cultivation by just 2 per cent from the present level of 2.7 million ha†. Bothe states should start looking for other methods to solve their water woes or should try to get into a mutual understanding, instead of politicising the issue. Nishant Sharma Radio Stream

Answers to queries on Orwell’s 1984 Essay

In the essay Why I Write, Orwell explained that all the serious work he wrote since the Spanish Civil War in 1936 were â€Å"written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism. † (Orwell, 5) What can you add by looking at his life and his mental state when writing the novel? The author wrote the novel in 1947–1948 while critically ill with tuberculosis. The writer himself wrote about the stages of his life leading to the period when he wrote the novel: First I spent five years in an unsuitable profession (the Indian Imperial Police, in Burma), and then I underwent poverty and the sense of failure. This increased my natural hatred of authority and made me for the first time fully aware of the existence of the working classes, and the job in Burma had given me some understanding of the nature of imperialism: but these experiences were not enough to give me an accurate political orientation. Then came Hitler, the Spanish Civil War, etc. By the end of 1935 I had still failed to reach a firm decision (on political position)†¦. † (Orwell, 6 parenthetical interpretation mine. ) What was the world like in 1949 (the immediate post-WW II era) in terms of politics, economics, and particularly the media? After Allied victory, two opposing world views and ideology—capitalism ( that termed itself democracy) and socialism (that called itself the democracy of the working class) characterized the previously unified Allied Forces, the former led by  America, on the latter by the Soviet Union. The two worlds have polarized economic systems: capitalism (which espoused free enterprise) and socialism (which espoused economic central planning). The two blocks also had opposing media philosophy: the so-called free libertarian press, in the tradition of the US revolution, and that of the Marxian school which saw media as the tool of the socialist revolution. This was the cold war era, and the world was politically bipolar: the United States and the Soviet Union were the superpowers. Orwell’ s once mighty Britain had become an impoverished crumbling has-been, even as its newspapers were reporting false triumphs. When he wrote 1984, Orwell saw the betrayal and perversion of socialist ideals in his country, and his hope of â€Å"English Socialism† had crashed. The novel is aimed primarily as a critique against totalitarianism. But what kind? As his dream of â€Å"English Socialism† turned into a monstrous ideology of oppression, Orwell saw its dehumanization even as its source model has become oppressors of the Soviet nations. Many of the characters in the novel in fact are believed to be depicting real figures from the Soviet Union. He was focused on the British socialists but obviously he had the Soviet politburo in mind as well. And he was obviously sure the British-American partnership would be heading towards the same direction. Why is the novel perhaps even more relevant than it when it was first written Al Gore in his Assault on Reason panned against us present-day Americans in our failure to oppose Bush when he led us to a baseless war against Iraq, against the advice of his own policymakers and using fabricated lies. Through the power of the media and the arousal of fear in us, our leader and his media spinners led us to embrace his war without us raising a whimper. (Gore, 2007; Bossard, 2007) He also warned us against any future effort to gag the internet, in the manner China is now doing it—arguing that the internet is our last hope of interactive democratic dialogues through which an informed nation can guard itself against the media and other manipulative technologies of a ruling demagogue. There have been many instances when even the most intelligent of nations have een misled by their leaders—the example of Hitler for the German people, and the recent example of the Philippines (1986) where a dictator ruled for 30 years until a unified people power ended a despotic rule, incidentally American-supported. Initially, warnings of intellectuals like Orwell may be voices in the wilderness in, but as proven by world events, at the appointed time nations would heed them, and people will move against their oppressors. Tell me why you think the novel can be used to teach students about media, history, and what we think we know. What does the book teach us about how to respond to political campaigns and advertising? What does it say about us? Against the backdrop of experience, the novel tells us how revolutions devour their sons and fail their fathers. But what Orwell warns against is the use of our skills as media men in the overall scheme of Big Brother. In the novel, the main character Winston Smith, was a revisionist writer of history who wrote it according to the whim of Big Brother’s officialdom. The propaganda machines of Big Brother were staffed by media professionals. Media churns out materials tainted by political motives. Media people are potential instruments of oppression and deceit. Lastly, how is the novel truthful, original, and human? In Why I Write Orwell said : â€Å"(I write )†¦. because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing. † (p. 5) Yevgeny Zamyatin’s novel We was a primary influence for 1984. He also included the following as influences of the novel: Darkness at Noon and The Yogi and the Commissar by Arthur Kostner, The Iron Heel (1908) by Jack London, among other books. (Shelden, 1991) Surname 5 The humanity in this novel rests in its vigorous warning against falling into the trap that will lead humanity to the nightmare of 1984. The inhumanity of its characters ironically dramatically aroused a fear in us, so we its readers recoil in the lost of such human sensibility — which the novel helped recover for us, in its aspiration for a society of equals where people are human beings and not Big Brother robots.