Health Literacy and its Impact on Patients Essay

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Low health literacy has a negative impact on a patients health status and use of the health care system. Patients with low health literacy levels cannot make decisions regarding their health care or follow instructions on medications and health maintenance behaviors. This can affect health care in a variety of ways. It is the health care provider’s responsibility to ensure that patients with low health literacy levels are identified and measures are taken to ensure those patients understand their options and instructions. To educate these patients, health care providers need to develop resources that are easily understood and interview skills that can ensure patient comprehension. Research has shown that patients with a low health literacy level may be more likely to have problems following verbal or written medical advice and medication instructions or understanding health-related materials. This review discusses the commonness of health literacy and its impact on patients and the health care system, and provides recommendations for creating supplemental literature at the appropriate level. The use of these tools and improved physician interview skills will establish a better physician/patient relationship and continue to encourage patient participation in the health care process. By providing the patients with the basic knowledge to understand and adhere to the instructions given to them and the confidence to communicate any questions or concerns, the hospital is promoting a better patient/physician relationship. There was a study conducted in 2003 by the National Assessment on Adult Literacy that was released in 2006 that included a Health Literacy component that evaluated patient’s health literacy in three main categories: clinical, preventative, and navigation of the health care system. These three categories were designed to reflect things that patients would see or be asked to do in their daily lives. There were examples such as following medication instructions, scheduling health screening tests and finding one’s way to the appropriate location for a medical appointment within a health care facility. The results of this study indicated that 36-38 of adults in the United States had a basic or below health literacy level or were not literate in English and could not participate in the assessment. Another 55% of U. S. adults reported having a mid-range level of health literacy which showed room for improvement. Patients who have low health literacy levels often are not able to comprehend and follow the instructions on a medication bottle or determine the dosage information on over-the-counter medications. The inability to understand the information requested on a health care form can prevent an individual from having adequate health care coverage or having access to care when it is needed. If a patient does not have the ability to identify when treatment is needed for a medical condition, make the appointment and navigate through the health care system to be treated, their health can suffer. By not seeking medical attention at the beginning of an illness or not accessing the appropriate point of entry in a health care clinic, the patient is reducing the chance of having a positive health outcome. People with lower health literacy may wait to seek medical attention rather than utilizing preventative health services. These patients often have higher rates of admission and use services that are designed for more critical patient care. When faced with a disease or health care condition, patients are often turning to a variety of places for health information such as the internet, magazines, or books. Adults with basic or below basic health literacy levels did not turn to such resources. Physicians are with a patient such a short amount of time at each visit, yet they have so much they need to provide to the patient. At a visit to the physician several new concepts are being introduced to the adult such as discontinuing a the use of a current prescription, modification of the prescribed dose, or introducing a new medicine. It is of great importance to verify that the patient understands what is being said to them. Asking the patient to demonstrate what they just heard is more effective in gauging whether a patient understands the information. There can be additional time spend with patients, or supplemental materials can be provided to patients who have difficulty processing this critical information. Other factors that can have a negative impact on a person’s comprehension of health-related materials include limited English language skills, chronic health conditions, hearing problems, or vision problems. In order for patients to be able to most effectively use these health education materials, they should be written at lower reading levels using simple words and pictures to emphasize points. Low health literacy is a problem that continues grow in patients in the health care system, contributing to a lack of use of services, often leading to negative health outcomes. Hospitals should focus attention on their forms and the health education materials they are distributing to the patients to ensure that there materials are appropriate for all levels of health literacy. Having forms that are more easily understood may increase a patient’s ability to access and utilize appropriate hospital services. Also by giving patients more appropriate health education materials will encourage them to become more actively involved in their care by providing them with the confidence to make decisions about their treatment. As the individual relationship is built between patient and care team, the trust will follow to ask questions about information that is not clear and seek assistance when it is first needed instead of when it is a critical situation. DeMarco, Joanna. ( 2011, Spring). The Importance of Patient Education Throughout the Cotinuum of Health Care. 295-301. Journal of Consumer Health. Retrieved April 4, 2012 from EBSCOhost.

Smallest Capital Cities in the United States

Smallest Capital Cities in the United States The United States of America is made up of 50 individual states and one national capital city - Washington, D.C. Each state has its own capital city where the center of the states government exists. These state capitals vary in size but all are important to how politics operate in the states. Some of the largest state capitals in the U.S. are Phoenix, Arizona with a city population of over 1.6 million people (this makes it the largest U.S. state capital by population) as well as Indianapolis, Indiana, and Columbus, Ohio. There are many other capital cities in the U.S. that are much smaller than these large cities. The following is a list of the ten smallest capital cities in the U.S. For reference, the state that they are in, along with the population of the states largest city has also been included. All population numbers were obtained from Citydata.com and are representative of July 2009 population estimates. 1.Montpelier Population: 7,705 State: Vermont Largest City: Burlington (38,647) 2.Pierre Population: 14,072 State: South Dakota Largest City: Sioux Falls (157,935) 3.Augusta Population: 18,444 State: Maine Largest City: Portland (63,008) 4. Frankfort Population: 27,382 State: Kentucky Largest City: Lexington-Fayette (296,545) 5.Helena Population: 29,939 State: Montana Largest City: Billings (105,845) 6.Juneau Population: 30,796 State: Alaska Largest City: Anchorage (286,174) 7.Dover Population: 36,560 State: Delaware Largest City: Wilmington (73,069) 8. Annapolis Population: 36,879 State: Maryland Largest City: Baltimore (637,418) 9. Jefferson City Population: 41,297 State: Missouri Largest City: Kansas City (482,299) 10. Concord Population: 42,463 State: New Hampshire Largest City: Manchester (109,395)

Definition and Examples of Body Paragraphs in Composition

Definition and Examples of Body Paragraphs in Composition The body paragraphs are the part of an essay, report, or speech that explain and develop  the main idea (or thesis). They come after the introduction and before the conclusion. The body is usually the longest part of an essay, and each body paragraph may begin with a topic sentence  to introduce what the paragraph will be about.   Taken together, they form the support for your thesis, stated in your introduction. They represent the  development  of your idea, where you present your evidence.   The following  acronym  will help you achieve the hourglass structure of a well-developed  body paragraph:Topic Sentence (a sentence that states the one point the paragraph will make)Assertion statements (statements that present your ideas)eXample(s) (specific passages, factual material, or concrete detail)Explanation (commentary that shows how the examples support your assertion)Significance (commentary that shows how the paragraph supports the  thesis statement).  TAXES  gives you a formula for building the supporting paragraphs in a thesis-driven essay. (Kathleen Muller Moore and Susie Lan Cassel,  Techniques for College Writing: The Thesis Statement and Beyond. Wadsworth, 2011) Organization Tips Aim for  coherence  to your paragraphs. They should be  cohesive  around one point. Dont try to do too much and cram all your ideas in one place. Pace your information for your readers, so that they can understand your points individually and follow how they collectively relate to your main thesis or topic.   Watch for overly long paragraphs in your piece. If, after drafting, you realize that you have a paragraph that extends for most of a page, examine each sentences topic, and see if there is a place where you can make a natural break, where you can group the sentences into two or more paragraphs. Examine your sentences to see if youre repeating yourself, making the same point in two different ways. Do you need both examples or explanations?   Paragraph Caveats A body paragraph doesnt always have to have a topic sentence. A formal report or paper is more likely to be structured more rigidly than, say, a narrative or creative essay, because youre out to make a point, persuade, show evidence backing up an idea, or report findings.  Ã‚   Next, a body paragraph will differ from a  transitional paragraph, which serves as a short bridge between sections. When you just go from paragraph to paragraph within a section, you likely will just need a sentence at the end of one to lead the reader to the next, which will be the next point that you need to make to support the main idea of the paper. Examples of Body Paragraphs in Student Essays Completed examples are often useful to see, to give you a place to start analyzing and preparing for your own writing. Check these out:   How to Catch River Crabs (paragraphs 2 and 3)Learning to Hate Mathematics (paragraphs 2-4)Rhetorical Analysis of U2s Sunday Bloody Sunday (paragraphs 2-13)Time for an Anthem the Country Can Sing (paragraphs 2-4)Watching Baseball, Playing Softball (paragraphs 2-4) If you would like more information on  composition, check out information on the  five-paragraph essay  structure and different modes of discourse, or formats that your paper can take. You may also find useful the exercise, Practice in Supporting a Topic Sentence with Specific Details.

Subvert and Suborn

Subvert and Suborn Subvert and Suborn Subvert and Suborn By Maeve Maddox A reader has asked for a discussion of the words subvert and suborn. Both are verbs and both have been used with meanings no longer common. Deriving ultimately from a Latin word for â€Å"to overturn,† subvert came into English from French subvertir, â€Å"to raze, destroy completely.† The meaning has developed from the literal destruction of a town or building to mean the overturning of an established practice or belief. Example: Critics assert that allowing women to become priests would subvert apostolic teachings regarding the role of women in the Church. Subvert was once used to mean the bringing down of a nation or a state, but now the sense is â€Å"to undermine without necessarily bringing down the established authority.† Example: Efforts are being made by means of sabotage to subvert that country’s efforts to build a war machine. Socrates was accused of subverting youth with his teachings. This sense of subvert is â€Å"to corrupt or pervert a person, or a persons mind, causing the person to turn away from a path or belief regarded as right or proper.† Jazz and rock music have been criticized as subverting youthful morals. Literary critics use the word subvert in terms of challenging and undermining a conventional idea, form, or genre by presenting it in a new way. An example of this use of subvert is the way Joss Whedon took the clichà © of the helpless, usually blonde, beauty who enters an alley to be murdered by a monster, and turned it on its head to create the character of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He â€Å"subverted† the horror genre. Subvert applies principally to the overthrow of ideas. Suborn has to do with causing an individual to commit a crime. Like subvert, suborn entered English by way of French. It meant â€Å"to induce a person to commit a crime, especially to give false testimony.† It now means â€Å"to cause a person to commit perjury.† The fictional ADAs on TV’s Law and Order often use the term â€Å"suborning perjury.† The legal term is defined as â€Å"the criminal offense of procuring another to commit perjury, which is the crime of lying, in a material matter, while under oath.† Note: ADA stands for Assistant District Attorney. In most U.S. jurisdictions, the District Attorney represents the government in prosecuting criminal offenses. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Rules for Writing Numbers and NumeralsGrammar Quiz #21: Restrictive and Nonrestrictive ClausesThe Difference Between "Shade" and "Shadow"

W1 BA541 Asign Behavior vs Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

W1 BA541 Asign Behavior vs Communication - Essay Example ranch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment† (Dictionary.com Unabridged, n.d.). As such, it could be deduced that interactive technologies, in the context of organizations and customers, mean the field of discipline that uses continuous two-way exchange or sharing of information between customers and the organization, on matters pertaining to the products or services offered and purchased by the clientele. As indicated, the emergence of new interactive technologies; meaning, the use of digital media (â€Å"combinations of electronic text, graphics, moving images, and sound, into a structured digital computerised environment that allows people to interact with the data for appropriate purposes† (England & Finney, 2011, p. 2), is not sufficient to presume that a solid bond is established between customers and the organization. The mere existence of these diverse kinds of interactive technologies does not firmly confirm that customers are able to grasp what the organization offers – if these are not effectively communicated to them. create new processes that are oriented around the coordination of all these newly possible customer interactions. And they must ensure that the interactions themselves not only run efficiently but are effective at building more solid, profitable relationships with customers† (p. 193). The key element that would allegedly enhance the knowledge on their products and services being offered; as well as on the organization’s ability to address the customers’ needs, is through effective communication. It was thereby emphasized that â€Å"the enterprise has to integrate all of its customer-directed communication channels so that it can accurately identify each customer no matter how an individual customer or a customer company contacts the enterprise† (Peppers & Rogers, 2010, p. 193). Concurrently, communication alone is still not enough.

Americans with Disabilities Act Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Americans with Disabilities Act - Term Paper Example Retaining employment is extremely important for those with psychiatric disabilities because the benefits of employment are not attainable through any other activity alone. Recent plans for improving employment outcomes for people with severe mental illnesses have both practice and policy implications. For example, supported employment is an evidence-based practice (EBT) that addresses the employment provisions of Title I of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is usually mistakenly associated with the protection limited only to individuals with physical disabilities. In response to the situation, the EEOC issued the Enforcement Guidance on the ADA and Psychiatric Disabilities on how the employment provisions of the ADA apply to persons with psychiatric disabilities. Therefore, from the critical perspective, the ADA provides adequate non-discriminatory protection for persons with psychiatric disabilities and its primary intention is not to provide unconditional protection s for people with psychiatric disabilities but rather to ensure that individuals with these disabilities do not endure unjust discrimination in the workplace. The ADA is designed specifically with t... ADA TITLE I PROHIBITING EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION The ADA is designed specifically with two essential purposes: (a) to incorporate individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of American society and (b) to protect them against disability-directed discrimination (Peterson & Aguiar, 2004). Among its five sections, Title I ensures equal access to employment opportunities including hiring, job training, promotion, or the discharge process for qualified individuals with a disability who are working in private sector workplaces with 15 or more employees. Although legislation had addressed discrimination in employment based on disability in the public sector (e.g., Section 501, 503, and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), Title I in the ADA includes private sector employment and has more detailed terms and procedural guidelines. Terms include essential functions of the job, reasonable accommodation, undue hardship, and procedural guidelines in regard to the job application process, contractual relationships, and enforcement of Title I (Rubin & Roessler, 2001). Essential functions of the job are critical for satisfying the ADA definition for "qualified individuals with disability" with or without reasonable accommodation. To merit ADA protection under the ADA, an individual has to prove that his or her disability fits the ADA's definition of disability and that he or she has the expertise or ability to perform the essential functions of the job. Essential functions include "requisite skill, experience, education, and other jobrelated requirements of the employment position that such an individual holds or desires, and who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of such position"

Case study analysis of a predetermined international fashion Essay

Case study analysis of a predetermined international fashion organisation (topshop) - Essay Example Considering another example of Polo, the title of the brand has been employed in wide variety of products including clothing and home furnishings such as bedding and towels, and variety of household products are made of linen, which offers the pleasure of comfort in wide range of products (Jean, 2004). The Brand Extension necessarily requires the provisions for the commonality of the features, which shall not be applicable in some of the cases, for instances the concept is irrelevant for brand offering clothing and food products. The product on which the concept of Brand Extension is applied shall of provisions for synchronization and adaptability. However the scheme of Brand Extension requires time and sufficient budget which is essential for the brand promotion, however it has the potential to minimize the financial risk only because the commonality of the brand is responsible for the enhancement of the perception of the consumer based upon core brand equity (Kai, 2005). The development of the branding strategy requires thorough research and concrete knowledge about the reaction and requirements of the targeted customers. The development process initially requires the classification of the customers, not all the brands are meant for all classes of the public; therefore class identification is major step towards the development of strategy. The development phase requires the formulation of the core values i.e. honesty, integrity, excellent communication, and client satisfaction. The formulation of the brand value is significant because it represents 'the creed for the business and become the cornerstone for developing the brand's proposition' (Jean, 2004). The identification of the core values is significant during this phase, following by comprehensive and objective research based upon the 'the brand's strengths and weaknesses, the target audience, and the level of competition'. The development process requires vigorous understanding of the 'brand's industry, its history, the current market picture, and potential growth and direction' (Kai, 2005), however such features are not requisite in the case of Brand Extension. The development of the brand strategy is practiced at the nascent stage of the brand launch, and such exercise shall be avoided mainly because of the time period it requires, however the brand extension shall be preferred solely because the credibility of the new product will rely upon the standing of the brand. For all already successful products of particular brand, the Brand Extension is guaranteed success, however for the Topshop which intend to offer launch new brand the development of brand strategy shall be good starter (Van, 2003). Current marketing strategy Body is to be regarded as the perfect and historic medium for the revelation of the sexual sprit, and body itself has been the right parameter for the evaluation for the evaluation of the human sexual behaviour and identity. Human body is the reflection of the sexual characteristics possessed by any of the body, and therefore the features attired with the human body including their mentality, approach, zeal, behaviour; in short it has been the sexual identity in terms of body which has been responsible for the proper and appropriate understanding of the human body. Such an observation does not have to be taken strictly, because as highlighted before the technological evolution has been responsi