How Infections Are Caused by Different Pathogens - Assignment Example

?How infections are caused by different pathogens Pathogens are organisms that harm the health of the host. Pathogens include bacteria, parasites, prions, fungi, and viroids. Organisms can develop different forms of infections that are rapidly fought off. However, some people acquire chronic infections most of which are caused by such viruses as herpes or hepatitis. Patients of diabetes and people having weak immune systems are most likely to get chronic bacterial infections. In the case of presence of two organisms in the body of the host, the organisms fight with each other rather than fighting with the body of the host, thus causing each colony to be balanced. Use of antibiotics may disturb this balance and trigger the infection by destroying the bacteria that are good, thus causing fast multiplication of the potential pathogen and triggering infection. Viruses cause viral infections. Viral infections may be caused by inhalation of the virus, getting bites from the infected parasites or insects, and as a result of the sexual contact. The most common forms of infections caused by viruses are those found in the nose, throat, and the upper airways. The size of viruses is smaller compared to fungi or bacteria. Viruses cause infection by invading into the body of the host and attaching itself to a cell. The virus enters the cell and generates genetic material which can be RNA or DNA. Viruses multiply with the help of the genetic material. It makes the cell replicate the virus. Cells injected with the genetic material cannot operate in the proper way and thus die soon. Upon its death, the cell generates new viruses with which new cells are infected. How pathogenic micro-organisms grow and spread When the host acquires infection, bacteria spreads inside the body cells by reproducing. Bacteria make toxins with their growth and division. The toxins are poisonous and can cause harm to the cells. Certain kinds of bacteria harm the cells directly with their growth. The damage can cause a range of disease symptoms that include but are not limited to headaches, high temperature, and rashes. The response shown by the body to the toxins produced by the bacteria or the damage caused by them can also cause the disease symptoms to develop. Viruses only reproduce inside the host’s cells. Upon getting the infection, viruses take control of the cells’ genetic material. Through this process, the viruses direct the cells of the body of the host to make its copies till the point of bursting of the cells. As the cells burst, more viruses are released to cause infection in other cells. This is the process through which the viruses kill cells that are infected, grow in the body and damage its tissues. The symptoms of the disease occur with the response shown by the body to the cells’ bursting. The roles and responsibilities of personnel in relation to infection prevention and control in a health or social care setting Personnel in a health or social care setting assume immense responsibility in relation to the prevention of infection. Care workers like the social care assistances, healthcare assistants and other workers in this field need to be informed about the changes in health conditions. They need to report these changes and play an active role in keeping the equipment and the work areas clean and tidy to minimize the risk of spread of infections. They have the prime responsibility to ensure their personal hygiene as well as of the people that use their services. For instance, healthcare professionals need to have a well-defined plan of action about how they can help their patients bathe and advise them on the correct ways to remove their bandages or use the toilet. They assume the responsibility to prepare healthy environment before and after providing care. In a vast majority of cases, infections are caused because of unhealthy lifestyle. The patients of infection are simply not educated enough to avoid dangerous practices. With little guidance and education, they can change their habits for the better so as to reduce their vulnerability to the infections. In order to minimize infection and educate people on ways to prevent or deal with it, it is imperative that the personnel in the health or social care settings initiate programs directed at education of the people on this topic. This can be achieved both by giving the patients due guidance and consultation in the health or social care settings and on the platforms of social media including the television, radio, and the Internet. The personnel in the health and social care settings should approach the organizers of the talk shows shown on the television, emphasize on the need to educate the public on the prevention of infections, and demonstrate interest in giving informative lectures in the shows. This responsibility stars from the government and runs down the channel. The public health or social care settings should get the required funds from the government and run such programs that not only educate the people, but also set useful examples for the private health or social care settings to follow. Nurses and other professionals in the field of healthcare play a cardinal role in the identification of critical health related behaviors, assessment of the individuals’ needs, and recommendations of healthy behaviors. They are equipped to make and deliver the interventions to enhance people’s involvement in healthy behaviors. They can evaluate the level to which different sorts of interventions are effective in improving the health of people. In order for them to fulfill their responsibilities, healthcare professionals and nurses can take advantage from developing a comprehensive understanding of the science and theory of change of health behavior, the knowledge that already exists in this field, and also the opportunities and gaps that are currently present in it. Knowledge is best developed and used when it is based on success of the past. Healthcare professionals assume the responsibility to engage in research that can lead to the discovery of ways in which health can be promoted through development of new vaccines, medicines, and methods of treatment of diseases. Theories of behavior change in relation to health The models and theories of behavior change originate in different disciplines of health and social sciences. The disciplinary boundaries demarcate the contexts and types of human behavior, the way it is defined, and the techniques of studying behavior. Management of chronic condition or engagement in behaviors that promote health can improve the health of an individual. People that suffer from chronic health problems need to manage their specific health behaviors to improve their health which requires them to undergo behavioral change. There are different sorts of opportunities to improve health through involvement in activities that promote health. It is a process of behavior change that is identical to the management of chronic conditions. Self-efficacy Theory Self-efficacy is the impression of an individual about his/her personal ability to perform in a challenging activity. There can be different sorts of challenging activities like undergoing a surgery or facing an exam. People form this impression on the basis of such factors as their past success in the activity or similar activities, their physiological state, and other persuasive sources. Self-efficacy determines the level of effort that an individual can make to start and maintain a change in behavior. Although it is not in itself a theory of behavior change as such, yet it forms a fundamental element of a number of theories related to behavior change. Social Cognitive Theory According to the social cognitive theory, there are external factors that drive people’s behavior rather than internal forces. A triadic interaction between personal, environmental, and behavioral factors explains human functioning. This is termed as reciprocal determinism. Personal factors include but are not limited to traits, drives, motivation, and influences. Environmental factors comprise influences that drive behavior. A range of constructs underlie behavioral change and human learning that primarily include outcome expectations, self-efficacy, reinforcements, and self-control, observational learning, and emotional coping. Planned Behavior Theory According to the theory of planned behavior, the behavior of an individual relies upon the intention behind executing that behavior. It is primarily the subjective norms and the attitude of that individual regarding the behavior’s outcome that determines this intention. The perceived behavioral control of the individuals that is defined by the perceptions regarding their feelings of self-efficacy also determines their behavior. Socio-ecological Model The socio-ecological model plays the role of a reminder to make people think about the influence levels which need to be addressed in order to support the choices of a healthful lifestyle in the long run. Theory of Reasoned Action According to the theory of reasoned action, people consider the outcomes of a behavior before executing that behavior. As a consequence of that, the intention becomes a very important factor in the idealization of change in behavior. People develop their intentions on the basis of their perceptions of a behavior as negative or positive along with their impression regarding how that behavior is perceived by the society as a whole. Therefore, intention is shaped by social pressure and personal attitude. This intention is essential to the execution of a certain behavior as well as the change in behavior. Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change The transtheoretical model of behavior change is also called the Stages of Change Model. According to this model, behavior changes in five stages. These stages are precontemplation, planning, preparation, execution, and maintenance. People can oscillate before the achievement of an altogether behavior change between these five stages. In the precontemplation stage, people might have awareness of the existence of the problem but do not think about changing their behavior so as to eradicate the problem. In the second stage, people desire to undergo a behavior change to eradicate the problem. In the stage of preparation, people plan on changing the behavior in the following month. In the fourth stage, people start consistently showing the new behavior. Finally, they enter the stage of maintenance after they have consistently shown the new behavior for a period of at least six months. Application of the behavior change theories in health To promote the development of a healthy lifestyle, the theories of behavior change have acquired recognition due to their effectiveness in laying explanations of the behaviors related to health and for offering insights into ways that can motivate people to maintain healthy lifestyles. Some of the ways in which the theories of behavior change are applied in health include the design and implementation of programs that promote healthy lifestyles and development of programs directed at reduction of such diseases as AIDS. Read More