Gender Culture & Health - Research Paper Example

? Gender Culture and Health The resilience theory is a filed of study which has been widely addressed by sociologists and psychologists in the recent past. The theory is associated with an increase in emphasis on strengths and a reduction in pathological emphasis. The field of resilience is, therefore, diverse. Resilience can hereby be defined as an individual’s ability to cope with adversity and adapt to changes and challenges. Many people demonstrate resilience as their best strategy against stress in a regular basis. Resilience is an import concept in the development of a child as well as research activities. Resilience can be observed from an individual level, family or community level. These different types of resilience are interrelated and knowledge of each of them can help in understanding of the relationship. Many individuals are faced by adversities that end up affecting the whole family. Poverty, violence, crime and substance abuse not only affect individuals, but also the entire family setting. The community is also affected by such. Many adversities, therefore, affect the community, family and individuals almost equally. Personally, I have experienced the effect of resilience in the family. I have been an alcoholic for a long time but the resilience of my wife and children helped in my way to recovery. The fact that they were able to bear with me during those alcoholic days have helped me stay sober for ten years now (Minkler & Wallerstein, 2003).  The resilience expressed by the community and the family also relate to that expressed by individuals faced by the same adversities. In order to promote resilience, individuals would show an optimistic attitude and a sense of purpose. They would also seek self empowerment and a sense of purpose. These are very well related to the family’s way of promoting resilience. The characteristics that the family would show include cohesion and promotion of communication amongst themselves. The self-efficacy that individuals show would also relate to the cultural pride that family uses to promote resilience. These individuals and family would use community resources such as the available strengths and assets. The community resources makes the most important contribution because when resilience is promotes at the community level, both the family and the individuals would benefit by using these available strengths to promote resilience. A responsive community would, therefore, provide individuals and society with resources for resilience when they are faced by adversities like poverty and community violence. My community in Boston, for example, has been very fundamental in my recovery path from alcoholism. They would use educative and awareness programs to ensure that I consider leaving the habit of alcoholism for the good of the community, my family and I. Their resilience at this time contributed to my positive results today, that is, consistent sobriety. These experiences from my personal life have made me appreciate the role resilience during times of adversity. My two daughters and wife did not give up on me because of alcoholism. Their resilience challenged me to stay sober; something I have maintained for ten years now (Prilleltensky, Nelson & Peirson, 2001). Culturally competent care involves the provision of healthcare services with respect to cultural and social constructs of the patient. For the effective provision of healthcare, it is important to have a good understanding of the patient’s cultural perspective of medical care. In Fadiman’s book, the author outlines the people believed to be excellent healthcare providers to the Hmong as well as the poor providers. The doctors in the county hospital, as the author describes, used to refer to problems and misunderstandings as collisions, which was considerably not relevant. The description that the two obstetricians give in regard to the smell of the Hmong food shows how unprofessional they are. It also reveals that they are insensitive to the patient’s welfare. These doctors are poor providers. The doctors should have been more accommodating and understanding of the cultural importance of the food that the Hmong men brought to their wives in the maternity wards (Glanz, Rimer & National Cancer Institute (U.S.). 1997).  Jeanine Hilt, who was a social worker working with the Lee family can be described as an excellent provider because she showed concern about the cause of the epilepsy that had struck Lia. Even though the doctors do not care to understand the concept of the illness from cultural view, Lia’s parents and the social worker do. Culturally competent care should, therefore, not be overlooked. Doctors and other healthcare providers should be sensitive to the cultural inclinations of some diseases such as epilepsy. Healthcare which is culturally incorporated can help in solving mysteries around some diseases as well as providing means for quicker recovery. Cultural dimensions should also be put under consideration when it comes to medical research because culture can provide some solutions. For the cultural competence or humility, culturally inclusive research is necessary (Davis-Floyd & Sargent, 1997).  The lessons and experiences acquired from the outreach initiative and health education program organized by the campus are many. First of all, since the smoking rates in the campus are twice as high as in other campuses, it was relevant to create awareness about the health hazards that are caused by smoking. This alone, of course, would not be enough to record high smoking-cessation rates in the campus. Considering that smoking is an addictive habit, we were keen to emphasize on the health benefits that come with the cessation of smoking. It was a great experience especially after we recorded satisfying rates of students who were ready to quit the habit. Apart from smoking and other addictive habits, we also did awareness on nutritional and healthy eating as well as mental health promotion. It was a great experience to learn about how every aspect of health and wellness would reflect on educational success. For the improvement of the campus health promotion, I would recommend a more vigorous approach that incorporates case reviews. People who have a first hand experience in addictions would offer more objective lessons (Starfield, 1998).  Health psychology deals with the investigation of psychological factors that are related to illness and wellness as well as diagnosis, prevention and treatment of health problems. This field also deals with chronic and illnesses. Lessons learnt from the text in regard to health psychology include the fact that it helps improve the quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses. Health psychology is also used in the prevention of guilt and post-traumatic disorders that affect some patients. It also promotes healthy behaviors in patients who have addictions and stress. A patient with an addiction can, for example, work with a health psychologist to create an activity routine that would keep the patient preoccupied in an effort to do away with the addiction. These professionals too can help patients in managing pain without necessarily using medication. The textbook gives an extensive and deep insight into the different themes of health psychology. Among those discussed are the stressors that individuals face due to discrimination and disparities that occur in communities. Populations that face discrimination can be helped by the use of health psychology. The psychologists would help them recover from the stigma that they face as a result of discrimination in the society. These people may be discriminated either racially, sexually or by religion. (Prilleltensky, Nelson & Peirson, 2001). Participatory and inclusive research methods are extremely relevant especially on matters of community health. Research methods that incorporate the voices that are usually left out always bring out more realistic results. It is also important to use evidence, probably acquired through inclusive research, to create effective programs. This is because the evidence provides a basis for accountability during the implementations of such programs. When measuring outcomes, the involvement of all stakeholders is extremely important. This is because the involvement of these stakeholders such as the community members produces more inclusive outcomes. Such outcomes would also incorporate the view of every party involved. These are some of the advantages of inclusive and participatory research methods (Jones, 1997).  References Balcazar, F. E. (2010). Race, culture, and disability: Rehabilitation science and practice. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Berwick, D. M., & National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care. (2004). Escape fire: Designs for the future of health care. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Davis-Floyd, R., & Sargent, C. F. (1997). Childbirth and authoritative knowledge: Cross- cultural perspectives. Berkeley: University of California Press. Fry, P. S., & Keyes, C. L. M. (2010). New frontiers in resilient aging: Life-strengths and well- being in late life. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & National Cancer Institute (U.S.). (1997). Theory at a glance: A guide for health promotion practice. Bethesda? Md.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. Jones, J. M. (1997). Prejudice and racism. New York, N. Y: McGraw-Hill Companies. Kickbusch, I. (2008). Policy Innovation for Health. New York, NY: Springer New York. Minkler, M., & Wallerstein, N. (2003). Community based participatory research for health. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Prilleltensky, I., Nelson, G. B., & Peirson, L. (2001).Promoting family wellness and preventing child maltreatment: Fundamentals for thinking and action. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Starfield, B. (1998). Primary care: Balancing health needs, services, and technology. New York [u.a.: Oxford Univ. Press. A Health-Promotional Approach to Substance Abuse Name: Institution: Substance abuse refers to the illegal and harmful use of any substance for the purpose of altering moods. These substances may include tobacco, alcohol and other illicit drugs. These substances are consequently used in a pattern and purpose which, in the case of prescription drugs, they were not originally intended for. Substance abuse, therefore, refers to the illegal use of drugs, be they legal or illegal. These substances are not only addictive but also have negative effects on the health of an individual. This is what makes their use abusive and dangerous too. Many countries in the world are faced with a crisis in the use of illicit drugs. Some of these countries have resorted to short-term measures to try and curb the quick-spreading use of illegal drugs and substances. These measures include different prevention programs and other programs aimed at reforming and rehabilitating the drug users. People have lived in drug-filed communities for many years. Although drugs may be used to cure and control pain, they can cause a huge deal of harm to individuals and the society at large if they are misused. Drug overdoses, for example, can cause death. The driving force behind the increasing rates of substance abuse has been the increase in the availability of such drugs as well as their cheapness. Although some drug-use prevention agencies have initiated plans to reduce the cultivation of plants such as cocoa and opium, the synthetic production of drugs and substances has always sabotaged these efforts. Such agencies have been, therefore, forced to shift their focus from the supply point of view to the demand side. They approach this end of the problem by trying to reduce or modify the uptake of such substances. Amid endless efforts, the search for an effective prevention and treatment regime for substance abuse has been relatively difficult. Research has been very fundamental in unfolding the necessary details and statistics about substance abuse. Such research information has been useful in strategizing for preventive measures for substance abuse. The information is also useful for drug education programs; most of which are aimed at adolescents and children. Substances come in different types and forms. However, whichever form they take, the abuse of these substances alters perception, physical control and judgment. The abuse of drugs and substances over a long period of time brings about tolerance. This is a condition where a larger amount of the substance is needed to produce the desired effect. Most substances also have withdrawal effects. These may range from hallucinations to seizures and are caused by reduction or cessation of the amount of substance intake. Given the available knowledge, a health promotional approach to substance abuse is the best strategy to address the issue of escalating levels of drug and substance abuse in the world. Priority and emphasis should be on the prevention of substance abuse because this is a better level to approach the problem than the curative or rehabilitative stage. Governments should develop policies that are focused on the prevention of uptake of these drugs and stopping users from becoming dependent on these substances. The set up prevention framework should have principles which are focused on promoting health of the individuals as well as the environment. The health promotional approach should not only use customized strategies, but also be sensitive to the cultural differences. Prevention programs for substance abuse are always concerned with the reduction of risks involved with the use and abuse of drugs and other substances. The application of the health promotional approach ranges from the individual level to the community level. Applications in the community levels involve wellness programs in the workplace. The focus on the workplace is important because workers can be educated and sensitized at the comfort of their usual working environment. Even if some of the workers are not directly affected by substance abuse, they may be affected indirectly. Hence they can pass on the education to other people such as their family members and friends. In addition to this, workers as well as employers have an interest in health promotion. The employers, foe example, are interested in employee health and wellness because it boosts productivity in the workplace. The employees too are motivated by the wellness of their families and their loyalty to the success of their workplaces. There are several ways in which the health promotional approach can be used to prevent substance abuse. Firstly, this approach is known for its success in steering people towards lifestyles which are healthful. This approach focuses on wellness by promoting positive and healthy lifestyles. Such a lifestyle would, of course, steer people away from substance abuse. People, especially the youth, would be well aware of the effects that drugs and other illicit substances would have on their health and how important lifestyle it is to them. Substance abuse, therefore, has a lot to do with lifestyle. In addition to this, the program provides motivation and knowledge that is directly related to the prevention of substance abuse. Such approaches which provide knowledge and skills are mostly focused on primary and secondary measures of prevention. There are several documentations by researchers about the effect and impact made by positive health attitudes on prevention of substance abuse. Health promotional approaches incorporate a number of activities and strategies. Some of these may include the appraisal or assessment of health risks. The specific risks of any community or group of people has to be assessed so that the necessary measures to be taken are determined. Every community has its own unique set-up. The causes and levels of substance abuse may, therefore, vary from one community to the other. The specific preventive measures to be applied in these different communities may also vary. After the situations on the ground have been completely assessed, then seminars and training classes can be set. These training forums are used to discuss specific topics concerning the prevention of substance abuse in those communities. This step also involves the use of newsletters and fliers which create awareness about drug and substance abuse. These fliers and posters are distributed allover the neighborhood of the community with the aim of capturing the attention of every person, especially the youth. It is important to focus a lot the youth because they are the most directly affected by the use of drugs and other illicit substances. It is also important to organize health fairs and life programs. These promote increased awareness on the importance of a drug-free society and use of substance abuse preventive measures. These are just some of the community based strategies that can be used in this approach. Another strategy that can be useful for the health promotional approach for prevention of substance abuse is the use of environmental policies. This involves the realization of a smoke-free environment as well as drug-free policies. Topics that can be presented either in the work place or other fairs include nutrition and stress management. This is because some people may resort to the abuse of drugs and substances when they are stressed on a regular basis. The management of stress is, therefore, an important aspect of the campaign for cessation of substance abuse. Other topics may include women’s health, management of time and the use and abuse of drugs and substances. The integration of substance awareness and information into health promotional topics is an effective way to do campaigns for the prevention of substance abuse. In order to increase participation in drug awareness campaigns, incentives can be used in these programs. The incentives can be in the form of allowances given according to the attendance. This would not only motivate those in attendance, but also attract other to take part in the programs. For increased participation, we can use other types of incentives such as regular bonuses, health club membership and trips. The programs should be done according to the audiences and specific groups of people involved. Another major role that a health promotional approach does to the prevention of substance abuse is the removal of stigma that is associated with drugs and substance abuse. Many people do not like being associated with anything that is related to substance and drug abuse. This is because they find it stigmatizing, probably because of the immoral and anti-social behavior associated with substance abuse. People also tend to ignore circumstances that have something to do with illicit drugs instead of trying to obtain helpful information. Focus should also be directed on the well-being of individuals with respect to their cultures in order to promote resilience. A resilient society is vital for the prevention of future trends of drug and substance use. This is because people can use their experience in resilience to fight off temptations of substance abuse as well as teaching others about the subject. The vulnerable youth should also be supported by the use of health education so that they can make wise decisions in regard to involvement in drug use. When they are educated, the young people will be able to make more informed choices. Social interventions on substance abuse should also be incorporated with health measures as well. The target age groups should first be identified so that focus can be narrowed in on the relevant group of people. It is also important to establish beforehand the substance abuse pattern within the target group. To approach the problem of substance abuse, it is important to consider the following. Firstly, the main focus should be in discouraging the behavior. For those who are already entangled in the use of illicit drugs and substances, they should be discouraged from continual use of such. This can be done by fostering awareness and education among the youth and other affected groups. This education should also be focused on the youth who have not yet engaged in substance abuse. In this way, the campaigns have a better chance of achieving their preventive goal. Teens should be encouraged to reduce the behavior in every way possible. If a teenager, or any other person for that matter, is involved in the abuse of drugs and substances, he should be discouraged from such behavior by proper education and awareness programs. Evaluation should also be done so as to determine if the wellness and awareness programs are indeed yielding any results. There are different ways in which evaluation can be done. It can either be done by doing a direct enquiry from the involved parties or just doing a critical observation. Enquiries can be in the form of filling questionnaires which can be distributed to the individuals involved as well as other observant parties. These third parties are, in fact, better placed to give objective answers about the impact made by substance abuse prevention programs. The health programs should also use peer intervention for the prevention programs. Such a strategy would ensure that the focus is on the current users of drugs and substances. It will be easy for people to identify their peers who are affected by the abuse of drugs. In conclusion, the prevention of substance and drug abuse can be addressed by using different approaches; one of which is the health promotional approach. This is an approach where the main focus of substance use prevention and awareness with the aim of promoting health and wellness of the individuals and societies involved. There should also be focus on the creation of healthy environments. The programs should use strategies that are customized for the different groups of people and communities without forgetting to integrate the cultural differences. Drug and substance abuse prevention programs should also be integrated with you youth programs because it is the youth who are faced with the challenge of substance abuse. This can, therefore, be done by tackling the causes and factors that lead the youth to use of illicit substances. Other driving factors like crime, violence, depression and teenage pregnancy should also be addressed because they are the possible causes of youth involvement in substance abuse. References Balcazar, F. E. (2010). Race, culture, and disability: Rehabilitation science and practice. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Berwick, D. M., & National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care. (2004). Escape fire: Designs for the future of health care. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Davis-Floyd, R., & Sargent, C. F. (1997). Childbirth and authoritative knowledge: Cross- cultural perspectives. Berkeley: University of California Press. Fry, P. S., & Keyes, C. L. M. (2010). New frontiers in resilient aging: Life-strengths and well- being in late life. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & National Cancer Institute (U.S.). (1997). Theory at a glance: A guide for health promotion practice. Bethesda? Md.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. Jones, J. M. (1997). Prejudice and racism. New York, N. Y: McGraw-Hill Companies. Kickbusch, I. (2008). Policy Innovation for Health. New York, NY: Springer New York. Minkler, M., & Wallerstein, N. (2003). Community based participatory research for health. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Prilleltensky, I., Nelson, G. B., & Peirson, L. (2001).Promoting family wellness and preventing child maltreatment: Fundamentals for thinking and action. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Starfield, B. (1998). Primary care: Balancing health needs, services, and technology. New York [u.a.: Oxford Univ. Press. Read More