The Impacts Of Aids Essay Example for Free

The Impacts Of Aids Essay Although the AIDS epidemic has occurred in a period when social conservatives have been politically dominant in most Western societies increasing the stigma against homosexuals and homosexuality, it has also translated into much greater recognition of the homosexual community and a homosexual movement, in most Western democracies. As the 1980s progressed, the gay and lesbian community increasingly realized the devastating impact of AIDS on gay men. The complex of diseases called AIDS was first discovered among gay men in 1981. From the first moment the gay male community became aware of AIDS (which was first called GRID—gay-related immune deficiency), it responded politically. By the end of the summer in 1981, a group of gay men had already met at author Larry Kramers apartment in New York City and had established the Gay Mens Health Crisis (GMHC)—the largest AIDS organization in the country today. It is not, of course, homosexuals who are at risk for AIDS but rather those who practice certain forms of unsafe sex. This distinction between behavior and identity, which often seems academic, is in fact vital to a rational understanding of AIDS. Because the media and the public generally do not make these distinctions, gay and AIDS have become conflated, so that the public perception of homosexuality becomes largely indistinguishable from its perception of AIDS. This, in turn, has two consequences: (1) It causes unnecessary discrimination against all those who are identified as gay and lesbians, and (2) it also means that people who are not perceived (and do not perceive themselves) as engaging in high-risk behaviors can deny that they are at risk of HIV infection. As the gay movement matured in the 1970s, however, it made more concrete demands of governments, pressing for antidiscrimination ordinances and for financial support for gay organizations and activities. But, in large part, the gay movement retained an adversarial relationship with the government, a relationship made possible because of the movements emphasis on self-assertion (coming out) and challenging social stigma. All this changed with the appearance of AIDS. Demands for government-funded research were first made by New Yorks Gay Mens Health Crisis, the first community-based AIDS organization. And the demands have not stopped there: Governments are asked to support research, patient care, services, and education programs. Inevitably such demands involve gay participation in the processes of government—policy-making, membership on liaison committees, day-to-day contact with bureaucrats, and so forth. But the process has been two-way. Governments have understood that to research the disease, to provide the necessary services, and to bring about the behavioral changes (primary prevention) believed to be the most effective strategies against the spread of the disease, contact with the most affected groups is required. AIDS has thus forced governments to recognize organizations they had previously ignored, and this has resulted in strengthened gay organizations, often with the help of state resources. As a generalization, the response of gay groups and those working in local AIDS education and advocacy programs has been to stress large-scale education about primary prevention, while conservative medical, political, and religious figures have emphasized widespread testing for the HIV antibody and restrictive legislation. The issue of testing for HIV antibodies among high-risk populations has been a major debate in most Western countries. AIDS organizations have generally argued that large-scale testing is undesirable and that mandatory testing of high-risk groups will compel those infected with the AIDS virus go underground out of the mainstream of health care and education. As the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) argued: The experience of the gay community—the only group where significant prevention and risk-reduction programs have taken place—demonstrates that education and counseling, not testing, are critical to changing behavior. Not everyone needs or desires to know his/her antibody status. No one should be forced into that position, particularly given the potentially severe social, legal and economic ramifications of testing. The NGLTFs anti-testing position is further strengthened by the fact that test results often obtain false positives for the presence of HIV antibodies. It is easy to portray this dispute over testing as one that pits public health advocates against proponents of gay rights. In reality, the dispute centers on different conceptions of public health: Those who oppose mandatory testing are concerned that the fear of discrimination resulting from seropositive results will force those most at risk to avoid needed testing, counseling, and contact with support services. It is vital to understand the extent to which discrimination (real and perceived) against AIDS carriers is a factor, and how it is strengthened every time a politician or religious figure talks of quarantine or isolation. Certain sorts of discrimination are justified in the interests of public health, and reasonable people can disagree about the balance—as was true in the protracted debate in San Francisco concerning the gay bathhouses. But few diseases in recent history have led to as many stringent proposals to restrict the rights of those affected, and even fewer have led to claims for discrimination against all members of high-risk groups, whether or not they were actually ill or contagious. Fear of AIDS has elicited a welter of irrational reactions based on the stereotyping of homosexuals. The U.S. Justice Department has ruled that persons with AIDS may be dismissed from their jobs because of fear of transmission, even where such fears are not medically supported; some state courts and legislatures, however, have taken an opposite position. Fear of AIDS was invoked by the state of Georgia in its successful defense of its antisodomy law before the Supreme Court in 1986. A number of governments (including the United States) have sought to make evidence of HIV-antibody-free (noncarrier) status a requirement for immigration or even entry; in West Germany this provision has led to a bitter dispute between the Interior and Health ministries. Fear of and hostility toward those with AIDS most clearly overlaps with more generalized homophobia in the attempts by some politicians and a number of fundamentalists to use the epidemic to argue against homosexual rights. In the eyes of the religious right, AIDS is literally viewed as a God-given opportunity to reverse social attitudes toward homosexuality, which have grown more tolerant over the past decade; in English-speaking countries particularly, fundamentalists have invoked fire-and-brimstone rhetoric to argue that AIDS is evidence of Gods wrath. Gay groups have quickly learned which aspects of the political system are most amenable to pressure; in the United States, at a national level, this has involved working through the courts (a vast number of AIDS-related cases are already working their way through the judicial system) and, especially, sympathetic members of Congress. Among the groups most affected by AIDS, only the homosexuals have been able to mobilize and articulate political demands. The publics perception of the disease therefore continues to be more closely linked with homosexuals than its epidemiology suggests. In the United States this is further complicated by racial divisions and intravenous drug use, as a far higher proportion of AIDS cases that are not sexually transmitted are found among blacks and Hispanics than among whites. Even now one feature of AIDS organizations is the under representation of people of color, including homosexuals. Even in countries where this is not a problem, the dominance of AIDS as an issue makes the gap between gay women and men increasingly more difficult to bridge; although many lesbians are heavily involved in AIDS work, most gay women cannot identify with AIDS as a central issue in the way true for many gay men. AIDS has mobilized more gay men into political and community organizations, although not into specific demonstrations and marches, than any other event in the short history of the gay movement. In every major city of the United States, Canada, Australasia, and most of northern Europe, the appearance of AIDS has led thousands of gay men (and others) to volunteer in programs of care, support, counseling, and education. But this in turn creates several problems: It reinforces the publics misperception of the causal link between AIDS and homosexuality; it forces other issues off the gay movements agenda and monopolizes its attention; and it creates new tensions as dependence on government and the emergence of a new class of AIDS experts leads to growing strains within the movement. One could in fact posit that AIDS has created a shift in the leadership of the gay movement, accentuating the trend toward leaders who can claim professional expertise instead of activist credentials—a move already under way during the late 1970s. This has been most obvious in the rise to prominence of openly gay medical doctors, who have been able to use their professional skills and sexual identity to claim a certain legitimacy in the eyes of government; groups like the American Physicians for Human Rights have become prominent within the gay movement largely because of the epidemic. But the new leadership also includes those skilled in legislative and bureaucratic lobbying, and one consequence of this shift has been to reduce the representativeness of leadership in terms of class, race, and age. Observing the gay movement, AIDS has changed the movement in ways none of us could have anticipated in the much headier days of the 1970s. Obviously the stakes are higher: However important law reform was, it does not compare with the urgent need to respond to an epidemic that in some cities (New York, San Francisco, Houston, Copenhagen, Sydney) was striking nearly every gay man. In response, new people have come into the movement; many gay men who had hitherto regarded gay politics as irrelevant, have become the front-line activists because of AIDS. But many experienced activists have found that AIDS has turned them into professionals; the people who run the large organizations, such as GMHC, the Terence Higgins Trust, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the AIDS Council of New South Wales, and so forth, spend much of their time now dealing with government bureaucrats, health-system managers, and various authorities whom they had once denounced as the enemy. Unconsciously, certain forms of co-optation inevitably take place; governments fund jobs, trips, and conferences, and those who take part begin to see things differently. Thus, a new tension develops within the rank-and-file, many of whom came into AIDS work as volunteers concerned to look directly after the sick and dying, who feel estranged from the new bureaucrats their own movement seems to have spawned. It is difficult to speak of the impact of AIDS without speaking of the changing perceptions of homosexuals, so intertwined are the two in the public imagination. AIDS seems to have heightened both the stigma and the respectability of homosexuals; in unraveling this apparent contradiction, we can come to terms with certain crucial social changes. The common assumption is that AIDS has been responsible for reversing, or at least halting, a gradual social acceptance of homosexuality as an alternate life-style, an acceptance that had grown out of changes in sexual mores and the commercialization of sexuality during the 1970s. It is not hard to point to the hostile rhetoric, increased antigay violence, and the quite considerable discrimination directly linked to AIDS. Evidence of increased violence directed against homosexuals, much of it linked to AIDS, was recognized by a special congressional hearing in late 1986.The reality may well be that the response to AIDS thus far has largely been a reflection of the extent to which preceding gay-rights struggles had achieved a place in the political process for gay organizations; AIDS has thus highlighted a process already under way. The point has often been made that the epidemiology of AIDS would have been very different in most Western countries had it not been for the expansion of gay sexual networks in the 1970s. Equally, the response of governments would have been very different—and almost certainly slower and more repressive—if this expansion had not also been accompanied by the growth of gay political organizations that provided a basis for the development of community-based groups in response to the epidemic. At the level of conventional liberal political analysis, the case of AIDS bears out the adage that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. AIDS has brought issues of central concern to the gay movement onto the mainstream political agenda: at an enormous price the gay movement has become a recognized actor in the politics of health policymaking. Political will and mobilization can have a large effect on the social impact of the disease. The growing impact of AIDS on the American population forced activists to broaden their constituency. Some of the groups were also socially stigmatized and had even fewer resources than the gay community. Occasionally, they had segments who voiced their discomfort with or disapproval of homosexuality. When it came to matters of strategy, AIDS activists even had increasing conflicts with gay and lesbian political elites within the community over political priorities. The politics of AIDS activism forced gay and lesbian activists to have increased interaction with federal, state, and local governments, thereby transforming the lesbian and gay communitys relation with the state. Community-based organizations received government funding and participated in policymaking to a much greater extent than ever before. The AIDS movement has had a significant impact on government research, public health policies, and government funding of treatment, care, and education. This government funding has created large-scale institutions with jobs and career possibilities that did not exist in the lesbian and gay communities before the epidemic. These economic and institutional developments have had two major effects on the gay and lesbian communities. First, they have encouraged lesbian and gay political institutions to engage more with other communities, governmental agencies, and mainstream institutions. Second, they have transformed the class structure of gay and lesbian leadership. The new jobs and career possibilities attracted a generation of leaders who were upwardly mobile and educated at elite universities and colleges. In the past, gay men such as this might have pursued conventional careers. Now, though, many of them were infected with the virus that causes AIDS and took up AIDS activism to fight for their lives. The older generation of leaders had chosen gay political life as an alternative to mainstream careers. Very early on in the epidemic, however, AIDS devastated the founding generation both physically and emotionally. A new generation soon displaced the older one. AIDS had decimated the gay male community, had forced it to reach out to other communities, and had seriously undermined its economic and cultural self-sufficiency. The countervailing pressures of gay and lesbian identity politics and of AIDS activism produced a political situation that required a new perspective—one that conceived of identity as stable, but also recognized the incredible diversity within the community. The perspective needed to account for the kinship of all sexual minorities and the range of possible gender roles, ethnic, and racial identities. Works Cited Adam, B. D. The rise of a gay and lesbian movement. New York: Twayne Publishers.1995. Bell, G. AIDS in Australia, Sydney Bulletin , 17 March 1987 Bullough, Vern L. Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context. Harrington Park Press, 2002. Cante, Richard C. Gay Men and the Forms of Contemporary US Culture. London: Ashgate Publishing. March 2008 ISBN 0 7546 7230 1. Dynes, Wayne R. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Homosexuality. New York and London, Garland Publishing, 1990 Frighten and be Fired, The Economist , 28 June 1986. Epstein, S. Gay and lesbian movements in the United States: Dilemmas of identity, diversity, and political strategy. In B. Adam, J. Duyvendak, A. Krouwel (Eds.), The global emergence of gay and lesbian politics: National imprints of a worldwide movement, pp. 30-90. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.1999. Gawenda, AIDS: Reaping Responsibility, The Age (Melbourne), 2 May 1987. Goldstein, R. The Hidden Epidemic: AIDS and Race, Village Voice , 10 March 1987. Johansson, Warren Percy, William A. Outing: Shattering the Conspiracy of Silence. Harrington Park Press, 1994. Katz, Jonathan. Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A. (New York: Harper, 1976) ISBN 006091211 Kitsuse, J. Coming out all over: Deviants and the politics of social problems. Social Problems, 28, 1-13.1980. McCombie, S.The Cultural Impact of the AIDS Test, Social Science and Medicine 23 (1986): 455-459. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, news release, Washington, D.C., 5 February 1987.Somerville, M. Rubin, G. Thinking sex: Notes for a radical theory of the politics of sexuality. In R. Parker, P. Aggleton (Eds.), Culture, society sexuality, pp. 143-178. New York: Routledge.1998. Schroedel, J. R., Fiber, P. Lesbian and gay policy priorities: Commonality and difference. In C. A. Rimmerman, K. D. Wald, C. Wilcox (Eds.), The politics of gay rights, pp. 97-120. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (2000). Seidman, S. From identity to queer politics: Shifts in normative heterosexuality and the meaning of citizenship. Citizenship Studies, 5, 321-328. (2001). Structuring the Legal and Ethical Issues Raised by AIDS, in AIDS : Social Policy , Ethics and the Law (Monash: Monash University Centre for Human Bioethics, 1986). Surgeon General s Report on AIDS (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Public Health Service, 1986), 30. Tatchell, P.AIDS : A Guide to Survival (London: Gay Mens Press, 1986), 97-101 Thompson, Mark, editor. Long Road to Freedom: The Advocate History of the Gay and Lesbian Movement. New York: St. Martins Press, 1994. ISBN 0-312-09536-8 Timmons, Stuart. The Trouble with Harry Hay: Founder of the Modern Gay Movement. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1990.

Effect of EU Employment Policy on Management

Effect of EU Employment Policy on Management EU Legal Regulations in the Areas of Employment and Social Policy and How These Have Impacted Managers/Organisations Introduction/Background The influence of the European Union has been pervasive, and this is particularly true of developments in the areas of employment law and associated social policies. These policies have been aimed at augmenting the employment rights of workers within organisations, as well as improving their working conditions. Intersection points between social policy and employment regulations are a nuanced and complex subject area and this topic is an ideal focal point for the researcher interested in how European policies have impacted the roles and responsibilities of managers in the United Kingdom. The areas of employment policy regulations and social policy regulations are often symbiotic in nature. Therefore if one decides to embark upon a research initiative investigating the situation of workers within organisations within the European Union, it is difficult to conduct credible research without considering the areas of employment and social policy simultaneously. The writer proposes to examine how managers and other actors in similar roles have responded to this arguably more onerous and paternalistic conception of their duties[1]. A particular focus will be taken in the research and this will be health and safety legislation. This is a concept which has been influenced by both legal regulatory efforts within the European Union. Health and safety legislation also reflects the wider social policy goals of the European Union. Indeed as Randall ((2000) p34) has noted: ‘Promoting safety at work and protecting and improving the health of workers appear among the fundamental objectives for which the EC†¦.[2]’. Therefore, the theoretical research objectives of this project are twofold. Firstly, the role of the European Union in terms of social policy and employment regulation will be looked at, and at a more micro level the area of health and safety at work will be looked at in terms of the role played my managers at operationalisi ng European policies in the area of health and safety within organisations. The Research Question Therefore to recap the main thrust of the proposal for research; the writer feels that a good focal point for this project will be where social policy and employment regulation intersect. Therefore, the question of health and safety at work in the European Union will be the specific focus of the project, but this research focus will be contextualised with a wider examination of the role of the European Union in terms of social and employment policy. The literature review will focus on these two levels of analysis, and this will be used as a platform to introduce an original primary research orientated study on the impact of EU health and safety regulatory initiatives on managers within organisations. The research question will build upon this analysis by surveying the views of mangers in British corporate organisations in an effort to gauge how successful the EU have been in operationalising their social policy objectives in the area of health and safety employment policy. Other acto rs with expertise in this area will also be consulted. A key question here will be what effect the operation of the doctrine of supremacy has had upon the effectiveness of EU oversight of health and safety at work. Therefore one of the central research questions will be aimed at finding out whether the centralisation of control of health and safety policy (with the European Commission) has impacted upon the effectiveness of its implementation within member states such as the United Kingdom. This will enable the writer to principally gauge the opinions of those charged with the day to day implementation of health and safety employment policies, and to in doing so to identify any systemic or policy failures that may serve to reduce the overall effectiveness of health and safety employment policy. This will allow the writer to formulate a model of recommendations which may be able to address any specific failures in the implementation of health and safety employment policy and make suggestions as to how the system may be improved. Literature Review The literatures which will be used are those which will provide instruction on the development of the EU’s role in the implementation of social and employment policy, with a particular emphasis on the development of health and safety employment policy. These texts have been chosen as they will provide a comprehensive background to the study, adding depth and structure. Roberts and Springer ((2001) p152) have made the following comment upon the role of the European Union in terms of social policy and the regulation of workers in the workplace: ‘As the European Union prepares for the twenty-first century, it has a social policy adapted to the prevailing conditions and expectations of its citizens†¦..social policy no longer has an important advocate in Brussels or an ambitious agenda†¦.It is an interactive policy in which diverse actors participate in all aspects of it. The EU operates as a regulatory state and shares its roles in policymaking and policy implementation with numerous actors in a process best described as multilevel governance. Traditional European social values blended with the market values†¦.[3]’. Therefore, it is clear that the European Union recognises the importance of formulating an approach to social policy which is co-operative and aims not to thwart business and corporate actors in the European Union setting. This is a rationale which is clear also, at a micro level in terms of the implementation and regulation of health and safety employment policy at European Union level. A more in depth analysis of this topic and how it has evolved historically will follow below, in order to explain this rationale more fully. Article 3e (Title 1) of the ECSC Treaty contained the first indications that the health and safety of European Union workers was to be a concern dealt with at European Union level. These measures were incorporated into the Treaty of Rome and this incorporation invested the European Commission with specific competencies in the determination of the European Union’s approach to health and safety policy. The EURATOM Treaty, which was ratified in 1957 created the first initiative which was aimed at protecting the health and safety of workers uniformly at European Union level. Article 118 of the Treaty of Rome advocated co-operation between member states on the subject of health and safety legislation, and the role of the European Union was to facilitate partnerships between various actors responsible for health and safety policy. These actors included trade unions, governments, employers and international organisations. Randall ((2000) p34) has explained the rationale of the European Union in this consultative process: ‘The architects of the European Community (EC), not just contemporary Commission historians, had concluded that one of the principal requirements for developing a multinational agreement on health and safety†¦.was the presentation of proposals strongly endorsed by expert opinion. While the ECSC had sought, for some time, to draw experts into its work to reduce accidents in the mineral-extracting industries the High Authority (forerunner to the European Commission) had also learnt how important it was to work with the grain of member state opinion†¦.†¦.[4]’. In a more contemporary setting, the European Union continues to regulate the health and safety of workers at European Union level, however this regulation is now directed in a more centralised setting, as the European Commission grows in power and influence. Arguably, therefore the emphasis on consultation which (as we have seen explained above) was historically such a central tenet of heath and safety policy at European level, has become a less popular method of building consensus among member states and corporate actors. The area of health and safety at work is also governed by legislation at domestic level, within each member state. In Britain the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 mainly requires employers to carry out risk assessments and to appoint qualified and competent individuals to oversee health and safety in the workplace. Emergency procedures must be implemented at individual organisation level and these must be communicated to staff in a clear manner. Staff must also receive health and safety training[5]. The next section will look at how a research design may be implemented to evaluate both the effectiveness of the EU’s role in terms of formulating social policy and to evaluate how those whose responsibility it is to implement these policies at grassroots level (i.e. within organisations) have responded to increased EU regulation in this area. A Research Design The research design will involve a methodologically pluralistic design. This essentially means that both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to facilitate the gathering of information[6]. A semi structured interview usually involves the trading of information on a two way basis, and this method will be relied upon as the main method of research. The main reason for this particular choice of method is that this subject is one that lends itself to qualitative discussion. This method will be complemented by the use of a survey which will add depth and a degree of perspective to the methodology. The writer decided to rely on the semi structured interview as the main method of qualitative enquiry as opposed to the focus group for example, for practical reasons. Within corporate organisations such as the targeted publics of this research proposal, confidentiality is a primary concern. The success of the writer’s project will be contingent upon the ability of particular individuals to be frank and open about their views, and this is not always possible in a focus group setting. Also, there is the practical consideration of where the focus groups might have been carried out, given the fact that the writer’s proposed research will involve a consultation of a diverse range of actors within differing locations within the UK. Therefore, semi structured interviews and surveys are the best way for an individual to solicit the viewpoints of those managers or other actors who are responsible for the implementation health and safety policies within corporate organisations. The writer will also approach organisations, such as trade unions and employers organisations such as the Confederation of British Industry to gather information which may be used to formulate a detailed chronology or EU interventions in terms of health and safety policy, and this can be used to compliment the literature which will form the theoretical basis of the study. A survey of mangers within organisations will be used to firstly gauge the views of managers and other actors responsible for the implementation of health and safety employment policy as to how successful European Interventions have been in the area of heath and safety employment policy and secondly, to gather a body of opinion on how health and safety legislation may be improved. These results will enable the writer to form views, for example on whether the role of the European Commission in the oversight of health and safety legislation has been an effective one. The next section will detail a breakdown of the implementation of this research design. A GANNT chart for Project Management and Discussion of Implementation Outline of Chapter Headings Introduction: EU Employment and Social Policy: The Role of the Commission Literature Review: Case Study: Health and Safety at Work; The Impact of EU Measures on British Corporate Organisations Methods Conclusion and Recommendations Evaluation: Possible Problems and Barriers to Completion Limited resources will possibly be a barrier to completion; however the writer intends to address this by adherence to a strictly organised and pre-planned research plan. The writer anticipates that this will also allow for cost minimising strategies to be implemented (for example letters will be sent out inviting respondents to interview, rather than reliance on telephone communication which is more expensive). Another possible problem and barrier to completion is that the respondents interviewed may not be necessarily representative of the entire body of corporate actors who implement health and safety employment policy. This problem will be addressed by the writer in two ways. Firstly, it is anticipated that appropriate planning will allow for the body of respondents to be selected in such a way as to allow an equal number of men and women, and an appropriate distribution of respondents in terms of race and age to be included in the study. Also, the writer feels that it may be necessary to travel to more than one location for the purposes of conducting interviews. The writer is also aware that health and safety legislation is implemented by a number of actors, not just corporate actors. However, these limitations will be justified throughout the research and as long as the writer does not attempt to make unjustified generalisations, and as long as the writer acknowledges the limitations that the research encountered, problems and barriers to research should not negate the importance and relevance of the proposed project. In conclusion this project intends to evaluate the effectiveness of the European Union as an overseer of health and safety employment legislation. It will be targeted at gathering the views of actors who implement health and safety employment policy, and it will also be aimed at gathering the viewpoints of those individuals such as trade associations and employers who have first hand experience of implementing the social policy objectives of the EU. This will enable the writer to critically examine how the system of health and safety employment policy operates and to suggest possible improvements. Bibliography Books Buse. K., Fustukian, S. and Lee, K. (2002) Health Policy in a Globalising World. Publisher: Cambridge University Press. Place of Publication: Cambridge, England. Frankfort-Nachmias, C. and Nachmias, D. (1996) Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Publisher: Arnold Publishers. Place of Publication; London. Randall, E. (2000) The European Union and Health Policy. Publisher: St. Martins Press. Place of Publication: New York. Roberts, I. and Springer, B. (2001) Social Policy in the European Union: Between Harmonization and National Autonomy. Publisher: Lynne Rienner. Place of Publication: Boulder, CO. Article Health and Safety Executive (2003) Health and Safety Regulation. Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc13.pdf >>. 1 Footnotes [1] P3. Buse. K., Fustukian, S. and Lee, K. (2002) Health Policy in a Globalising World. Publisher: Cambridge University Press. Place of Publication: Cambridge, England. [2] P34. Randall, E. (2000) The European Union and Health Policy. Publisher: St. Martins Press. Place of Publication: New York. [3] P151. Roberts, I. and Springer, B. (2001) Social Policy in the European Union: Between Harmonization and National Autonomy. Publisher: Lynne Rienner. Place of Publication: Boulder, CO. [4] P34. Randall, E. (2000) The European Union and Health Policy. Publisher: St. Martins Press. Place of Publication: New York. [5] P1. Health and Safety Executive (2003) Health and Safety Regulation. Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc13.pdf >>. [6] See Chapters One and Two of: Frankfort-Nachmias, C. and Nachmias, D. (1996) Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Publisher: Arnold Publishers. Place of Publication; London.

The Definition Of Methodology

The Definition Of Methodology The purpose of this chapter is to present the research methodology adopted in this study. It first outlines the philosophical assumptions underpinning this research, discussing the researchers constructivist approach. The next section defines the scope and rationale for the research design, and details of data analysis. It also provides an overview of the data collection methods used for this research. The chapter concludes by discussing issues of rigor and trustworthiness and ethical considerations. 3.1.1 Definition of Methodology According to Polit and Beck (2004) methodology refers to ways of obtaining, systematizing and analysing data. Creswell (2003) portrays methodology as a coherent group of methods that harmonize one another and that have the capability to fit to deliver data and findings that will reflect the research question and suits the researchers purpose. Bowling (2002) explains that methodology is the complete structure of the research study; the size and sample methods, the practices and techniques utilized to collect data and the process to analyse data. 3.2 Research Design Burns and Grove (2002) define a research design as a blueprint for conducting a study with maximum control over factors that may interfere with the validity of the findings. The overall purpose of this study is to contribute further to the role-definition process of the ambulance nurse in Malta. In order to reach the overall purpose of this study a qualitative exploratory descriptive design will be used to identify, analyse and describe factors related to the nature of interventions and care nurses deliver in the pre-hospital setting and to explore barriers and facilitating factors perceived by ambulance nurses that hinder or enhance PHC in Malta. 3.2.1 Research Philosophy The context in which research is carried out establishes were the researcher wants to go with the research and what is sought to be achieved. It is therefore imperative that the researcher is clear about the paradigm issues that guide and enlighten the research approach, as they are reflected in the methodology applied in the research and help place the research into a broader context (Thorpe Lowe, 2002). This research study is associated with the constructivism paradigm. Consequently, the researcher will discuss the ontology and epistemology in relation to this research. 3.2.1.1 Constructivism Constructivism seeks to undertake research in its natural setting; therefore, constructivism which is developed from the naturalistic philosophy disputes positivism and post-positivism views of knowledge and science (Appelton King, 2002). Thus, the aim of constructivism is to identify the diverse knowledge that people own, this is done by seeking to attain some consensus of meaning but at the same time remaining open to new explanations (Denzin Lincoln, 2003). Constructivist research, therefore, may identify a spectrum of diverse views and insights that would be overlooked within the narrow confines of conventional positivist inquiry. In view of these issues, constructivism is the most indicative research paradigm to use for this research as this philosophy will aid in exploring through description participants experiences, views and thoughts in a more humane way, by presenting ambulance nurses quotes and developing themes rather than presenting results in statistical form. 3.2.1.2 Ontology When considering a research paradigm, the researchers first requirement is to locate a position on the nature of reality (Appelton King, 2002). In the ontological theory, reality is subjective and multiple as seen by the participants in the study. Hence the researcher will use quotes and themes in words of the ambulance nurses to provide evidence on different perspectives. This is done by articulating, appreciating and making the research participants voices and concerns and practice visible. In the constructivism stance, the researcher is obliged to give a true picture of reality (Schwandt, 2001). Truth is achieved by seeking to comprehend the shared meaning and embedded meaning of both the participants and the researcher. This may be apprehended by building up a researcher-participant interaction in the natural environment rather than in a controlled environment (Denzin Lincoln, 2003). 3.2.1.3 Epistemology Conversely, in the epistemological assumption the aim of the researcher is to try and lessen the distance between what is being researched and oneself (Creswell, 2003). Within constructivism, the ontology and epistemology merge because the knower is inseparable from what may be known within the overall construct of a particular reality (Schwandt, 2001). The constructivist, ontological and epistemological positions have specific implications for me as a researcher wishing to explore these ambulance nursing issues. As a staff nurse working in another ambulance service, I acknowledge that my account of reality of PHC may serve to enhance the description of the phenomena under study. My role as a researcher is to be actively engaged with the research process. Therefore, an emic position is taken which allows me to build data, which is generated rather than collected. Within constructivism, the ontology and the epistemology approaches are interwoven and cannot be detached as with the positivist and post positivist paradigms (Appelton King, 2002). 3.2.1.4 Disadvantages of Constructivism Constructivism, whilst being an ideal paradigm for the inquiry may have its own limitations and it is central that the researcher takes these into consideration. A limitation of constructivism is that by trying to explain the phenomena, the researcher will be stuck in trying to give an infinite number of interpretations which may result in less explanatory power (Appelton King, 2002). Thus, working with the constructivism paradigm, the researcher is obliged to be conscious in seeking equilibrium between the contribution of informants and ones own to ensure an authentic account of the phenomena. Moreover, certain issues and steps in the methodology of this study were taken into consideration in order to avoid any pitfalls. 3.2.2 Qualitative Research Qualitative research refers to inductive, holistic, emic, subjective and process-oriented methods used to comprehend, interpret and describe a phenomena or setting. It is a systemic, subjective approach used to describe meaning (Burns Grove, 2003). Qualitative research is more associated with words, language and experiences rather than measurements, statistics and numerical figures. Researchers using qualitative research take a person centred and holistic perspective to understand the phenomenon, without focusing on specific concepts. The original context of the experience is unique, and rich knowledge and insight can be generated in depth to present a lively picture of participants reality and social context (Holloway, 2005). Regarding generation of knowledge, qualitative research is characterised as developmental and dynamic, and does not use formal structured instruments. In turn it involves the systemic collection and analysis of subjective narrative data in an organised and intuitive fashion to identify the characteristics and significance of human experience (Holloway, 2005). Qualitative researchers are concerned with the emic perspective to explore the ideas and perceptions of the participants. The researcher tries to examine the experience from the participants point of view in order to interpret their words. The researcher therefore becomes involved and immersed in the phenomena to become familiar with it. The immersion of the researcher helps to provide dense description from the narrative data gathered from the participants, to interpret and portray their experiences, and to generate a more comprehensive understanding. However, immersion cannot be obtained without a researcher-participant trusting relationship. The relationship is built through basic interviewing and interpersonal skills. In qualitative research, the researcher is required to be a good listener, non-judgemental, friendly, honest and flexible. Brink and Wood (1998) point out that the qualitative data collection methods are flexible and unstructured, capturing verbatim reports or obser vable characteristics and yield data that usually do not take numerical forms. 3.2.3 Qualitative Description Approach Within a qualitative framework, and an interpretive stance, this research is concerned with identifying and describing factors regarding the pre-hospital nursing care in Malta. For this study a qualitative descriptive research design will be used. Sandelowski (2000) points out that a qualitative descriptive study is seen as less interpretive than interpretive descriptive studies as they do not require researchers to move as far into their data. However, all inquiry entails description, and all description entails interpretation (Sandelowski, 2000). Although no description is free of interpretation, basic or fundamental qualitative description, as opposed to, for example, phenomenology or grounded theory description, it necessitates a kind of interpretation that is low inference, this low inference interpretation in qualitative descriptive studies entails the presentation of facts in an everyday language (Neergaard et al. 2009). 3.2.3.1 Design features of Descriptive Qualitative Research Qualitative descriptive design is a typical eclectic but reasonable design that well considers a combination of sampling, data collection, analysis, and re-presentational techniques (Neergaard et al. 2009). Sandelowski (2000) explains that qualitative description is especially amenable to obtain straight and largely unadorned answers to questions of special relevance to practitioners and policy makers. Neergaard et al. (2009) explicate that the qualitative descriptive design favours to use an interview guide somewhat more structured than other qualitative methods though it is still modified and transformed as themes emerge through analysis. They continue to explain that the strategy of content analysis is the most commonly used method of analysis in qualitative description (Neergaard et al. 2009). A straight descriptive summary is the likely outcome of qualitative descriptive studies, which should be organized in a way that best encloses the data collected (Sandelowski, 2000). 3.2.3.2 Strengths and Weaknesses of Descriptive Qualitative Research All research methods have their limitations, and qualitative description is often criticized for lacking of clearness and the lack of theory based approach (Giorgi. 1992). However, this criticism is only vindicated if qualitative description is used for the wrong principles. Neergaard et al. (2009) emphasize that qualitative description should be the method of choice when a description of a phenomena is wanted. Furthermore, qualitative description has been criticized for its lack of rigor and for being flawed, when it comes to judging its credibility. However, Milne and Oberlee (2005), converse about enhancing rigor in qualitative description by focusing on strategies such as authenticity, credibility, criticality and integrity. Qualitative description may be seen as too subjective because description is always attributed to the researchers perception, inclinations, sensitivities, and sensibilities (Sandelowski, 2000). In order to reduce this, the researcher must put an emphasis in m eeting the criteria of integrity and neutrality (Milne and Oberlee, 2005). Qualitative description may be seen as a functional method when the researcher intends to focus on describing experiences of patients, relatives and health care professionals and when the researcher wants to understand their views on patient-professional interaction and the organization of the health care system (Sandelowski, 2000). Strength of qualitative description is more evident in mixed method approaches and in studies which need to develop their own questionnaire. Neergaard et al. (2009) point out that qualitative description performed prior to the development of a questionnaire or an intervention can give very significant and useful information. Qualitative description has also be an appropriate qualitative method for small interview studies were one needs to gain preliminary insight into a particular topic (Neergaard et al. 2009). Sandelowski (2000) also highlights a great advantage of the method is that it is suitable if time or resources are limited. 3.2.3.1 Rational for choosing descriptive approach According to Burns and Grove (2003) descriptive research is designed to provide a picture of a situation as it naturally happens. It may also be used to justify current practices and identify factors that hinder or enhance practice as one gets a whole picture from the informants (Burns and Grove, 2003). Qualitative descriptive study is the method of choice when straight descriptions of a phenomena are desired, Sandelowski (2000) explains that qualitative description is especially useful for researchers wanting to know who, what and where of events. Qualitative description will be used in this study to describe and document the perceptions and experiences of what different skills are used while delivering PHC and when they are mostly used. The design will also be used to explore what facilitators and barriers are encountered when delivering PHC. 3.3 Population and Sample 3.3.1 Population Parahoo (2006) defines population as the total number of units from which data is collected, such as individuals, artefacts, events or organizations. Burns and Grove (2003) describe population as all the elements that meet the criteria for inclusion in a study. They continue to explain that the researcher must recognize a list of characteristics that requisite to be eligible part of the target population. The criteria for inclusion in this study were staff nurses who work in Accident and Emergency Department at Mater Dei Hospital, and have at least five years PHC experience. 3.3.2 Sample Polit and Beck (2004) define a sample as a proportion of a population The sample was chosen from the target population as defined in the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A carefully selected sample can offer data representative of the target population from which it is drawn. However, the aim of qualitative research is to raise insight into a phenomenon rather than assume representativeness. To reach the purpose of this study a purposive sampling technique will be used. Bowling (2002) explains that a purposeful sample is a deliberate and non random method, which aims to sample a group of people with a specific characteristic. The main characteristic of the selected participants in this study is being knowledgeable about the topic, because of their involvement and experience in PHC. Sandelowski (2000) explains that purposive sampling is a preferred method when using qualitative description as it is deemed information rich. 3.3.3 Sampling process The sampling process for this study was carried out in two phases, purposeful sampling for the interviews and a random selection from a group of purposeful selected participants. 3.3.3.1 Phase 1 For the first phase of data collection eight nurses were purposely selected for semi-structured interviews. Purposeful sampling methods were used based on the nurses who have special training in pre-hospital and are considered more experts in the field. This non-probability sampling technique was used since the researcher wanted to get a more in depth description of the pre-hospital nursing care offered. The researcher informed the nursing officer to distribute an invitation letter to the selected participants and those that agree to participate in the study were given a consent form. 3.3.3.2 Phase 2 The sample for second phase where the focus group was carried out was selected randomly from purposefully selected nurses who satisfied the selection criteria (5 years experience in the ambulance service), since the aim of the focus group is to identifying specific issues commonly related to nursing care in the pre-hospital setting. Ten to twelve nurses were randomly selected by the nursing officer who presented them an invitation letter with information about the study. Those who accept the invitation were asked to consent their participation in the focus group by filling out a consent form after having had their queries addressed by the researcher. 3.4 Data Collection Qualitative data collection is the precise, systemic gathering of information relevant to the research problem, using methods such as interviews, participant observations, focus group discussions, narratives and case histories (Burns and Grove, 2003). Data collection techniques in qualitative description usually include minimal to moderate structured interviews and focus group interviews (Neergaard et al. 2009). 3.4.1 Methods of Data Collection Data was collected in two phases. Phase one included data collection by means of semi-structured interviews, were the researcher interviewed nurses who are experts in the field and by the way of their clinical experience and having received specialized training in PHC. Phase two included a focus group which had the aim of identifying specific issues, and add quality to the data obtained from the interviews. The data will be presented and discussed in the results and discussion chapters respectively. 3.4.1.1 Semi Structured Interviews According to Kvale (1996), using a qualitative interview offers the researcher an opening to understand the phenomena under study from the perspective of the interviewee. In this study face to face semi-structured interviews were deemed appropriate as this method is particularly efficient in collecting data which involves opinions and perceptions. Polit and Beck (2004) converse that when performing semi structured interviews the researcher has to prepare in advance a written topic guide, which is a list questions to be covered by the respondents (Appendix 2). The interviewers function is to encourage participants to talk freely about all topics on the list, and to provide as much detail as they wish, and offer illustrations and explanations (Polit and Beck, 2004). 3.4.1.2 Advantages of interviews Among the main advantages of semi structured interviews there are the benefits of conversation that is carried out between the researcher and the informant. However, the conversations are purposeful ones that require advance thought and preparation, so the researcher must not enter into them casually. These face to face interviews can probe fully for responses and clarify ambiguities. Bowling (2002) points out advantages of interviews are that one can check misinterpretations and inconsistencies, and that interviews can provide rich quotable material which enlivens research reports. Kvale (1996), also find interviews beneficial to the participants as they can freely communicate their perceptions and experiences to the researcher. 3.4.1.3 Disadvantages of interviews Nevertheless, despite the many advantages of interviews, there are some limitations for this method of data collection, mainly the fact that interviews can be expensive and time consuming, and there is the potential of interview bias. According to Bowling (2002) techniques for reducing interview bias include good interview training and managing to establish rapport with the participants by putting them at ease, and appearing non-judgmental. 3.4.1.4 Focus Group interviews Another method of data collection used in this study is a focus group interview. Neergaard et al. (2009) recommend the use of focus groups when using qualitative description as focus group interviews seem pertinent to get a broad insight into a subject. According to Parahoo (2006), a focus group discussion is an interaction between one or more researchers and more than one participant for the purpose of collecting data. Holloway (2005) states that in focus group discussion researchers interview participants with common characteristics or experiences for the purpose of eliciting ideas, thoughts and perceptions about a specific topic or certain issues linked to the area of interest. Therefore, in this study the researcher will carry out a focus group discussion with the nurses who deliver PHC, based on findings from previous face to face interviews to elicit discussion on the objectives of the study. 3.4.1.5 Advantages of focus group interviews Focus group discussions have several advantages in obtaining qualitative data. Contrary to face to face interviews, focus group meetings are cheaper, and are quicker in obtaining valuable data (Parahoo, 2006). Bowling (2002) points out that one of the main strengths of focus group meetings is that it makes use of group dynamics which stimulates group discussion to gain insight and generate ideas in order to pursue a topic in greater depth. Parahoo (2006) also points out that participants are provided with an opportunity to reflect and react to the opinion of others with which they may disagree or of which they are unaware. Holloway (2005) also finds focus groups advantageous as they give the opportunity to the participants and researcher to ask questions and informants can build answers on others responses. 3.4.1.5 Disadvantages of focus group interviews Nonetheless, Holloway (2005) also highlights limitations of a focus group as the researcher may find difficulties in managing debate and controlling the process. A disadvantage in focus group discussion may also be due to some participants being introvert while others may dominate the discussion and influence the outcome, or perhaps even introduce bias (Holloway, 2005). Therefore, the researcher must create a good climate to stimulate all informants to participate and keep a balance between participants. Another disadvantage when using a focus group to collect data is the fact that recordings can present problems. Parahoo (2006) stress that taking notes during focus group discussions is not feasible since many people may me talking at the same time. They also point out that tape recordings may only record those that are nearer to the recording making transcription a problem. 3.5 Data Analysis Data analysis is a mechanism for reducing and organising data to produce findings that require interpretation by the researcher (Burns and Grove 2003). Field and Morse (1996) points out that data analysis can be a challenging and creative process characterized by an intimate relationship of the researcher with the participants and the data gathered. 3.5.1 The researchers role in data analysis As researcher reflexivity, bracketing and intuiting were used to lay aside preconceptions regarding the phenomenon being studied and also carried out data analysis simultaneously with data collection. The intellectual process identified by Field and Morse (1996) were followed during data analysis. These comprise of comprehension, synthesising, and theorising. The researcher synthesises the data by putting the pieces together which will enable the researcher to comprehend what is actually going on, then the researcher can prepare a detailed description of the phenomenon under study and give explanations and determine correlation with data gathered (Field and Morse 1996). 3.5.2 Content Analysis Qualitative content analysis is the analysis strategy of choice in qualitative descriptive studies (Sandelowski 2000). Qualitative content analysis is a dynamic form of analysis of verbal and visual data that is oriented towards summarizing the informational content of the data (Polit and Beck 2004). Bowling (2002) explains that with content analysis, the key themes and concepts are identified in the transcripts, and are categorised. Sandelowski (2000) explains that qualitative content analysis is a reflective and interactive process, were the researcher continuously modify their treatment of data to accommodate new data and new insights about the data gathered. Content analysis was carried out for the analysis of data from both face to face interviews and focus group discussion. 3.6 Robustness of Study Critiques of qualitative research may argue that it is impossible to ensure a positivist approach of validity and reliability in qualitative work; however, naturalistic researchers have adopted other measures to ensure rigour and trustworthiness of the qualitative study (Shenton, 2004; Silverman, 2001). In order to pursuit a rigours and trustworthy study, the constructs proposed by Lincoln and Guba (1985), will be followed. These four constructs consist of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. 3.6.1 Establishing Rigor and Trustworthiness A research studies is trustworthy when it reflects the reality and ideas of the participants. Lincoln and Guba, (1985) add that trustworthiness of research depends on the extent to which it delves into participants experiences apart from their theoretical knowledge. In this study trustworthiness was guaranteed by the researcher by putting aside preconceived ideas about the phenomenon under study and returned to the informants to ascertain that the description was a true reflection of their opinions and perceptions. According to Polit and Beck (2004) credibility is similar to internal validity in quantitative research. Adopting a well established research method is one measure that can confirm credibility and ensure internal validity of the study. Bowling (2002) recognises the importance of incorporating correct operational measures for the concepts being studied. Therefore, importance was given so that the most adaptable methodology and methods used were suitable for this study. A thick description of the phenomenon under scrutiny was conveyed in detail so the actual situation that was investigated is understood. Lincoln and Guba (1985), stress the close ties between credibility and dependability, arguing that, in practice, a demonstration of the former goes some distance in ensuring the later. Without this detailed description it will be difficult for the reader of the final account to determine the extent of credibility and dependability. Another measure to ensure credibility is that the researcher shows familiarity with the culture of the participating organisation. Since the researcher works in a similar setting and was previously employed in the department which is being studied, gives the researcher a good understanding of the culture of the participants. However, the researcher must give special attention so that professional judgements are not influenced and must acknowledge this in order to reduce researcher bias. According to Shenton (2004), random sampling is also a great way to guarantee credibility and can help to reduce the researchers bias. However, random sampling in qualitative research may not always be possible. In this study a purposive selection technique was used to give the researcher control in choosing participants with different levels of experience. Even though a purposive selection was carried out, participants had the right to withdraw from the study and they were not required to disclose an explanation. Besides being ethically correct this ensured that participants were genially willing to take part in the study and that they were prepared to offer data freely giving more credibility to the study. Lincoln and Guba (1985) consider member checks, peer scrutiny and debriefing sessions important provisions that can be made to bolster a studys credibility and reliability. The researcher checked data during collection and perform dialogues with participants. Informants were also asked to read transcripts in which they have participated for verification. The researcher carried out debriefing sessions with supervisors and was open to peer scrutiny, in order to help identify the development of new ideas and interpretations which may assist the researcher to refine the research methods and strengthen arguments brought up from data collected. These meetings also helped the researcher recognise any biases. Transferability is related to the external validity of the research project. Since qualitative assignments are specific to a small number of particular environments and individuals, it is practically impossible to demonstrate that findings are applicable to other situations (Shenton, 2004). However, in order to offer transferability of findings the researcher ensured that sufficient contextual information about the phenomenon under investigation was provided to allow readers to have a proper understanding of it. 3.7 Ethical Considerations Research has many ethical implications and participants rights, such as the right to refuse to participate to the study, right to refuse to answer certain questions, the right for confidentiality and the right for informed consent, which should at all time take precedence over research objectives (Parahoo, 2006). Therefore, throughout all the stages of research process, it was ensured that ethical principles were maintained so participants were safe guarded against harm. Participants had the right to choose not to participate and similarly the right to withdraw at any point. In this regard, participants were informed of the study in writing and were asked for their consent to participate to both the face to face interviews and the focus group. The consent letters were distributed to the nursing officer who was instructed to pass these on to the selected nurses. In the consent letter, participants were informed about the confidentiality of their responses and also that some of the responses might be quoted to add value to the presentation of results and discussion in the study. However, they were also ensured that measures were taken so that no individual respondent was identified. After completion of the study all data collected and recordings of interviews and the focus groups will be destroyed. Gathering of all relevant permission from the hospital authorities, Data Protection Officer and University Research Ethics Committee of the University of Malta to carry out this research study were sought. (Appendix)

Research :: essays research papers

Research Skills Activity 1. Diversity Issues in workplace teams. A group of regional human resource professionals continually has made workplace diversity an ongoing educational item for its members. "Diversity in many aspects came about through attempts to address race and gender," said Scott Holsman, chapter president of the Human Resources Association of Mid-Missouri. "But they're also finding out there's more to diversity than those two issues. There's a rise of understanding on how teams work together, and I think we're moving toward more a substantial look at the role diversity plays." (Friedman, 2002, p.1) As part of a yearly look at diversity issues in the workplace, members of Holsman’s group attended a half-day conference early last week. Plummer spoke about diversity issues to about 60 of the group’s members. Diversity â€Å"is a topic because it’s a reality today,† said Holsman, who works for Express Personnel Services in Mid-Missouri. â€Å"The leading companies really understand that diversity is many things, and it’s not just a gender and racial thing. A team is made up of different talents, and the challenge is to optimize those talents to get the most benefit for an organization.† (Friedman, 2002, p.1) 2. Case Studies in Object Oriented Programming Pi is n debugger written in C+ +. This paper explains how object-oriented Programming in C+ + has influenced Pi's evolution. The motivation for Object Oriented programming was to experiment with a browser-like graphical user interface. The first unforeseen benefit was in the symbol table: lazy construction of an abstract syntax-based tree gave a clean interface to the remainder of Pi, with an efficient and robust implementation. Next, though not in the original design, Pi was easily modified to control multiple processes simultaneously. Finally, Pi was extended to control processes executing across multiple heterogeneous target processors. (Cargill, 1986, p.350) The subject of this paper is the impact of object-oriented programming on the structure and capabilities of a complicated piece of software - a debugger called Pi. The paper begins with observations about debugging in general and a description of Pi, to motivate the introduction of object-oriented programming. When the design of Pi began, object-oriented programming was chosen as a means of achieving a style of user interface. But the application of object-oriented techniques throughout had unforeseen benefits with respect to symbol table structure, multi-process debugging and target environment independence. (Cargill, 1986, p.350) 3. Current Political Trends in Singapore. Though being politically stable and popular, the government of Singapore has not been leading without dissentient voices.

Do People Have the Right to Die? Essay -- Euthanasia, Physician Assist

Living life at age twenty-eight is an amazing adventure. People are at their prime – being active and living life to the fullest. However, for Nancy Cruzan, a terrible car accident took that all away. One night, driving on a quiet road in Missouri, Nancy’s car rolled off the road and into a ditch. For twenty minutes she lay there alone and lifeless. Then, a paramedic car drove by and saw the car in distress. They pulled Nancy out, and miraculously revived her back to life. However, she had damaged her cerebral cortex, the vital end of the brain that gives humans all motor functions, senses, and communication. Nancy was left in what is called a persistent vegetative state (PVS), which â€Å"is a legal term defined in 765.101 (12) Florida statutes as: ‘a permanent and irreversible condition of unconsciousness in which there is – a) the absence of voluntary action or cognitive behavior of any kind; and b) an inability to communicate or interact purpos efully with the environment.† (Snow 3). Many people refer to this state as being a â€Å"vegetable.† After contemplating the situation for a long while, Nancy’s family decided that it would be best to remove the feeding tube that was forcibly keeping her alive. However, Nancy had no living will or health care power of attorney which was needed by law to remove the tube. Does her family have the right to make the decision to end her life, when she cannot make that decision herself? Who does have that right? Do people have the right to die? This incident started many people thinking about what they believe about the issue of the right to die and physician assisted suicide. The story of Nancy Cruzan is only single scenario out of many that people have to decide where they... ...ec. 24 November 1998. Video. Right to Die. Public Broadcasting System, Oregon. Newman, Ed. â€Å"Part Five: Making The Final Choice: Should Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legalized.† The Truth Seeker 121.5 (1992). 15 October 2005 http://www.cp.duluth.mn.us/~ennyman/DAS-5.html> Newman, Ed. â€Å"Part Three: Local Perspectives on the Right to Die Debate.† Detroit Free Press FREEP 15 October 2002 http://www.cp.duluth.mn.us/~ennyman/DAS-3.html> Paris, John. â€Å"Hugh Finn’s Right to Die.† America (1998). 15 October 2005 http://www.americapress.org/articles/ParisFinn.htm> Snow, Constance. â€Å"The Right to Die?† Tampa Bay New Times May/June (2000). 23 October 2005 http://www.altnewtimes.com/e03csn.html> â€Å"The Perspectives in Brief.† Public Agenda Online (2002). 13 October 2002 http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/debate_brief.CFM?issue_type=right2die>

The Alli Weight Loss Advertisement

Alli Weight Loss Plan Advertisement The â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement in the January 18th 2010 issue of People magazine is effective because of the informational packed two-page spread, the vibrant multicolored picture, and the way the bold banner intertwines with the emotion in the picture. The â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement is effective because of the informational packed two paged spread. The first page has six separate informative blocks, with breaks in between the different blocks, to give the reader a chance to interpret the information. The second page is completely covered in a vibrant colorful picture. Consequently, Attention is drawn to reading the six separate topics and viewing the colorful picture. The â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement contains six informational blocks, each with different brilliant colored titles. Topics the advertisement covers consist of educational information, nutritional information, and governmental information. The first block written in red is titled, â€Å"you and food. The first block covers the relationship between the reader and food, whether or not that relationship is healthy. The first block also entices the reader and relates to the potential consumer, identifying the problem and offering them a solution. The second block is titled, â€Å"real hunger†, in green and describes symptoms of real hunger. Examples from the second block are: real hunger â€Å"grows gradually†, real hunger is when â€Å"you’ll eat anything†, and real hunger is when â€Å"you feel good after eating. The third block is titled â€Å"emotional hunger†, and is colored blue. The third block describes signs of emotional hunger; one example is: emotional hunger is when â€Å"you feel guilty after eating. † The fourth block is titled â€Å"you can eat healthier for life†, and is colored red. The fourth block explains that the Alli Weight Loss Plan can help learn the healthy way to eat and to lose weight. The fifth block is titled â€Å"you can lose weight without losing your love for food†, and is colored green. The fifth block describes how Alli Weight Loss Plan works to boost weight loss. The advertisement emphasizes that consumers taking Alli can still enjoy their favorite foods just in smaller portions. The final block is colored in yellow and is titled â€Å"you can lose weight easier with support. † The sixth block explains how Alli Weight Loss Plan users will be able to have personalized weight plans made for them on myali. com. There is also a small sub topic that states Alli is FDA- approved, which assures readers that the Alli Weight Loss Plan is safe and legitimate. All six blocks provide readers with plentiful amounts of educational, nutritional, and governmental information about the Alli Weight Loss Plan that helps readers decide if the product is for them. The second page of the Alli Weight Loss Plan advertisement is a vividly bright picture of a late twenties to early thirties brunette woman grocery shopping. The young lady has her head thrown way back and has a confident smile on her face. The young lady is pushing a grocery cart bursting at the seams with healthy foods, such as huge succulent pineapple. The background is blurred on the intense, colorful picture, but can still be interpreted as a grocery isle of a grocery store. The second page of the â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement has an excellent picture, which gives the reader an insight of what the advertisement is about. The bold colorful banner intertwines with the emotion of the vibrant colorful picture. The banner is titled â€Å"eat healthier, live happier. † The vibrant picture shows the exact emotion of the banner. The young lady is extremely happy; she has her head thrown back and has a gigantic smile. The young lady is obviously eating healthy. The writers of the â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement intertwine the emotion of the picture with the words of the banner, â€Å"eat healthier, live happier. † The â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† Advertisement is directed towards the younger generation of women. Contemporary women are concerned about their appearance and weight. Most young women will do anything to lose weight. The â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement features a late twenties to mid thirties young lady, who is very satisfied with her appearance. Most readers of People magazine are young women, which is why the â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement appeals to them so much. Readers want to be as happy as the young lady in the â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement. Potential customers will be drawn to read the advertisement thoroughly. In conclusion the â€Å"Alli Weight Loss Plan† advertisement is very effective because of the informational packed two-page layout, the vibrant colorful picture, and the way the writers of the advertisement intertwined the picture with the emotion of the banner.

Drunk Driving Essay

Don’t you want to make sure your life is as safe as possible without the convicted reckless driving criminals on the road? People convicted of drunk driving should be imprisoned on the first offense to ensure this safety of others. These people are a danger to our society, and drunk drivers need to be stopped. Imprisoning the intoxicated driver on the first offense would lower the deaths and injuries of the innocent people who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Drunk Driving is called DWI or DUI, â€Å"Driving While Intoxicated† or â€Å"Driving under the Influence†. The crime of drunk driving is usually a misdemeanor, but depending on the number of prior drunk driving convictions someone may have, it can also be a felony. Drinking and then driving have resulted in thousands of road accidents, injuries and deaths. A mandatory jail sentence for convicted offenders would cause people to seriously consider the bottom line of drinking and driving. T aking a serious civil approach to the offense would cause friends and family to view drinking and driving as completely offensive. It would add a risk of job loss, public humiliation and jail time to the risks of injury, and death. It is well known that drinking affects an individual’s way of thinking and doing things. When drunk, it is almost impossible to conduct duties in a normal way compared to when one is not drunk. Evidence shows that a number of road accidents are caused by careless drivers who drive when drunk. Although the cause of the accident may not be the fault of the drunk driver, the situation worsens because the drunk driver does not manage to control the motion of the vehicle (Walters, 2009). To ensure that the society lives in an environment that is healthy towards accidents, drunk drivers should go to prison when found guilty (Rebik, 2010). People who drive intoxicated most likely have done it before and will do it again. Out of the 900,000 people arrested each year that are convicted of a DUI, one third of them were repeated offenders (Fell, 2004). An average of people who drink and drive have done it eighty times before their first arrest, and some even more (â€Å"Morbidity and Mortality†). Since one arrest occurs in every 772 drunk driving incidents, many think they a re just lucky because they haven’t gotten caught yet (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2002). Even though drunk drivers might not get caught by the law, they’ll most likely suffer injury or death by making the bad decision of drinking  and driving because one in three people will be in a crash caused by a drunk driver in their lifetime (NTSA, 2001). If they were imprisoned on their first offense, there would be no recurring offenders around to make the same mistake over and over again. It would deter many from drunk driving and discourage many from committing this crime. Imprisoning them would also remove them from the streets so they are doing the same thing and hurting others. Drunk drivers are most likely to commit the crime again, so they deserve to be imprisoned on their first offense to ensure the protection and save lives of others, especially children’s. Most kids don’t have the choice to not ride with the driver because it is usually an adult or parent driving. That’s unfair to put the kid’s lives in danger. Many children are affe cted by people drinking and driving. Seventeen percent of traffic deaths with children involved an alcohol impaired driver and 61% of those children were riding with them (Macgregor & Collins, 2011). Nobody should have to go through the pain of losing a child, especially under the circumstances of a drunk driving accident. The convicted drunk drivers being put away would relieve parents so they wouldn’t have to worry as much about drunk drivers adding a risk to their kid’s lives. The death and injury rate would also decrease dramatically and save lives of many innocent children who have been put in that terrible situation. Drunk driving is a direct result of bad decisions and not an â€Å"accident.† It is completely preventable. If the punishment was harsher than just having a license suspension and treatment classes, more people would think more about what they are actually doing. Drunk drivers being imprisoned would have to live with the humiliation and disappointment for being in jail because of making a careless mistake. People would feel worse and think twice because driving drunk makes them a criminal. They would then realize there would be more at stake since drunk driving is a crime and is the most frequently committed offense in America (â€Å"The High Cost†, 2012). Drunk drivers being imprisoned on their first offense would reduce the amount of injury, death, and damage to others. If people were imprisoned on their first drunk driving offense, it would make people more hesitant about making that careless decision. Evidence suggests that most road accidents are caused by drunk drivers who lose control when driving. Drivers who cause accidents regret on the actions and plead that they will not repeat their actions. In the first place, drivers know that  driving while drunk is offense and may cause an accident. This is a clear indication that they willingly break the law already knowing the consequence they may get. (Richardson & Thompson, 2008). To ensure that the society lives in an environment that is healthy towards accidents, drunk drivers should go to prison when found guilty, (Rebik, 2010). It might look injustice to imprison a driver when caught in the first time, but the reality is that imprisonment helps drivers reform. This reduces the occurrence of accidents that kill innocent people. There should be no mercy when charging criminals simply because they commit their offense in an ignorance manner (Richardson & Thompson, 2008). Protecting law is an important thing that most people ignore but find themselves in a fixed when law is against them. Unless drivers are imprisoned for the offense they commit, cases of accidents caused by drunk drivers won’t reduce. It is clear that they will increase causing more deaths and destruction of properties (Walters, 2009). Driving when drunk is dangerous to human life as well as the environment at large. Drivers who may drive drunk, argue that they have the right to drink and or consume alcohol. Although each and every person has the freedom to do what he wants, it should also be considered that the actions should not violate rights of other people or be harmful to anyone and anything around you. No one is prohibited drinking provided he, or she has turned the age of 21. Law prohibits driving when drunk because it may cause an accident killing people who are innocent. To avoid situations like this, it is advisable to imprison drivers who drive under the influence. Some may argue that they have control of their drinking habits, but to some point alcohol affects the response of the human body. It affects the control ability that is important when driving thus drunk drivers may lose their control and cause accidents (Durkin et al., (2008). It is argued that humans are to error and that they are subjected to mistakes. If the argument is based on that, drivers argue that imprisonment should not be done when the offense is made on the first situation. They say that forgiveness should work and warning given to those who commit offense in their first situation. Supporters of drinking and driving argue that they know their drinking habits and have drinking limits. This is not a justification as to why drivers should drink and drive. It should be remembered th at when a driver starts driving, he should take care of the lives he carries by ways of  driving in a careful manner (Richardson & Thompson, 2008). All people have equal opportunity when it comes to life and drunk drivers should not ruin that for anyone. Drunk driving is completely preventable if you imprison first offenders to catch other people’s attention. Imprisonment is the best form of prevention and rehabilitation for any sort of act involving drinking and driving; it’d make people realize their mistakes. Imprisoning people on the first offense for drunk driving would ensure the safety of others and to save the lives of many people because in most cases, drunk drivers are predicted to drive drunk again. Citations Drunk Driving Statistics. (2008). Retrieved from, http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics.html, on October 30, 2012 Durkin, Keith F.; Wolfe, Scott E.; May, Ross W. (2008). Social Bond Theory and Drunk Driving in a Sample of College Students. College Student Journal, Vol. 41, No. 3.Lankford, Ronnie. â€Å"Eliminating Drunk Driving Creates Repressive Laws.† Opposing Viewpoints Research Center. (2007)Gale. Gateway Community College Lib. Retrieved from, http://findgalegroup.com/ovrc, on October 30, 2012 Rebik, D. (2010). Drunk Drivers Who Kill Could Face Longer Jail Sentences. Retrieved from, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/kcpq-092810-duilaws,0,5507117.story, on October 30, 2012 Richardson, K., Thompson, K. M. (2008). Drinking and Driving. Journal of College Student Development Volume 49, Number 5, pp. 497-508 10. Doi:353/csd.0.0034 Traffic safety facts. In (2009). (p. 6). DC: US Department of Transpotation. Retrieved from, http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811385 .pdf, on October 30, 2012 Walters, S. (2009). First drunken driving offense shouldn’t be crime, says Van Hollen. (p. 1). Wisconsin: Journal Sentinel Inc. Retrieved from, http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/37748539.html, on October 30, 2012