College is an Opportunity free essay sample

School is an open door not exclusively to extend my comprehension of recognizable thoughts, yet additionally to pick up information and involvement with zones less natural. A balanced way to deal with instruction accommodates various potential vocation ways and gives me the devices to move toward various thoughts and ideas receptively. I have for a long while been itching to work in the field of science. I feel there is so much that still can't seem to be found, thus far that it very well may be taken. The chances to make a commitment, to accomplish something great in this world and to help individuals are for all intents and purposes boundless. Eventually, I might want to go into optometry; I realize that such a calling will permit me to consolidate all perspectives that I search for while thinking about a profession and instructive way. Optometry will permit me to accomplish something significant in the public arena, something that helps others, and I realize that helping other people will prompt a sentiment of satisfaction inside myself also. We will compose a custom exposition test on School is an Opportunity or then again any comparable subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page It is additionally the ideal opportunity to turn out to be increasingly included what I accept to be the best learning strategy: applied science. Hands-on science classes permit understudies to really see a name in a manner of speaking, which I accept is significant. It is my expectation that the University of Puget Sound will offer precisely what I need. While Optometry is an objective of mine now, I likewise accept that it would be practically gullible to secure myself in just a single choice with as hardly any encounters as I have had at age seventeen. A youth in Mayberry-like Moscow, Idaho, while accommodating a sheltered and strong condition, likewise came up short on the decent variety of thoughts and encounters that I realize a school like Puget Sound brings to the table. I am most sure that an instruction at Puget Sound will furnish me with the essential difficulties and chances to help me into the vocation I had always wanted.

Character Analysis of Mrs. Wright in “Trifles,” by Susan Glaspell Essay

Mrs. Wright is a character not present at the scene, yet for me, represented an incredible significance in the entire story. In the Story, Mrs. Wright was the spouse of the killed John Wright. She was the essential suspect, since she was the main individual with the Mr. Wright when he was killed, at his case, choked to death. Mrs. Wright, as told by Mr. Robust, was the individual he discovered when he came in searching for John Wright. It was additionally Mrs. Wright who revealed to him that John was dead, choked to death while she was dozing close to him. She indicated no statement of despondency or stun when she was advising this to him, and even dealt with a giggle when she was asked where John was. She was captured at long last, and that was the point at which the scene in the story began. There are a few components to consider while dissecting the character of Mrs. Wright. There are a greater number of things than what meets the eye, which is the reason it is important to investigate the things she was with and the things she was doing in the story. So as to do this, there was a need to present two characters that investigate Mrs. Wright’s character. These characters were Mrs. Sound and Mrs. Subsides. All through the story, it was through these two that the perusers had the option to get Mrs. Wrights character progressively, despite the fact that she wasn’t present in the scene. One of the principal components that could be related with Mrs. Wright’s character was the rocker she was perched on, when Mr. Sound showed up and was searching for John Wright. The rocker speaks to Mrs. Wrights feeling around then, wherein she was by all accounts settled, yet kept on shaking in the tranquility of everything around her. At the point when she was addressed by the individuals who came into her home, she appeared to be sure with what she is stating. She was quiet when she addressed that John wasn’t around, and even dealt with a snicker when she said that John was dead. She was quiet in within, yet somewhere inside her, she was upset, somewhat, aloof of her current circumstance. Another component that serves helpful for the composition of Mrs. Wright’s character was when Mrs. Subsides recollects the youthful Mrs. Wright, where she used to be an ensemble part and wore pretty dresses. Also, that everything halted when she turned into the spouse of John Wright. This clarification has opened an entryway for the crowd to consider the existence Mrs. Wright is living. Is it accurate to say that she is upbeat being the spouse of the killed John Wright? Or then again does his passing free her or some likeness thereof from the misery that she was feeling when she was with him. The skirt that Mrs. Diminishes and Mrs. Robust accumulated for Mrs. Wright likewise gave a comprehension of her past, wherein she wore pretty garments and looked pretty herself, and that it appears as though she was being denied of the upbeat and wonderful things in life when she was with her better half. Another work of Mrs. Wright’s character was appeared by the chaos in her home, of the incomplete undertakings she appear to have begun at this point have discovered no opportunity to wrap up. Mrs. Subsides and Mrs. Solidness had indicated the crowd a superior comprehension of what it wants to be a housewife, how one would feel awkward with things left incomplete. This indicated there is certainly something incorrectly going on with the life of Mrs. Wright, something that could truly be helpful in fathoming the instance of the killed Mr. Wright. The two are persuaded that Mrs. Wright has no issues at all with being a housewife, since she has begun doing things that an average housewife would do. Retouch garments, cook, accomplish kitchen work. But since of an undisclosed explanation, she wasn’t consistently ready to complete those assignments. Furthermore, that made the two women dubious of the case. The defining moment of the composition of Mrs. Wright’s character was the point at which the two women saw the birdcage with no feathered creature. They were to some degree inquisitive why the enclosure had no winged creature in it, since it would bode well that a fledgling is an ideal ally for a housewife like Mrs. Wright. At the point when they firmly inspected the confine, they found that it has a messed up confine entryway; something that made their doubt became bigger. On the off chance that you cautiously break down what they had the option to find, the wrecked entryway wouldn’t bode well if there was no flying creature there. The wrecked entryway is an appearance of power being utilized to pry opens the confine, who did it, was as yet obscure. The circumstance that finished their doubt was the point at which they got some answers concerning a dead fowl enclosed by material that has its head and neck disfigured on the grounds that it was hung. This was likewise the missing piece that unraveled the riddle of Mrs. Wright’s character. They discovered that Mrs. Wright truly had a thought process to murder her significant other. Mrs. Wright was an individual denied of joy at whatever point she was with her significant other. Her lighthearted youthful days finished when she wedded John Wright. She quit singing, she quit wearing wonderful garments, and in the long run lost all expectations throughout her life. The feathered creature spoke to her residual rational soundness, her outstanding expectation in her life. Be that as it may, when it was detracted from her, she likewise snapped. At the point when the feathered creature quit singing, Mr. John Wright likewise quit living. Reference: Glaspell, Susan. â€Å"Trifles†. 1916. July 15 2007. <http://www. vcu. edu/engweb/eng384/trifles. htm>.

Found Yourself On The ChexSystems Blacklist Heres What You Can Do

Found Yourself On The ChexSystems Blacklist Heres What You Can Do Found Yourself On The ChexSystems Blacklist? Heres What You Can Do Found Yourself On The ChexSystems Blacklist? Heres What You Can DoA poor score from ChexSystems will affect your ability to open up a checking account. Here are some steps you can take to fix your score, plus a helpful alternative to traditional checking.People with bad credit get turned away from banks when they apply for a personal loan, but a poor credit score doesn’t mean they can’t open a checking account. For people who get scored poorly by Chexsystems, however, that is precisely the fate that awaits them.If you’re one of these folks, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and raise your Chexsystems score and other options you can pursue if you still can’t open a traditional bank account. Sit back, take a deep breath, and learn what you need to know. What is ChexSystems?First things first: Who are these guys? Well, they’re a national consumer reporting agency that most banks rely on for information. Just like the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax) that track your use of credit, Chexsystems tracks how you use your bank accounts. If you have a history of bouncing checks and/or over drafting your accounts, that’s something banks want to know.Credit bureaus maintain your credit reports. They contain the info used to create your FICO score, which is scored on a scale from 300 to 850. Chexsystems does something similar. They maintain Consumer Disclosure reports that track your overdrafts, bounced checks, unpaid fees, credit freezes, and more.They also turn that info into a score, but this one is on a scale from 100 to 899. The higher your ChexSystems Consumer Score, the betterâ€"just like with your FICO score. If your score from ChexSystems is poor, most banks will deny your application for a checking account. In their eyes, you simply pose too great a risk!What does it mean to be on the ChexSystems blacklist?So the term “blacklist” is a little misleading, even though it’s how most people commonly refer to this phenomenon. It’s not as though ChexSystems has a giant list of names tucked away in a safe somewhere that banks consult when they have an application. The truth is a lot more informal than that.To be “blacklisted” by ChexSystems effectively means that you have a very poor ChexSystems score. Due to a history of overdrafts, bounced checks, etc., your score is low enough that any bank considering you for a standard checking account will deny you based on your risk profile.Lacking a bank account will negatively impact your finances in many ways. You might have to carry cash around with you everywhere (which can be dangerous) and resort to check-cashing stores in order to access your money at all. Prepaid debit cards arent much better either; they usually come with a whole host of expensive fees.Even many bad credit loans will be out of reach, as many of these lenders still require their customers to have a checking account before theyll lend to them. The only loans youll b e able to get will be certain types of no credit check loans like cash advances, payday loans, and title loans.The good news is that, unlike real blacklists, your status is hardly permanent. ChexSystems keeps information for five years, after which it drops off your report. So five years of good banking behavior will ensure that damaging information disappears from your Consumer Disclosure report. Once that happens, your score will rebound!If you’ve been blacklisted, here’s what you should do.Five years is a long time to wait just to get a regular checking account. In the meantime, there are actions you can take that might improve your score, possibly pushing it over the threshold that you need in order to open an account. Here are some steps you should take if you’ve been blacklisted by ChexSystems:Request your Consumer Disclosure report: Just like the three major credit bureaus, ChexSystems is required to provide you with one free copy of your report every 12 months. All you have to do is ask! You can contact Chexsystems by phone at (800) 428-9623 or you can request a copy on their website. Once you have your report in hand, you can review it to learn exactly why your score is so low.Pay off any outstanding debts or fees: When assessing a consumer’s trustworthiness, unpaid debts (especially when they come from fees) is a huge red flag. While you’ll still get dinged for having these debts accumulate, paying them off will help. Try to pay them in full. If you can’t, try negotiating with your creditor to settle for a portion of your debt. Since businesses prefer getting something over nothing, they’re usually somewhat flexible. Once you’ve paid off the debt, ask your creditor to update your information with ChexSystems or to provide you with documentation so you can send it Chexsystems yourself.Dispute any errors you find: This holds true for both your ChexSystems score and your FICO score. You have enough to deal with from your own mistakes wit hout having to also deal with someone else’s. Incorrect information on your Consumer Disclosure report should be disputed pronto. First, gather documentation that supports your case. Next, go to the Dispute section of the ChexSystems website. You can submit your dispute online, by fax, through the mail, or over the phone. ChexSystems will then investigate and resolve your claim within 30 days. You can also dispute the information directly with your creditor and ask that they update ChexSystems themselves or provide you with corrected documentation.Taking the steps listed above might not be enough to get you off the blacklist. Still, it doesn’t hurt to make sure that all the information on your report is correct, that all your debts have been paid, and that you fully understand why your score is so low in the first place.Apply for a “second chance” checking account.Like we mentioned earlier, five years is a long time to wait before opening a checking account. In the meantime, it’s probably a good idea that you open up a “second chance” banking account, which are designed for people in your exact situation. Many banks offer these accounts, and you’d do well to check out your local credit union as well.Because of the added risk that you present as a customer, second chance checking accounts usually carry monthly fees in order for you to use them. Additionally, they might come with some extra strings attached, like requiring direct deposit or a minimum balance. And some have fewer perks like online bill pay or debit cards.Here’s the good news: Second chance checking accounts usually come with a graduation process whereby you can work your way up to a standard checking account. All you need to do is handle the account responsibly for a year or twoalthough the exact terms and conditions will vary from institution to institution.Second chance checking accounts are far from perfect. But they sure as heck beat stuffing money in your mattress or puttin g it on a prepaid debit card. Just remember that no matter what banking option you choose, there’s only  one surefire way to rebuild your banking history and get your ChexSystems score back up to snuff. You need to be responsible with your money.To learn more about credit scoring, check out these related posts and articles from OppLoans:How are Soft Credit Checks Different From Hard Checks?It’s True: Bad Credit Can Mean Paying More for Car InsuranceCan You Have Bad Credit Even With a Good Income?How Long Do Black Marks Stay On Your Credit Report?What else do you want to know about living with bad credit? We want to hear from you! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.

Spectrum Definition in Chemistry

A spectrum is defined as the characteristic wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation (or a portion thereof) that is emitted or absorbed by an object or substance, atom, or molecule. Plural: Spectra Example Examples of a spectrum include the rainbow, the emission colors from the Sun, and the infrared absorption wavelengths from a molecule.

Comparison and contrast of Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley

Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilizations have long been compared throughout history and were both some of the earliest civilizations in the world. Mesopotamia, also known as, the land between the rivers, was named for the triangular area between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. This area has been extended and now covers modern day Iraq, adding ancient Assyria and Babylonia to that land. The Indus civilization is often referred to as the Harappan civilization from the first city discovered called Harappa. The Indus civilization existed in the vast river plains of what are now Pakistan and northwestern India between the Indus and Ganges rivers from about 2800 BC to 1800 BC. Though these two territories had many things in common†¦show more content†¦You stay into the class you were born into. This ties in with the religious belief of reincarnation and that you must lead a good life in order to have good Karma and be born into a better caste. Each class lived a differe nt lifestyle. They had certain occupations that other classes dont follow, they ate different types of food, they had different family customs, and so forth. The Brahmin were the judges and priests who held important positions in government and had the most wealth and power. In Mesopotamia the ruling powers were both divine and royal. The Sumerians had a belief that people were created by gods to labor for them. The temple and its land belonged to the god Ningirsu and his wife Baba, and their family. The land owning upper classes included ruling princes and their families, leading priests, and palace officials. The political function was not separated from the religious function for much of Mesopotamias history. In old Babylonian times a town or a precinct mayor led a group or council of elders. Nobility formed the upper house of elders, and also land-owning commoners met in a popular assembly to make important decisions. Together they managed dealings such as appointing governors, and choosing kings to be temporary military commanders in times of crisis. Eventually there was a separation of the kings from the temple, and the soldiers were kept in the kings palace. The king with his increasingShow MoreRelatedMesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus Valley Essay813 Words   |  4 Pagesfascinating developments, the most prominent being the first civilizations, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. They had many similarities, such as characteristics of early civilizations and social structures, but they also had their differences. The most embossed differences included the divergent geography, prior belief, trade, relations with other civilizations, and politics. The earliest societies, such as Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt exhibiting indicator traits of civilization developed alongRead Morecompare and contrast 11262 Words   |  6 Pages (45 points) Score 1. Compare and contrast key characteristics of two early civilizations (choose from Mesopotamian, Shang, Indus Valley, Chavin, and Phoenician) in terms of three of the following: economy, political system, art and architecture, religion, technology, legacy. Answer: Of the worlds first civilizations, all successful and renowned were located on or near a river. The Mesopotamian and Chavà ­n civilizations were no exception to this. Mesopotamia originated in modern-day Iraq in 8000Read MoreArgumentative Essay on Telivision Is the Leading Cause of Violence in Todays Society9353 Words   |  38 Pages(Kot Diji Phase, Nausharo I, Mehrgarh VII) 2600-1900 Mature Harappan (Indus Valley Civilization) Integration Era 2600-2450 Harappan 3A (Nausharo II) 2450-2200 Harappan 3B 2200-1900 Harappan 3C 1900-1300 Late Harappan (Cemetery H); Ochre Coloured Pottery Localisation Era 1900-1700 Harappan 4 1700-1300 Harappan 5 1300-300 Painted Gray Ware, Northern Black Polished Ware (Iron Age) Indo-Gangetic TraditionThe Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) was a Bronze Age civilization (3300–1300 BCE; matureRead MoreAlexander the Great Essay13163 Words   |  53 PagesParents Prince Regent Alexander and Philip Philips Reign Alexander becomes the King Alexanders European Campaigns Invasion of Persia The Battle of Granicus Asia Minor and the Battle of Issus Conquestof the Phoenicia AlexanderinEgypt Alexanderin Mesopotamia The Battle of Arbella Campaign eastward, to Central Asia Alexanders Death Hellenistic Era Epilogue Introduction. Alexandros III Philippou Makedonon (Alexander the Great, Alexander III of Macedon) (356-323 B.C.), King of Macedonia, was born inRead MoreWorld History AP8768 Words   |  36 Pageswhile lower-level officials were drawn from local authorities. This system was monitored by imperial spies. †¢ Persia’s rule of its many conquered peoples was strengthened by a policy of respect for the empire’s non-Persian cultural traditions. †¢ In contrast, Greek political organization was based on hundreds of independent city-states or small settlements of between 500 and 5,000 male citizens. †¢ The Greeks did not build an empire but did expand through the establishment of colonies around the MediterraneanRead MoreAgriculture and Technology6502 Words   |  27 PagesSimilarly, worldwide average wheat yields have increased from less than 1 t/ha in 1900 to more than 2.5 t/ha in 1990. South American average wheat yields are around 2 t/ha, African under 1 t/ha, Egypt and Arabia up to 3.5 to 4 t/ha with irrigation. In contrast, the average wheat yield in countries such as France is over 8 t/ha. Genetic engineering Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are organisms whose genetic material has been altered by genetic engineering techniques generally known as recombinant

Compare and Contrast Essay Art Free Essays

Work #1 Mona Lisa Leonardo de Vinci, i503-i507 Oil on poplar, (77 x 55cm, 30 x 21in) Muste de Louve, Paris Work # 2 Flowers of Edo: Young Woman’s narrative Chanting to the Shamison Kitagowa Utamoro, Mid 17903 Color wood block print (15 1/8 x 10/38. 5 x 25. 5 cm) Spencer Museums Art The University of Kansas I am not a professional art critic, I just like beautiful paintings. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast Essay Art or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is very fascinating to me the talent that some are born with. Dilect changes with time but a painting or message or imaginary stays the same. I chose two very important paintings both are portraits of woman. They were created during different time periods. Comparing the two work one (Mona Lisa) is very detailed, while work two (Flowers of Edo: Young woman’s narrative chanting to the shamisen) is more sketched. I am left wondering if work two was a real person or drawing that was later painted. Mona Lisa or La Giocanda (Lajaconde) is the 16th century, oil paintings on polar wood by Leonardo Da Vinci, and is one of the world’s most famous paintings. Few works of art have been subjected to as much scrutiny, study, mythologizing and parody. It is owned by the French government and hangs in the Musee da Louvre in Paris. The painting, a half-length portrait, depicts a woman whose gaze meets the viewers with an expression often described as enigmatic. The title Mona Lisa stems from the Giorgio Vasari biography of Leonard De Vinci published 31 yrs after Leonard’s death. In it he identified the sitter as Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a wealthy businessman; Mona was a common name from the title Madonna, meaning my lady, the English version of Madam. The alternative title is the Italian version which means light-hearted was derived because of her smile. The â€Å"Flowers of Edo† was a series of creations by artist kawakawa Utamoro, who was a Japanese print maker and painter, and he is considered one of the greatest artists of wood block prints. He is especially known for his masterfully composed studies of women. His sensuous female beauties are generally considered the finest and most evocative. He also produced nature studies particularly illustrated books of insects. Kitagawa work reached Europe in the middle of the 19th century, where his works were very popular; enjoying particular fame in France. He influenced the European impressionist, particularly with his use of partial views, with an emphasis or light and shade. Sources The Mona Lisa Exposed Http://www. hepgura. com/mona Lisa, an ad supported tufts University student website dedicated to the Mona Lisa. Shrug asana, Timothy Clark, The passionate art of Kitagowa Utamaro British Museum Press, London, 1995 How to cite Compare and Contrast Essay Art, Essay examples

Data Security Considerations in Healthcare Interoperability free essay sample

Moving to the cloud brings numerous advantages to the hospital in different ways. However, health records are sensitive data there for data security is a challenge for the healthcare industry. These health records are more valuable communication tools which support clinical decision-making.We have concern patients’ privacy as well as the confidentiality of the health records. In this digitalize world devices like tablets, smartphones and varies of web-enabled uses in our daily life which are kept on expanding also impacts to our daily life routine. If the hospital needs to implement new technology, then they have to consider health data are safer and accessible in order to treat patients.Storing health data on the cloud become a trend in the modern world because cloud-based storage providers have highly secured infrastructure and they are liable for the protection of the data.Cost Management: According to this hospital facility and it’s scale they have to involve for more on data security, storage, disaster recovery and etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Data Security Considerations in Healthcare Interoperability or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It will be a large investment for the hospital and the maintenance cost will be very high. But If they get service from cloud-storage expert providers they can save a large amount of money. They can get the service by paying a service charge.Security: Reputed cloud services providers have highly secured sufficient infrastructure to store data in the cloud. We can encrypt our data before uploading as it is a good idea enough to be on the safe side. To make sure that our data remains safe from hackers, we can write a small script that reads the file in binary and encrypts it with a secret key that only we know. When we wish to download it back, we will have to use the same key to decrypt it. There will be an agreement which tells the cloud providers’ liability of data privacy and security and if something went wrong on cloud providers side they are liable to claim for the organization(Hospital).Flexible with varies of features: Hospital can discuss with the cloud-provider for further improvement of varies of features and facilities that would be helpful for further improvement of cloud services.Disaster Recovery: There will be no huge risk at all with the cloud storage, business continuity is more important to the healthcare sector. Cloud collaboration and information-sharing between providers and patients are essential for timel y diagnosis and quality of care. Real Time and Remote Access: Doctors will be able to share files in real-time as well as remotely to consult with other specialists and their colleagues with zero compromises on patient privacy by using a secure cloud-based file sharing. This enables healthcare providers to improve their response times through efficient and safe collaboration.

Concepts of Gay Marriage

Introduction In normal social scenario, many people consider marriage to be an institution comprising of a husband and wife living together for reasons to do with, continuing a generation, under social and legal freedom. Normally, marriage takes place between males and females. Gay marriage is an institution of marriage where people of the same sex cohabit together. Depending on one’s background either by religion of culture; many people still consider gay marriage to be a norm.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concepts of Gay Marriage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, still other people consider it one of the perfect forms of marriage of course with supportive evidences. The truth of the matter is that, two sides with opposing views are now in a debate. Some people have gone even to law courts to seek justice over the matter while in different countries, parliaments continue to debate and draft policy papers whether to legalize or illegalize gay marriage. Gay marriage is now a worldwide debate. Interestingly, gay marriage is legal and bound by human rights under written law. (Craig, Clyde, pp. 233-235). The social, political and religious factions argue differently whether adoption of same sex marriage has any importance to the society. While Christians will argue strongly against gay marriage, civil rights factions think that, denying people of the same biological sex marriage rights is an infringement of their human rights. From media coverage to hot discussions, it is evident gay marriage is a highly contentious issue. The cause of disagreement lies whether persons should refer same sex marriage as ‘marriage’ simply because; many people understand marriage to be an institution of two people of different social genders. In addition to this, the issue of whether to award gay persons civil rights does not ogre well, especially to people who believe in di fferent-sex marriages. Those who vehemently reject gay marriage do not even want to refer to it as marriage. Moreover, they oppose the legal and social environments accorded to gay persons. Furthermore, there are so many advantages associated with gay marriage. First, traditional beliefs do not warrant people of the same sex to enter into marriage rest they be seen as outcasts. In many traditional backgrounds be it African, European or America, so single community or society has accepted gay marriage in entirety. This is because; societal beliefs demand procreation as a way of life. Therefore, any deviations form normal marriage practices are likely to meet fierce criticism from traditional believers.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, Christians reject gay marriage on grounds of religious fundamentalism. They consider marriage as a sacred institution cr eated by God and therefore, it deserves maximum reverence. Christians, whose fundamental beliefs falls in the Bible, always refer to Bible teachings when criticizing gay marriage? To them, there is nowhere in the Bible where two persons of the same sex performed marriage of this kind. Since, the Bible is their standard of living; they vision gay marriage as an abomination to God. On the other hand, voters of same-sex marriage cite human rights in support of gay marriage. Moreover, these supporters believe that, persons who want to enjoy gay marriage should do so since; denying them a chance to cohabit, is like creating an effect into their physical and mental health conditions. Like other human beings, there should be equality of people before the law and that law ought to protect people’s rights. Thus, prohibiting persons of the same sex not to intermarry is the same as going back to ancient prohibitions like interracial marriages perceived to be the backbone of racism. The aims of those who for their own reasons find gay marriage important just like any other marriage is to see a just world full of individual choices. (Abraham, pp. 12-14). History of Same-Sex Marriages Both lesbianism and gay marriages did not start yesterday. In ancient times, these forms of marriages did take place but under abnormal circumstances. They were mainly informal and took place under maximum secrecy. For example, in China, ladies did have marriage contracts with younger ladies in what they referred as a ritual ceremony to mark different functions of the Ming dynasty. Nevertheless, heterosexual marriages were still dominant all over the world. The first incident of gay marriage occurred in Rome during the Roman Empire jurisdiction. Historians do indicate that, Emperor Nero decide to marry a slave worker to detract people from believing in heterosexual marriages. It is here that feud and controversy boiled into contention. Later on, subsequent emperors married their male sl aves. However, Christian emperor, Constantius II to rule, he ordered an arrest and killing of gay persons who were already married. The war eluded between Christians and non-believers to an extent of creating enmity between these two factions. (Kuefler, pp. 347-366). In all continents of the world, there are some countries that have legalised gay marriages. For example, Netherlands is the first country in the world to fully grant permission to persons of the same-sex to marry. In the recent past, countries like Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Spain and Canada have followed suit in recognising gay marriages judicially.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concepts of Gay Marriage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To avoid much criticism, these countries adopted new definitions of marriage as a lawful cohabitation of two folks. Meaning, under this particular definition, two persons whether from the same sex or from di fferent biological sexes, can freely marry and receive protection from the state. Other countries are also considering making gay marriage legal. In fact, some countries like France, New Zealand and Australia have formed parliamentary committees to look into the issue. In United States of America, gay marriage is not yet accepted federally. However, five states- Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, Iowa and New Hampshire have enacted policies that grant gay marriage. In these states, state governments have granted gay persons individual rights to marry across all sexes. On the other hand, the remaining states have tried to bring gay marriage legislation into the ballot box. Unfortunately, these bills have all been defeated meaning, gay marriage is not yet accepted by the majority of Americans. Nevertheless, there are still other countries where gat marriage is not well defined. For example, in the United Kingdom, an indirect policy on gay marriage came into limelight five years ago. Under civil partnerships gay persons in United Kingdom enjoy many rights like inheritance, parental responsibilities, and exemptions from paying taxes. The only difference with other counties is that, in United Kingdom, persons opting for gay marriage must register with civil unions. Thereafter, after two years of marriage, a certificate is then awarded as a sign of partnership. Gay marriage in other countries is not a contentious issue simply because; their respective country constitutions do not provide detailed definitions on how marriages should be conducted and in many occasions, the word spouse apply instead of using male or female. Clearly, there is an element of generalisation from where, different interpretations assume centre stage. Luckily, the debate keeps status quo on the written law because of its complicated nature. Opposing Views The controversy between supporters and opponents of gay marriage is all about ethics and human rights respectively. If different counties decide to conduct polls on whether how many people support gay marriage in their respective countries, the result will be in favor of those who oppose gay marriage.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is because; at least every person including those who support gay marriage experienced heterosexual marriages. People of the same sex cannot bear children. For gay persons to alive and prefer gay marriage to heterosexual marriage, heterosexual marriage had taken place for them to be born. Persons who engage in gay marriages have been into heterosexual marriages before embarking on the otherwise. For example, opponents of gay marriage argue that, any entertainment of gay marriage will lead to further loss of religious freedoms and beliefs. Furthermore, these proponents see a fault in raising children already born in a heterosexual marriage. (Blankenhorn, Para. 2-9). There are many reasons why people criticize gay marriages. Many people do not even want to utter the words ‘gay marriage’ just because; they sound ridiculous to them. Considering the fact that these persons may engage in homosexual activities, it is even more annoying hence, its rebuff. In customary anth ropological circumstances, heterosexual marriages for centuries have been dominant. Therefore, deviating from this normal practice is not an easy task. Many will view it as an erosion of societal values. However, societies must ensure stern protection of individual rights and freedoms. Many Christians believe heterosexual marriage is sacred. Therefore, introducing another form of marriage other than the one they are familiar with is likely to offend their religious standards. Christians perceive gay marriage to be a violation of freedoms to religion. For example, many clerics argue that, it is against God’s will to grant gay persons marriage rights as the real meaning of marriage will emasculate into meaninglessness. Additionally, Christian opponents do not like gay marriage because; the likelihood of these persons practicing homosexual is high. (Bidstrup, Para. 1-15). Nonetheless, other religious groups vehemently oppose gay marriage like the Muslim community. To them, gay m arriage is an abomination opposed using the possible strongest words. On the other hand, there are individual Christians who are supporters of gay marriage. They do so convinced that, the introduction of gay marriage is a step forward towards stable marriage institutions. Moreover, these Christian supporters have a strong conviction that, there is no single verse in the Bible, which prohibit same-sex directly. If this is so, then they support gay marriage and term it, a highway towards reaching human decorum, sovereignty and egalitarianism. (White, Para. 1-11). Some people reject gay marriage because its eventuality centers around gay sex, which to them is aberrant. Undeniably, this is homosexual. The logic behind a grown-up man deciding one day to take another sound-minded adult man as a marriage partner is not only disgusting but a perfidy to masculinity as well. Men seek a peculiar attention from women in a sexual relationship. For example, in primates, when an animal is on heat, it produces a certain, rather peculiar sexual sound, which attracts counterpart. This is the same thing with human beings. Although, a section of men will prefer other men to marry, there is no amount of satisfaction to exhume the one in heterosexual relationships. Primarily, gay marriage like lesbianism acts as a barrier blocking marriage communication channels and standards. Gay persons should understand that all children need parental care and for any society to survive in future there must be children. People sire children through heterosexual sex hence, heterosexual marriages. (Wardle, pp. 8-27). On the other hand, many people refute these claims and instead support gay marriages. Interestingly, these people either are gays, or have positive feelings towards gay marriage. In marriage institutions, people will want to have many things beneficial in a way. These include rights to own properties, security and other responsibilities. These benefits are the one that make people to defend gay marriage in a court of law. The debate on gay marriage commenced in court of law but today, political intrigues continue to surround this hot debate of gay marriage. Many lobbyists and supporters of gay marriages believe that legitimatizing it will give then enormous opportunities. Since many counties do not impose taxes to gay persons, these supporters could want to be part of this group. Furthermore, it will make them have rights like owning property, inherit, have other benefits not limited to insurance premiums, pension schemes and social security funds. In favor to parental care of children, gay persons argue that, it is even easier to raise children as one partner can take a vacation in support of another partner. Moreover, supporters of gay marriage believe marriage to be a personal choice, which accompanied by human rights hence, decriminalization of same-sex marriage is paramount in the provision of human rights especially to lesbians and gays. In addition, civil marriages popularly heterosexual marriages, in a way do not differ much from gay marriages. This is because; proponents of gay marriage understand that, there is no provable scientific evidence that indicate diverse differences between civil and gay marriages. In terms of obligations, benefits and responsibilities, gay partners can perform what heterosexual partners execute. Under normal situations, the research carried out by psychologists show no differences in tasks performed by both civil and gay married persons. For example, the research indicates no dissimilarity in parenting roles, as both parents are well conversant with their roles. This is because; both the real and adopting parents, have their interests clearly spelt out under gay marriage laws. In addition to this, children do not suffer any syndrome. According to this research, children raised in gay marriages seem more stable that those in civil marriages. This is because, in civil marriages, both the husband and the wife have commonalities unlike in gay marriages where, the law allows investment from both partners. Nevertheless, supporters of gay marriage draw support from ancient times when interracial people could not marry one another. To subvert this discrimination, societal beliefs had to change. Consequently, gay persons believe if they continue fighting for this fundamental right, the society and the government at large will listen to their demands. In some countries, gay persons enjoy their marriages full of rights without and disenfranchisement. (Moore, Para. 1-8). Gay persons enjoy civil union rights. Perhaps this might be the reason as to why, gays fight back to retain their status quo. In terms of property ownership, gay partners enjoy similar rights like heterosexual partners. During divorce hearings, both partners can appear in a court of law to settle out their marriage unlike in civil marriages where it is not necessary for any partner to appear in court. Development for Gay Mar riage At the dawn of the twentieth century, people used the word gay in reference to freedom, freeness and the state of happiness. However, as time went by, the word assumed a different meaning especially to acts associated with homosexuality. Consequently, people engaged in same-sex relationships opted to use the word gay in reference to their operations. For example, in America, people only heard or saw images about people claiming to be involved in gay. Many could not belief their eyes because; this was totally against American civilization and societal beliefs. However, in 2003, the issue of gay marriage came into public limelight. Previously, gay marriages had been a court issue. Therefore, the public had nothing to worry. Absolutely, people considered gay marriage as an illegal activity and by this time, there was neither constitutional right nor clause allowing such an act. The gravity of the matter attracted political redress where many presidential candidates used this oppo rtunity to campaign in general elections. In Ontario Canada, the court hearing a case on same-sex marriages gave seven couples the right to go ahead and marry. The court argued further by saying, gay persons as civil counterparts have the right to marry according to their wishes. Astonishingly, the then Canadian Prime Minister took legislation to parliament seeking a mandate to allow persons of the same biological sex to intermarry. Gay persons from United States of America started fleeing to Canada to practice their marriage there. (Cahill, pp. 1-36). In United Kingdom, people used the word gay to refer to a woman who had many boyfriends besides entailing homosexuality acts. The truth of the matter is, people are never born homosexuals or lesbians. However, the real reason that conspire both males and females to divert their normal sexuality is still an irony to many. Nevertheless, psychologists have tried to explain the development of persons into gay or lesbian acts. For example, in normal psychological situations, a person’s sexual orientation comprises of three characteristics, which in turn determine a person’s sexual behaviour. These include sexual identity, desirability and performance. The three characteristics are incongruent and no one characteristic identify with another. There are people supporting gay marriage even when they have never practiced homosexual in their past life. On the other hand, there are some individuals who are real homosexuals by word and deeds but still may never identify themselves to be bisexuals, gay or lesbian. From these two examples, it is clear that no person identifies or is born to be bisexual. An individual develops positive mentality towards certain sexual orientations. Nevertheless, the degree of sexual orientation varies from one individual to another and it is something that develops in persons as one grows up. For example, in United States of America, the government identifies lesbian, gay and bise xual (LBG) persons and support them either psychologically or materially. However, American community do not accept these people to enter into marriages. So far only, five states in America allow gay marriages amid intense public denigration. It has never been easy to anybody whether learned or illiterate, in understanding the changes that lead to LGB. Intuitively, there is an assertion to believe LGB persons not growing up in normal societal standards. Had they grown in societies that value human sexuality and identifications, they would have received support from their communities on matters pertaining to normal sexuality. Rather, many people perceive LGB persons to have grown up in a more hostile environment, which either vindicated homosexuality or had little knowledge on human sexuality. These are the fundamental ideologies behind the development of LGB persons. Conclusion It has never been easy for any particular community or society to fully accept gay marriage. The issue of gay marriage is highly debated in many counties all over the world. Even though some countries have endorsed and entrenched gay marriages in their constitutions, majority of the citizens do not believe in these clauses. This is perhaps the reason why gay marriage has attracted political insinuations. Some communities do not want even to hear the word gay uttered because; to them, gay marriages entertain homosexuality which is an abomination. Supporters of gay marriage believe that, as the world undergo civilization and globalisation; past practices ought to change to represent this particular assertion. On matters of religion, some Christian churches, Muslim and Orthodox denominations sharply differ on this subject. There are some proponents in these denominations who oppose gay marriage under religious grounds. They believe that, accepting gay marriage is trespassing against the will of God. Moreover, if societies allow gay marriages, the real meaning of marriage will be lost. Besi des, it will be a trivial disenfranchisement of the freedoms of religion. On the other hand, supporters of gay marriage do so with believe that, every individual should have a right to choose. Indeed, many lobby groups have emanated the rights of gay persons. Eventually, what we now have are two faction groups on opposing and one supporting gay marriages. Each of these two groups has tangible evidences as to why they support or oppose gay marriages. The only solution is a debate to reach consensus. The sociological background and religious diversity constitute one’s perception about gay marriage. This is because; there are religious people, who support gay marriages while in communities and societies, some traditionalists accept gay marriage. The choice is mainly instigated by one’s environmental set-up and the cognition of individuals. Works Cited Abraham, Julie. Public Relations: Why the Rush to Same-Sex Marriage? And Who Stands to Benefit? The Women’s Review of Books, 17 (8), (2000), 12-14. Bidstrup, Scott. Gay Marriage: The Arguments and the Motives. 2000. Web. Blankenhorn, David. Protecting Marriage to protect Children. Los Angeles Times. 2009. Web. Cahill Sean Same-sex marriage in the United States: focus on the facts. Maryland: Lexington books, 2004. Print. Craig, Rimmerman, Clyde, Wilcox (2007). The politics of same-sex marriage. University of Chicago Press. Print. Kuefler, Mathew. The Marriage Revolution in Late Antiquity: The Theodosian Code and Later Roman Marriage Law. Journal of Family History, 32, (2007), 347–366. Moore, Leah. Points in Defense of Gay Marriage. 2001. Web. Wardle, Lynn. Marriage and same-sex unions: a debate. New York. Praeger Publishers, 2003. Print. White, Mel. What the Bible Says- And Doesn’t Say- About Homosexuality. Soulforce. 2009. Web. This research paper on Concepts of Gay Marriage was written and submitted by user Roland E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Stephen Crane essays

Stephen Crane essays Stephen Crane, Born November 1st, 1871 into a middle class New Jersey family, he was the youngest of fourteen children (About Stephen Crane 1). Brought up to be a baseball player by his father, a Methodist minister, the Crane family re-located to upstate New York (About Stephen Crane 1). Stephen attended Lafayette College, and Syracuse University to play baseball (About Stephen Crane 1). Crane realized he could not make a living with his baseball, so he turned back to New Jersey where he found his calling as a writer. Here he became one of the greatest inventors of his time by originating two styles of writing. One Realism, which is a theory in literature emphasizing scientific observation of life without idealization or the avoidance of the ugly, and two, Naturalism, a type of literature that attempts to apply scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to its study of human beings (Anderson 439). Based on Stephen Cranes experiences in war, and in the city, he pioneered a tr ue naturalistic style of writing. In the spring of 1891, Stephen Crane began working at a news agency reporting on the slums of New York (About Stephen Crane 1). While doing this, Crane experienced many different life styles of people. Stephen Crane was able to gather many of the variations of lifestyles to put on paper and create his first novel, Maggie: A girl of the streets. Maggie: A girl of the streets, a story about a slum prostitute and her downfall in life, came about while Crane was reporting for the Herald and the Tribune (Anderson 439). He was constantly in the dirty saloons of New York experiencing first hand what he wrote about in Maggie (Anderson 439). Even though Cranes first novel was very unsuccessful in stores, in a way, it helped Crane. Maggie: A girl of the streets was the first story to portray the dirty slums of New York (Anderson 439). This novel also revealed Crane as a pioneer of Naturalism, and Re ...

Final Exam Essay Questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Final Exam Questions - Essay Example Today, many of us rely on these social networks to keep in touch with other people especially friends and relatives. More so, these social network sites enable individuals to access or share information, meet new friends and carry out business transactions through video conferencing. The emergence of virtual communities has helped some people to meet friends that they cannot interact with in real life may be because of their physical appearance. Even though the internet and social networking sites have changed and made our interactions easier and faster, there are many negative effects that these social networks have on online individuals and the society. There have been increased cases on crimes such as identity theft, hacking, stalking, piracy among others and these mostly affect those who are doing business online or interacting online. In addition, persistent use of social networks may cause addiction in that online users develop the attitude of not spending a day without tweetin g, sending mails, or facebooking. Most of us rely more on technology but less on others to form virtual relationships than real relationships (Turkle). With the easy access to the online technology and interfaces such as the internet, online dating has become a popular option for many people and it has revolutionized the dating pattern today. Many people who met through online dating have established a strong friendship bonds and these dating sites assist some people to find love and happy relationships. The lives of many individuals have been transformed through online encounters (Kenner). There are many advantages of online dating, firstly, it enables individuals to know and interact with different people across the globe and share their common interests. Secondly, online dating helps those individuals who are nervous in the presence of the opposite sex to easily interact with others

Personal Management Framework Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal Management Framework - Research Paper Example Scientific Era As the industrial era began to take hold, Frederick W. Taylor and his scientific, mathematical methods and philosophy led the way for many others in how these methods applied to gaining worker efficiencies (Locke, 1982; Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2003). Crain (2003) says that Taylor was noted for his scientific approach, his ability to solve problems, and his ability to invent things. His thought was that â€Å"measurement increased productivity† (p. 45). In one example, the test subject â€Å"increased production by 400 per cent while receiving 60 percent more in pay†. Taylor became well known for carrying a stopwatch, but he believed that money is what truly motivated the worker. Hodgetts’ (1995) study of ten U.S. organizations against Taylor’s principles and found that â€Å"each in its own way used Taylor’s four principles to help focus their total quality management strategy† (p. 218). Henry Gantt worked closely w ith Taylor. Gantt brought a human quality into the scientific side of Taylor’s work. Gantt developed a bonus pay structure for the employee who completed their piece rate work for the day and was able to complete more than the assigned tasks. With Gantt’s methods of the use of incentives for employees production was doubled (Noe et al., 2003). Frank Gilbreth was known for establishing the hope of finding the one best (most efficient) way to do any and every task. The administrative perspective builds on the scientific perspective by focusing on the structure of the entire organization rather than the individual job or task of the single employee and then looking for efficiency. The major theorists of an administrative perspective that are discussed here are Fayol, Weber, Gulick, and Urwick. Henri Fayol started out in a French coal-mining company (Crainer, 2003). Fayol took the perspective of the organizational view, but was also concerned with the need to gain efficien cy. He is famous for identifying the major functions of management: leading, organizing, and controlling. Max Weber is known as the father of bureaucracy. He developed the characteristics of the bureaucracy, such as labor, rules, regulations, hierarchy, and impersonal relationships. Gulick and Urwick worked together to develop POSDCORB or planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting (Noe et al., 2003). Gulick and Urwick focused their theories on the administrative function of the managerial role and how the better efficiencies could be gained by the manager doing their personal best. The administrative perspective had a significant impact on the personal management framework developed in this report. Humanistic Era While the scientific methods were being put in place and were in place the human element in the workplace was secondary. Management did not care how the worker was feeling at the end of the day. There were no regulations on the length of a work day or the number of breaks employees were entitled to. The company could demand and get whatever it wanted from the workers at that time, if that person wanted a job. Then the stock market crash came, followed by the Great Depression, and World War II. Pro-union legislation came about during The Humanistic Era. The concept of the

Explain How Internal And External Business Essay

Explain How Internal And External Business Essay Business is an organization or company that provides goods and services to the community. The general aim of a business is to satisfy the needs and wants of the community whilst also making a profit. In Australia business has a major impact on our everyday lives. Business provides people with employment, it boosts our economy and also it allows us to have a greater quality of life. This means it provides us with the benefits needed to lead a simple and convenient life. There are several factors that can influence a business, these factors include Internal and External influences. Internal influences include factors the business itself may have some control over, whilst on the other hand factors that the business can not control such as laws and regulations are External influences. Importance of business Business is like the blood that flows through our bodies, with out business our lives would be almost impossible. Business plays many different roles in our everyday lives. Most people either own or work for a particular business. Businesses make it possible for the community and even further places such as overseas countries to receive and sell goods and services. A business can be anything that provides goods and services to the community such as corner shops providing customers with goods and sweets and they can also be larger companies such as Nike selling shoes and clothing all over the world. Businesses allow for our economy to grow and become stronger, with out a strong economy a country can not run as smoothly as preferred. One of the main reasons why businesses are so important in our everyday life is due to the fact that businesses provide millions and millions of people with job opportunities. If businesses did not exist people will not be able to work and earn money for e veryday living. There are certain factors that can influence a business. These factors include internal and external influences. Internal influence Internal influences are influences that a business has some control over, such influences include product, location, management, resource management and business culture. 2 Product influences: These influences affect a large majority of the internal structures and operations of a business. Depending on the types of goods and services the business produces will depend on the internal structure. If the goods being produced require certain equipment, these needs must be catered to so that the business may go on with its production. Each type of business has a different set of product influence, for example a service provider will require less preparation, whilst on the other hand a manufacturer will need more services to produce the goods sold. The size of a business can be determined by the different types of goods and services produced and also the availability of technology. So from this we understand that the amount of goods and services produced by a business depends on the size of the business. Poor productivity can be seen in the article Anger at Vodafone Sydney morning herald, this impacts on the business because Vodafone is providing very poor services to their customers, therefore tempting the customers to switch to another network, taking business away from Vodafone. 3 Location influences: One of the most important factors of a business is the location in which that business is positioned in. The location can either make or break the business. Location is especially important for retail and service oriented businesses, as they need to be seen and recognized by customers. The business owner must take into consideration of where he/she chooses to locate their business The business must be in area with a good image, for eg not a poor suburb, they business must be located in a place were customers are consistently walking past and spotting the shop, for eg in the city. Another important thing is that the business must be convenient towards the customers, so that they may take the time and effort to check the place out, if the business is located in a area which is not convenient the customers may loose interest and go somewhere else. 4 Resource influences: -Basically there are 4 main types of resources available to a business, these include: Human resources Information Resources Physical resources Financial resources Human resources may be considered as the most important resource, for they are the employees that allow for the business to run. Information resources are all the actions in which the business takes to research and learn more about their situation for eg sales reports. Physical resources include all the equipment and tools necessary for running the business. Financial resources are basically what the business depends on to buy and help support their business, for example to buy new machines. 5 Management influences: There is no doubt that over time businesses and the way in which businesses are run have dramatically changed. Management has been a part of business that has been changed in an effective way. In the past there were many levels of management and hierarchy in a business that new ideas and issues had to go through, but now due to many factors such as the pressure of competitiveness from globalisation the way in which businesses are run have been altered. These days there are much fewer levels that new ideas and issues have to go through, this will result in quicker and more efficient decisions that in the long run will allow the business to focus on the way it runs. This allows businesses to adapt quicker and more efficiently to the ever changing needs and wants of consumers because there are fewer managers in which the process of decision making must go through. 6 Business culture: In reality every business has its own type of business culture, these are all the values, beliefs and ideas that are agreed upon by all employees and managers of the business. The culture of a business is shown in the way in which the business acts and performs. Business culture is usually shown in the rules and regulations of a business such as the way staff are expected to dress and behave. Culture has been proven to be a necessary tool that must be used by businesses to achieve the best out of its staff members and customers. Business culture is proven to be important in the video Australias food fight: west farmers vs. Woolworths. Coles have changed their business culture by undergoing management change, which has allowed for a different culture to be applied, and this has proven to be successful as they are now basically ahead of Woolworths. 7 Internal influences have an extraordinary impact on business in Australia. They include every thing from were the business is located to how the business is run. The location of a business basically is essential for the success of the business, depending on were it is located, it must be convenient and visible to customers. If it is not located in a convenient area customers may not be able to get to the business and purchase from it. The management of a business is the way in which the business is run, in order to have a successful business it must be under good management and the necessary actions must be taken when they are called for, for eg if employees are needed to be cut off, due to lack of financial sustainability. So basically it is essential for businesses to be affected by internal influences in a positive way. External influences External influences are factors that a business may have little or no control over, such factors include: Economic, financial, geographical, social, legal, political, institutional, technological, competitive situation and markets influences. 8 Economical influences In Australia and the rest of the world, the economy experiences economic cycles. These cycles include booms and busts (recession). Basically during an economic boom the economy experiences higher levels of employment, they may be so confident in their sales that they may increase the price of items to gain higher profits. Also during booms wages of employees tend to increase as more profit is being made by the business. However the economic cycle does have its down side, such as when the economy is experiencing a recession period. An unfortunate reality of recessions is that employment rates decrease due to the fact that the business is not making enough sale profits to keep their employees. Another effect of recession is that business may not be able to raise the price of their products because people are not purchasing so they may have to even lower prices to continue to compete in the market. The influences of economical factors are shown in the article Petrol prices soar and no r elief in site. Due to the poor economical status prices are raised and customers may not be able to purchase petrol at this price. Another ecomical influence can be seen in the radio article impact of floods on grocery prices 2GB, Sydney, this impacts on the business because all the crops are being destroyed making it impossible to make a profit, with farmers not making profits the economy will suffer and be under pressure. 9 Financial influences Financial influences impact a business in several ways. due to deregulation which is basically the extermination of government regulation in an business, Businesses are now able to improve competitiveness with each other. Even better, now due to globalisation, Australia is now able to trade goods overseas, further more improving the financial sustainability of the country. 10 Geographical influences Geographical influences impact businesses in many ways. Australia is located in the Asia-pacific region, the economical statuss in these surrounding countries are very important in the interest of Australia. Basically if china is doing well, it may be able to trade goods and services with Australia creating an advantage for both countries. Another thing is that a lot of Australian companies are located in the Asia-Pacific region, so the countries must be economically doing well for the Australian companies to survive. Also the demography of the country has a significant influence on businesses, for eg Australia must be run to suit people of all different cultures, ages and sexes. One major demographic impact on Australia is the ageing population, with an ageing population there must be centres and facilities created for elders. Also with people retiring, their jobs will need to be completed by younger people, who may not be as experienced as the retired worker. Globalisation is also an important fact of geographical issues, due to globalisation Australia is not tied down just to trade goods and services throughout Australia, but how ever to do so around the entire world. The impact of globalisation can be seen in the video picking up an Aussie apple, we see that Australia is beginning to import overseas apples to Australia. 11 Social influences Social influences have an sever impact on the success of a business. For eg as time goes on peoples taste in fashion and trends will change. If businesses do not adapt to these changes they may be affected in a very negative way. In order for a business to make a profit they must take into consideration all the new fashions and trends going around. One other major social influence is the influence of of our environment which is basically wearing away day by day, businesses must always consider what is in the best interest of the environment, for eg not giving out plastic bags after a sale. One final issue is the issue of family-work practices, as women give birth they must leave work, and this may result in the business losing an employee, affecting in the production of the business. An example of social influences can be seen in the article Petrol price soars and no relief in site, With the rise of petrol, the people in society may decide that instead of using cars, they can probabl y save money by using public transport or riding a bike to work. 12 Legal influences Businesses can not just do as they please. There are many legal actions that influence businesses and basically tell them what they can or cant do. With more and more laws being passed onto businesses, the business must adapt their company to what the law is telling them to do. Generally the people of a society expect that businesses may run under the rules and guidelines provided by the law. Businesses must be aware of all the laws so that they may not breach them and pay the penalties. 13 Political influences Even though political influences may not be the most affective factors onto a business, they still have a pretty heavy impact. For eg whenever a new election Is held, the new government may introduce new policies. A policy that was introduced in 2000 was the goods and services tax, this was a 10 percent tax on the supply of most goods and services used in Australia, this affected businesses in a way that they had to collect taxes basically on behalf of the government. However deregulation has also been introduced in the picture in the past few decades, this is the removal of government regulation in industry, and this takes pressure off businesses and allows for a greater range of competitiveness. 14 Institutional influences Three institutional influences on business are government, regulatory bodies and trade unions and employer associations. Government: Three levels which are federal, state and local. Federal government deals mainly with issues such as tax, making sure that the taxes are being paid and also things such as how the businesses are running in according to the customs regulations. State governments deal with lower case issues such as workers rights and responsibilities such as OHS requirements and making sure businesses are abiding by the state laws and trade practices Local government deals with issues such the condition of building and making sure of improvements, parking rules and fire regulations Regulatory bodies; These bodies observe and understand the way that businesses deal with certain issues and how the business treats its community and consumers. Examples of regulatory bodies include: the Office of fair trading and the Australian competition and consumer commission. (ACCC) Other institutional influences are Trade unions and Australian stock exchanges, these groups have aims such as improving working conditions and pay rates. 15 Technological influences Technology without a doubt has had probably one of the most affects on businesses. With new technologies being invented and discovered every day this can only help improve productivity and efficiency for businesses. Technology has allowed for robotic machinery to be used in productivity which in the long run cheapens the cost of productivity as no employee or has to be paid. Robots also help to reduce the amount of boring and repetitive jobs that some humans may have to do. Also communication technology has been improving rapidly over the past few years making it even easier to communicate with suppliers and consumers, with out them actually being there. Businesses must strive to use the available technology to the best of their ability so that they may keep up or even be ahead of competitors. 16 Competitive situation influences These influences may be very helpful and useful to both consumers and producers, for eg when two businesses are competing to be the market leader, they will lower costs of their stock to attract customers. As a result they will be making more sales and more importantly a profit. These competitive situations also benefit consumers because with competition in a market there will be a greater range of goods available for consumption, this allows the consumer to get a wider variety of choice when considering the good or service they want. Competitive situations are shown in the video Australias food fight: west farmers VS Woolworths as these companies are competing with each other to get the most customer satisfaction, It also discuss how the affects of globalisation such as Aldi here in Australia also competing amongst the big guns. Another example of competitive situation is shown in the article Anger at Vodafone, with Vodafone giving such poor services, customers will want to change to another network providing greater coverage. 17 External influences have a major impact on our every day lives in Australia, with all the different types of factors such as social and technological influences our lives are affected on a day to day basis. If external influences did not exist we would not be living in a society were goods and services from all around the world are accessible to us for our own usage. External influences can be both positive and /or negative for example, competitiveness in the market allows for a variety of options for consumers to choose from but contrasting the effects of external factors such as geographical issues involving the weather can have a negative affect, for eg flooding in farms or drought seasons. Conclusion As mentioned in the executive summary above, business can be compared to the blood in a living organism, it is essential for our everyday survival and living. Business allows us to live the pleasures and entertaining lives that we live each day. Internal influences summed up can be recognized as influences that a business can control whilst external influences are those factors that the business can not control. Internal influences for eg can be explained as factors that a business can use and apply to help determine the success of their business, such as the location in which they choose to place their business. External can be explained by using the example of a economic recession, this can affect the business in many negative ways such as letting employers go. So summed up we can say that business is essential for everyday living and it can be broken down into two different types, Internal and external, and it can be concluded that they basically determine how the business is run and how successful it will be. The end  Ã…’

Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth

What is the Sixties Scoop? The term Sixties Scoop was coined by Patrick Johnston in his 1983 report Native Children and the Child Welfare System. It refers to the Canadian practice, beginning in the 1960s and continuing until the late 1980s, of apprehending unusually high numbers of children of Aboriginal peoples in Canada [against the Native parents’ will] and fostering or adopting them out, usually into [medium-class]white families. An estimated 20,000 aboriginal children were taken from their families,† (1).The Sixties Scoop refers to a particular phase of a larger history, and not to an explicit government policy. Although the practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families and into state care existed before the 1960s (with the residential school system, for example), the drastic overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in the child welfare system accelerated in the 1960s, when Aboriginal children were seized and taken from their homes and placed, in mo st cases, into middle-class Euro-Canadian families.This overrepresentation continues today (2). In his play, Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth, Drew Hayden Taylor manifests how Janice’s life is greatly impacted by the scoop-up leading to the loss of culture, identity crisis, and lack of sense of belonging. When an individual faces the reality of being adopted, life can become dreadful and disconcerting. Firstly, as part of Janice’s loss of culture, she will encounter herself struggling to connect with her roots by not being able to understand or speak Ojibway (native language).For instance, when Janice says â€Å"†¦ What was that she [Amelia] said to me in that language? †, (Taylor, 80). This part expresses Janice’s desire to know and learn more about her culture. However, learning about it after thirty-six years of absence, will not provide her with the proper knowledge and deeper understanding of Native culture as a whole, on the contrary, it will give Janice only a vague grasp of it. Also, when Janice says â€Å"I wonder if that’s why I bought that white fur coat of mine, my heritage coming through,† (Taylor, 91).In this case, it is clearly appreciated how Janice, who was removed from her family roots during the scoop-up, has grown up with an erroneous picture and false beliefs of what Native people look like As a result, she has created a mistaken perception of herself as an Aboriginal descendant which will repercuss the relationship between the Native environment and herself. In addition to the loss of culture, adoptees will go through an identity crisis, which can potentially make them feel guilty and confused preventing them from moving forward with their lives towards accomplishing their goals.As an illustration, Janice says, â€Å"†¦ I’m sorry I left the way I did. It must have been a horrible Christmas for you. But you must understand I didn’t walk out on you. I walked out on me . To everybody I was Grace, but to me I’m Janice. I don’t know if I can ever be the Grace you wanted, or the Grace Barb wants. I don’t know anything anymore †¦,† (Taylor, 101), she expresses sadness, uncertainty and incapability of discerning right from wrong. Thus, it can be deduced, she is suffering from identity crisis and she is unable to determine whether to hold on to her past or let it go and move on with her life.She is in a state of confusion that has her emotionally unstable. Similarly, when Barb calls Janice Grace, to which Janice responds â€Å"No, it’s not. My name is Janice. I didn’t know about â€Å"Grace† until six months ago. I don’t feel comfortable being addressed that way. It’s like somebody calling you Susan or Victoria all of the sudden. It doesn’t feel right,† (Taylor, 83). It can be said that Janice experiences an ambivalent atmosphere making her uncomfortable and exasperated wit h her surroundings, building a barrier wall between her and others.It is hard to imagine being called by one name all your life, and all of a sudden being told you have another name. It sets you back to the unknown giving you a sense of indignation, uncertainty and vexing. All in all, when an adopted person faces identity crisis, this individual will more than likely experience some alienation, incredulity and frustration. The loss of culture and identity crisis are two major factors affecting Janice’s life; furthermore, most of the indigenous children whom were adopted out during the Sixties Scoop will experience inner conflict due  to a lack of sense of belonging because they cannot find acceptance within themselves and the world around them.For example, Janice tells Barb â€Å"Barb, think about it. I was born here, but I don’t feel at home here and Amelia Earhart does. She’s family and I’m not because the Children’s Aid Society took me away. Doesn’t all this seem a little weird to you? ,†(Taylor, 82-83). This part can be described as ironic because even though Janice recognizes her roots, she feels Otter Lake is not her place to be.She never had the opportunity to establish a connection, to create a bonding between her background and herself. As a consequence she has a lack of affinity towards her biological family and her Aboriginal heritage. Moreover, when Janice confesses to Barb, â€Å"I wanted to belong here so bad. When I drove up that driveway, it seemed like I had prepared my whole life for that meeting. But from the moment I arrived, I knew I didn’t belong. You didn’t even like me,† (Taylor, 91).This expresses how Janice feels about her truth. The inevitable clash between her desire to belong to her past and the reality of her present, all of this leaving her in total perplexity. Therefore, it may be easier for a Native person to adapt to Western culture since they are surround ed by it, while to non-aboriginal people the Native culture is unknown. In other words, Janice feels the need to be accepted, to feel complete, but realizes that there is more to it than just looking like an Indian and wanting to be one.Having said that, it can be concluded that Janice’s life was negatively impacted by the Sixties scoop creating obstacles to the development of a strong and healthy sense of understanding and acknowledgement of her cultural background and heritage. In other words, she finds herself conflicting internally and doubting about her identity, the place she belongs to in the world and the knowledge as well as the appreciation of her stolen life and culture as an Indian.

Adolescent Pregnancy Compilation Notes

Adolescent pregnancy – Overview Alternative Names Teenage pregnancy; Pregnancy – teenage Definition of Adolescent pregnancy: Adolescent pregnancy is pregnancy in girls age 19 or  younger. Causes, incidence, and risk factors: The rate of adolescent pregnancy and the birth rate for adolescents have generally declined since reaching an all-time high in 1990, mostly due to the increased use of condoms. Adolescent pregnancy is a complex issue with many reasons for concern. Younger adolescents (12 – 14 years old) are more likely to have unplanned sexual intercourse and more likely to be coerced into sex. Adolescents 18 – 19 years old are technically adults, and half of adolescent pregnancies occur in this age group. Risk factors for adolescent pregnancy include: * Younger age * Poor school performance * Economic disadvantage * Single or teen parents Adolescent pregnancy Teenage pregnancy; Pregnancy – teenage Last reviewed: September 12, 2011. Adolescent pregnancy is pregnancy in girls age 19 or  younger. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Adolescent pregnancy and babies born to adolescents have dropped since reaching an all-time high in 1990. This is mostly due to the increased use of condoms. Adolescent pregnancy is a complex issue with many reasons for concern. Kids age 12 – 14 years old are more likely than other adolescents to have unplanned sexual intercourse . They are more likely to be talked into having into sex. Up to two-thirds of adolescent pregnancies occur in teens age 18 – 19 years old. Risk factors for adolescent pregnancy include: * Younger age * Poor school performance * Economic disadvantage * Older male partner * Single or teen parents Symptoms Pregnancy symptoms include: * Abdominal distention * Breast enlargement and breast tenderness * Fatigue * Light-headedness or actual fainting Missed period * Nausea/vomiting * Frequent urination Signs and tests The adolescent may or may not admit to being involved sexually. If the teen is pregnant, there are usually weight changes (usually a gain, but there may be a loss if nausea and vomiting are significant). Examination may show increased abdominal girth, and the health care provider may be able t o feel the fundus (the top of the enlarged uterus). Pelvic examination may reveal bluish or purple coloration of vaginal walls, bluish or purple coloration and softening of the cervix, and softening and enlargement of the uterus. A pregnancy test of urine and/or serum HCG are usually positive. * A pregnancy ultrasound may be done to confirm or check accurate dates for pregnancy. Treatment All options made available to the pregnant teen should be considered carefully, including abortion, adoption, and raising the child with community or family support. Discussion with the teen may require several visits with a health care provider to explain all options in a non-judgmental manner and involve the parents or the father of the baby as appropriate. Early and adequate prenatal care, preferably through a program that specializes in teenage pregnancies, ensures a healthier baby. Pregnant teens need to be assessed for smoking, alcohol use, and drug use, and they should be offered support to help them quit. Adequate nutrition can be encouraged through education and community resources. Appropriate exercise and adequate sleep should also be emphasized. Contraceptive information and services are important after delivery to prevent teens from becoming pregnant again. Pregnant teens and those who have recently given birth should be encouraged and helped to remain in school or reenter educational programs that give them the skills to be better parents, and provide for their child financially and emotionally. Accessible and affordable child care is an important factor in teen mothers continuing school or entering the work force. Expectations (prognosis) Having her first child during adolescence makes a woman more likely to have more children overall. Teen mothers are about 2 years behind their age group in completing their education. Women who have a baby during their teen years are more likely to live in poverty. Teen mothers with a history of substance abuse are more likely to start abusing by about 6 months after delivery. Teen mothers are more likely than older mothers to have a second child within 2 years of their first child. Infants born to teenage mothers are at greater risk for developmental problems. Girls born to teen mothers are more likely to become teen mothers themselves, and boys born to teen mothers have a higher than average rate of being arrested and jailed. Complications Adolescent pregnancy is associated with higher rates of illness and death for both the mother and infant. Death from violence is the second leading cause of death durig pregnancy for teens, and is higher in teens than in any other group. Pregnant teens are at much higher risk of having serious medical complications such as: * Placenta previa * Pregnancy-induced hypertension * Premature delivery * Significant anemia * Toxemia Infants born to teens are 2 – 6 times more likely to have low birth weight than those born to mothers age 20 or older. Prematurity plays the greatest role in low birth weight, but intrauterine growth retardation (inadequate growth of the fetus during pregnancy) is also a factor. Teen mothers are more likely to have unhealthy habits that place the infant at greater risk for inadequate growth, infection, or chemical dependence. The younger a mother is below age 20, the greater the risk of her infant dying during the first year of life. It is very important for pregnant teens to have early and adequate prenatal care. Calling your health care provider Make an appointment with your health care provider if you have symptoms of pregnancy. Your health care provider can also provide counseling regarding birth control methods, sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention, or pregnancy risk. Prevention There are many different kinds of teen pregnancy prevention programs. * Abstinence education programs encourage young people to wait to have sex until marriage, or until they are mature enough to handle sexual activity and a potential pregnancy in a responsible manner. * Knowledge-based programs focus on teaching kids about their bodies. It also provides detailed information about birth control and how to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Research shows knowledge-based programs help decrease teen pregnancy rates. Abstinence-only education without information about birth control does not. * Clinic-focused programs give kids easier access to information, counseling by health care providers, and birth control services. Many of these programs are offered through school-based clinics. * Peer counseling programs typically involve older teens, who encourage other kids to resist peer and social pressures to have sex. For teens who are already sexually active, peer counseling programs teach them relationship skills and give them information on how to get and successfully use birth control. Teenage pregnancy Teenage pregnancy refers to pregnancy in a female under the age of 20 (when the pregnancy ends). It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy. A pregnancy can take place at any time after puberty, with menarche (first menstrual period) normally taking place around the ages 12 or 13, and being the stage at which a female becomes potentially fertile. Teenage pregnancy depends on a number of societal and personal factors. Teenage pregnancy rates vary between countries because of differences in levels of sexual activity, general sex education provided and access to affordable contraceptive options. Worldwide, teenage pregnancy rates range from 143 per 1000 in some sub-Saharan African countries to 2. 9 per 1000 in South Korea. Pregnant teenagers face many of the same obstetrics issues as women in their 20s and 30s. There are however, additional medical concerns for mothers age 14 or younger. For mothers between 15 and 19, risks are associated more with socioeconomic factors than with the biological effects of age. However research has shown that the risk of low birth weight is connected to the biological age itself, as it was observed in teen births even after controlling for other risk factors (such as utilisation of antenatal care etc. ). In developed countries, teenage pregnancies are associated with many social issues, including lower educational levels, higher rates of poverty, and other poorer â€Å"life outcomes† in children of teenage mothers. Teenage pregnancy in developed countries is usually outside of marriage, and carries a social stigma in many communities and cultures. Many studies and campaigns have attempted to uncover the causes and limit the numbers of teenage pregnancies. In other countries and cultures, particularly in the developing world, teenage pregnancy is usually within marriage and does not involve a social stigma. Among OECD developed countries, the United States and United Kingdom have the highest level of teenage pregnancy, while Japan and South Korea have the lowest. Teenage pregnancy rates In reporting teenage pregnancy rates, the number of pregnancies per 1000 females aged 15 to 19 when the pregnancy ends is generally used. The rates look at the age at which a pregnancy ends, and not the age when the woman conceives, so that if a woman aborts her pregnancy or misscarries while she is 19, she would be counted, while if she went full term and gave birth at age 20 she would not be counted. According to a 2001 UNICEF survey, in 10 out of 12 developed nations with available data, more than two thirds of young people have had sexual intercourse while still in their teens. In Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, the proportion is over 80%. In Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, approximately 25% of 15 year olds and 50% of 17 year olds have had sex. In a 2005 Kaiser Family Foundation study of US teenagers, 29% of teens reported feeling pressure to have sex, 33% of sexually active teens reported â€Å"being in a relationship where they felt things were moving too fast sexually†, and 24% had â€Å"done something sexual they didn’t really want to do†. Several polls have indicated peer pressure as a factor in encouraging both girls and boys to have sex. The increased sexual activity among adolescents is manifested in increased teenage pregnancies and an increase in sexually transmitted diseases. The rates of teenage pregnancy vary and range from 143 per 1000 girls in some sub-Saharan African countries to 2. 9 per 1000 in South Korea. The rate for the United States is 52. 1 per 1000, the highest in the developed world – and about four times the European Union average. Care must also be taken of the common actual marriage age in different countries, as in countries where teenage marriages are common can expect to also experience higher levels of teenage pregnancies. In an attempt to reverse the increasing numbers of teenage pregnancies, governments in many Western countries have instituted sex education programs, the main objective of which is to reduce such pregnancies and STD's. Save the Children found that, annually, 13 million children are born to women under age 20 worldwide, more than 90% in developing countries. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of mortality among women between the ages of 15 and 19 in such areas. The highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the world is in sub-Saharan Africa, where women tend to marry at an early age. In Niger, for example, 87% of women surveyed were married and 53% had given birth to a child before the age of 18. In the Indian subcontinent, early marriage sometimes means adolescent pregnancy, particularly in rural regions where the rate is much higher than it is in urbanized areas. The rate of early marriage and pregnancy has decreased sharply in Indonesia and Malaysia, although it remains relatively high in the former. In the industrialized Asian nations such as South Korea and Singapore, teenage birth rates are among the lowest in the world. The overall trend in Europe since 1970 has been a decreasing total fertility rate, an increase in the age at which women experience their first birth, and a decrease in the number of births among teenagers. Most continental Western European countries have very low teenage birth rates. This is varyingly attributed to good sex education and high levels of contraceptive use (in the case of the Netherlands and Scandinavia), traditional values and social stigmatization (in the case of Spain and Italy) or both (in the case of Switzerland). The teenage birth rate in the United States is the highest in the developed world, and the teenage bortion rate is also high. The U. S. teenage pregnancy rate was at a high in the 1950s and has decreased since then, although there has been an increase in births out of wedlock. The teenage pregnancy rate decreased significantly in the 1990s; this decline manifested across all racial groups, although teenagers of African-American and Hispanic descent retai n a higher rate, in comparison to that of European-Americans and Asian-Americans. The Guttmacher Institute attributed about 25% of the decline to abstinence and 75% to the effective use of contraceptives. However, in 2006 the teenage birth rate rose for the first time in fourteen years. This could imply that teen pregnancy rates are also on the rise, however the rise could also be due to other sources: a possible decrease in the number of abortions or a decrease in the number of miscarriages, to name a few. The Canadian teenage birth has also trended towards a steady decline for both younger (15–17) and older (18–19) teens in the period between 1992 and 2002. The age of the mother is determined by the easily verified date when the pregnancy ends, not by the estimated date of conception. Consequently, the statistics do not include women who became pregnant at least shortly before their 20th birthdays, but who gave birth, experienced a miscarriage, or had a voluntary abortion on or after their 20th birthdays. Similarly, statistics on the mother's marital status are determined by whether she is married at the end of the pregnancy, not at the time of conception. Impact Maternal and prenatal health is of particular concern among teens who are pregnant or parenting. The worldwide incidence of premature birth and low birth weight is higher among adolescent mothers. In a rural hospital in West Bengal, teenage mothers between 15–19 years old were more likely to have anemia, preterm delivery, and low birth weight than mothers between 20–24 years old. Research indicates that pregnant teens are less likely to receive prenatal care, often seeking it in the third trimester, if at all. The Guttmacher Institute reports that one-third of pregnant teens receive insufficient prenatal care and that their children are more likely to suffer from health issues in childhood or be hospitalized than those born to older women. Young mothers who are given high-quality maternity care have significantly healthier babies than those that do not. Many of the health-issues associated with teenage mothers, many of whom do not have health insurance, appear to result from lack of access to high-quality medical care. Many pregnant teens are subject to nutritional deficiencies from poor eating habits common in adolescence, including attempts to lose weight through dieting, skipping meals, food faddism, snacking, and consumption of fast food. Inadequate nutrition during pregnancy is an even more marked problem among teenagers in developing countries. Complications of pregnancy result in the deaths of an estimated 70,000 teen girls in developing countries each year. Young mothers and their babies are also at greater risk of contracting HIV. The World Health Organization estimates that the risk of death following pregnancy is twice as great for women between 15 and 19 years than for those between the ages of 20 and 24. The maternal mortality rate can be up to five times higher for girls aged between 10 and 14 than for women of about twenty years of age. Illegal abortion also holds many risks for teenage girls in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa. Risks for medical complications are greater for girls 14 years of age and younger, as an underdeveloped pelvis can lead to difficulties in childbirth. Obstructed labour is normally dealt with by Caesarean section in industrialized nations; however, in developing regions where medical services might be unavailable, it can lead to eclampsia, obstetric fistula, infant mortality, or maternal death. For mothers in their late teens, age in itself is not a risk factor, and poor outcomes are associated more with socioeconomic factors rather than with biology. Psychosocial Several studies have examined the socioeconomic, medical, and psychological impact of pregnancy and parenthood in teens. Life outcomes for teenage mothers and their children vary; other factors, such as poverty or social support, may be more important than the age of the mother at the birth. Many solutions to counteract the more negative findings have been proposed. Teenage parents who can rely on family and community support, social services and child-care support are more likely to continue their education and get higher paying jobs as they progress with their education. In the mother Being a young mother in an industrialized country can affect one's education. Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school. Recent studies, though, have found that many of these mothers had already dropped out of school prior to becoming pregnant, but those in school at the time of their pregnancy were as likely to graduate as their peers. One study in 2001 found that women who gave birth during their teens completed secondary-level schooling 10–12% as often and pursued post-secondary education 14–29% as often as women who waited until age 30. Young motherhood in an industrialized country can affect employment and social class. Less than one third of teenage mothers receive any form of child support, vastly increasing the likelihood of turning to the government for assistance. The correlation between earlier childbearing and failure to complete high school reduces career opportunities for many young women. One study found that, in 1988, 60% of teenage mothers were impoverished at the time of giving birth. Additional research found that nearly 50% of all adolescent mothers sought social assistance within the first five years of their child's life. A study of 100 teenaged mothers in the United Kingdom found that only 11% received a salary, while the remaining 89% were unemployed. Most British teenage mothers live in poverty, with nearly half in the bottom fifth of the income distribution. Teenage women who are pregnant or mothers are seven times more likely to commit suicide than other teenagers. Professor John Ermisch at the institute of social and economic research at Essex University and Dr Roger Ingham, director of the centre of sexual health at Southampton University – found that comparing teenage mothers with other girls with similarly deprived social-economic profiles, bad school experiences and low educational aspirations, the difference in their respective life chances was negligible. Teenage Motherhood may actually make economic sense for young women with less money, some research suggests. For instance, long-term studies by Duke economist V. Joseph Hotz and colleagues, published in 2005, found that by age 35, former teen moms had earned more in income, paid more in taxes, were substantially less likely to live in poverty and collected less in public assistance than similarly poor women who waited until their 20s to have babies. Women who became mothers in their teens — freed from child-raising duties by their late 20s and early 30s to pursue employment while poorer women who waited to become moms were still stuck at home watching their young children — wound up paying more in taxes than they had collected in welfare. Eight years earlier, the federally commissioned report â€Å"Kids Having Kids† also contained a similar finding, though it was buried: â€Å"Adolescent childbearers fare slightly better than later-childbearing counterparts in terms of their overall economic welfare. One-fourth of adolescent mothers will have a second child within 24 months of the first. Factors that determine which mothers are more likely to have a closely spaced repeat birth include marriage and education: the likelihood decreases with the level of education of the young woman – or her parents – and increases if she gets married. In the child Early motherhood can affect the psychosocial development of the infant. Developmental disabilities and behavioral issues are increased in children born to teen mothers. One study suggested that adolescent mothers are less likely to stimulate their infant through affectionate behaviors such as touch, smiling, and verbal communication, or to be sensitive and accepting toward his or her needs. Another found that those who had more social support were less likely to show anger toward their children or to rely upon punishment. Poor academic performance in the children of teenage mothers has also been noted, with many of them being more likely than average to fail to graduate from secondary school, be held back a grade level, or score lower on standardized tests. Daughters born to adolescent parents are more likely to become teen mothers themselves. A son born to a young woman in her teens is three times more likely to serve time in prison. In other family members Teen pregnancy and motherhood can influence younger siblings. One study found that the younger sisters of teen mothers were less likely to emphasize the importance of education and employment and more likely to accept human sexual behavior, parenting, and marriage at younger ages; younger brothers, too, were found to be more tolerant of non-marital and early births, in addition to being more susceptible to high-risk behaviors. If the younger sisters of teenage parents babysit the children, they have an increased risk of getting pregnant themselves. Causes In some societies, early marriage and traditional gender roles are important factors in the rate of teenage pregnancy. For example, in some sub-Saharan African countries, early pregnancy is often seen as a blessing because it is proof of the young woman's fertility. In the Indian subcontinent, early marriage and pregnancy is more common in traditional rural communities compared to the rate in cities. The lack of education on safe sex, whether it’s from parents, schools, or otherwise, is a cause of teenage pregnancy. Many teenagers are not taught about methods of birth control and how to deal with peers who pressure them into having sex before they are ready. Many pregnant teenagers do not have any cognition of the central facts of sexuality. Some teens have said to be pressured into having sex with their boyfriends at a young age, and yet no one had taught these teens how to deal with this pressure or to say â€Å"no†. In societies where adolescent marriage is less common, such as many developed countries, young age at first intercourse and lack of use of contraceptive methods (or their inconsistent and/or incorrect use; the use of a method with a high failure rate is also a problem) may be factors in teen pregnancy. Most teenage pregnancies in the developed world appear to be unplanned. Sexuality In most countries, most men experience sexual intercourse for the first time before their 20th birthdays. Men in Western developed countries have sex for the first time sooner than in undeveloped and culturally conservative countries such as Sub-Saharan Africa and much of Asia. Countries with low levels of teenagers giving birth accept sexual relationships among teenagers and provide comprehensive and balanced information about sexuality. However, in a Kaiser Family Foundation study of US teenagers, 29% of teens reported feeling pressure to have sex, 33% of sexually active teens reported â€Å"being in a relationship where they felt things were moving too fast sexually†, and 24% had â€Å"done something sexual they didn’t really want to do†. Several polls have indicated peer pressure as a factor in encouraging both girls and boys to have sex. Role of drug and alcohol use Inhibition-reducing drugs and alcohol may possibly encourage unintended sexual activity. If so, it is unknown if the drugs themselves directly influence teenagers to engage in riskier behavior, or whether teenagers who engage in drug use are more likely to engage in sex. Correlation does not imply causation. The drugs with the strongest evidence linking to teenage pregnancy are alcohol, â€Å"ecstasy†, cannabis, and amphetamines. The drugs with the least evidence to support a link to early pregnancy are opioids, such as heroin, morphine, and oxycodone, of which a well-known effect is the significant reduction of libido – it appears that teenage opioid users have significantly reduced rates of conception compared to their non-using, and alcohol, â€Å"ecstasy†, cannabis, and amphetamine using peers. Amphetamines are often prescribed to treat ADHD – internationally, the countries with the highest rates of recorded amphetamine prescription to teenagers also have the highest rates of teenage pregnancy. 2][12][51][52], Leonard Sax, M. D. , Ph. D. , 2005, Doubleday books, p. 128. Lack of contraception Adolescents may lack knowledge of, or access to, conventional methods of preventing pregnancy, as they may be too embarrassed or frightened to seek such information. Contraception for teenagers presents a huge challenge for the clinician. In 1998, the government of the United Kingdom set a target to halve the under-18 pregnancy rate by 2010. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy (TPS) was established to achieve this. The pregnancy rate in this group, although falling, rose slightly in 2007, to 41. 7 per 1000 women. Young women often think of contraception either as ‘the pill' or condoms and have little knowledge about other methods. They are heavily influenced by negative, second-hand stories about methods of contraception from their friends and the media. Prejudices are extremely difficult to overcome. Over concern about side-effects, for example weight gain and acne, often affect choice. Missing up to three pills a month is common, and in this age group the figure is likely to be higher. Restarting after the pill-free week, having to hide pills, drug interactions and difficulty getting repeat prescriptions can all lead to method failure. In the United States, according to the 2002 National Surveys of Family Growth, sexually active adolescent women wishing to avoid pregnancy were less likely than those of other ages to use contraceptives (18% of 15- to 19-year-olds used no contraceptives, versus 10. 7% average for women ages 15 to 44). More than 80% of teen pregnancies are unintended. Over half of unintended pregnancies were to women not using contraceptives, most of the rest are due to inconsistent or incorrect use. 23% of sexually active young women in a 1996 Seventeen magazine poll admitted to having had unprotected sex with a partner who did not use a condom, while 70% of girls in a 1997 PARADE poll claimed it was embarrassing to buy birth control or request information from a doctor. In a study for The Guttmacher Institute, researchers found that from a comparative perspective, however, teenage pregnancy rates in the United States are less nuanced than one might initially assume. Since timing and levels of sexual activity are quite similar across [Sweden, France, Canada, Great Britain, and the U. S. ], the high U. S. rates arise primarily because of less, and possibly less-effective, contraceptive use by sexually active teenagers. † Thus, the cause for the discrepancy between rich nations can be traced largely to contraceptive-based issues. Among teens in the UK seeking an abortion, a study found that the rate of contraceptive use was roughly the same for teens as for older women. In other cases, contraception is used, but proves to be inadequate. Inexperienced adolescents may use condoms incorrectly, forget to take oral contraceptives, or fail to use the contraceptives they had previously chosen. Contraceptive failure rates are higher for teenagers, particularly poor ones, than for older users. Long-acting contraceptives such as intrauterine devices, subcutaneous contraceptive implants, and contraceptive injections (such as Depo-Provera and Combined injectable contraceptive), which prevent pregnancy for months or years at a time, are more effective in women who have trouble remembering to take pills or using barrier methods consistently. Age discrepancy in relationships According to the conservative lobbying organization Family Research Council, studies in the US indicate that age discrepancy between the teenage girls and the men who impregnate them is an important contributing factor. Teenage girls in relationships with older boys, and in particular with adult men, are more likely to become pregnant than teenage girls in relationships with boys their own age. They are also more likely to carry the baby to term rather than have an abortion. A review of California's 1990 vital statistics found that men older than high school age fathered 77% of all births to high school-aged girls (ages 16–18), and 51% of births to junior high school-aged girls (15 and younger). Men over age 25 fathered twice as many children of teenage mothers than boys under age 18, and men over age 20 fathered five times as many children of junior high school-aged girls as did junior high school-aged boys. A 1992 Washington state study of 535 adolescent mothers found that 62% of the mothers had a history of being raped or sexual molested by men whose ages averaged 27 years. This study found that, compared with nonabused mothers, abused adolescent mothers initiated sex earlier, had sex with much older partners, and engaged in riskier, more frequent, and promiscuous sex. Studies by the Population Reference Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics found that about two-thirds of children born to teenage girls in the United States are fathered by adult men age 20 or older. Sexual abuse Studies from South Africa have found that 11–20% of pregnancies in teenagers are a direct result of rape, while about 60% of teenage mothers had unwanted sexual experiences preceding their pregnancy. Before age 15, a majority of first-intercourse experiences among females are reported to be non-voluntary; the Guttmacher Institute found that 60% of girls who had sex before age 15 were coerced by males who on average were six years their senior. One in five teenage fathers admitted to forcing girls to have sex with them. Multiple studies have indicated a strong link between early childhood sexual abuse and subsequent teenage pregnancy in industrialized countries. Up to 70% of women who gave birth in their teens were molested as young girls; by contrast, 25% for women who did not give birth as teens were molested. In some countries, sexual intercourse between a minor and an adult is not considered consensual under the law because a minor is believed to lack the maturity and competence to make an informed decision to engage in fully consensual sex with an adult. In those countries, sex with a minor is therefore considered statutory rape. In most European countries, by contrast, once an adolescent has reached the age of consent, he or she can legally have sexual relations with adults because it is held that in general (although certain limitations may still apply), reaching the age of consent enables a juvenile to consent to sex with any partner who has also reached that age. Therefore, the definition of statutory rape is limited to sex with a person under the minimum age of consent. What constitutes statutory rape ultimately differs by jurisdiction. Dating violence Studies have indicated that adolescent girls are often in abusive relationships at the time of their conceiving. They have also reported that knowledge of their pregnancy has often intensified violent and controlling behaviors on part of their boyfriends. Women under age 18 are twice as likely to be beaten by their child's father than women over age 18. A UK study found that 70% of women who gave birth in their teens had experienced adolescent domestic violence. Similar results have been found in studies in the United States. A Washington State study found 70% of teenage mothers had been beaten by their boyfriends, 51% had experienced attempts of birth control sabotage within the last year, and 21% experienced school or work sabotage. In a study of 379 pregnant or parenting teens and 95 teenage girls without children, 62% of the girls aged 11–15 years and 56% of girls aged 16–19 years reported experiencing domestic violence at the hands of their partners. Moreover, 51% of the girls reported experiencing at least one instance where their boyfriend attempted to sabotage their efforts to use birth control. Socioeconomic factors Teenage pregnancy has been defined predominantly within the research field and among social agencies as a social problem. Poverty is associated with increased rates of teenage pregnancy. Economically poor countries such as Niger and Bangladesh have far more teenage mothers compared with economically rich countries such as Switzerland and Japan. In the UK, around half of all pregnancies to under 18s are concentrated among the 30% most deprived population, with only 14% occurring among the 30% least deprived. For example, in Italy, the teenage birth rate in the well-off central regions is only 3. 3 per 1,000, while in the poorer Mezzogiorno it is 10. 0 per 1,000. Similarly, in the United States, sociologist Mike A. Males noted that teenage birth rates closely mapped poverty rates in California: County| Poverty rate| Birth rate*| Marin County| 5%| 5| Tulare County (Caucasians)| 18%| 50| Tulare County (Hispanics)| 40%| 100| * per 1000 women aged 15–19 Teen pregnancy cost the United States over $9. 1 billion in 2004. There is little evidence to support the common belief that teenage mothers become pregnant to get benefits, welfare, and council housing. Most knew little about housing or financial aid before they got pregnant and what they thought they knew often turned out to be wrong. Childhood environment Women exposed to abuse, domestic violence, and family strife in childhood are more likely to become pregnant as teenagers, and the risk of becoming pregnant as a teenager increases with the number of adverse childhood experiences. According to a 2004 study, one-third of teenage pregnancies could be prevented by eliminating exposure to abuse, violence, and family strife. The researchers note that â€Å"family dysfunction has enduring and unfavorable health consequences for women during the adolescent years, the childbearing years, and beyond. When the family environment does not include adverse childhood experiences, becoming pregnant as an adolescent does not appear to raise the likelihood of long-term, negative psychosocial consequences. Studies have also found that boys raised in homes with a battered mother, or who experienced physical violence directly, were significantly more likely to impregnate a girl. Studies have also found that girls whose fathers lef t the family early in their lives had the highest rates of early sexual activity and adolescent pregnancy. Girls whose fathers left them at a later age had a lower rate of early sexual activity, and the lowest rates are found in girls whose fathers were present throughout their childhood. Even when the researchers took into account other factors that could have contributed to early sexual activity and pregnancy, such as behavioral problems and life adversity, early father-absent girls were still about five times more likely in the United States and three times more likely in New Zealand to become pregnant as adolescents than were father-present girls. Low educational expectations have been pinpointed as a risk factor. A girl is also more likely to become a teenage parent if her mother or older sister gave birth in her teens. A majority of respondents in a 1988 Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies survey attributed the occurrence of adolescent pregnancy to a breakdown of communication between parents and child and also to inadequate parental supervision. Foster care youth are more likely than their peers to become pregnant as teenagers. The National Casey Alumni Study, which surveyed foster care alumni from 23 ommunities across the United States, found the birth rate for girls in foster care was more than double the rate of their peers outside the foster care system. A University of Chicago study of youth transitioning out of foster care in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin found that nearly half of the females had been pregnant by age 19. The Utah Department of Human Services found that girls who had left the foster care sy stem between 1999 and 2004 had a birth rate nearly 3 times the rate for girls in the general population. Media influence A study conducted in 2006 found that adolescents who were more exposed to sexuality in the media were also more likely to engage in sexual activity themselves. According to Time, â€Å"teens exposed to the most sexual content on TV are twice as likely as teens watching less of this material to become pregnant before they reach age 20†. Prevention Many health educators have argued that comprehensive sex education would effectively reduce the number of teenage pregnancies, although opponents argue that such education encourages more and earlier sexual activity. United Kingdom In the UK, the teenage pregnancy strategy, which was run first by the Department of Health and is now based out of the Children, Young People and Families directorate in the Department for Children, Schools and Families, works on several levels to reduce teenage pregnancy and increase the social inclusion of teenage mothers and their families by: * joined up action, making sure branches of government and health and education services work together effectively; * prevention of teenage pregnancy through better sex education and improving contraceptive and advice services for young people, involving young people in service design, supporting the parents of teenagers to talk to them about sex and relationships, and targeting high-risk groups; * better support for teenage mothers, including help returning to education, advice and support, work with young fathers, better childcare and increasing the availability of supported housing. The teenage pregnancy strategy has had mixed success. Although teenage pregnancies have fallen overall, they have not fallen consistently in every region, and in some areas they have increased. There are questions about whether the 2010 target of a 50% reduction on 1998 levels can be met. United States In the United States the topic of sex education is the subject of much contentious debate. Some schools provide â€Å"abstinence-only† education and virginity pledges are increasingly popular. A 2004 study by Yale and Columbia Universities found that 88% of those who pledge abstinence have premarital sex anyway. Most public schools offer â€Å"abstinence-plus† programs that support abstinence but also offer advice about contraception. A team of researchers and educators in California have published a list of â€Å"best practices† in the prevention of teen pregnancy, which includes, in addition to the previously mentioned concepts, working to â€Å"instill a belief in a successful future†, male involvement in the prevention process, and designing interventions that are culturally relevant. On September 30, 2010, The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services approved $155 million dollars in new funding for comprehensive sex education programs designed to prevent teenage pregnancy. The money is being awarded â€Å"to states, non-profit organizations, school districts, universities and others. These grants will support the replication of teen pregnancy prevention programs that have been shown to be effective through rigorous research as well as the testing of new, innovative approaches to combating teen pregnancy. † For teens who choose to engage in sexual activity, the primary mode of preventing teen pregnancy becomes correct use of contraceptives. In the States, one policy initiative that has been used to increase rates of contraceptive use is Title X: Title X of the 1970 Public Health Service act provides family planning services for those who do not qualify for Medicaid by distributing â€Å"funding to a network of public, private, and nonprofit entities [in order to provide] services on a sliding scale based on income. Studies indicate that, internationally, success in reducing teen pregnancy rates is directly correlated with the kind of access that Title X provides: â€Å"What appears crucial to success is that adolescents know where they can go to obtain inf ormation and services, can get there easily and are assured of receiving confidential, nonjudgmental care, and that these services and contraceptive supplies are free or cost very little. In addressing high rates of unplanned teen pregnancies, scholars agree that the problem must be confronted from both the biological and cultural contexts. Netherlands The Dutch approach to preventing teenage pregnancy has often been seen as a model by other countries. The curriculum focuses on values, attitudes, communication and negotiation skills, as well as biological aspects of reproduction. The media has encouraged open dialogue and the health-care system guarantees confidentiality and a non-judgmental approach. Developing world In the developing world, programs of reproductive health aimed at teenagers are often small scale and not centrally coordinated, although some countries such as Sri Lanka have a systematic policy framework for teaching about sex within schools. Non-governmental agencies such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International provide contraceptive advice for young women worldwide. Laws against child marriage have reduced but not eliminated the practice. Improved female literacy and educational prospects have led to an increase in the age at first birth in areas such as Iran, Indonesia, and the Indian state of Kerala. Teenage fatherhood In some cases, the father of the child is the husband of the teenage girl. The conception may occur within wedlock, or the pregnancy itself may precipitate the marriage (the so-called shotgun wedding). In countries such as India the majority of teenage births occur within marriage. In other countries, such as the United States and the Republic of Ireland, the majority of teenage mothers are not married to the fathers of their children. In the UK, half of all teenagers with children are lone parents, 40% are cohabitating as a couple and 10% are married. Teenage parents are frequently in a romantic relationship at the time of birth, but many adolescent fathers do not stay with the mother and this often disrupts their relationship with the child. Research has shown that when teenage fathers are included in decision-making during pregnancy and birth, they are more likely to report increased involvement with their children in later years. In the U. S, eight out of ten teenage fathers do not marry their first child's mother. However, â€Å"teenage father† may be a misnomer in many cases. Studies by the Population Reference Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics found that about two-thirds of births to teenage girls in the United States are fathered by adult men age 20 or older. The Guttmacher Institute reports that over 40% of mothers aged 15–17 had sexual partners three to five years older and almost one in five had partners six or more years older. A 1990 study of births to California teens reported that the younger the mother, the greater the age gap with her male partner. In the UK 72% of jointly registered births to women under the age of 20, the father is over the age of 20, with almost 1 in 4 being over 25. History Teenage pregnancy was normal in previous centuries. Perhaps the most famous teenage pregnancy in history was Mary, Mother of Jesus. She is generally believed to have been 13 years old when she gave birth to Jesus. Other sources place her age as high as 15 years. Hildegard of Vinzgouw, the wife of Charlemagne was about 14 years old when she gave birth to her first son in 772 CE. The mother of Henry VII of England was 13 years old when she gave birth to him in 1457. Maria of Tver, the wife of Ivan the Great of Russia, gave birth to her first son when she was about 16 years old, in 1458. Empress Teimei of Japan was 16 years old when she gave birth to Hirohito in 1901. Lina Medina of Peru holds the world record for youngest live birth: She was five years, seven months old when she gave birth in 1939. Society and culture Teenage pregnancy has been used as a theme or plot device in fiction, including books, films, and television series. The setting may be historical (The Blue Lagoon, Hope and Glory) or contemporary (One Tree Hill). While the subject is generally treated in a serious manner (Junk), it can sometimes play up to stereotypes in a comic manner (Vicky Pollard in Little Britain). The pregnancy itself may be the result of sexual abuse (Rose in The Cider House Rules), a one-night stand (Amy Barnes in Hollyoaks), a romantic relationship (Demi Miller in EastEnders); (Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders); or a first time sexual encounter (Sarah-Louise Platt in Coronation Street) unusually, in Quinceanera, the central character becomes pregnant through non-penetrative sex. The drama often focuses around the discovery of the regnancy and the decision to opt for abortion (Fast Times at Ridgemont High), adoption (Mom at Sixteen, Juno, Glee), marriage (Sugar & Spice, Reba and Jeni, Juno) or life as a single mother (Saved! , Where the Heart Is, Someone Like You). In the German play Spring Awakening (and the Broadway musical based upon it), the central female character gets pregnant and dies from a botched abortion. Stephanie Daley deals with the aftermath of a teenage pregnancy that ends with a dead newborn baby. While the pregnant girl herself is normally the chief protagonist, Too Young to Be a Dad centers on a 15-year-old boy whose girlfriend becomes pregnant, while The Snapper focuses on the reactions of the family, particularly the soon-to-be grandfather. Other fiction, particularly in a long-running television series, looks at the long-term effects of becoming a parent at a very young age (Degrassi Junior High). In Gilmore Girls, because Lorelai Gilmore is only 16 years older than her daughter Rory, the two are more like sisters than parent and child. Looking for Alibrandi also features the teenage daughter of a woman who was herself a teenage mother. In The George Lopez Show, Benny Lopez, gave birth to George at 16. In the ABC Family television show The Secret Life of the American Teenager centers on Amy Juergens, a 15-year-old who becomes a teenage mother after a one night stand. In the popular Comedy Central television show South Park the character Carol McCormick was said to have had her sons Kevin McCormick at 13, and Kenny McCormick at 16. In the Japanese drama 14-sai no Haha: Aisuru tame ni Umaretekita, the protagonist Miki Ichinose becomes pregnant with her boyfriend's child at age 14. The show examines the impact of her pregnancy on her, her family, her school life, the life of her boyfriend and his family, and the society in which she resides. Additionally, reality television shows have featured teenage pregnancy stories. MTV launched two reality shows about the topic, 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, in 2009. Each show depicts the gritty reality that pregnant teens face from friends and family while going through this life changing event, allowing teens to see what actually happens in this scenario through an outlet other than a scripted plot. Autobiographies that look at the author’s own experience of teenage motherhood include I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Gather Together in My Name by Maya Angelou, Coal Miner's Daughter by Loretta Lynn, and Riding in Cars with Boys by Beverly D'Onofrio. Songs about teenage pregnancy include downbeat tales of abuse (â€Å"Brenda's Got a Baby†), poverty (â€Å"In The Ghetto†) and back-alley abortion (â€Å"Sally's Pigeons†), as well as upbeat and defiant tunes such as â€Å"Papa Don't Preach†. American pop singer Fantasia Barrino, who was 17 when she gave birth to her daughter, released a controversial song about single motherhood titled â€Å"Baby Mama†, describing the difficulty of raising a child alone with limited financial and family support. (Many U. S. adio stations would not play the song, ostensibly because it contains a profanity. ) â€Å"There Goes My Life†, a modern country song by Kenny Chesney, focuses on the reaction of the father, who rhetorically asks, â€Å"I'm just a kid myself; how am I going to raise one? † As the daughter grows up, his attitude changes, and the song ends with his tearful farewell as she leaves for college. Due to its implied pro-life message, â€Å"There Goes My Life† was sung at the inauguration of George W. Bush in 2005 Teen pregnancies in the Philippines By Rebecca B. Singson Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 00:55:00 06/14/2008 Filed Under: Health, Lifestyle & Leisure, Gender Issues (First in a series) MANILA, Philippines? The sexual revolution has ushered in a period in which the average adolescent experiences tremendous pressures to have sexual experiences of all kinds. Filipino teens get a higher exposure to sex from the Internet, magazines, TV shows, movies and other media than decades ago, yet without any corresponding increase in information on how to handle the input. So kids are pretty much left to other kids for opinions and value formation when it comes to sex. Sexual misinformation is therefore equally shared in the group. Parents at home and teachers in school feel equally inadequate or uneasy to discuss the topic of sex with youngsters. The problem mounts because the barkada (gang) has a more profound influence than parents do and they exert pressure and expect the adolescent to conform to the rest of them. In fact, female adolescents whose friends engage in sexual behavior were found to be more likely to do the same compared to those who do not associate with such peers. If the teen perceives her peers to look negatively at premarital sex, she was more likely to start sex at a later age. Numbers Statistics in the United States show that each year, almost 1 million teenage women? 10 percent of all women aged 15-19 and 19 percent of those who have had sexual intercourse? become pregnant and one-fourth of teenage mothers have a second child within two years of their first. In the Philippines, according to the 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study by the University of the Philippines Population Institute (Uppi) and the Demographic Research and Development Foundation, 26 percent of our Filipino youth nationwide from ages 15 to 25 admitted to having a premarital sex experience. What? s worse is that 38 percent of our youth are already in a live-in arrangement. The 1998 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reveals that 3. 6 million of our teenagers (that? s a whopping 5. 2 percent of our population! ) got pregnant. In 92 percent of these teens, the pregnancy was unplanned, and the majority, 78 percent, did not even use contraceptives the first time they had sex. Many of the youth are clueless that even on a single intercourse, they could wind up pregnant. Risks There are many reasons teen pregnancies should be avoided. Here? s a low down on the facts: ? Risk for malnutrition Teenage mothers tend to have poor eating habits and are less likely to take recommended daily multivitamins to maintain adequate nutrition during pregnancy. They are also more likely to smoke, drink or take drugs during pregnancy, which can cause health problems for the baby. ? Risk for inadequate prenatal care Teenage mothers are less likely to seek regular prenatal care which is essential for monitoring the growth of the fetus; keeping the mother? s weight in check; and advising the mother on nutrition and how she should take care of herself to ensure a healthy pregnancy. According to the American Medical Association, babies born to women who do not have regular prenatal care are 4 times more likely to die before the age of 1 year. ? Risk for abortion Unplanned pregnancies lead to a higher rate of abortions. In the United States, nearly 4 in 10 teen pregnancies (excluding those ending in miscarriages) are terminated by abortion. There were about 274,000 abortions among teens in 1996. In the Philippines, although abortion is illegal, it would shock you to know that we even have a higher abortion rate (25/1,000 women) compared to the United States where abortion is legal (23/1,000 women). For sure, there are more abortions that happen in our country that are not even reported. Backdoor abortions are resorted to with untrained ? hilots? with questionable sterility procedures, increasing the possibility for tetanus poisoning and other complications. Risk for fetal deaths Statistics of the Department of Health show that fetal deaths are more likely to happen to young mothers, and that babies born by them are likely to have low birth weight. ? Risk for acquiring cervical cancer The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually-transmitted, w art-forming virus that has been implicated in causing cancer of the cervix. This is the most common cancer in women secondary to breast cancer. Women who are at increased risk for acquiring this are those who engage in sex before 18, have a pregnancy at or younger than 18, or have had at least 5 sexual partners, or have had a partner with at least 5 sexual partners. If you start sex at an early age, you have a higher likelihood of going through several sexual partners before you settle down, thus increasing your exposure to acquiring the virus and acquiring cervical cancer. The men can get genital warts from this virus and can certainly pass it on to their partners, thus increasing her risk for cervical cancer. Is that something you would want to gift to your wife with on your honeymoon? There is a way to test women (HPV Digene test) but no test for the man so you can? t know if you have it. Using the condom does not confer protection against acquiring this virus since the condom cannot cover the testes where the warts can grow and proliferate. Adolescent Pregnancy: Current Trends and Issues Abstract The prevention of unintended adolescent pregnancy is an important goal of the American Academy of Pediatrics and our society. Although adolescent pregnancy and birth rates have been steadily decreasing, many adolescents still become pregnant. Since the last statement on adolescent pregnancy was issued by the Academy in 1998, efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy have increased, and new observations, technologies, and prevention effectiveness data have emerged. The purpose of this clinical report is to review current trends and issues related to adolescent pregnancy, update practitioners on this topic, and review legal and policy implications of concern to pediatricians. INTRODUCTION Adolescent pregnancy in the United States is a complex issue affecting families, health care professionals, educators, government officials, and youths themselves. Since 1998, when the last statement on this topic was issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy have increased,and new observations, technologies, and prevention effectiveness data have emerged. The purpose of this clinical report is to provide pediatricians with recent data on adolescent sexuality, contraceptive use, and childbearing as well as information about preventing adolescent pregnancy in their communities and in clinical practice. This report does not address diagnosis of pregnancy or management of the transition to prenatal care. Information about counseling pregnant youth is provided in the AAP policy statement â€Å"Counseling the Adolescent About Pregnancy Options,† and from the Alan Guttmacher Institute, and information about early prenatal care is available from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists SEXUAL ACTIVITY The proportion of American adolescents who are sexually active has decreased in recent years; however, rates are still high enough to warrant concern. Currently, more than 45% of high school females and 48% of high school males have had sexual intercourse. The average age of first intercourse is 17 years for girls and 16 years for boys. However, approximately one fourth of all youth report having had intercourse by 15 years of age. Younger teenagers are especially vulnerable to coercive and nonconsensual sex. Involuntary sexual activity has been reported by 74% of sexually active girls younger than 14 years and 60% of those younger than 15 years. Sexually active youth, similar to older unmarried adults, usually have monogamous, short-lived relationships with successive partners. Current surveys indicate that 11% of high school females and 17% of high school males report having had 4 or more sexual partners. In addition to intercourse, many adolescents report having had oral sex or engaging in kissing, touching, or other mutual stimulation; however, data on these other behaviors are reported rarely. There are several predictors of sexual intercourse during the early adolescent years, including early pubertal development, a history of sexual abuse, poverty, lack of attentive and nurturing parents, cultural and family patterns of early sexual experience, lack of school or career goals, substance abuse, and poor school performance or dropping out of school. Factors associated with a delay in the initiation of sexual intercourse include living with both parents in a stable family environment, regular attendance at places of worship, and higher family income. Recently, parental supervision, setting expectations, and parent/child â€Å"connectedness† have been recognized as clearly associated with decreasing risky sexual behavior and other risky behaviors among adolescents. CONTRACEPTIVE USE Despite increasing use of contraception by adolescents at the time of first intercourse, 50% of adolescent pregnancies occur within the first 6 months of initial sexual intercourse. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and public health education efforts have led more adolescents to use barrier contraceptives; nonetheless, in 2003, among high school students who reported that they had ever had sexual intercourse, only 63% reported having used a condom the last time they had intercourse. Despite HIV prevention guidelines, initiation of prescription contraceptives is often accompanied by decreased condom use, especially among adolescents who do not perceive themselves to be at risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Many adolescents who currently report using prescription contraceptives delayed seeing a clinician for a contraceptive prescription until they had been sexually active for 1 year or more. Adolescent women, similar to adult women, have changed contraceptive methods in recent years, with decreases in pill use and increases in injectable contraceptive use. Factors associated with more consistent contraceptive use among sexually active youth include academic success in school, anticipation of a satisfying future, and being involved in a stable relationship with a sexual partner. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unambiguously recommends both abstinence and the use of barrier contraceptives for individuals who choose to be sexually active. However, some groups continue to question the effectiveness of condoms. Youth who participated in programs that provided information about abstinence, condoms, and/or contraception; who were engaged in one-on-one discussions about their own behavior; who were given clear messages about sex and condom or contraceptive use; and who were provided condoms or contraceptives have been found to increase consistent condom and contraception use without increasing sexual activity. TRENDS IN ADOLESCENT CHILDBEARING Each year, approximately 900000 teenagers become pregnant in the United States, and despite decreasing rates, more than 4 in 10 adolescent girls have been pregnant at least once before 20 years of age. Most of these pregnancies are among older teenagers (ie, those 18 or 19 years of age). Approximately 51% of adolescent pregnancies end in live births, 35% end in induced abortion, and 14% result in miscarriage or stillbirth. Historically, the highest adolescent birth rates in the United States were during the 1950s and 1960s, before the legalization of abortion and the development of many of the current forms of contraception. After the legalization of abortion in 1973, birth rates for US females 15 to 19 years of age decreased sharply until 1986. Rates increased steadily until 1991; since then, the birth rate among teenagers has decreased every year since 1991. Since 1991, the rate has decreased 35% for 15- to 17-year-olds and 20% for 18- to 19-year-olds. Rates for 10- to 14-year-olds were 1. 4 per 1000 in 1992 and have gradually decreased to 0. 7 per 1000 in 2002. Although birth rates have been decreasing steadily for white and black teenagers in recent years, 1996 is the first year that birth rates decreased for Hispanic teenagers; Hispanic adolescents also have had the highest overall birth rates and smallest decreases in recent years. Once a teenager has had 1 infant, she is at increased risk of having another. Approximately 25% of adolescent births are not first births. ADOLESCENT PARENTS AND THEIR PARTNERS Adolescent childbearing is usually inconsistent with mainstream societal demands for attaining adulthood through education, work experience, and financial stability. Poverty is correlated significantly with adolescent pregnancy in the United States. Although 38% of adolescents live in poor or low-income families, as many as 83% of adolescents who give birth and 61% who have abortions are from poor or low-income families. At least one third of parenting adolescents (both males and females) are themselves products of adolescent pregnancy. Although it is difficult to establish causal links between childhood maltreatment and subsequent adolescent pregnancy, in some studies as many as 50% to 60% of those who become pregnant in early or midadolescence have a history of childhood sexual or physical abuse. The problem of adolescent pregnancy is often assumed to be both an adolescent and an adult problem, because many partners of childbearing youth are adults. The percentage of adolescent pregnancies in which the father is an adult is unclear; studies report a range from 7% to 67%. Adult men having sexual relationships with adolescents is problematic, because many of these relationships may be abusive or coercive. Adolescents who have sex with older men are also more likely to contract HIV infection or other STD. Although more than two thirds of adolescent girls' sexual partners are the same age or within a few years older and the sexual activity is consensual in nature, some partners are more than 4 years older. Sexual relationships between adults and minors may be coercive or exploitative, with detrimental consequences for the health of both the teenager and her children. Although some states and local jurisdictions have changed statutory rape laws and their enforcement, mandated reporting of all sexual activity as statutory rape or as child abuse has not been effective at changing behavior, does not allow for clinical judgment, and has the effect of deterring some of the adolescents most in need from seeking health care. Adolescent fathers are similar to adolescent mothers; they are more likely than their peers who are not fathers to have poor academic performance, higher school drop-out rates, limited financial resources, and decreased income potential. Some fathers disappear from the lives of their adolescent partners and children, but many others attempt to stay involved, and many young fathers struggle to be involved in their children's lives. Current programs in adolescent pregnancy and parenting are exploring ways to r