Healthcare Informatics Discuss Essay Example for Free

Healthcare Informatics Discuss Essay The information revolution has changed the health care system to an unbelievable level. Combination of informatics in nursing is going beyond data processing function I view nursing informatics as a specialty title to health care informatics. Health informatics. the application of computer and information science in al basic and applied biomedical sciences to facilitate and acquisition , processing, interpretation, optimal use, and communication of health-related date. Hebda, T., Czar, P. (2012. P.6). I consider healthcare informatics is dealing with information, computerized information and telecommunications. Especially for nursing informatics deals with these also but how they impact patient care. Nurses in today’s world are almost all familiar with some sort of healthcare informatics such as a computerized medication system or charting systems as well as discharge instructions or patient education. Every nurse at my facility uses the computer, internet, and intranet daily to conduct patient care. I work in the OR and we get our room assignment off a computer generated sheet. There are definitely different levels the variety of nurses are able to use the computer systems for these purposes. We collect data and information before patient come to the operating room. We will collect date about patient’s age, weight, allergy, blood work †¦..Etc. We use this knowledge to manage and plan the patient care. For example: my patient is overweight I will need to solve the moving patient from cart to bed problem before and after surgery. I will put a special air mattress on the OR bed. And by checking the patient labs from the computer, I will know if this patient has been cross matched for the surgery in case so unpredictable blood lost from the surgery. I think the computer system is essential for patient care. It benefits both the patients stay and the work flow of the nurse. From the patients perspective they can expect fewer errors, shorter stays, better communication, and even more high tech rooms with vital sign equipment that enters its data into a computer automatically. Patients can also expect better education and information about a certain disease, even the rarest of them all. The benefits to nurses are tremendous. short7sweet (Se ptember 2008) Reference Hebda, T. , Czar, P. (2012). Handbook of Informatics for Nurses Healthcare Professionals (5th Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Short7sweet (2008, 09). Health Informatics. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 09, 2008, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Health-Informatics-164985.html

Importance Of Staphylococcus Aureus To Humans Biology Essay

Importance Of Staphylococcus Aureus To Humans Biology Essay The bacterial genus to be isolated and identification in this project is Staphylococcus. This genus has been chosen for the reason of its abundance on the skin of mammals and the pathogenic nature of one of its member, Staphylococcus aureus. Apart from skin infections, Staphylococcus aureus could mutate to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In both cases, these give rise to medical implications. In addition, the distinctive features of Staphylococcus aureus from other species in the genus allow it to be easily isolated and identified via culturing and biochemical tests. Staphylococcus was first discovered in 1880 by Alexander Ogston (Paniker 2005, p.192). Currently, more than 30 different species of the genus has been identified (Deurenberg Stobberingh 2008). The name Staphylococcus was derived from Greek, with the prefix Staphylo referring to bunches of grapes and the suffix coccus referring to granule (Ryan Ray 2004). As the meanings suggest, bacteria from Staphylococcus are circular-shaped and their arrangement resembles bunches of grapes when observed under a microscope. Typically, a Staphylococcus has a diameter of approximately 1ÃŽÂ ¼m (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). The aim of the project is to isolate Staphylococcus aureus from the genus from a bundle of cat hairs and verify its identity via microscopic examination. No human specimen is used due to the potential pathogenic property of Staphylococcus. It is intended that a pure culture of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus is obtained. For the purposes of this project, the importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans, its classification in terms of morphology, physiology and structure, methods of isolation and identification by biochemical tests would be the objectives to be addressed. Importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans The importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans would be outlined by a review of the cell structure, cell physiology and environmental niches, followed by the medical implications of Staphylococcus. Cell structure Staphylococcus is a cocci bacterium. As a member of the Bacteria domain, it is expected that Staphylococcus has bacterial cell structure. In other words, it lacks nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. The structural elements in a cell of Staphylococcus should include a cell membrane, cell wall, ribosome and nucleoid (Campbell et al. 2009, p.98). On the other hand, it is worthwhile to note that Staphylococcus does not have flagella and spores (Paniker 2005, p.193). In addition to the above structures, Staphylococcus aureus possesses surface proteins that help attachment to proteins such as the fibronectin and fibrinogen-binding proteins involved in blood clotting (Baron 1996). This cellular property may explain the pathogenic nature of Staphylococcus aureus, as invasion might occur via wounds and abrasions. Cell physiology The cell physiology of Staphylococcus covers temperature, pH, osmolarity and oxygen requirements, as well as cell division. Staphylococcus typically grows from a temperature of 20oC to 40oC, with optimum temperature being 37oC (Todar 2000). Concerning the optimum pH for metabolism, it ranges from 7.4 to 7.6 (Paniker 2005, p.193). For osmolarity, Staphylococcus requires a water activity of at least 0.85 for substantial growth (Todar 2000). As for oxygen requirement, Staphylococcus is facultative anaerobic (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). This implies Staphylococcus can grow regardless of the presence of oxygen, but the presence of oxygen would be more favorable. Environmental niches The environmental niches of Staphylococcus can be addressed by its interactions with other organisms as to where it is found, how it synthesizes nutrients for growth and mutation. Staphylococcus is commonly found on the skin and mucous membranes of animals with stable body temperatures, including humans (OGara and Humphreys 2001, p.583). The salty environment along skin surface due to the production of sweat may account for the abundance of Staphylococcus, since its enzymatic activity is at alkaline pH (Blood et al. 2007). The prominent bacteria from the genus include Staphylococcus aureus, which colonizes in nasal cavity, larynx and on the skin surface (Andersson, Lindholm Fossum 2011). This may outline a parasitic relationship, in which Staphylococcus is the parasite and the animal supporting its growth is the host (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.725). In the presence of oxygen, Staphylococcus utilizes glucose to carry out cellular respiration, and electrons are passed on to the terminal acceptor, oxygen (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). When oxygen is lacking or absent, Staphylococcus may undergo fermentation and lactic acid is the usual product (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). In the process, glucose is converted into substrate pyruvate, followed by its binding to the cofactor Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) to produce lactic acid (Campbell et al. 2009, p.178) The interactions of Staphylococcus with the environment may also be underlined by mutation, which often occurs with Staphylococcus aureus. An example would be Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to the antibiotic, Methicillin (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). The mutation is caused by an alteration of the methicillin-resistance gene (mec A) coding for a penicillin-binding protein (Davis 2011). This results in failure of antibiotics to cure infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, which will be addressed in the medical implication section. Medical implications of Staphylococcus Staphylococcus can present a great diversity of environmental, medical or biotechnological implications. Being a mesophile, Staphylococcus can carry out metabolism under normal room temperature. Together with the abundance of warm-blooded animals which act as hosts to provide a salty medium, it can be said that Staphylococcus has an environmental implication of ubiquity. Statistics show that Staphylococcus aureus is present in 30% of healthy people (National Centre for Preparedness, Detection and Control of Infectious Diseases 2003). Though Staphylococcus may colonize on the skin surface of the host without causing any harms, its ubiquity can still give rise to various medical issues. The MRSA mentioned previously would be one of the problems associated with Staphylococcus. Apart from methicillin, MRSA could show resistance against many other antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin (Agodi et al. 1999, p.638). The ineffectiveness of existing antibiotics to cure MRSA infections has resulted in fatality, and it is usually characterized by the incidence of septic shock and pneumonia (Klevens et al. 2007). A rapid increase of MRSA infections has been observed over the decades. The rate of hospitalized MRSA infections was only 2% in 1974 but this figure increases dramatically to approximately 40% in 1997 (Lowy 1998). This causes deaths of 19000 in t he United States of America annually (Klevens et al. 2007). As Staphylococcus colonies on skin surfaces and mucous membrane, skin infections and diseases associated with mucous membranes could be another medical implication. It is known that Staphylococcus aureus may cause Scalded Skin and Toxic Shock syndromes. Moreover, it may cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, food poisoning (Gill et al. 2004, p. 2426). Classification of Staphylococcus The classification of Staphylococcus can be reviewed in terms of its morphology and some of the physiological properties stated above. Morphology The morphology of Staphylococcus can be described as cocci gram positive bacteria arranged in a cluster. This can be explained by its property of cell wall and its behavior in cell division. The cell wall of Staphylococcus shows a gram positive reaction, which indicates its composition is essentially a thick layer of peptidoglycan (Todar 2011). This property of cell structure helps the identification of Staphylococcus. Moving on to cell division, it can be predicted that Staphylococcus reproduce by binary fission. The reason for its cluster formation may be explained by its capability of undergoing binary fission in multiple planes with daughter cells remains proximal to each other (Paniker 2005, p.192). Though the daughter cells remain in close proximity, the positions of attachment could vary and this leads to cluster being formed irregularly (Todar 2011). Physiological properties In terms of thermal requirement, Staphylococcus is a mesophile. Regarding pH requirements, it is a neutrophile. Being a facultative anaerobe, Staphylococcus is catalase positive. The absence of flagella indicates that Staphylococcus is a non-motile bacterium. In addition, Staphylococcus aureus is coagulase positive but not for other species in the genus. As light is not readily available on skin surface and mucous membranes, it is proposed that Staphylococcus obtain energy via organic chemical compounds. Hence it is regarded as a chemotroph (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.137). The facultative anaerobic property of Staphylococcus may lead to a deduction that it utilizes organic carbon as the source of electron when oxygen is present. Though some Staphylococcus may use reduced forms of inorganic nitrates to generate electrons, its preference towards an aerobic atmosphere should define it as an organotroph (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.137, 562). When comes to carbon source, Staphylococcus is a heterotrophy (Kumar, Hatha Christi 2007). That is to say, it attains its carbon source by converting organic substances for synthesis via oxidation (Voet, D, Voet, JG Pratt CW 2008, p.449). To sum up, Staphylococcus should be one of the members of the microbial group Chemoorganotrophic heterotrophs. Methods of Isolation of Staphylococcus The methods of isolation of Staphylococcus would include growing in medium followed by streak plating. Growth media To ensure optimum growth of colonies, Staphylococcus should be enriched in nutrient broth with sodium chloride (NaCl) before plating on a nutrient agar. A nutrient broth normally consists of beef extract and peptone as fuels for growth (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.148). The addition of salt allows a selective medium for Staphylococcus as it predominantly grows in salty environment. Alternatively, a growth medium can be done via a Mannitol salt agar (MSA), which consists of 7.5% of NaCl and a pH indicator. MSA essentially acts as both a selective and differential medium. NaCl selects for saline-favored Staphylococcus and the pH indicator differentiates between Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Differentiation can be illustrated by the fact that Staphylococcus aureus utilizes mannitol in the agar for metabolism, and the generation of acidic product is indicated by a yellow color. However, this phenomenon does not apply to non-pathogenic Staphylococcus (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.147). Streak Plating Following enrichment, Staphylococcus in the medium can be transferred to an agar plate with nutrient broth and salt, by employment of aseptic techniques. At the same time, a transfer to an agar plate with only nutrient broth should be performed as a control set-up. This is to ensure the effectiveness of the selective media because other bacteria could grow on the agar plate if the medium was not set up properly. Afterwards, the plates would be incubated for a week. Incubation should be done at 37oC as it is the optimum temperature for Staphylococcus to grow. Plating and incubation should be repeated a few times to make sure that the colonies grown are pure. Identification by biochemical tests The identity of Staphylococcus cannot be confirmed by carrying out the gram reaction alone due to the fact that a great variety of bacteria from other genus may also show gram positive reaction. Therefore, some biochemical tests have to be performed to verify that the bacteria isolated is in the genus of Staphylococcus and it is of the species Staphylococcus aureus. These tests include catalase, motility and cogulase. First of all, as Staphylococcus aureus is facultative anaerobic, it is expected that it contains enzymes to break down harmful products such as free radicals generated along its aerobic pathway (). In this case, the enzyme of interest is catalase, in which its presence allows the breakdown of toxic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into oxygen and water (). Therefore colourless gas bubbles can be observed when H2O2 is added to a colony of Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, as Staphylococcus aureus is non-motile, motility test can be performed. In a motility medium supplied with carbon source, a pink color can only be observed along the stab line (). This essentially means that the growht Staphylococcus aureus is localized and its colonies are not motile. Furthermore, the identification test between Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria from the genus would be based on its reaction with coagulase. Staphylococcus aureus readily coagulates plasma but not for others species in the genus (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.750). To ensure accuracy of the test, it is preferable to test on colonies extracted from culture plates that are known to contain coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococcus epididymis respectively. The former acts as a positive control, while the latter acts as a negative control. Conclusion In conclusion, Staphylococcus is a ubiquitous bacterial genus that can pose various medical implications and it can be grown, isolated and identified based on its, environmental niches, morphology, physiological and structural characteristics. The aims of isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus can be achieved by a review of the four objectives as summarized below. Firstly, it is often found on epidermis of animal skins including humans and its ability to metabolize optimally at 37oC and at pH of 7.4-7.6 makes it a potential pathogen to humans. In particular, the species Staphylococcus aureus can cause a great diversity of diseases and the mutated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus could be fatal owing to its resistance to most antibiotics. Secondly, it can be classified by in terms of morphology and some of the physiological characteristics. Its morphology is gram positive cocci bacteria growing in clusters. It is a mesophile, nuetrophile and facultative anaerobe. It is catalase positive and only Staphylococcus aureus is coagulase positive. The energy, electron and carbon sources of Staphylococcus aureus can be described as chemoorganotrophic heterotrophic. Thirdly, regarding growth medium, the sample of cat hair should be enriched in a medium of sodium chloride before incubating on an agar plate of nutrient broth and salt at 37oC. The colonies should be streaked plated a few times to remove contaminants. This increases the efficiency of isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. Lastly, Staphylococcus aureus can be identified by the catalase, motility and coagulase tests. It is expected that bubbling is observed as a positive result with the catalase test. As for the motility test, a negative test is expected. In other words, no growth is observed across the stab line. Clumping of plasma is seen as a positive result and this differentiates Staphylococcus aureus from other species in the genus.

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales Proves How Historical Changes To The English

Chaucer’s fourteenth century story The Canterbury Tales can be considered almost impossible to read by many modern day readers. They tend to struggle thru understanding many of the words, as well as their meanings within this story. As I read The Canterbury Tales I noticed how the rhythm and rhyme differ from modern day English, the vowel are pronounced differently, and many of the words used within this story are no longer used in modern English. Additionally there are three main changes to that can be seen over time within the English language, vocabulary, pronunciation, and sentence structure. The many historical language changes that have happened since the fourteenth century can be found within The Canterbury Tales, and explain why so many people struggle to fully understand the original version of this story. It is very clear when you sit down and begin to read Chaucer’s work that he constructed his sentences extremely differently from how we construct our today. For example the first four lines of Canterbury Tales reads. â€Å"When that April with his showers soote its showers sweet The drought of March hath pierced to the root And bathed every vein in such liquor rootlet / liquid Of which virtà ºe engendered is the flower; When Zephyrus eke with his sweet. breath West Wind also Inspired hath in every holt and heath grove & field The tender croppes, and the young. sun young shoots / Spring sun Hath in the Ram his half. course y-run,3 in Aries / has run And small. fowles maken melody little birds That sleepen all the night with open eye Who sleep (So pricketh them Natà ºre in their courà ¡ges), spurs / spirits Then longen folk to go on pilgrimà ¡ges, people long And palmers for to seeken strange Strands† ( Chaucer lines 1-13) Which... ...s within Shakespeare work. Chaucer’s The Canterbury tales is truly a perfect example of how much the English language has changes. I instantly noticed the differences in rhythm, rhyme, sentence structure, vocabulary, and pronunciation, which directly reflects the historical changes over the last five or six hundred years. These changes are what now cause many people to struggle to quickly understand Middle English text. It is also why many people feel that Chancers work is impossible to read let alone understand. â€Æ' Works Cited Chaucer, Geoffrey. GENERAL PROLOGUE. The Canterbury Tales. "History of the English Language." EnglishClub. . Mahoney, Nicole. "Language Change." Language and Linguistics: Language Change. National Science Foundation, .

A Government Conspiracy Essay -- Masonic Brotherhood Conspiracy

A Government Conspiracy To most a fairy tale, to some an interesting topic of discussion, however, to a small population, 5 % to be exact, Government conspiracy does exist. How, you might ask, do I intend to prove that indeed government conspiracy is real? I do not intend to prove it. In fact I only intend to inform you of its ever growing ploy of world domination, capitalism and control and open your mind to the idea that government conspiracy is out there. Throughout history as it is known to repeat itself, I will show facts that support this â€Å"theory† and dismiss the legendary lies we have been taught to believe through a system known as memetics. Looking back into the past, our four fathers first started the conspiracy of a new one world order through a secret society known as the Masonic Brotherhood. Before the Masons there was the Illuminati who introduced their ideas into the Masonic brotherhood before being disbanded in the 1780’s. However, the illuminati did not disband but simply went underground. There are several important members of the government involved in the New World Order according to Masonic records. Not only are government personnel involved but important figures in the media with high influence as well. From George Washington, Rockefeller Industries, and even the Federal Reserve. In American History, the story is written of a German U-boat sinking an American passenger ship named The Lusitania. The story tells of a warning issued and published in American papers on May 1, 1915 stating, "Travelers intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war includes the waters adjacent to th... ...reat publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years." "It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries." ( David Rockefeller Bilderbrger Meeting, Baden, Germany 1991) Works Cited ( David Rockefeller Bilderbrger Meeting, Baden, Germany 1991) (Dr Matthew Robinson 9/11: THREATS ABOUT AIRPLANES AS WEAPONS PRIOR TO 9/11 p1 WEB) ( Bailey and Ryan, pp. 50-51. WEB) ( T. Stokes â€Å"Who Really Sunk The Lusitania† Scribd.com pg1 WEB)

eating disorder Essay -- essays research papers

Is there a strong connection between the fast food industry and the growing rate of obesity among young children? The answer is yes- fast food consumption is a large contributor to increasing child obesity risks and the effects of long-term health problems in the future. Children are bombarded by fast food advertising on a daily basis which lure them into wanting fast foods in addition to the great taste. The rapid growth of child obesity is in step with the growing fast food chains and market. The realization of this important link is the first step in finding a solution to the growing epidemic of child obesity. A person is considered obese or suffering from obesity when their weight is 20 percent (25 % in women) or more over the maximum desirable weight for their height. When a person is more than 100 pounds overweight, it is considered to be a potentially fatal condition, also known as morbid obesity. Rates of obesity are climbing, the percentage of children and young adolescents who are obese have doubled in the last twenty years. Obesity increases a person’s risk of numerous illnesses and death due to diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and kidney and gallbladder disorders. Obesity also increases the risk of various types of cancer. Once a person reaches the level of being obese, it is far more difficult to reverse the condition as compared to someone who is simply overweight and needs to shed a few pounds. Many obesity patients suffer psychologically from stress, depression, and frustration. These mental side-effects contribute to the extrem e difficulty of losing weight and especially if the person has been obese or extremely overweight from an early age. The majority of young children who develop bad eating habits- consuming fast food- stay with them as they become young adults. â€Å"A person’s food preferences, like his or her personality, are formed during the first few years of life, through the process of socialization.†(Schlosser) Toddlers can learn to enjoy healthy food or fast food, depending on what they are introduced to at this developmental stage. These foods evolve into â€Å"comfort foods† as they grow older and become a source of pleasure and satisfaction. Although, genetic factors and inactive lifestyle are factors, obesity is mainly caused by the body consuming more food than it can use. â€Å"Every day almos... ...ast food industry plays a big part in contributing to child obesity, because of the lack of effort to decrease the fat, salt, sugar content, and portions of their meals. They are also to blame for the excessive marketing directed toward young children through media and advertising. They have infiltrated the minds of children to trust fast food icons such as Ronald McDonald and to start bad eating habits at an early age that will carry over into their adulthood. Although the fast food industry is a largely linked to the growth of child obesity, they can not solely take the blame. A child is ten times more likely to become obese if his or her parent is obese. This is due to a combination of genetic factors and social environment the child has been accustomed to. Parents have the responsibility to teach their children that it’s not ok to eat fast food regularly. After all, the parents are the ones who buy the fast food for their children and drive the family to the restaurant s. They should regulate the consumption. A more morally responsible fast food industry, with the combined efforts of responsible parents - is the only solution to reverse the increasing epidemic of child obesity.

Joan Didion Analysis Essay

In Joan Didion’s memoir, she outlines the events of a painfully tragic experience in her life. She takes the reader through her dismal attitudes of embarrassment, uneasiness, and eventual enlightenment. Didion explains how her distorted view on self-respect from her childhood is morphed into life’s reality when she is not accepted into Phi Beta Kappa. Strong comparisons and distinct diction engulfs the reader and leads them through a journey in Didion’s life. The text begins with Didion scribbling in her diary, presumably in an upset mood judging by the sizeable print she used to create a dramatic effect. â€Å"I wrote in large letters across two pages of a notebook that innocence ends when one is stripped of the delusion that one likes oneself. † This dramatic statement immediately hooks the reader, causing them to wonder what horrific event resulted in Didion’s definite state of agitation. A shift occurs as Didion begins to recall, some years later, on her foolish and naive thought process. Didion expresses her chagrin feeling as she claims, â€Å"I recall with embarrassing clarity the flavor of those particular ashes. It was a matter of misplaced self-respect. † In this statement Didion refers to her documentations in her diary as â€Å"ashes† signifying the lack of reality they held. Due to Didion’s crooked view on self-respect she is stripped of her ability to pledge in Phi Beta Kappa. In the following paragraph Didion explains that it was quite obvious why she did not get elected into Phi Beta Kappa. She was not the â€Å"academic Raskolnikov† she had dreamt herself to be; she simply did not have the grades. But this still left her unsettled. Although not getting into Phi Beta Kappa was hardly a tragedy, it was still the end of something for Didion and she states â€Å"The day I did not get into Phi Beta Kappa nonetheless marked the end of something and innocence may well be the word for it. † Didion then comes to numerous realizations due to the false realities her childhood consisted of. For example, she loses the firm belief that â€Å"lights would always turn green† meaning she will no longer always get her way. The idea that the virtues instilled from her upbringing could give her â€Å"not only Phi Beta Kappa Keys but happiness, honor, and the love of a good man† was no longer practical. And she began to realize that the social standards of â€Å"good manners, clean hair, and proven competence on the Stanford-Binet scale†, which her self-respect reflected upon, were not all that mattered. In the concluding sentence to this paragraph Didion states, â€Å"I faced myself that day with the nonplussed apprehension of someone who has come across a vampire and has no crucifix in hand. † This represents the feeling of uneasiness Didion portrays as she realizes she is defenseless against the fact that her innocence could no longer carry her through life. In the final paragraph Didion admits that â€Å"To be driven back upon oneself is uneasy† but â€Å"It is the one condition necessary to the new beginnings of self-respect. † This statement exemplifies the attitude of enlightenment Didion began to feel. It shows that coming to terms with the person you really are is difficult, but it is crucial when trying to obtain true self-respect. In conclusion, Didion realizes that her â€Å"marked cards† cannot carry her though life. Didion is reviewing the actions in her past that were reflections of her misplaced self-respect. She cannot carry around her false credentials in hope to gain respect from others. After looking back on the falsely identified tragedy that changed her life, Didion understands that self-respect has nothing to do with the people you surround yourself with. Who you are does not reflect upon your past, or your reputation, but upon your present self. And the courage you project.

Are Homosexuals the only sexual abusers of boys Essay

I do not agree with the idea that only homosexuals sexually abuse boys. This is a myth that has been instilled in people hence people grow up with the notion that male children can only be abused by homosexuals. Sexual abuse in boys has become common although in most cases it is unreported, under-treated or under-recognized. There is little knowledge concerning sexual abuse in boys which can be attributed to the few studies which are carried in this area. Although it is not clear on the exact number of boys who are at risk of being sexually abused, it is estimated that one in every 6 boys is likely to be a victim of sexual abuse by the age of 16 years (Gartner, 2005). According to research, most male sexual abusers are likely to be males who are close to the victim but are not related to the victim. These perpetrators usually carry out the abuse away from their victim’s homes, do it repeatedly and often involve some kind of penetration. But sometimes, the perpetrators can be female. It is said that there are higher chances of boys being abused by female perpetrators as compared to girls. When female perpetrators are involved, they tend to persuade them rather than using force as opposed to the male perpetrators who often use force. Therefore, one cannot rule out the possibility of female perpetrators abusing male children because these cases do exist (Michele, 1993). According to Spiegel (2003), people tend to look down upon homosexual as the only male sexual abusers because of the way they are brought up by the society. Most societies believe that all homosexuals must have sex with boys and mostly small boys. Therefore, children are made to fear homosexuals because they are seen as child sexual abusers. Considering this socially conditioned situation, it is difficult to change the opinion of the people about sexual abuse in male children. Hence, it is important for the society to start looking at the matter from different points of view such as: female can also sexually abuse young boys. Majority of these victims do not come to the limelight. In most instances, boys are sexually abused by women in parenting roles like mothers, aunts and grandmothers. This kind of abuse usually goes unreported because of the bond and royalty that exist between them. Such abuses can also occur when a son is given the role of husband. The son is usually made to feel aligned to the mother and becomes protective such that he constantly wants to care for and please his mother. The mother may put the child in a protective position which eventually leaves the child feeling ineffectual and inadequate. Because of the protection from the father’s abuse, the abuse from the mother may seem less threatening compared to the father’s. Despite that, this kind of abuse finally has significant psychological effects to the child (Dorais & Meyer, 2002). According to a study that was carried out by Dr. William C. Holmes about sexual abuse in small boys, it reveled that although majority of male sexual abusers are male, almost 90 %, there is also a significant number of female abusers with adolescent baby sitters accounting for almost half the population of female perpetrators. It is therefore important for proper measures to be put in place to ensure that boys are protected from sexual abuse from both male and female perpetrators because they are both involved in the abuse.