Monday, August 24, 2020

The Concept of Generation Gap Bridging in the Workplace

Chapter by chapter list Introduction Generation The Generations at the Workplace Bridging the Generational Gap Conclusion Works Cited Introduction A working environment makes it feasible for individuals from different foundations to communicate and cooperate towards accomplishing a shared objective. Over the span of such collaboration there will undoubtedly be some disarray emerging from the laborers. Sorted out working environments, regardless of whether little or enormous, have a regulatory structure to guarantee smooth running of their activities.Advertising We will compose a custom article test on The Concept of Generation Gap Bridging in the Workplace explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More A case of such organized framework is an open establishment. Open establishments not at all like private organizations follow exacting set down arrangements in the spread of their order to the general population. This paper will talk about the idea of crossing over the age hole in the work environment corresponding to an open foundation that has all the current ages working in it. The paper will talk about the different ages in such a working environment, their attributes, how they see different ages and the wellspring of contention among the ages. Comprehension of the qualities of the different ages is crucial for making of age spans. The paper will likewise investigate manners by which the various ages can be united to acknowledge and amicably work with one another viably for the acknowledgment of the organization’s goals. Age An age is a gathering of individuals who are conceived in a given timeframe. The time is an indistinct range that fluctuates from an offered society to another. In certain social orders, an age contrast is evaluated regarding the life expectancy from when one is destined to the time he/she has a family. It is required some investment period between when a female imagines her first youngster to the second when the woman†™s little girl gets her previously conceived. This is anyway not a proper definition but rather a social sentiment that has been surpassed by time, despite the fact that its part of time is as yet important. Humankind has separated itself into bunches dependent on the age factors (Dictionary 1). Order of the at present existing individuals as indicated by age arranges four ages. The most established age is the people born after WW2. This is the set conceived in the 1950’s. Another age is the â€Å"generation X† which is a gathering of individuals who were conceived in the period averaging from 1965 to 1980. The age X experienced childhood in a time of childishness, a perspective that they never preferred. The term age â€Å"X† as utilized began from Douglas’s book of a fanciful story of three individuals who separated themselves from individuals so as to look for their personalities. He imagined this gathering of individuals as underemployed, having ove rabundance training, self hid and flimsy (Jochim 1). Another age is the age â€Å"Y†, additionally alluded as the Millennials.Advertising Looking for exposition on open organization? We should check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This gathering comprises of individuals brought into the world after the mid 1980’s. They are viewed as the prevailing workforce in work environments right now. This youthful gathering apparently is result situated group laborers who look for consideration for their work and are all around educated in innovation. The gathering lean towards adaptable working conditions and situations a reality that isn't generally welcomed by more seasoned ages (Kane 1). The age â€Å"Z†, is the gathering that follows age â€Å"Y†. It comprises of young people conceived as from the year 1994 to the year 2004. They are then again observed as to have poor relational abilities and are bad audience members. Th e gathering is seen to be, in future, non cooperative individuals in work puts because of poor relational aptitudes. They are additionally alluded to as the quiet age (Babyboomers 1). The Generations at the Workplace Hammil guaranteed that the present issues at the work environments are not because of firm rivalry or narrow-mindedness among individuals in senior positions yet the barrage of the four out of this world together in the work environment. The ages present various ways to deal with components of â€Å"values, thoughts, communication† (Hammil 1) and activity. The distinctions are additionally clear in â€Å"attitude, conduct, desires, propensities and inspirational buttons† (Hammil 1). The strain saw among the various ages is only a result of their age distinction that has seen them create various perspectives and way to deal with issue and compromise. The gatherings have various attitudes. While the â€Å"Y† age needs moment thankfulness for what they are doing, the person born after WW2 is keen on the profitability of a laborer. A â€Å"Y† age specialist will along these lines be effectively debilitated when the person in question neglects to get a moment inspiration yet the child of post war America age supervisor was simply sitting tight for a suitable time or the organization’s prerequisites and time for compensating the exhibition. The â€Å"Y† age for this case can consider the to be ages as being rude just as being legitimate and dissatisfied. The more youthful age is likewise observed by the more established age as acting naturally focused and lacking responsibility (Hammil 1). Spanning the Generational Gap The four ages are distinctive in numerous angles, a reality that regularly get clashes a working environment however they should all exist in the framework. The requirement for congruity in the administration and elements of an association will require all the gatherings to bit by bit take senior situations in the supervisory crew. Any firm will require the person born after WW2 to give understanding and initiative similarly as it needs the â€Å"Y† age to be arranged and molded to a future chief in the association. Blair clarified that understanding the conduct of individuals just as the methodology given to them is a key factor in overseeing them. A specialist who feels that his position is comprehended and that the person in question is regarded will much effectively regard the management’s order than a laborer who feels scared and unappreciated.Advertising We will compose a custom exposition test on The Concept of Generation Gap Bridging in the Workplace explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More The administration should set up measures to guarantee that everybody finds a sense of contentment with each other. This includes a progression of measures attempted by the administration just as the practices advanced among workers both inside an age j ust as across ages. The top authority should set arrangements that will control each worker’s conduct according to the manner in which they identify with different laborers. Advancement of obligation of an individual specialist towards a shared comprehension is likewise huge. The organization then again ought to persuade and revamp each specialist as per their mental needs. The point of the initiative must be to make a comprehension among all laborers (Blair 1). Assertion is additionally fundamental when the hole brings a contention. A top head or even only a party in question can unite the clashing people to clarify why the misconception will undoubtedly happen and the significance of comprehension and valuing each other. Peace making strategies must be plainly founded just as creating intuitive gatherings to unite the ages in an increasingly social manner (Gravett and Throckmorton 274). Acclimating every one of the ages with the parts of different ages is another progressio n to overcoming any barrier. This could include uncovering the old age to current innovation and elevating the youthful age to administrative positions (Rasmus and Salkowitz 159). As I would see it, the age hole debates are an ordinary event in a work environment. Each individual must rearrange the assorted variety of human instinct, regardless of whether in the generational gathering or over the gathering. Each laborer should regard each other’s assessment and under no situation should issues emerging from work be customized. The organization should think of strategies to dispose of separation dependent on age and punishments on offenses dependent on age holes. Connecting the holes will improve collaboration in the working environment, a reality that will upgrade viability of the laborers consequently efficiency of the substance. Determination An age characterizes individuals conceived in a given timeframe. There presently exist four ages specifically the people born after W W2, the X age, the Y age and the Z age. Every one of the ages has its highlights that are very not the same as different ages. This distinction is typically a wellspring of contention among the ages particularly because of misinterpretations among individuals from a gathering over other generations.Advertising Searching for exposition on open organization? We should check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More The occasion of contention among the ages in a work environment negatively affects the laborers decreasing their adequacy. It can now and again be spilt over to clients, an issue that will sabotage the entity’s presence. Measures ought to be taken to guarantee that these holes are spanned to maintain a strategic distance from such clashes don't happen. The means can be regulatory as far as setting up arrangements or people being asked and urged to have the duty to guarantee quiet workplace. Works Cited Babyboomers. Age gathering of age Z. Babyboomers, 2011. Web.. http://www.rocketswag.com/retirement/Blair, Gerard. The Human Factor. College of Edinburg, n.d. Web. Word reference. Age. Word reference References, 2011. Web.. https://www.dictionary.com/Gravett, Linda and Throckmorton, Robin. Connecting the age hole. New

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Patience of Penelope Essay Example For Students

The Patience of Penelope Essay Paper: The Patience of Penelope Do you accept that genuine romance is Eternal? OK have the option to sit tight for yourtrue love to show up or would you settle for what is at reach? In the Greek love story,The Patience of Penelope, the author depicts the importance of genuine romance. In the shortstory genuine romance comprised of persistence, confidence, and in any event, languishing. Not we all hold the uncommon nature of having persistence. We get edgy easilywhen we are committed to sit tight for something which we need or need. We will in general offer inquickly to diminish our hankering or settle for less. Tolerance was something that Penelope, theyoung; delightful; and well off spouse of Odysseus conveyed inside herself. Penelope wasaware of her spouses gossipy tidbits about his passing. Despite the fact that she kept up looking for patience,and regardless of how powerless she believed, she disregarded the admirers who took a stab at winning her favorsand weaved fleece for a long time till Odysseus uncovered himself. An uncommon term by which huge numbers of us live with regular is confidence. It ispossible for us to have confidence in our companions, God, and additionally love. In the story, Penelopedemonstrates her confidence in confidence towards her significant other, Odysseus. We will compose a custom article on The Patience of Penelope explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now She remained loyal,sincere, and fair towards her significant other. Despite the fact that numerous bits of gossip spread of his demise, andtime passed by with no indication of her adored spouse, she figured out how to keep confidence. I believethat such activities demonstrated Penelopes genuine romance for her significant other. It doesnt mean a lot to adore with tongue and words, one must show by activities their affection. Regardless of whether it implies languishing over their affection. I feel that when you genuinely lovesomeone you are eager to do anything for that somebody. For instance, in the storyPenelope languished over her better half for quite a while. She went through four years of her youthfullife forlorn and constrained by society to discover another man to adore. Be that as it may, Penelpe picked thedifficult, yet commendable street. She decided to endure till her better half showed up. Taking everything into account, it is worthy to state that the story conveys an important idea inlife. The story gives its peruser a view on how life can not generally be as clear or potentially asstraight forward as you would need it to be. We may experience a couple of tests to discover ourlove for specific things or individuals. The story likewise gives us how tolerance and confidence areextremely essential much of the time, and how love comprises of enduring too. Book index:

Friday, July 17, 2020

Sample on Uniform Electronic Transaction Act

Sample on Uniform Electronic Transaction Act Uniform Electronic Transaction Act Mar 26, 2018 in Case Studies Introduction The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act constitutes of concisely twenty one sections. The Act is intentioned to be a procedural act that provides a legal framework that provides a means for electronic transactions. The Act compliments the legal gap that exists due to the conversion of paper records and transactions by most entities into electronic media. The intention of the Act is, however, not to lead to establishment of new substantive rules. The Act establishes the recognition of legal signatures and records through the electronic means. It, thus, provides a breakthrough from the manual paper work to the electronic record. The Act provides recognition in regard to the electronic records. The Act also provides for the doctrine of attribution which binds the actions of an individual to the electronic signature and record of the individual transaction. This provides the security to the contracting parties in case of denial by one party.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

The And International Political And Legal Sphere Essay

The status quo is something that seemingly flawed, according to many political theorists. In the writings of Chantal Delsol, the problems of the current international political and legal sphere are examined and deciphered to fix all of the â€Å"problems† that, according to Delsol, plague society. In Unjust Justice, she brings a realist approach to international law similar to Hans Morgenthau, arguing that the state of anarchy with is fueled through plurality is more favorable to an international state of monopolized ideals. Grappling with the idealism and realism, Chantal Delsol adopts the ideas of many political theorists to paint a picture of ideal international politics by discussing war and international law from a lens of an idealist while embracing the principles of realism when evaluating morality. When discussing all topics, Delsol consistently pushes the need for diversity and how it is necessary for political life and achieving the common good – Aristotle. Delsol argues that it is â€Å"secret dream of Western Europe since at least the twentieth century, the dream of replacing politics.† (Unjust Justice, 102) She points out that there can be no politics if there was a homogenous international law or morality Quoting memorie du ma ,tentation du bien, Delsol points out that â€Å"several conceptions of the good can coexist,†(36) which furthers her point of international law pointing out that it â€Å"imposes† (36) one truth on all people and banishes the opportunity to discuss whatShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Martial Law Era in Taiwan1599 Words   |  7 PagesTaiwan in 1949 along with the Wartime Temporary Provisions and at the same time the Constitution was suspended (Hsiao and Hsiao, 2001: 4). Along came prohibition formation of new political par ties, and it gave the secret police, which had wide-ranging powers to arrest anyone voicing criticism of government policy (International Committee for Human Rights in Taiwan, 1987: 3). Accordingly, the process of liberalization was long over due. The main aspiration of the Kuomintang (KMT) officials of enactingRead MoreThe International Human Rights Regime Has Its Weaknesses And Flaws1093 Words   |  5 PagesRam Chadha HR Final Exam The question that states that the international human rights regime does not have a hard enforcement mechanism and until there are serious consequences to violations, states won’t comply with human rights is a topic I happen to disagree with. I realize the international human rights regime has its weaknesses and flaws. However, these weaknesses are due to inescapable aspects of our disordered global society, especially the principle of state sovereignty. At the endRead MoreBoundary of a Legal System1531 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Boundary of a Legal System: Boundaries are considered as significant elements for governing social life since they are the most effective and efficient mechanisms for organizing societies. 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Instead, a better measureRead MoreThe International Relations And Foreign Policies Decisions Essay1430 Words   |  6 PagesThe importance of Ethic in the study of the international relations and in foreign policies decisions by governments and others non-states. The structure of individual estates and how they behave has been influenced by the constitution of the international system. In others words, due to the fact that states behave in an anarchy system, in which is not a high authority that protects them in case that they found themselves into international affairs with others states, it makes that states persuadeRead MoreWomen in Development and Gender and Development1383 Words   |  6 Pagesmarket sphere, and limited access to and control over resources. Programmes informed by a WID approach addressed women’s practical needs by, for example, creating employment and income-generating opportunities, improving access to credit and to education. The main features of the WID approach according to Mawere,D.(p39) are as follows: * WID views women’s lack of participation as the main problem. Women‘s subordination is, therefore, is seen in terms of their exclusion from the market sphere, andRead MoreComparison Between International Law and National Law1541 Words   |  7 Pagesstrengths and weaknesses of national and international law. To what extent can they be said to be similar or different? Introduction The world has witnessed the development of law since times immemorial in response to growing interaction among the individuals resulting in a need for a framework to regulate their interactions in the territories they live in. Similarly, ever since the interaction between the states has increased, the evolution of International Law has evolved accordingly side by side

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

My Personal Statement On My Experience - 891 Words

Eager to see my SOL scores, I tore open the letter, as if an excited tiger would to its prey. My name was clearly written on the top of the letter. Below my name, my SOL score, printed in black and white ink glared at me. Blackly staring at the letter, I rolled my eye back up to double check that the score was mine. It sure said my name on the paper and below my name was a category for my 6th grade math SOL. Still unconvinced that it was correctly mailed, I checked to see if my house address was correctly printed. Unsurprisingly, the mailman accurately delivered the mail to the correct house. All my information was correct. Unwillingly, I went back to my letter, which read ‘Pass Proficient.’ I was a few points away from ‘pass advanced’†¦show more content†¦The only audible sound was my thumping heart and my hard-breathing mouth, trying to keep me alive. In this hall, the dim lights didn’t conceal my blushing cheeks, for my face was glowing, like Halloween pumpkin lanterns. Finally I whispered, â€Å"I got a Pass Proficient on my math SOL.† Just as I had expected, their white teeth peeked out from their mouth, which instantly became a mocking laughter. My other friends peacefully conversed in the classroom at the end of the hall, until they heard elephants rumbling down the hall. There were no elephants in my church; it was William and Grace racing to the classroom, like marathon runners who see the finish line. Even before they reached the double door, they already grabbed everyone’s attention. William, known for his loud mouth, informed them about my math SOL score. Afterwards, I noticed that my peers looked at me differently, each commenting and laughing. The first time I wanted to run away from this world was 4 years ago when I was publicly humiliated by Grace and William. I never felt that bad about myself. I couldn’t manage my thoughts. Why are people judged by a grade? I knew all the materials and I was fully capable of getting a perfect score on the SOL; I just felt tired and exhausted that particular test day. This incident aroused many interesting questions in my mind. But the real question is why does this grade really matter to me? It is not because my parents would be upset; certainly not because I

Boracay as a Model for Carabao Island Free Essays

Boracay, an island in the province of Aklan, still remains as one of the world’s best island getaways. In February this year, Boracay was named the top island getaway of Travel+Leisure Magazine (ABS-CBN, 2013). The island has always been part of many other rankings of beaches and island destinations. We will write a custom essay sample on Boracay as a Model for Carabao Island or any similar topic only for you Order Now Amidst all the praises that the island has gained, many issues have risen and still exist in the island. In 1997, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources announced that Boracay’s waters off Long Beach were contaminated with coliform (Trousdale, 1999). This was blamed on inadequate sewage treatment and is aggravated by the large number of tourists arriving in the island (Lujan, 2003). This is still a problem in the island until now and yet tourists still flock to Boracay all year round. In the documentary, â€Å"Ang Tagong Boracay†, it was shown that resorts are still being put up in Boracay even with over 300 resorts already lining up the beachfront. This has happened despite directives from the national government to stop building in Boracay. Tourists still flock to Boracay despite the overcrowding and waste management issues to see what it is about this island that makes it world famous. Many other tourists go here for the famous night parties of Boracay. And of course, Boracay’s famous powdery white sand which is actually pulverized calcium carbonate from dead corals is also a reason for the numerous tourists in the area. Carabao Island is an island an hour away from Boracay. It is under the municipality of San Jose of Romblon. Carabao Island has white sand beaches as well. Many of its residents are workers in Boracay. The local government plans to make the island a tourism destination. Documentaries such as the â€Å"Ang Tagong Boracay† create awareness for people about the situation in Boracay but this has been a long-term problem of the island. And there have been numerous news and journal articles about the situation there and still only band-aid solutions have been presented. Arrivals remain to be strong in Boracay (Trousdale, 1999). This is one of the reasons why local leaders seem to ignore the fact that Boracay has become a crowded island with corresponding environmental problems. One instance is how they refuse to recognize that the algal blooms are partially a result of the rapid development of tourism facilities without proper planning (Pillout, 1996 in Trousdale, 1999). Management must be consistent and proactive (Trousdale, 1999). In the case of Boracay, the management is the local government. The local government should be responsive. Solutions must not only be for the short term. Trousdale stated that long term threats to future generations come from the undesirable cumulative effects of development which result from the absence of day-to-day management of the island. Many ordinances and policies have already been passed to solve Boracay’s many problems. The key to this is the proper and efficient implementation of these policies. The local government must be watchful and strict in implementing these policies and national government directives. Good governance is needed to identify and prioritize the community values and fuse them with technical answers that are most suitable. Development must always be planned. Pattaya is an example of unplanned and spontaneous coastal development in Southeast Asia (Wong, 1998). It has a 300-meter stretch of bars, nightclubs and massage parlors. Unplanned development has caused environmental degradation where the island’s natural tree cover has been removed, wetlands have been converted into open sewers, the beachfront land has been exploited and sea and beach has been polluted due to inadequate sewage treatment. Careful planning must be applied in Carabao Island before they start the implementation of their plans to open it as a tourism destination. According to Wong, environmental impact assessments are very important especially in coastal tourism developments. This must not just be done for big projects only but must also cover small constructions as well. Wong notes that Boracay demonstrates that small-scale tourism is possible. However, when tourist arrivals increase and planning was not done, the undesirable impacts can be serious. Therefore, planning really is important. Standards must also be enforced (Wong, 1998). Much like the policies, they must be implemented and regularly checked. For example, there are already developments in the disposal of sewage. Pipes must be regularly checked for cracks to avoid groundwater contamination. This also, lessens the need for additional costs once contamination occurs. Boracay is a good example of what not to do in tourism destinations. Through the efforts of the national government, the local government, tourism organizations, non-government organizations and the locals, Boracay can still be fixed. What they need is a workshop with representatives from each of the sectors to talk about the existing issues of the island. At the end of the workshop, new policies should be crafted and implemented. Carabao Island, on the other hand, must first consult with the locals. This is one of the important steps in tourism planning as they know more about the place. Careful planning, good governance and constant checking of the plan must be maintained throughout the implementation of the tourism plan. The combination of these guarantees that a certain destination remains sustainable. Bibliography Lujan, N. (2003, January 20-21). Boracay’s Road to Ruin. Retrieved March 5, 2013, from Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism: http://pcij. org/stories/2003/boracay. html Malig, J. (2013, February 21). Boracay named 2012 world’s best island. Retrieved March 5, 2013, from ABSCBNnews. com: http://www. abs-cbnnews. com/lifestyle/07/06/12/boracay-named-2012-worlds-best-island Trousdale, W. J. (1999). GOVERNANCE IN CONTEXT: Boracay Island, Philippines. Annals of Tourism Research , 840-867. Wong, P. (1998). Coastal tourism development in Southeast Asia. Ocean Coastal Management , 89-109. How to cite Boracay as a Model for Carabao Island, Essay examples

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Socratic Piety Essays - Socratic Dialogues, Dialogues Of Plato

Socratic Piety "You were on the point of doing so, but you turned away. If you had given that answer, I should now have acquired from you sufficient knowledge of the nature of piety."(Euthyphro 14c) To understand why Socrates was tormenting Euthyphro throughout this dialogue and why he considers himself to be "the god's gift to you"(Apology 30e), it is necessary to first examine what Socrates himself believes the nature of piety is. Through a careful analysis of Socrates' own words in the Euthyphro, Apology, and Protagoras, it is possible to come to a concrete conclusion of what Socrates viewed the virtue of piety to be. If we can accept Socrates' contributions to the Euthyphro, then he believed that piety was some sort of service to the gods, like a craftsman helping the gods to produce something good. (Brickhouse and Smith 66) The problem with this definition is that Euthyphro never suitably elaborates on what it is exactly that a pious person is able to produce in serving the gods. His finally ejaculates the almost laughable "many fine things, Socrates"(Euthyphro 13e) in an attempt to ward off any further questions making piety almost seem as some kind of system of exchange between the gods and men. Socrates believes that piety is not "an art of commercial exchanges between gods and men" since the gods require no gifts from us while we are in need of the gifts they have to offer. (Vlastos 174) Furthermore, Socrates rejects Euthyphro's attempts to define piety as something dear to the gods. Piety does not depend on any outside influences like the love of the gods or the way anyone feels about it. It has its own identity restricting any interpretation by men or gods. (Vlastos 165) From these clues dropped in the Euthyphro, it can be concluded that Socrates viewed piety as some kind of constant behavior outside of the influences of men or gods. Piety also can be loosely thought of as some sort of service that men perform for the gods, but to what end has yet to be discovered. When Socrates endeavors to explain himself in the Apology, a much more coherent picture what he believes piety to be comes into view. In defending himself against the charges of Meletus in regards to his impiety, Socrates claims that he is serving the god and therefore is not impious in his philosophical mission because he was ordered to do as he has done. (Brickhouse and Smith 66) To appreciate how this mission is truly pious and why Socrates believes it to be, one must examine the god that Socrates refers to. For Socrates, the gods are not deceitful and wish the best for the Athenians. In this wishing the best, they need an agent, namely Socrates, to try and make people examine their own beliefs in order that they may come to better ones and by doing so come to gain wisdom. (Vlastos 173-74) Turning now to the Protagoras, we can come to learn what the nature of this wisdom that Socrates attempts to gain and teach is. Through a long and drawn out argument with the sophist Protagoras, Socrates argues for the unity of all virtues through wisdom, which is defined as true knowledge of good and evil. If one is in possession of such wisdom, then one will not be able to ever make a choice that goes against what virtue demands. Basically what Socrates tries to get across is that through gaining wisdom alone, an individual may gain an understanding of every other virtue as well. Wisdom is therefore the source of piety amongst the others. Now armed with this image of wisdom, we may couple it with Socrates' mission and his belief of the god. If the god were truly wise, as Socrates believes him to be, then he would be guided by a clear knowledge of the virtues. If this is the case, the god, wishing the best for mankind which does not possess this wisdom, would desire to teach man in order that mankind might better itself. The problem is that the god is not able to simply appear to all men and bestow upon them this wisdom. They require an agent to go about to the people to attempt to coerce them into examining their beliefs. Socrates claims to be such an agent. (Vlastos 177) Finally, a clear understanding of Socratic piety can be surmised from the information contained within these three dialogues. Piety is the way in which one gives

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Free Essays on The Battle For Chattanooga

Outline I. Introduction II. Events contributing to the Battle of Chattanooga. A. The Union Army 1. President Lincoln 2. General Ulysses S. Grant B. The Confederate Army 1. The Battle of Chickamauga 2. General Braxton Bragg III. The Battle of Chattanooga A. Brown’s Ferry 1. Strategic Value 2. Longstreet Retreats B. Orchard Knob 1. Reconnaissance 2. Grant Controls Orchard Knob C. Lookout Mountain 1. General Hooker 2. Battle at Lookout Mountain D. Missionary Ridge 1. Confederate Headquarters 2. Battle at Missionary Ridge IV. Aftermath of the battle A. Casualties B. Promotions and Demotions V. Conclusion The Civil War was the bloodiest war in United States history. This war tested the values and courage of all early Americans. The Battle of Chattanooga was one of the most important battles fought in the war. The victor would control Chattanooga and its surrounding territory and would have an upper hand in the war. General Ulysses S. Grant was at the Battle of Vicksburg and did an outstanding job with his troops in the Union victory. President Lincoln was impressed with Grant and promoted him to Commander. Grant was given orders to gather his troops and lead them into Chattanooga at once. â€Å"He gathered a little over 60,000 men† (Chattanooga Campaign, 179). Included in this amount, were troops from Generals Hooker, Sherman, and Thomas. Grant marched the troops to Chattanooga to keep the east-west passageway functioning. This was important in deploying men and supplies being shipped or railed to their battles and headquarters. After the battles of Vicksburg and Chickamauga, Bragg was deployed to gather troops and surround Chattanooga. The Confederates also needed Chattanooga because it was one of the last places able to transport men and supplies railroad. The Union troops were surrounded by the Confederate troops. Grant knew the Confederates had an advant... Free Essays on The Battle For Chattanooga Free Essays on The Battle For Chattanooga Outline I. Introduction II. Events contributing to the Battle of Chattanooga. A. The Union Army 1. President Lincoln 2. General Ulysses S. Grant B. The Confederate Army 1. The Battle of Chickamauga 2. General Braxton Bragg III. The Battle of Chattanooga A. Brown’s Ferry 1. Strategic Value 2. Longstreet Retreats B. Orchard Knob 1. Reconnaissance 2. Grant Controls Orchard Knob C. Lookout Mountain 1. General Hooker 2. Battle at Lookout Mountain D. Missionary Ridge 1. Confederate Headquarters 2. Battle at Missionary Ridge IV. Aftermath of the battle A. Casualties B. Promotions and Demotions V. Conclusion The Civil War was the bloodiest war in United States history. This war tested the values and courage of all early Americans. The Battle of Chattanooga was one of the most important battles fought in the war. The victor would control Chattanooga and its surrounding territory and would have an upper hand in the war. General Ulysses S. Grant was at the Battle of Vicksburg and did an outstanding job with his troops in the Union victory. President Lincoln was impressed with Grant and promoted him to Commander. Grant was given orders to gather his troops and lead them into Chattanooga at once. â€Å"He gathered a little over 60,000 men† (Chattanooga Campaign, 179). Included in this amount, were troops from Generals Hooker, Sherman, and Thomas. Grant marched the troops to Chattanooga to keep the east-west passageway functioning. This was important in deploying men and supplies being shipped or railed to their battles and headquarters. After the battles of Vicksburg and Chickamauga, Bragg was deployed to gather troops and surround Chattanooga. The Confederates also needed Chattanooga because it was one of the last places able to transport men and supplies railroad. The Union troops were surrounded by the Confederate troops. Grant knew the Confederates had an advant...

Monday, March 2, 2020

Quotes from Harry S Truman

Quotes from Harry S Truman Harry S Truman served as the 33rd president of the United States during the end of World War II. Following are key quotes from Truman during his time as president. On War, the Military, and The Bomb In the simplest terms, what we are doing in Korea is this: We are trying to prevent a third world war. If there is one basic element in our Constitution, it is civilian control of the military. Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima...The force from which the sun draws its powers has been loosed against those who brought the war in the Far East. It is part of my responsibility as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to see to it that our country is able to defend itself against any possible aggressor. Accordingly, I have directed the Atomic Energy Commission to continue its work on all forms of atomic weapons, including the so-called hydrogen or  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹super-bomb. The Soviet Union does not have to attack the United States to secure domination of the world. It can achieve its ends by isolating us and swallowing up all our allies. On Character, America and The Presidency A man cannot have character unless he lives within a fundamental system of morals that creates character. America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. Within the first few months, I discovered that being a President is like riding a tiger. A man has to keep on riding or be swallowed. Its a recession when your neighbor loses his job; its a depression when you lose yours.

Friday, February 14, 2020

Ross-Cultural Awareness Impacts on Communication Skills Essay

Ross-Cultural Awareness Impacts on Communication Skills - Essay Example One culture might have different meanings than another. In these regards, they are not trying to be disrespectful, yet may be perceived as such. I also believe cultural awareness will help me develop strategies and create much more effective advertisements for my company. Some words and jokes might not be easily translated and sometimes you may need to adapt your marketing policy or modify your product to that region. Trompenaar noted that understanding cultural differences gives clues about how people solve their problems. With proper knowledge you can see opportunities in the area and expand your business. Cross-cultural awareness removes the barriers between people and provides healthier relationships. With knowledge of verbal cultural differences, I hope to communicate with people from different ethnic backgrounds more efficiently. When I’m communicating with people, I need to choose my words more sensibly to not offend them. Another point with this knowledge is that I wil l become more tolerant with people because I will know that they are not trying to be disrespectful or arrogant; it is part of their culture. As communication largely occurs through verbal elements, I believe that gaining an increased understanding of different languages will in-turn contribute to greater amounts of cultural understanding. The improvement of this cultural understanding will then extend to areas that are not simply linked to language, but also will include a more comprehensive recognition of the deep and meaningful elements.

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Sociology - Essay Example An Industrial Breakthrough: Taylorism After having worked in the steel industry and noticed a pervasive culture of purposeful inefficiency and underperformance of workers called ‘soldiering’, Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915) was motivated to scientifically investigate the causes and solutions to the said problem. The outcome of his investigation -- a comprehensive work which received both commendation and criticism upon its release -- was encapsulated in The Principles of Scientific Management (1911). In his unorthodoxly treatise, Taylor greatly emphasized the need to employ scientific methods in improving the occupational operations of industries to combat workers’ sloppiness and unprolificacy. He also advocated for the division and simplification of job routines and for the optimisation of specialised responsibility (Kanigel 5). In his ‘time and motion studies,’ Taylor sought to determine the fastest way to complete a specific task and the best possible way to conduct it. After several experiments, Taylor was able to propose monumental scientific management principles to maximise efficiency and profit that would also benefit not only the owners, managers and workers of a particular industry but also the whole economy. Interchangeably called Taylorism, the school of thought revolves around the belief that the scientific study of the whole gamut of occupational tasks is key in the success of the business; that the systematic selection, training and development of each worker is important in ensuring higher productivity values; and that division of work between management (planning) and workers (execution) should be implemented so that focused attention is rendered towards their respective duties (Taylor and Epley 45). To be sure, Taylorism is a management system that aims to guarantee maximum prosperity for the owner and at the same time, considerable material improvement for the worker -- higher wages, better working condit ions and higher productivity. In the words of Pugh (1997, p. 275), â€Å"maximum prosperity for the owner meant the development of all aspects of the business and the achievement of good financial results. Benefits for the worker meant offering relatively high salaries and more efficient utilization of labour, that is, the attribution of higher level tasks according to their present manual skills.† Moreover, the payment-by-result method of wage determination in Taylorism implants the bonus piecework scheme, rewarding the employee per work done rather than his or her skill level. Although rightly denounced by individual laborers and labor groups for trying to alienate them (indirectly but substantially) and treating them as mindless, emotionless, and easily replicable factors of production, Taylorism was a critical factor in the unprecedented growth of US manufacturing output that catapulted Allied victory in Second World War, and the subsequent US domination in the industrial world. The said management practice and industrial protocol has also been tremendously emulated in some other parts of the industrialized world, thus changing the face of work and the entire landscape of the industrial sector (Tickell and Peck 358). A Fresh Perspective: Fordism The criticism against Taylorism based on the grounds that it dehumanises the workforce by treating the members as machines and by looking at them as ‘

Friday, January 24, 2020

Americas Growing Pains :: essays research papers

America’s first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams, both resolutely adhered to the idea that America should endeavor to stay out of war at all times, and did everything in their power to evade declaring and entering into war. Throughout their reigns, war was ubiquitous in Europe, and many countries (especially Britain and France) made numerous attempts to obtain and secure America’s support. Washington and Adams both believed that America should not side with any foreign country during times of war making the fundamental purport of America’s first foreign policy the elusion of war at all costs. This policy was manifested throughout Washington and Adams’ involvement in, and reactions to the following affairs: the Citizen Genet controversy, the Jay Treaty, and the XYZ Affair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of Washington’s initial attempts to pursue this policy was his counteraction to the Genet Affair. In 1793, George Washington proclaimed neutrality, thus declaring America an uninvolved, nonpartisan country in times of war. Simultaneously, Edmond Charles Genet was sent to the United States as a special representative from France to implore support in the French Revolution. Genet had previously resolved that the proclamation of neutrality was a â€Å"harmless little pleasantry designed to throw dust in the eyes of the British†. Commencing in Charleston, South Carolina, Genet traveled throughout the United States presenting his credentials. In addition to his quest for support, he began to license American vessels to operate as privateers against British shipping and to grant French military commissions to a number of Americans in order to prepare expeditions against Spanish and British territorial claims in North America. These two actions were in direct defilement of American law. Washington demanded that he cease his unlawful actions, but Genet continued to commission privateers because he enticed the public opinion. This incident is a lucid manifestation of Washington’s ample efforts to avoid war. Genet had copiously essayed to obtain American support in the French Revolution, and in accordance with America’s foreign policy, Washington vehemently resisted any involvement in war. In an attempt to deplete the threat of Americans supporting the French, he avowed that Genet would be expelled. Washington’s reaction to this controversy verified his foreign policy by showing that he was willing to avoid war at all costs, even if alliances were broken and foreign relations were damaged.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to Washington’s response to the Genet affair, he further strived to avert involvement in war by signing the Jay Treaty. This treaty was written to prevent war with Britain, but concurrently it strained America’s relationship with France by going against their alliance.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Introduction to Epidemiology

Aug 17 2011 Introduction to Epidemiology Epidemiology is considered the basic science of public health, and with good reason. Epidemiology is: †¢ †¢ †¢ A quantitative basic science built on a working knowledge of probability, statistics, and sound research methodology A method of causal reasoning based on developing and testing hypotheses pertaining to occurrence and prevention of morbidity and mortality A tool for public health action to promote and protect the public’s health based on science, causal reasoning, and a dose of practical common sense (2).As a public health discipline, epidemiology is instilled with the spirit that epidemiologic information should be used to promote and protect the public’s health. Hence, epidemiology involves both science and public health practice. The term applied epidemiology is sometimes used to describe the application or practice of epidemiology to address public health issues.Examples of applied epidemiology include the following: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ the monitoring of reports of communicable diseases in the community the study of whether a particular dietary component influences your risk of developing cancer evaluation of the effectiveness and impact of a cholesterol awareness program analysis of historical trends and current data to project future public health resource needs ObjectivesAfter studying this document and answering the questions in the exercises, you should be able to do the following: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Define epidemiology Summarize the historical evolution of epidemiology Describe the elements of a case definition and state the effect of changing the value of any of the elements List the key features and uses of descriptive epidemiology List the key features and uses of analytic epidemiology List the three components of the epidemiologic triad List and describe Hill’s criteria of causation Understand the natural history of disease and the three types of prevention Understand infectivity, pathogenicity, and virulence List and describe primary applications of epidemiology in public health practice List and describe the different modes of transmission of communicable disease in a population 1 Page 2 Applied Epidemiology I A number of exercises are provided. It is suggested you attempt to answer these questions and then compare your answers with those at the end of this document. Introduction The word epidemiology comes from the Greek words epi, meaning â€Å"on or upon,† demos, meaning â€Å"people,† and logos, meaning â€Å"the study of. Many definitions have been proposed, but the following definition captures the underlying principles and the public health spirit of epidemiology: â€Å"Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the cont rol of health problems. † (17) Key terms in this definition reflect some of the important principles of epidemiology. Study Epidemiology is a scientific discipline with sound methods of scientific inquiry at its foundation. Epidemiology is data-driven and relies on a systematic and unbiased approach to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data.Basic epidemiologic methods tend to rely on careful observation and use of valid comparison groups to assess whether what was observed, such as the number of cases of disease in a particular area during a particular time period or the frequency of an exposure among persons with disease, differs from what might be expected. However, epidemiology also draws on methods from other scientific fields, including biostatistics and informatics, with biologic, economic, social, and behavioral sciences. In fact, epidemiology is often described as the basic science of public health, and for good reason. First, epidemiology is a quantitati ve discipline that relies on a working knowledge of probability, statistics, and sound research methods.Second, epidemiology is a method of causal reasoning based on developing and testing hypotheses grounded in such scientific fields as biology, behavioral sciences, physics, and ergonomics to explain health-related behaviors, states, and events. However, epidemiology is not just a research activity but an integral component of public health, providing the foundation for directing practical and appropriate public health action based on this science and causal reasoning. Determinants Epidemiology is also used to search for determinants, which are the causes and other factors that influence the occurrence of disease and other health-related events.Epidemiologists assume that illness does not occur randomly in a population, but happens only when the right accumulation of risk factors or determinants exists in an individual. To search for these determinants, epidemiologists use analytic epidemiology or epidemiologic studies to provide the â€Å"Why† and â€Å"How† of such events. They assess whether groups with different rates of disease differ in their demographic characteristics, genetic or immunologic make-up, behaviors, environmental exposures, or other so-called potential risk factors. Ideally, the findings provide sufficient evidence to direct prompt and effective public health control and prevention measures. Health-related states or eventsEpidemiology was originally focused exclusively on epidemics of communicable diseases3 but was subsequently expanded to address endemic communicable diseases and non-communicable infectious diseases. By the middle of the 20th Century, additional epidemiologic methods had been developed and applied to chronic diseases, injuries, birth defects, maternal-child health, occupational health, and environmental health. Then epidemiologists began to look at behaviors related to health and well-being, such as amount o f exercise and seat belt use. Now, with the recent explosion in molecular methods, Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 3 epidemiologists can make important strides in examining genetic markers of disease risk.Indeed, the term health related states or events may be seen as anything that affects the well-being of a population. Nonetheless, many epidemiologists still use the term â€Å"disease† as shorthand for the wide range of healthrelated states and events that are studied. Specified populations Although epidemiologists and direct health-care providers (clinicians) are both concerned with occurrence and control of disease, they differ greatly in how they view â€Å"the patient. † The clinician is concerned about the health of an individual; the epidemiologist is concerned about the collective health of the people in a community or population. In other words, the clinician’s â€Å"patient† is the individual; the epidemiologist’s â⠂¬Å"patient† is the community.Therefore, the clinician and the epidemiologist have different responsibilities when faced with a person with illness. For example, when a patient with diarrheal disease presents, both are interested in establishing the correct diagnosis. However, while the clinician usually focuses on treating and caring for the individual, the epidemiologist focuses on identifying the exposure or source that caused the illness; the number of other persons who may have been similarly exposed; the potential for further spread in the community; and interventions to prevent additional cases or recurrences. Application Epidemiology is not just â€Å"the study of† health in a population; it also involves applying the knowledge gained by the studies to community-based practice.Like the practice of medicine, the practice of epidemiology is both a science and an art. To make the proper diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment for a patient, the clinician comb ines medical (scientific) knowledge with experience, clinical judgment, and understanding of the patient. Similarly, the epidemiologist uses the scientific methods of descriptive and analytic epidemiology as well as experience, epidemiologic judgment, and understanding of local conditions in â€Å"diagnosing† the health of a community and proposing appropriate, practical, and acceptable public health interventions to control and prevent disease in the community. SummaryEpidemiology is the study (scientific, systematic, data-driven) of the distribution (frequency, pattern) and determinants (causes, risk factors) of health-related states and events (not just diseases) in specified populations (patient is community, individuals viewed collectively), and the application of (since epidemiology is a discipline within public health) this study to the control of health problems. Evolution Although epidemiologic thinking has been traced from Hippocrates (circa 400 B. C. ) through Grau nt (1662), Farr, Snow (both mid-1800’s), and others, the discipline did not blossom until the end of the Second World War. The contributions of some of these early and more recent thinkers are described next. Hippocrates (circa 400 B. C. ) attempted to explain disease occurrence from a rational instead of a supernatural viewpoint. In his essay entitled â€Å"On Airs, Waters, and Places,† Hippocrates suggested that environmental and host factors such as behaviors might influence the development of disease.Another early contributor to epidemiology was John Graunt, a London haberdasher who published his landmark analysis of mortality data in 1662. He was the first to quantify patterns of birth, death, and disease occurrence, noting male-female disparities, high infant mortality, urban-rural differences, and seasonal variations. No one built upon Graunt’s work until the mid-1800, when William Farr began to systematically collect and analyze Britain’s mortalit y statistics. Farr, considered the father of modern vital statistics and disease surveillance, developed many of the basic practices used today in vital statistics and disease classification. He extended the epidemiologic analysis of morbidity and mortality data, looking at Page 4 Applied Epidemiology I he effects of marital status, occupation, and altitude. He also developed many epidemiologic concepts and techniques still in use today. Meanwhile, an anesthesiologist named John Snow was conducting a series of investigations in London that later earned him the title â€Å"the father of epidemiology. † Twenty years before the development of the microscope, Snow conducted studies of cholera outbreaks both to discover the cause of the disease and to prevent its recurrence. Because his work classically illustrates the sequence from descriptive epidemiology to hypothesis generation to hypothesis testing (analytic epidemiology) to application, we will consider two of his efforts.It is important to mention that at the time of John Snow’s investigations the most widely accepted cause of diseases, including cholera, was due to miasma, or foul air. Therefore most believed that cholera was transmitted by air, especially foul-smelling air near water. The germ theory, that disease was transmitted by microbes, did not gain acceptance until later in the 1800s. Snow conducted his classic study in 1854 when an epidemic of cholera developed in the Golden Square of London. He began his investigation by determining where in this area persons with cholera lived and worked. He then used this information to map the distribution of cases on what epidemiologists call a spot map. His map is shown in Figure 1. 1.Because Snow believed that water was a source of infection for cholera, he marked the location of water pumps on his spot map, and then looked for a relationship between the distribution of cholera case households and the location of pumps. He noticed that more cas e households clustered around certain pumps, especially the Broad Street pump, and he concluded that the Broad Street pump was the most likely source of infection. Questioning residents who lived near the other pumps, he found that they avoided certain pumps because the water they provided was grossly contaminated, and that other pumps were located too inconveniently for most residents of the Golden Square area.From this information, it appeared to Snow that the Broad Street pump was probably the primary source of water for most persons with cholera in the Golden Square area. He realized, however, that it was too soon to draw that conclusion because the map showed no cholera cases in a two-block area to the east of the Broad Street pump. Perhaps no one lived in that area, or perhaps the residents were somehow protected. Upon investigating, Snow found that a brewery was located there and that it had a deep well on the premises where brewery workers, who also lived in the area, got th eir water. In addition, the brewery allotted workers a daily quota of malt liquor. Access to these uncontaminated rations could explain why none of the brewery’s employees contracted cholera.To provide further evidence that the Broad Street pump was the source of the epidemic, Snow gathered information on where persons with cholera had obtained their water. Consumption of water from the Broad Street pump was the one common factor among the cholera patients. According to legend, Snow removed the handle of the Broad Street pump and aborted the outbreak. Snow’s second major contribution involved another investigation of the same outbreak of cholera that occurred in London in 1854. In a London epidemic in 1849, Snow had noted that districts with the highest mortalities had water supplied by two companies: the Lambeth Company and the Southwark and Vauxhall Company. At that time, both companies obtained water from the Thames River, at intake points downstream of London.In 18 52, the Lambeth Company moved their water works upstream from London, thus obtaining water free of London sewage. When cholera returned to London in 1853, Snow realized the Lambeth Company’s relocation of its intake point would allow him to compare districts that were supplied with water upstream from London with districts that received water downstream from London. Table 1. 1 shows what Snow found when he made that comparison for cholera mortality over a 7-week period during the summer of 1854. Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 5 Figure 1. 1 Distribution of cholera cases in the Golden Square area of London, August-September 1854 Table 1. Mortality from cholera in the districts of London supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall and the Lambeth Companies, July 9-August 26, 1854 Districts with Water Supplied by Population Deaths from Mortality Risk per (1851 Census) Cholera 1,000 Population 167,654 844 5. 0 Southwark and Vauxhall Co. only Lambeth Co. only Both c ompanies Source: 27 19,133 300,149 18 652 0. 9 2. 2 Page 6 Applied Epidemiology I The data in Table 1. 1 show that the risk of death from cholera was more than 5 times higher in districts served only by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company than in those served only by the Lambeth Company. Interestingly, the mortality risks in districts supplied by both companies fell between the risks for districts served exclusively by either company.These data were consistent with the hypothesis that water obtained from the Thames below London was a source of cholera. Alternatively, the populations supplied by the two companies may have differed on a number of other factors which affected their risk of cholera. To test his water supply hypothesis, Snow focused on the districts served by both companies, because the households within a district were generally comparable except for which company supplied water. In these districts, Snow identified the water supply company for every house in which a deat h from cholera had occurred during the 7-week period. Table 1. 2 shows his findings. Table 1. Mortality from cholera in London related to the water supply of individual houses in districts served by both the Southwark and Vauxhall Company and the Lambeth Company, July 9August 26, 1854 Water Supply of Individual House Population Deaths from Mortality risk per (1851 Census) Cholera 1,000 Population Southwark and Vauxhall Co. 98,862 419 4. 2 Lambeth Co. Source: 27 154,615 80 0. 5 This further study added support to Snow’s hypothesis, and demonstrates the sequence of steps used today to investigate outbreaks of disease. Based on a characterization of the cases and population at risk by time, place, and person, Snow developed a testable hypothesis. He then tested this hypothesis with a more rigorously designed study, ensuring that the groups to be compared were comparable. After this study, efforts to control the epidemic were directed at changing the location of the water intake of the Southwark and Vauxhall Company to reduce sources of contamination.Thus, with no knowledge of the existence of microorganisms, Snow demonstrated through epidemiologic studies that water could serve as a vehicle for transmitting cholera and that epidemiologic information could be used to direct prompt and appropriate public health action. More information on John Snow can be found at: www. ph. ucla. edu/epi/snow. html In the mid- and late-1800’s, many others in Europe and the United States began to apply epidemiologic methods to investigate disease occurrence. At that time, most investigators focused on acute infectious diseases. In the 1900’s, epidemiologists extended their methods to noninfectious diseases.The period since the Second World War has seen an explosion in the development of research methods and the theoretical underpinnings of epidemiology, and in the application of epidemiology to the entire range of health-related outcomes, behaviors, and even kno wledge and attitudes. The studies by Doll and Hill (13) linking smoking to lung cancer and the study of cardiovascular disease among residents of Framingham, Massachusetts (12), are two examples of how pioneering researchers have applied epidemiologic methods to chronic disease since World War II. Finally, during the 1960’s and early 1970’s health workers applied epidemiologic methods to eradicate smallpox worldwide.This was an achievement in applied epidemiology of unprecedented proportions. Today, public health workers throughout the world accept and use epidemiology routinely. Epidemiology is often practiced or used by non-epidemiologists to characterize the health of their communities and to solve day-to-day problems. This landmark in the evolution of the discipline is less dramatic than the eradication of smallpox, but it is no less important in improving the health of people everywhere. Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 7 Uses Epidemiology and t he information generated by epidemiologic methods have many uses. These uses are categorized and described below. Population or community health assessment.To set policy and plan programs, public health officials must assess the health of the population or community they serve and determine whether health services are available, accessible, effective, and efficient. To do this, they must find answers to many questions: What are the actual and potential health problems in the community? Where are they? Who is at risk? Which problems are declining over time? Which ones are increasing or have the potential to increase? How do these patterns relate to the level and distribution of services available? The methods of descriptive and analytic epidemiology provide ways to answer these and other questions.With answers provided through the application of epidemiology, the officials can make informed decisions that will lead to improved health for the population they serve. Individual decision s. People may not realize that they use epidemiologic information in their daily decisions. When they decide to stop smoking, take the stairs instead of the elevator, order a salad instead of a cheeseburger with French fries, or choose one method of contraception instead of another, they may be influenced, consciously or unconsciously, by epidemiologists’ assessment of risk. Since World War II, epidemiologists have provided information related to all those decisions.In the 1950’s, epidemiologists documented the increased risk of lung cancer among smokers; in the 1960’s and 1970’s, epidemiologists noted a variety of benefits and risks associated with different methods of birth control; in the mid-1980’s, epidemiologists identified the increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection associated with certain sexual and drug-related behaviors; and, more positively, epidemiologists continue to document the role of exercise and proper diet in reducing the risk of heart disease. These and hundreds of other epidemiologic findings are directly relevant to the choices that people make every day, choices that affect their health over a lifetime. Completing the clinical picture. When studying a disease outbreak, epidemiologists depend on clinical physicians and laboratory scientists for the proper diagnosis of individual patients.But epidemiologists also contribute to physicians’ understanding of the clinical picture and natural history of disease. For example, in late 1989 three patients in New Mexico were diagnosed as having myalgias (severe muscle pains in chest or abdomen) and unexplained eosinophilia (an increase in the number of one type of white blood cell). Their physicians could not identify the cause of their symptoms, or put a name to the disorder. Epidemiologists began looking for other cases with similar symptoms, and within weeks had found enough additional cases of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) t o describe the illness, its complications, and its risk of mortality.Similarly, epidemiologists have documented the course of HIV infection, from the initial exposure to the development of a wide variety of clinical syndromes that include acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). They have also documented the numerous conditions associated with cigarette smoking—from pulmonary and heart disease to lung and cervical cancer. Search for causes. Much of epidemiologic research is devoted to a search for causes, factors which influence one’s risk of disease. Sometimes this is an academic pursuit, but more often the goal is to identify a cause so that appropriate public health action might be taken. It has been said that epidemiology can never prove a causal relationship between an exposure and a disease. Nevertheless, epidemiology often provides enough information to support effective action.Examples include John Snow’s removal of the pump handle and the withdrawal o f a specific brand of tampon that was linked by epidemiologists to toxic shock syndrome. Another example is the recommendation that children not be given aspirin due to its association with Reye syndrome. Just as often, epidemiology and laboratory science converge to provide the evidence needed to establish causation. For example, a team of epidemiologists were able to identify a variety of risk factors during an outbreak of pneumonia among persons attending the American Page 8 Applied Epidemiology I Legion Convention in Philadelphia in 1976, called â€Å"Legionnaire’s disease. However, the outbreak was not â€Å"solved† until the Legionnaires’ bacillus was identified in the laboratory almost 6 months later. Disease control, elimination, and eradication. The ultimate goal of epidemiology is to improve the health of populations and through the reduction in disease. The definitions of disease control, elimination, and eradication as applied to infectious diseases are given below. (Dowdle WR. The principles of disease elimination and eradication. MMWR 48(SU01);23-7, 1999. ): Control: The reduction of disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity or mortality to a locally acceptable level as a result of deliberate efforts; continued intervention measures are required to maintain the reduction. Example: diarrheal diseases.Elimination of disease: Reduction to zero of the incidence of a specified disease in a defined geographical area as a result of deliberate efforts; continued intervention measures are required. Examples: neonatal tetanus. Elimination of infections: Reduction to zero of the incidence of infection caused by a specific agent in a defined geographical area as a result of deliberate efforts; continued measures to prevent reestablishment of transmission are required. Example: measles, poliomyelitis. Eradication: Permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of infection caused by a specific agent as a result of deliberate effor ts; intervention measures are no longer needed. Example: smallpox.Extinction: The specific infectious agent no longer exists in nature or in the laboratory. Example: none. The above definitions are specific to infectious disease, but some of the concepts can carry over to other conditions, such as nutritional disorders, inborn errors of metabolism, and chronic diseases. Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 9 Exercise 1. 1 In the early 1980’s, epidemiologists recognized that AIDS occurred most frequently in men who had sex with men and in intravenous drug users. Describe how this information might be used for each of the following: a. Population or community health assessment b. Individual decisions c. Search for causes Page 10 Applied Epidemiology I The Epidemiologic ApproachLike a newspaper reporter, an epidemiologist determines What, When, Where, Who, and Why. However, the epidemiologist is more likely to describe these concepts in slightly different terms: c ase definition, time, place, person, and causes. Case Definition (â€Å"What? †) The identification of disease can be based on symptoms, signs, and diagnostic tests. A symptom is a sensation or change in health experienced by an individual. Examples of symptoms reported by an individual are a cough, fatigue, anxiety, and back pain. Signs, or signs of disease, are an objective evidence of disease observed by someone other than the affected individual, such as a physician or nurse.A case definition is a set of standard criteria for deciding whether a person has a particular disease or other health-related condition. By using a standard case definition we attempt to ensure that every case is diagnosed in the same way, regardless of when or where it occurred, or who identified it. We can then compare the number of cases of the disease that occurred in one time or place with the number that occurred at another time or another place. For example, with a standard case definition, we can compare the number of cases of hepatitis A that occurred in New York City in 1991 with the number that occurred there in 1990. Or we can compare the number of cases that occurred in New York in 1991 with the number that occurred in San Francisco in 1991. With a standard ase definition, when we find a difference in disease occurrence, we know it is likely to be due to a real difference or due to the quality of the disease reporting system rather than the result of differences in how cases were diagnosed. A case definition consists of clinical criteria and, sometimes, limitations on time, place, and person. The clinical criteria usually include confirmatory laboratory tests, if available, or combinations of symptoms (subjective complaints), signs (objective physical findings), and other findings. For example, see the case definition for rabies below; notice that it requires laboratory confirmation. Rabies, Human Clinical description Rabies is an acute encephalomyelitis that almos t always progresses to coma or death within 10 days of the first symptom.Laboratory criteria for diagnosis †¢ Detection by direct fluorescent antibody of viral antigens in a clinical specimen (preferably the brain or the nerves surrounding hair follicles in the nape of the neck), or †¢ Isolation (in cell culture or in a laboratory animal) of rabies virus from saliva, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or central nervous system tissue, or †¢ Identification of a rabies-neutralizing antibody titer greater than or equal to 5 (complete neutralization) in the serum or CSF of an unvaccinated person Case classification Confirmed: a clinically compatible illness that is laboratory confirmed Comment Laboratory confirmation by all of the above methods is strongly recommended. Source: 3 Compare this with the case definition for Kawasaki syndrome provided in Exercise 1. 3 on page 12. Kawasaki syndrome is a childhood illness with fever and rash that has no known cause and no specifically d istinctive laboratory findings.Notice that its case definition is based on the presence of fever, at least four of five specified clinical findings, and the lack of a more reasonable explanation. A case definition may have several sets of criteria, depending on the certainty of the diagnosis. For example, during an outbreak of measles, we might classify a person with a fever and rash as having a Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 11 suspect, probable, or confirmed case of measles, depending on what additional evidence of measles was present. In other situations, we may temporarily classify a case as suspect or probable until laboratory results are available. When we receive the laboratory report, we then reclassify the case as either confirmed or â€Å"not a case,† depending on the lab results.In the midst of a large outbreak of a disease caused by a known agent, we may permanently classify some cases as suspect or probable, because it is unnecessary and wast eful to run laboratory tests on every individual with a consistent clinical picture and a history of exposure (e. g. , chickenpox). Case definitions may also vary according to the purpose for classifying the occurrences of a disease. For example, health officials need to know as soon as possible if anyone has symptoms of plague or foodborne botulism so that they can begin planning what actions to take. For such rare but potentially severe diseases, where it is important to identify every possible case, health officials use a sensitive, or â€Å"loose† case definition.On the other hand, investigators of the causes of a disease outbreak want to be certain that any person included in the investigation really had the disease. The investigator will prefer a specific or â€Å"strict† case definition. For instance, in an outbreak of Salmonella agona, the investigators would be more likely to identify the source of the infection if they included only persons who were confirmed to have been infected with that organism, rather than including anyone with acute diarrhea, because some persons may have had diarrhea from a different cause. In this setting, a disadvantage of a strict case definition is an underestimate of the total number of cases. Exercise 1. 2In the case definition for an apparent outbreak of trichinosis, investigators used the following classifications: Clinical criteria Confirmed case: signs and symptoms plus laboratory confirmation Probable case: acute onset of at least three of the following four features: myalgia, fever, facial edema, or eosinophil count greater than 500/mm3 Possible case: acute onset of two of the above four features plus a physician diagnosis of trichinosis Suspect case: unexplained eosinophilia Not a case: failure to fulfill the criteria for a confirmed, probable, possible, or suspect case Time Onset after October 26, 1991 Place Metropolitan Atlanta Person Any Assign the appropriate classification to each of the person s included in the line listing below. (All were residents of Atlanta with acute onset of symptoms in November. ) Page 12 Applied Epidemiology I ID # 1 2 3 4 5 Last name Abels Baker Corey Dale Ring myalgia yes yes yes yes yes fever yes yes yes no no facial edema no yes no no no eosinophil count 495 pending 1,100 2,050 600 Physician diagnosis trichinosis trichinosis ? trichinosis EMS ? trichinosis Lab confirm yes pending pending pending not done Classification __________ __________ __________ __________ __________Exercise 1. 3 The following is the official case definition for Kawasaki syndrome that is recommended by CDC: Kawasaki Syndrome Clinical case definition A febrile illness of greater than or equal to 5 days’ duration, with at least four of the five following physical findings and no other more reasonable explanation for the observed clinical findings: †¢ Bilateral conjunctival injection †¢ Oral changes (erythema of lips or oropharynx, strawberry tongue, or fis suring of the lips) †¢ Peripheral extremity changes (edema, erythema, or generalized or periungual desquamation) †¢ Rash †¢ Cervical lymphadenopathy (at least one lymph node greater than or equal to 1. cm in diameter) Laboratory criteria for diagnosis None Case classification Confirmed: a case that meets the clinical case definition Comment If fever disappears after intravenous gamma globulin therapy is started, fever may be of less than 5 days’ duration, and the clinical case definition may still be met. Source: 3 Discuss the pros and cons of this case definition for the purposes listed below. (For a brief description of Kawasaki syndrome, see Benenson’s Control of Communicable Diseases in Man). a. Diagnosing and treating individual patients b. Tracking the occurrence of the disease for public health records c. Doing research to identify the cause of the disease Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 13 Numbers and RisksA basic task of a he alth department is counting cases in order to measure and describe morbidity. When physicians diagnose a case of a reportable disease they are suppose to report the case to their local health department. For most reportable conditions, these reports are legally required to contain information on time (when the case occurred), place (where the patient lived), and person (the age, race, and sex of the patient). The health department combines all reports and summarizes the information by time, place, and person. From these summaries, the health department determines the extent and patterns of disease occurrence in the area, and attempts to identify clusters or outbreaks of disease.A simple count of cases, however, does not provide all the information a health department needs. To compare the occurrence of a disease at different locations, during different times, or in different subgroups, a health department converts the case counts into risks, which relates the number of cases to the size of the population. Risks are useful in many ways. With risks, the health department can identify groups in the community with an elevated risk of disease. These so-called high-risk groups can be further assessed and targeted for special intervention; the groups can be studied to identify risk factors that are related to the occurrence of disease.Individuals can use knowledge of these risk factors to guide their decisions about behaviors that influence health. Descriptive Epidemiology In descriptive epidemiology, we organize and summarize data according to time, place, and person. These three characteristics are sometimes called the epidemiologic variables. Compiling and analyzing data by time, place, and person is desirable for several reasons. First, the investigator becomes intimately familiar with the data and with the extent of the public health problem being investigated. Second, this provides a detailed description of the health of a population that is easily communicated . Third, such analysis identifies the populations at greatest risk of acquiring a particular disease.This information provides important clues to the causes of the disease, and these clues can be turned into testable hypotheses. Time (â€Å"When? †) Disease risks usually change over time. Some of these changes occur regularly and can be predicted. For example, the seasonal increase of influenza cases with the onset of cold weather is a pattern that is familiar to everyone. By knowing when flu outbreaks will occur, health departments can time their influenza vaccination campaigns effectively. Other diseases may make unpredictable changes in occurrence. By examining events that precede a disease increase or decrease, we may identify causes and appropriate actions to control or prevent further occurrence of the disease.We usually show time data as a graph (Figure 1. 3). We put the number or risk of cases or deaths on the vertical, y-axis; we put the time periods along the horizo ntal, x-axis. We often indicate on a graph when events occurred that we believe are related to the particular health problem described in the graph. For example, we may indicate the period of exposure or the date control measures were implemented. Such a graph provides a simple visual depiction of the relative size of a problem, its past trend and potential future course, as well as how other events may have affected the problem. Studying such a graph often gives us insights into what may have caused the problem.Depending on what event we are describing, we may be interested in a period of years or decades, or we may limit the period to hours, days, weeks, or months when the number of cases reported is greater than normal (an epidemic period). For some conditions—for many chronic diseases, for example—we are interested in long-term changes in the number of cases or risk of the condition. For other conditions, we may find it more revealing to look at the occurrence of t he condition by season, month, day of the Page 14 Applied Epidemiology I week, or even time of day. For a newly recognized problem, we need to assess the occurrence of the problem over time in a variety of ways until we discover the most appropriate and revealing time period to use. Some of the common types of time-related graphs are further described below. Secular (long-term) trends.Graphing the annual cases or risk of a disease over a period of years shows long-term or secular trends in the occurrence of the disease. We commonly use these trends to suggest or predict the future incidence of a disease. We also use them in some instances to evaluate programs or policy decisions, or to suggest what caused an increase or decrease in the occurrence of a disease, particularly if the graph indicates when related events took place, as depicted in Figure 1. 3 (note the scale of the y-axis). Figure 1. 3 Malaria by year, United States, 1930-1990 Works Progress Administration Malaria Control Drainage Program Relapses from Overseas Cases 1000 Reported Cases per 100,000 Population 100Relapses from Korean Veterans Returning Vietnam Veterans 10 Foreign Immigration 1 0. 1 0. 01 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 Source: 9 Year Seasonality. By graphing the occurrence of a disease by week or month over the course of a year or more we can show its seasonal pattern, if any. Some diseases are known to have characteristic seasonal distributions; for example, as mentioned earlier, the number of reported cases of influenza typically increases in winter. Seasonal patterns may suggest hypotheses about how the infection is transmitted, which behavioral factors increase risk, and other possible contributors to the disease or condition.The seasonal pattern of an unknown disease is shown in Figure 1. 4. What factors might contribute to its seasonal pattern? From only the single year’s data in Figure 1. 4, it is difficult to conclude whether the peak i n June represents a characteristic seasonal pattern that would be repeated yearly, or whether it is simply an epidemic that occurred in the spring and summer of that particular year. You would need more than one year’s data before you could conclude that the pattern shown there represents the seasonal variation in this disease. Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 15 Figure 1. 4 Cases of an unknown disease by month of onset 450 400 350 300 Cases 50 200 150 100 50 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Source: 14 Month of Onset Day of week and time of day. Displaying data by days of the week or time of day may also be informative. Analysis at these shorter time periods is especially important for conditions that are potentially related to occupational or environmental exposures, which may occur at regularly scheduled intervals. In Figure 1. 5, farm tractor fatalities are displayed by days of the week. Does this analysis at shorter time periods suggest any hypothesis? In Figure 1. 5 the number of farm tractor fatalities on Sundays is about half the number on the other days. We can only speculate why this is.One reasonable hypothesis is that farmers spend fewer hours on their tractors on Sundays than on the other days. Figure 1. 5 Fatalities associated with farm tractor injuries by day of death, Georgia, 1971-1981 Source: 15 Page 16 Applied Epidemiology I Examine the pattern of fatalities associated with farm tractor injuries by hour in Figure 1. 6. How might you explain the morning peak at 11:00 AM, the dip at noon, and the afternoon peak at 4:00 PM? Figure 1. 6 Fatalities associated with farm tractor injuries by time of day, Georgia, 1971-1981 Source: 15 Epidemic period. To show the time course of a disease outbreak or epidemic, we use a graph called an epidemic curve.As with the other graphs you have seen in this section, we place the number of cases on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis. For time, we use either the time of onset of symptoms or the date of diagnosis. For very acute diseases with short incubation periods (i. e. , time period between exposure and onset of symptoms is short), we may show time as the hour of onset. For diseases with longer incubation periods, we might show time in 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, 1-week, or other appropriate intervals. Figure 1. 7 shows an epidemic curve that uses a 3-day interval for a foodborne disease outbreak. Notice how the cases are stacked in adjoining columns. By convention, we use this format, called a histogram, for epidemic curves.The shape and other features of an epidemic curve can suggest hypotheses about the time and source of exposure, the mode of transmission, and the causative agent. Figure 1. 7 Date of onset of illness in patients with culture-confirmed Yersinia enterocolitica infections, Atlanta, November 1, 1988-January 10, 1989 8 7 6 Thanksgiving Christmas New Year’s Cases 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 1 4 7 10 13 16 1 9 22 25 28 1 4 7 10 November December January Source: 18 Date of Onset Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 17 Place (â€Å"Where? †) We describe a health event by place to gain insight into the geographical extent of the problem. For place, we may use place of residence, birthplace, employment, school district, hospital unit, etc. , epending on which may be related to the occurrence of the health event. Similarly, we may use large or small geographic units: country, state, county, census tract, street address, map coordinates, or some other geographical designation. Sometimes, we may find it useful to analyze data according to place categories such as urban or rural, domestic or foreign, and institutional or noninstitutional. Not all analyses by place will be equally informative. For example, examine the data shown in Table 1. 3. Where were the malaria cases diagnosed? What â€Å"place† does the table break the data down by? Would it have been more or l ess useful to analyze the data according to the â€Å"state of residence† of the cases?We believe that it provides more useful information to show the data in Table 1. 3 by where the infection was acquired than it would have to show where the case-patients lived. By analyzing the malaria cases by place of acquisition, we can see where most of the malaria cases acquired their disease. Table 1. 3 Malaria cases by distribution of Plasmodium species and area of acquisition, United States, 1989 Species Area of Acquisition Vivax Falciparum Other Total Africa 52 382 64 498 Asia 207 44 29 280 Central America & Caribbean 107 14 9 130 North America 131 3 13 147 (United States) (5) (0) (0) (5) South America 10 1 2 13 Oceania 19 2 5 26 Unknown 6 2 0 8 Total 532 448 122 1,102 Source: 6By analyzing data by place, we can also get an idea of where the agent that causes a disease normally lives and multiplies, what may carry or transmit it, and how it spreads. When we find that the occurrence of a disease is associated with a place, we can infer that factors that increase the risk of the disease are present either in the persons living there (host factors) or in the environment, or both. For example, diseases that are passed from one person to another tend to spread more rapidly in urban areas than in rural ones, mainly because the greater crowding in urban areas provides more opportunities for susceptible people to come into contact with someone who is infected.On the other hand, diseases that are passed from animals to humans often occur in greater numbers in rural and suburban areas because people in those areas are more likely to come into contact with disease-carrying animals, ticks, and the like. For example, perhaps Lyme disease has become more common because people have moved to wooded areas where they come into contact with infected deer ticks. Although we can show data by place in a table—as Table 1. 3 does—it is often better to show it pictorial ly in a map. On a map, we can use different shadings, color, or line patterns to indicate how a disease or health event has different numbers or risks of occurrence in different areas, as in Figure 1. 8. Page 18 Applied Epidemiology I Figure 1. 8 AIDS cases per 100,000 population, United States, July 1991-June 1992 Source: 4For a rare disease or outbreak, we often find it useful to prepare a spot map, like Snow’s map of the Golden Square of London (Figure 1. 1), in which we mark with a dot or an X the relation of each case to a place that is potentially relevant to the health event being investigated—such as where each case lived or worked. We may also label other sites on a spot map, such as where we believe cases may have been exposed, to show the orientation of cases within the area mapped. Figure 1. 9 is a spot map for an outbreak of mumps that occurred among employees of the Chicago futures exchanges. Study the location of each case in relation to other cases and to the trading pits. The four numbered areas delineated with heavy lines are the trading pits.Does the location of cases on the spot map lead you to any hypothesis about the source of infection? Figure 1. 9 Mumps cases in trading pits of exchange A, Chicago, Illinois, August 18-December 25, 1987 #1 #3 #2 #4 Key: Pit areas are numbered and delineated by heavy lines. Individual trading pits within pit areas are outlined by light lines. Affected person (N= 43) Desk areas Source: CDC, unpublished data, 1988 Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 19 You probably observed that the cases occurred primarily among those working in trading pits #3 and #4. This clustering of illness within trading pits provides indirect evidence that the mumps was transmitted person-to person. Person (â€Å"Who? ) In descriptive epidemiology, when we organize or analyze data by â€Å"person† there are several person categories available to us. We may use inherent characteristics of people (for example, age, race, sex), their acquired characteristics (immune or marital status), their activities (occupation, leisure activities, use of medications/tobacco/drugs), or the conditions under which they live (socioeconomic status, access to medical care). These categories usually determine, to a large degree, who is at greatest risk of experiencing certain undesirable health conditions, such as becoming infected with a particular disease organism. We may show person-related characteristics in either tables or graphs.In analyzing data by person, we often must try a number of different categories before we find which are the most useful and enlightening. Age and sex are most critical; we almost always analyze data according to these. Depending on the health event we are studying, we may or may not break the data down by other attributes. Often we analyze data by more than one characteristic simultaneously; for example, we may look at age and sex simultaneously to see if the sex es differ in how they develop a condition that increases with age—such as with heart disease. Age. Age is probably the single most important â€Å"person† attribute, because almost every health-related event or state varies with age.A number of factors that also vary with age are behind this association: susceptibility, opportunity for exposure, latency or incubation period of the disease, and physiologic response (which affects, among other things, disease development). When we analyze data by age, we try to use age groups that are narrow enough to detect any agerelated patterns that may be present in the data. In an initial breakdown by age, we commonly use 5-year age intervals: 0 to 4 years, 5 to 9, 10 to 14, and so on. Larger intervals, such as 0 to 19 years, 20 to 39, etc. , may conceal variations related to age which we need to know to identify the true ages at greatest risk.Sometimes, even 5-year age groups can hide important differences, especially in children less than five years of age. Take time to examine Figure 1. 10, for example, before you read ahead. What does the information in this figure suggest health authorities should do to reduce the number of cases of whooping cough? Where should health authorities focus their efforts? You probably said that health authorities should focus on immunizing infants against whooping cough during the first year of life. Now, examine Figure 1. 11. This figure shows the same data but they are presented in the usual 5-year intervals. Based on Figure 1. 11 where would you have suggested that health authorities focus their efforts?Would this recommendation have been as effective and efficient in reducing cases of whooping cough? You probably said that health authorities should immunize infants and children before the age of 5. That recommendation would be effective, but it would not be efficient. You would be immunizing more children than actually necessary and wasting resources. Sex. In general, mal es have higher risks of illness and death than females do for a wide range of diseases. For some diseases, this sex-related difference is because of genetic, hormonal, anatomic, or other inherent differences between the sexes. These inherent differences affect their susceptibility or physiologic responses.For example, premenopausal women have a lower risk of heart disease than men of the same age. This difference is attributed to higher estrogen levels in women. On the other hand, the sex-related differences in the occurrence of many diseases reflect differences in opportunity or levels of exposure. For example, Figure 1. 12 shows that hand/wrist disorders occur almost twice as often in females than in males. What are some sex-related differences that would cause a higher level of this disorder in females? Page 20 Applied Epidemiology I Figure 1. 10 Pertussis (whooping cough) incidence by age group, United States, 1989 Source: 9 Figure 1. 11 Pertussis (whooping cough) incidence by a ge group, United States, 1989 Source: 9 Figure 1. 2 Prevalence of hand/wrist cumulative trauma disorder by sex, Newspaper Company A, 1990 Source: NIOSH, unpublished data, 1991 Introduction to Epidemiology – Epi 592J Page 21 You may have attributed the higher level of disorders in females to their higher level of exposure to occupational activities that require repetitive hand/wrist motion such as typing or keyboard entry. With occupationally-related illness, we usually find that sex differences reflect the number of workers in those occupations. You may also have attributed the higher level of disorders in females to anatomical differences; perhaps women’s wrists are more susceptible to hand/wrist disorders. Ethnic and racial groups.In examining epidemiologic data, we are interested in any group of people who have lived together long enough to acquire common characteristics, either biologically or socially. Several terms are commonly used to identify such groups: race, nationality, religion, or local reproductive or social groups, such as tribes and other geographically or socially isolated groups. Differences that we observe in racial, ethnic, or other groups may reflect differences in their susceptibility or in their exposure, or they may reflect differences in other factors that bear more directly on the risk of disease, such as socioeconomic status and access to health care. In Figure 1. 13, the risks of suicide for five groups of people are displayed. Figure 1. 3 Suicide death rates for persons 15 to 24 years of age according to race/ethnicity, United States, 1988 Source: 22 Clearly this graph displays a range of suicide death rates for the five groups of people. These data provide direction for prevention programs and for future studies to explain the differences. Socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status is difficult to quantify. It is made up of many variables such as occupation, family income, educational achievement, living conditions, and social standing. The variables that are easiest to measure may not reflect the overall concept. Nevertheless, we commonly use occupation, family income, and educational achievement, while recognizing that these do not measure socioeconomic status precisely.The frequency of many adverse health conditions increases with decreasing socioeconomic status. For example, tuberculosis is more common among persons in lower socioeconomic strata. Infant mortality and time lost from work due to disability are both associated with lower income. These patterns may reflect more harmful exposures, lower resistance, and less access to health care. Or they may in part Page 22 Applied Epidemiology I reflect an interdependent relationship which is impossible to untangle—does low socioeconomic status contribute to disability or does disability contribute to lower socioeconomic status? Some adverse health conditions are more frequent among persons of higher socioeconomic status.These condition s include breast cancer, Kawasaki syndrome, and tennis elbow. Again, differences in exposure account for at least some of the differences in the frequency of these conditions. Exercise 1. 4 The following series of tables (Exercise 1. 4, Tables 1-4) show person information about cases of the unknown disease described in Figure 1. 4 on page 15. Look again at Figure 1. 4, study the information in the four exercise tables and then describe in words how the disease outbreak is distributed by time and person. Exercise 1. 4, Table 1 Incidence of the disease by age and sex in 24 villages surveyed for one year Males Females Age Group Population* # Cases Risk per Population* # Cases Risk per (years) 1,000 1,000