Health Professionals all over the world have used today’s technology to improve and change the landscape of the Medical world. From updated EKGs to more accurate Stethoscopes, doctors have been able to help people around the world and provide the best healthcare that the world has ever seen. Many times in the medical world there are several problems and mysteries that arise with unpredictable circumstances that Health Professionals in the past could never solve or determine. Geospatial Technology has become an essential competency for a large number of Health Professionals over the past few decades and has provided them with necessary and beneficial information to expand and improve their efforts. Even though it has definitely been a huge asset in the medical world, there are still looming diseases and illnesses that have taken countless lives that Geospatial Technology has not been able to help solve. I firmly believe that without the help of Geospatial Technology and the data that it provides, the medical world would not be nearly as efficient or as innovative as it is today in its’ efforts in trying to find or create solutions for countless life-threatening issues. Thanks to the usage of Geospatial Technology and its many features and programs by Health Professionals, they have the tools and information that they will need to help them save lives.
For quite some time, the problems that have come as a result of Drug or Alcohol abuse has grown in the U.S. and has caused a whopping $366 billion per year in healthcare costs, lost worker productivity, and criminal justice activities. (Gruenwald, 2013, p.443) This has become an epidemic in the U.S. and professionals have grown dependent and confident in improving the capabilities o...
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Drug use and abuse has become a common situation with today’s citizens. Drugs are more easily accessible today than they ever were in the past. The drug trend is frightening to say the least. From the legal substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, to the illegal substances, such as marijuana and cocaine, there has been an increase in their use amongst all ages of people. It seems that the ages of the users are getting younger as time goes by. Because of this trend there are more people addicted to substances and who need treatment. There are many treatment programs out there where people can go to get help with their addictions. Programs range from alcohol treatment to substance abuse treatments and detoxification processes. Unfortunately,
Across the United States and throughout the world there is an epidemic of epic proportion involving drug addiction. Here in North Carolina the majority of the Department of Corrections inmate population is known to have substance abuse problems. (Price, 62) Along with this epidemic is the growing problem of prison overcrowding. There is a correlation between the two. Many of today’s correctional facilities house inmates that have committed drug related crimes or crimes that they committed while under the influence. There is a solution that would help society and lessen the overcrowding of the penal system. The solution is to help those that are committing crimes because of an addiction disorder. There is viable evidence that this solution works such as statistics, causes of addiction and its ability to be treated, and studies that have been done with the focus on recidivism of recovering addicts. There is also the matter of the cost effectiveness of treatment versus incarceration. Of course there are opponents that make valid argument against treatment in lieu of incarceration. The argument against includes the fact that relapse can and often does happen to the addicted individual. In many segments of society providing treatment to stigmatized individuals is frowned upon.
Substance abuse impacts people in society every day, from teenagers to adults. Specifically, abuse happens among a large number of students across college campuses in the United States. While advancing in college, numerous students obtain habits that have negative effects on his or her health, emotions, and relationships. While the main drug of abuse across college campuses remains alcohol, the problem of drug abuse today goes far beyond that to illicit substances.
When we view substance use disorders, alcohol is the most widely used drug within the United States and 11 percent of workers have drinking problems (Frone, 2006). Over 20 million people used illegal substances in 2006 and 7 million people abused prescribed medications. Of the 18 million drug abusers, 18 years or older in 2006, 13.4 million (74.9 %) were employed full or part time (SAMHSA, OSA). These addiction problems have an expenditure of $276 billion dollars per year with most of this cost from loss of productivity and health care (H. Harwood, D. Fountain, and G. Livermore, 1992).
The Federal surveys in America depict that there is a decline in the overall alcohol consumption amongst the members of a certain age group, whereas at the same time, the concentration of high numbers of alcohol abusers are associated with a certain age group. The total number of individuals aged below 65 who abuse alcoholic beverages in America has seen a drastic reduction in the last few years. However, the number of people between the age of 16 and 30 has been rising and has induced a significant short term and long-term effects especially on the health and productivity of the victims. The federal surveys indicate that there is an increased number of people who have been affected by the long-term effects associated with alcohol abuse the since 2009 (Yoshida, 2006).
It has become one of the major social problems of our day, leaving a great number of families and communities within our country devastated and without hope of recuperation for any of their afflicted members and loved ones. Growing to become a big social challenge affecting all aspects of the American society, addiction rates have escalated to enormous proportions within the country as reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Addiction has been described as a chronic brain disorder,” resulting from adaptations in the brain that leads to changes in behavior”, according to Dr. Nora Volkow, who also assert that it can be treated (NIDA 2006).
Each year the U.S spends billions of dollars to keep federal inmates behind bars. Nearly half of these federal inmates are convicted of drug abuse, and a vast majority of the ones convicted are low-level nonviolent criminals. Keeping these low-level criminals in jail is expensive, and it’s not very helpful because many of them end up going back to jail with higher drug charges. We as a society need to recognize that addiction is worthy of medical help and not just a crime that deserves punishment. Hey, I’m tori smith and today I 'm going to discuss the benefits of using a rehab facility instead of jail for these criminals.
A majority of American citizens can honestly say that they, or a loved one, have been personally victimized by the dangerous side effects of alcohol. Yet alcohol is still considered a recreational beverage, that too many people take for granted. The addiction to alcohol is officially labelled as “Alcoholism.” Alcoholism can affect one’s life in a numerous amount of ways. It is an overlooked danger in the U.S. which can negatively affect the youth of America and the economy, which is why it is an enormous danger to the U.S.
The current situation of drug control in the United States is imperfect and inadequate. Millions of men and women, both young and old, are affected by illicit drug use. It costs the United States about $6,123 every second because of drug use and its consequences (Office). Moreover, 90 percent of all adults with a substance use disorder started using under the age of 18 and half under the age of 15. Children who first smoke marijuana under the age of 14 are five times more likely to abuse drugs as adults than those who first use marijuana at age 18. Finally, the children of alcoholics are four times more likely to develop problems with alcohol (Prevent). Current legislation that has to do with the United States’ drug control policy is the Controlled Substances Act, which regulates the manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of certain substances (Shannon). In 1966, Congress passed the Narcotic Addict Rehabilitation Act also known as the NARA. This legislati...
When the standard and moderate amounts recommended are exceeded we begin to run into abuse, dependency and addiction to alcohol. All three areas are unique to the individual. How much and how often plays a role in the level of abuse, as well as the duration of the amounts consumed. When alcohol is misused, the effects can be limitless and extremely damaging to a person’s life. It can stem out into areas not only that become harmful to one’s health, but family dynamics, as well as social, professional and legal aspects.
Wechsler, H., Nelson T., & Weitzman, E. (February 2000). From Knowledge to Action. Change [On-line], Available: www2.gasou.edu/library/ (Galileo)(EBSCOhost)(Search=Alcohol Abuse).
Over 24 million United States residents 12 and older are facing drug addiction, but shockingly only 10 percent will obtain help from an expert facility (“Substance Abuse and Mental Health”). Abuse and addiction negatively effects the addict along with humanity. An estimated $600 billion is spent annually as a result of substance abuse. As surprising as this number may be, it does not explain the depth of damaging public health and safety implications of drug addiction, essentially there may be child abuse, domestic violence, and loss of employment (“Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction”). Addicts face critical health complications, monetary problems, ruined families, illnesses, or even death. As an addict falls further into their addiction, they will lose control of their drug usage, and most times exhibit harm to themselves and others (“Drug Abuse Ruins Lives”). Drug abuse takes a major toll on the addict, their family and on work relationships; on the other hand, there are numerous of people who have dealt with substance abuse overcame their situation and used it as motivation.
Drug abuse dates as far back as the Biblical era, so it is not a new phenomenon. “The emotional and social damage and the devastation linked to drugs and their use is immeasurable.” The ripple of subversive and detrimental consequences from alcoholism, drug addictions, and addictive behavior is appalling. Among the long list of effects is lost productivity, anxiety, depression, increased crime rate, probable incarceration, frequent illness, and premature death. The limitless consequences include the destruction to personal development, relationships, and families (Henderson 1-2). “Understandably, Americans consider drug abuse to be one of the most serious problems” in the fabric of society. And although “addiction is the result of voluntary drug use, addiction is no longer voluntary behavior, it’s uncontrollable behavior,” says Alan Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Torr 12-13).