Blog#14 Reducing risk of assault

What can a woman do to reduce her risk of assault?

A woman can do many things to reduce her risk of assault. The first thing is to be aware of your surroundings, as most of my classmates have already said, because this way you can avoid getting into dangerous situations. Next, when you go out have your keys ready when you get to your car and always check your backseat. Third, get some mace, pepper spray, gun, or bats to protect yourself and your belongings. Lastly, take a self defense class to give yourself a boost of confidence and some training on what to do when and if you are put in a dangerous situation. As long as we as women protect ourselves and pay attention we can stop a lot of the abductions and kidnappings if we just pay more attention.

Shenita Jolivette

Blog#13 Weakness or Strength

Is it a sign of personal weakness or strength for a woman to admit that she has a problem with alcohol or drugs?


I think that is a personal sign of strength if a woman admits that she has a problem. I believe this because it takes strength and the realization to know and understand that you have a problem and to come to the conclusion that you want to change and become healthier for yourself. This takes time and admitting that you have a problem is only the first step, but it is the hardest. Once you have admitted it then you can continue in the positive direction and continue to get better and overcome your problem. The path won't be easy, but if you have a support system whether it be through God, your family, or friends then this can help you in your journey to becoming a better and healthy you.

Blog#12 Mental Illness

What can be done to reduce the stigma and shame that still surround mental illness?

Mental Illness to some may not be as life threatening as cancer or heart disease, but for some it could mean life or death. Illnesses such as: OCD, certain phobias, bulimia, and depression all take a toll on your body its not just mental its physical too. That is what society does not understand, they crack jokes and think that these types of illnesses are funny and don't take the repercussions of what could happen to someone with these kinds of illnesses. I can use myself as an example, I have hydrophobia, which is the fear of water. Now, its not as bad as others, but it makes me nervous enough that when put in a situation where I think I might drown I can have a minor panic attack. I believe I have this phobia because first I can't swim so drowning because I won't be able to save myself frightens me more than anything else in the world other then being buried alive. When you have a phobia an overwhelming fear overcomes you and you can't control it. We as students and future educators should help people understand the seriousness of these illnesses by having seminars about these disorders and bring people in that have these certain illnesses so that they can explain how they live with their illnesses and what they are doing to keep them under control.

Blog #11 Our future in mind?

If everyone lived "with our future in mind," do you think that we would live different? (different habits, behaviors,etc)

If everyone lived with our future in mind we would all be millionaires and in perfect health. That would be great, but the truth is you can only hope for the best and take the necessary steps to take care of yourself and your family. Tomorrow is not guaranteed and we need to understand that and focus on the present with future goals in mind. It is always goods to be over prepared for what might come up but you can't prevent anything from happening in the future nor make sure that everything will go according to plan because that almost never happens and when it does the end result is not always good. So, focus on the right now and think what future goals could come out of it.

Shenita Jolivette.

Roles of Academic Institutions for prevention of heart disease

How can academic institutions take a more active role in disease prevention for women?

Academic institutions can hold seminars with inspirational speakers, medical experts, and surviors. This would help by allowing students and facility to get all their questions and concerns answered and provide a better understanding of what our bodies go through as a woman with CDV and what to expect. These seminars can also provide information on how to better help prevent the disease and how to deal with it if we are going through it. The institution should also designate a group to deliver this message to other groups/schools outside the institution that way the information that we are receiving spreads to those who have not been formally educated on these disease. Information can make a world of difference why not share it.

Blog#9 Our bodies

What role does the media play in how we feel about our bodies? How can health educators help to prepare effective messages that counter some of the negative images and ideas generated in the media? Do you think that the media is embracing more diversity in body shape, size and color than what was acceptable years ago?


This is always a touchy subject, but media does play a major role in how we think we should look. Bottom line is every one's body is shaped differently and I can really elaborate on both sides of this where as I weighed 138lbs not to long ago and I now way 230lbs(just lost 5lbs by the way). The media leads us to believe that being thinner makes you more desirable and more attractive its not right to say that, but it is true. When I was 138lbs I received more attention from members of the opposite sex and everything was just easier as far as my job and me just having more energy to do things and having more confidence in myself. Now, that I am heavier I don't really get the same type of attention, but I am still confident in myself and that is all that matters. Health educators can counter the negative images and ideas by focusing on the positives like promoting confidence and building that up instead of tearing it down like the media does. Also Health Educators can provide information to those who want to learn about the benefits of losing weight if they chose to and  for those who are overweight help them and let them know what they can do to get healthy and stay healthy. I think the media is starting to become more diverse as far as body shape, size, and color is concerned because now curves are in every size, shape, and form and that is how it should be because I stated before we are all shaped differently. Even though curves are in the media always goes back to thinner being a winner and that should not always be the case.

Blog#8 A cultural perspective of menopause

Menopause is said to effect everyone in the same way, but this not the case. All women are not the same and do not incur the same symptoms as others. According to everydayhealth.com different cultures of women experience different symptoms when they are going thought the "change." For example, Caucasian women reported that they have difficulty sleeping, more muscle aches, and are more irritable then African American women who experience night sweats and hot flashes. Women in Nigeria and Japan experience frozen shoulder, which is limited and painful shoulder mobility. Then there are the culture of Mayan Indian women who little to no symptoms at all with menopause and they see menopause as freedom. I can understand that because when you hit puberty your body changes and it is working overtime to keep up with you at your younger age, but once you get older it doesn't have to work as hard and can actually relax and slow down. Menopause is a positive change and I like that the Mayan Indian women look at it as freedom because in a way it is and as you can see menopause is not a size fits.

Shenita Jolivette

Reference:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause/menopause-and-culture.aspx

Blog#7 STD's

Many people equate STD's with immorality, promiscuous behavior and low social status. What are your thoughts on this statement?


STD's can be contracted in many ways and in different situations such as rape. Immorality does play its part, but its really for those who have their beliefs and who don't about sex before marriage. Promiscuous behavior, I can see being the closet reason for getting an STD because now a days young people are sleeping around with more and more people and not protecting themselves that is why all of these STD cases and babies are increasing. Low social status could be a factor just not as major as promiscuous behavior because social status does not necessarily mean that you will not contract STD's you ultimately have to make the choice to protect yourself because just because you have money and are well educated doesn't mean that you can't contract an STD. As I get older I am realizing that trust is not something that can be taken lightly especially in a relationship and ultimately you have to take care of you. I always make sure that I get my yearly exams and that I use protection and I feel that people who are single or in relationships should do the same regardless if your partner has pledged his/her undying love for you because that doesn't mean that they won't cheat and you won't end up with an unexpected STD. So just make sure you protect yourself.

Shenita Jolivette

Routine Prenatal Testing

Prenatal testing/screening is administered in order to determine whether a fetus has an increased risk for a genetic disease. These tests can help identify substances that might indicate a genetic disease. If this is a routine testing/screening then this could help the parents be more aware of what's to come if the child has a genetic disease and also to prepare them mentally and physically for the challenges ahead. This diagnosis will also give them time to learn and research what type of disease the child has and what can be done to cure it or help with making the child's life easier or it could just give the parents a piece of mind if the baby is normal and healthy. Going forward this should definitely be researched further and added to the OBGYN exams.

Shenita Jolivette

Source: webmd.com

Children or No Children? Blog #5

Well, I have went back and forth with that question, but for my own personal reasons. I have decided to have children once I get married I think that I would make a good mom, I just want to make sure that when I am ready I have everything in order. I know that right now I cannot afford to have a baby. Everyone has their own idea of what they want their life to be, but sometimes it never turns out that way. Mine may not be exactly how I want it, but I can at least be responsible and protect myself from getting pregnant or an STI. I use contraceptives faithfully and other precautions as well.  My boyfriend is on board with the no baby thing right now and we are so busy that we barely see each other as is so abstinence contributes to it as well.

So, what is a couple dollars for some condoms to 9 months of being pregnant, a baby daddy, and debt when you're not ready to have a baby, because they are expensive. I think that I will just stick too being a great cousin to my new baby cousins for awhile.

Sex Ed in Public Schools Blog #4

I believe that Abstinence plus should be taught in Public Schools. The reason I think this is because now a days it is common for teens to have sex before marriage and instead of just saying, "Don't have sex before marriage," how about saying, "It is better to wait, but if you can't then this is what you can do to protect yourself and these are the consequences for having sex before marriage and not being safe." I think that fully explaining what can happen if you have unprotected sex and going into to detail about STD's and pregnancies would definitely help and may even slow down sexual activity in teens or at least decrease pregnancies and the transfer of STD's. If this information was given then maybe the 3% increase in 2006 of pregnant teens could have been avoided. I also think that if they make more contraceptives available then this would help stop the transfer of STD's. Now some parents might not like this idea and that is probably why now Abstinence only education is taught, but this is a new day and a new time and if we don't change something it is only going to get worse. 2009 was the year that changes started so maybe we can continue down this path in a positive way.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-01-26-1Ateenpregnancy26_ST_N.htm

Shenita Jolivette

Blog#2

I have to say that reading through this information has me worried about my family's health as well as myself.  I thought that cancer was the number one killer, but it is heart disease. This is shocking beyond words because according to AHRQ and estimated 662,870 would be diagnosed with cancer in 2005 this includes cervical and breast cancers this is mind blowing information. I go to the doctor regularly every year and get checked and I have some wonderful doctors they tell me what I need to know and the consequences if I don't, but ultimately it is up to me to take there word and live a healthy lifestyle.

This step I am taking and in saying that I feel that health care should be a right. If you want to take care of yourself and get checked for these types of diseases you should be able too and it should be affordable. Even if you don't do what you are suppose to do to stay healthy you should still have the same options as those who do. There is no right or wrong when it concerns to your life and well being and the well being of your family.

As for health care I think that it is expanding and that there is plenty of room for change and those changes are happening now with no lifetime maximums being enforced, children being able to stay on coverage up to age 26, and limits on the flexible spending accounts which I actually do not like because I use mine faithfully for over the counter medications, but in the long run it might be a positive change.  I feel that we are moving in the right direction, but that some other options should be looked into.


Reference: http://www.ahrq.gov/research/womenix.htm link to "Women's Health care in the United States"

Blog#1

For this project, I consulted two of my coworkers for assistance and both of their responses were different.

Co-worker #1 is a married white female with two small children. She is concerned about being Obese/Overweight and what other health issues this can cause. She does not want want to be Obese/Overweight because she wants to be able to take care of her children and watch them grow up. Now, she is actively doing things to get her weight down and will continue to do so. She also added her concerns about childhood diseases since she has two small children and would be devastated if they contracted an incurable or life threatening disease.

Co-worker #2 is an engaged black female with no children. She is concerned about Diabetes and Heart Disease because both run in her family as well as Hypertension and High Blood Pressure. She is concerned about these diseases because she sees what her family members have to deal with everyday in battling these diseases. She also mentioned that Hypertension and High Blood Pressure are hereditary and is known as the silent killer. Knowing all this makes her take the proper steps to stay healthy and prevent these diseases.

In reading all this and gathering my thoughts I am concerned about all health issues that plague everyone. Obesity, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, and Cancer are the main diseases that I hear about daily. My family has been subject to all of these and more, but I have been fortunate to be in good health while still being overweight. I am actively working on changing that with my co-workers. We have even joined a gym and will be attending throughout the week to get in shape and stay healthy. I encourage everyone to do the same and to get a partner or group of people to help motivate you to get healthy it works a lot better then trying to do it yourself. Working out with a group makes it fun and you push each other to your full potential.