Mise-En-Scene in Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver is about Travis Bickle, a â€Å"sick† taxi driver who is both a prophet and/or a mad man. We are never allowed to know what the movie itself thinks of him, we are never told to love him or hate him and the movie never states whether he is ethically right or wrong. This movie is not about the answers to the problems of the society. It is just about the questions and unknowns. It is just an interesting journey in the modern society that could make people discuss about Travis hours and hours. Talking with other people, I was amazed how people can think of him in different ways. Some say he is â€Å"sick†, some say he is their â€Å"prophet†. The fast cuts in the editing (when he practices with the guns) make us enter in his state of mind. But also, some long takes force us to analyze and understand what happened (Very high-angle takes that Scorsese calls â€Å"Priest shots† after the massacre. ). The movie switches dynamically between these styles, which leaves the audience an infinite ways of thinking about the Travis. This is beyond doubt not a journey like Odysseus where the hero always moves forward. In Taxi Driver the hero's journey is always around the same circle. He does not meet any new people or experience new situations. Same people turn around him, or maybe he turns around the same people and he repeatedly recognizes similar concepts in them. In a realistic movie the fact that he meets with those people so many times and in so many different places would be a mistake. However, this is not a realistic movie. Palantine who was already around him (thanks to the posters and Betsy) gets into his car (which is highly unlikely to happen); he sees Iris in many different unrelated places (three times); Scorsese appears in the movie twice (the unknown one of these is in the scene where we first see Betsy. He is also watching her in the back. ). Also different people reminds him of similar concepts: Betsy and Iris are both woman who are to be saved from the lives they are stuck in, and he sees many different people who cannot communicate with him. This circle with Travis in its center is also represented in the camera movements: either the camera is traveling around him or it is panning to show the panorama of the New York life through his eyes. Moreover, in two different scenes the camera and Travis make the other 180 degrees of the circle and meet at the same place. These formal elements help us understand and feel how Travis is also encircled and alone in that sick world. The fact that this is not a realistic movie is also proved by some of the elements in the narrative. First of all, Travis is described as someone who never sleeps, and we really never see him sleeping. Secondly, the time gaps between the shots (sometimes a week, or maybe a month: after he first signs up for the job, the next shot is in his apartment, and he describes his daily routine. ) also prove that this is a stylized movie. Lastly, although he is almost illiterate (- Education? – Yes, some, you know, here and there! ), he has a diary and we hear him telling us what he is writing. He sometimes even becomes poetic. All of these are almost implausible for an ordinary taxi driver. As a final point about the realism, I think the appearance of Scorsese himself is to remind us that â€Å"this is just a movie† and that we should not get into the story too much. I think he appears at a very important point, when everything starts to boil and the audience risks to be caught in Travis' delirium too much. Travis' alienation and loneliness is one of the most underlined ideas in the movie. Even when he is with other people he is very seldom shown as having a real communication with them. One very interesting shot is when he first sits in the cafe with his friends. He sits on the other side of the table and they are on the other sides of the frame. They seem like they are very far apart from each other. Also, when Travis talks with other people (except Iris and Betsy) he never looks at them. There are even some shots where we see what he is looking at, which shows his disconnection with those people. Naturally, for a person so disconnected to the society â€Å"exchanges† are very important. It could be an exchange of a gun or a paper or feelings. Scorsese emphasizes these using some unusual high angles, looking at the action from above. It happens four times in the movie: in the taxi office, in the movie theater, in the gun exchange, and most importantly when he first declares his love to Betsy in the campaign headquarters. In the last one, there is only a shot of the desk from above and the camera is panning in a strange way with no obvious reason. However, we know from the two other scenes that this shot underlines the â€Å"real exchange† of feelings between Travis and Betsy. Furthermore, in one of the best shots of the movie, after his useless and empty talk with Wizard the camera just stands and watches his cab going away and fading in the streets while Wizard is looking at him. The scene announces his detachment from the people and the society. As Taxi Driver is not moving forward as a movie, there is no reason for an obvious change in style. The dizziness of the colors and the fact that the background is often out-of-focus in the whole movie reminds us that there is no way to see the society in a sharper way and finding solutions. We are almost lost in it. Very shiny colors, especially reds, blues and greens, form the main palette of the movie. However, there are some slight changes of colors. For example, in the scenes where he continues his relationship with Betsy, a peaceful green dominates the screen. In the scenes leading to the final massacre, red becomes the leading and threatening color. Again, after that, green again becomes the main color as the scenes have a feeling of calm in them. Moreover, the Sport's street is darker than many of the places in the movie suggesting a mystical feeling, which prepares us to the climax that happens there. Other important things I want to note about the mise-en-scene are the costumes and the hairs. Travis often changes the way he is dressed and his hairstyle according to the situation. He becomes a very nice-looking guy when he is going to meet with Iris or Betsy. He wears his nice shirts brushes his hair. When he is going to show his anger or his dark side he either wears his marine or leather coat and leaves his hair as it is or even, at the end, shaves it. These changes show the instability of his personality and the two opposite characters of Travis Bickle, a prophet and a sick guy. When he looks nice, we tend to like him; when he looks crazy, we are afraid. Furthermore, the costumes and the hairstyles help Scorsese call attention to one of the most important parallelisms of the Taxi Driver that I already mentioned. Betsy often wears red clothes as Iris does when they meet with Travis. In addition, they are both blondes. That forces us to understand the parallelism between them; according to Travis they are both to be saved from the lives they are stuck in. The climax of the film is obviously the massacre as it is probably the most intense and shocking scene of the film. It is shot and edited as if it was a dream and we are never sure whether it really happens or whether it is just Travis' imagination. The only thing we know for sure is that it is the explosion of his unexpressed feelings toward the society and the manifestation of his hate against the people. The use of red and some unusual high angles stress the dreamy quality of the scene. Sport's reappearance and Travis' survival despite the shot that just missed his throat are out of our worst nightmares. Again, Scorsese does not expect us to believe in it. He just wants us to meditate in what happened. The following scenes also have the same dreamy mood. The greens dominate the night scenes and an interesting peacefulness is expressed with the very slow panning of camera and the tender voice of Iris' father. Also the fact that Travis got away without going into prison and Betsy's way of looking that shows her admiration for him make the scene seem like a wonderful dream. At the very end, although Travis is again driving the car, his face is lightened very strongly in a way we are not used to in the movie (It was always dark! ). Is he enlightened? Is he a prophet? However, suddenly, something happens and his face seems red in the mirror, but he fixes it. Is he a lunatic? Is he dead or dreaming? You won't find the answer to these questions in this movie.

Broken family Essay

THESIS From the suggestion of one researcher that broken homes equal broken people, and that broken people break others. Although this particular article focuses on the idea that boys without authoritative role models are well placed to get caught in the Sturm und Drang of adolescence, it seems the issues these children develop can be teased to a more widespread problem; perhaps it is a perceived brokenness of the normal familial network that creates the sense of injustice and turmoil that fuels the actions of these children. Perhaps it is the social expectation of an American Dream-styled belief that two parents, a healthy marriage and two children, who go to college, plus some sort of pet is what one should receive whilst growing up, despite that this is not only a difficult balance of relationships to maintain but not the ‘norm’ for most people in America. This sense that one has been ‘left out’ or done out of what they believe that everyone else normally receives perpetuates a sense of injustice that often translates into violence within society. Broken Family can be describing as a broken home, this is where a child doesn’t have a both parent at home. The husband and wife are legally separated. Sometimes death of one member of the family can lead to broken family. Or else broken family is incomplete. However, no matter how ideal a family in the terms of their relationship, there are still hardships and misunderstandings that will come along the way. Broken family varies from numerous reasons why it had to be that way. Misunderstanding starts from simple domestic quarrel that grows impertinently damaging the long-forged relationship between the family members. The most common dispute between a husband and a wife is the financial issue. There are difference between a complete and a broken family. Complete family can looked at their child properly than a broken family can. Most of the Teenagers who belongs to a broken family did not graduate. They even suffer emotional stress and depression which usually leads to suicide. While those teenagers who belong to a complete family graduated with even honours. But there are some products of broken family who were successful because their experiences inspire them to make a better family someday unlike the family they have. Members of a complete family are also capable of handling problems than a member from a broken one but they are both acceptable in the society. In today’s society broken family is a major problem that should be given enough attention. The behaviour of family setup affects the social, economic and political aspects of a country. It should always be remembered to keep the family away from the thoughts of separation. One in three children life with a single-parent or with step mom or dad, researchers found that there are 3.8million children, the great majority of them in single-parent families. 30 per cent of the country’s children and their numbers are up by nearly a fifth over the past decade, according to a study by the Office for National Statistics published last June 2010. According also to the ONS analysis of data from its monthly Labour Force Survey of 60,000 households, 3.8million children live with only one of their biological parents because they have a lone mother or their father or mother has left home. And there are 2.7million who live with a single mother and 200,000 with a lone father. A further 500,000 are in cohabiting step-families, and 400,000 in married step-families. Single people and cohabiting couples will significantly outnumber the married by the 2030s, the ONS said. Already the proportion of people who are husbands or wives has fallen below half the adult population to 49 per cent. By 2033 that will become 42 per cent, according to projections on marriage. Numbers of cohabiting couples will rise from 2.3million to 3.8million, the ONS said. There are causes why there are broken families or broken homes, around the world. Some of this are maybe because of the Wrong choice in marriage, Disagreement is the only language they understand.. In this kind of situation, hatred, unfaithfulness, fighting, anger, suspicion, cheating  becomes the order of the day and break-up is the end result. And it may be also because of the Parental or friends influence, because broken homes today are caused by undue influences and interference of parents, friends and relations in the private affairs of the family. Time consuming jobs is not good for the family, most of the parents, when a man or woman stays too long at work, the other partner will start feeling lonely, neglected, abandoned and sometimes frustrated. Striking a balance will be a good idea. There are Theories that is based on our topic, about being in a Broken Family. The Psychoanalytic theories emphasized the importance of relationship and attachments between children and their parents. This theory tells the three major personality mechanisms which is as follows: The id, ego, and the super ego. One of the major personality mechanisms is the Id. It was contained by the instinctual, unconscious desire and especially sexual and aggressive which a child was born. It was governed by the pleasure principle, seeking to achieve pleasure and to avoid pain. While the Ego was the seat of consciousness, it was developed out of the id about the age of three. It was tried to achieve the desires of the id while taking account of the reality of social convention and could delay immediate gratifications of long-term goals. Children can develop a strong ego if they had a loving and strong relationship with their parents. And the Superego is developed out of the ego at the age of five, it’s also contained two functions, the first one is the conscience and the other one is the ego-ideal. Based on Wikipedia, Conscience is a judgement that assists in distinguishing right from wrong. But in the personality mechanisms Conscience is acted to inhibit instinctual desires that violated social rules. There’s also a formation depending on parental punishment arousing anger that children then turned against themselves. Ideas that are inspired counselling and social work approaches, as they try to rehabilitate the offenders by building up a warm relationship with them. Most studies from the broken homes have focused on the loss of the father rather than the mother. The Modern theories of the relationship between the disrupted families and the delinquency fall into three major classes, the Trauma theories. Based from Wikipedia, Trauma means â€Å"wound† in Greek and it’s often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one’s ability to cope or integrate the emotions involved with that experience. Psychologically traumatic experiences involvement in physical trauma that threatens one’s survival and sense of security. The definition of Trauma differs among the individuals by their subjective experiences. The next major classes of modern theory between disrupted families and the delinquency fall is the Life course theories, this focuses on the separation as a sequence of stressful experiences, and on the effects of multiple stressors such as parental conflict, parental loss, reduced economic circumstances, changes in parent figures, and poor child-rearing methods. And the last one is the Selection theories, which talks about the argue that disrupted families produce delinquent children because of pre-existing differences from other families in risk factors, such as parental conflict, criminal or antisocial parents, low family income, or poor child-rearing methods. What will be the effect of a Broken Family to the Student’s Performance in School? This research is based on the U.S Centre for Marriage and Family as they release their study on November 2005 that broken family structures consistently lead to education difficulties for children. The study says â€Å"When it comes to educational achievement, children living with their own married parents do significantly better than other children.† Children living in a situation other those with their own married father and mother are known as non-intact families. They are significantly higher rates of difficulty with all levels of education. Each child a year spends with a single mother or stepparent â€Å"reduces that child’s overall education attainment by approximately one-half year.† The study also says that the comprehensive review of recent academic research about the relationship between family structure and children’s academic performance. Education outcomes from children growing up with their own married parents to children in non-intact family structures such as divorced, single, remarried or cohabiting parents. These family structures were consistently found as the deciding factor in a wide range of child behaviours that affects their academic performances including their emotional and psychological distress. This also includes the attention disorders, social misbehaviours, substance abuse, sexual activity and the common problem of teenagers, teen pregnancy. Those children from non-intact homes had higher rates of depression,  anxiety, lower self-esteem and stress, particularly as teenagers. They’ve found out that some children from broken homes were three times more likely to suffer from attention deficit disorder than children from intact homes. Thos children from single-parent homes suffered from physical health problems. While Pre-school children from Single-parent homes were less likely to be given help with letter-recognition. Children from non-intact families’ scores consistently lower on reading comprehensions and in Mathematics. And they’re struggling in maintain their grade levels overall. While children from married parents had much lower rates of behavioural problems inside the classroom. Particularly boys from broken marriages showed a higher rate of classroom misbehaviour. 30% of teenage students from broken families more likely miss school, always late or cut class than students from intact homes, because single parents had more difficulty monitoring their children. These may cause the children to be at high risk for smoking, consuming alcohol or drugs. Most of the teenagers now a day were more likely to be sexually active and had higher rates of pregnancy, especially those from the non-intact families. Children who were from single-parent home by the time they were ten were more than twice is likely to be arrested by age of 14. Who never lived with their own father had the highest likelihood of being arrested. These study reports that majority of U.S children will spent a significant part of their child hood by the time they reach 18. And Single parent homes in the U.S. nearly doubled in the period from 1968-2003. Based on other researches, Most of the Children from unmarried parents/separated families often fail and are at risk emotionally. This may not be completely applicable in all instances of broken homes. The environment where a child finds himself/herself goes a long way in determining his learning ability and ultimately his academic. There are different effects of a broken family for the Development of the children. Such as Emotional development, this is the growth in the child’s ability to distinguish between and to express their emotions in socially acceptable way and to be able to understand the emotional content of other people’s communication. Some of the children who show little emotional response are actually bottling up their negative feelings. Educational Development, this talks about the performance of the children inside their classroom, and in what way that broken homes can affect them in their studies. Social  Development, Other children may experience anxiety, which can make it morw difficult for them to seek positive social interactions and engage in developmentally beneficial activities such as teen sports. Teens from broken families might develop a cynical attitude toward relationships and harbour feelings of mistrust. Family Dynamics is the interaction between the family members as well as the varying relationships that can exist within a family. Based on the new living arrangements, the children may need to perform more chores and assume additional roles in the new household’s basic functioning. A broken home can confuse or disrupt a child’s world. This was proven to be true from infancy through the teen years. Most of the children experience wide array emotions to try to navigate. Their Parents have to provide them as much stability as possible and involve other to be the responsible role models, to provide the support for their child. It’s important that the child knows that he/she is still safe, love and cherished. Frustration with a broken family can manifest through open aggression by throwing tantrums, hitting, and other outward expressions of pain. As Lesia Oesterreich, M.S., of the National Network for Child Care website suggest that the younger child is not able to express emotions verbally and does not understand the negative feelings he’s/she’s experiencing. And it’s also important that the parent will help the child to vocalize these emotions and make the children aware that these are valid feelings. The children may feel that their behaviour drove the other parent away and might strive to improve the behaviour of the child in hopes of the parent returning. Reassure your children will not be the cause and will be continue to be loved by both parents. The child should know that just because his parents’ relationship has changed. The child may feel embarrassed that his/her family is not intact and withdraw from normal activities. Those children could put on a brave front, pretending that everything is okay even when hurting. From which Michelle New, Ph.D. of the Kids Health website, suggested. Parents should maintain established routines at home to make everything feel as normal as possible, Encourage your child to have close contact with family and friends to encourage him at this time. Children from broken families are nearly five times more likely to suffer damaging mental troubles than those whose parents stay together, Government  research has found. It also showed that two parents are much better than one if children are to avoid slipping into emotional distress and anti-social behaviour. The findings say that children’s family backgrounds are as important – if not more so – than whether their home is poor, workless, have bad health, or have no one with any educational qualifications. The research adds to a wealth of data that shows children suffer badly from divorce or parental break-up, and that those brought up by a single parent are more likely to do badly at school, suffer poor health, and fall into crime, addiction and poverty as adults. The report, funded by the Department of Health and published by the Office for National Statistics, investigated emotional disorders – ranked as those which cause considerable distress and interference with the way in which children perform at school and during play. It also looked at conduct disorders which result in aggressive, violent or anti-social behaviour. The researchers studied nearly 8,000 children aged between five and 16 in 2004 and found almost one in ten had disorders. The children were checked again last year. The report said that a child whose parents had split during this time was more than four and a half times more likely to have developed an emotional disorder than one whose parents stayed together. They were nearly three times more likely to exhibit a conduct disorder. Eleven per cent of those children whose families broke up had emotional disorders, against 3 per cent among those whose families were still together. Nearly a third of children found to have mental disorders in 2004 still suffered from them three years later. The Department of Health said: ‘The Government is committed to helping children and young people experiencing mental health problems.’ But academic Patricia Morgan, author of several studies on family break-up, said: ‘This does not come as a surprise, and things are going to get worse. ‘Broken families and serial fathers produce homes full of conflict and chaos and they are terrible for children.’

The idea of anti-sexism has hardly scratched the surface of the popular male imagination

The usual view of men's anti-sexism is that it centres around men who find it personally important to challenge the pressure to conform to a ‘macho' image plus a handful of politically aware men wanting to assist on what are seen as feminist issues. In fact any man giving it serious thought will come to see domestic violence, rape, care of their children and suchlike as being men's issues. However, the average man will not be drawn into men's groups by these issues, and will tend to see men's anti-sexism as a movement without a cause. But I believe it's a movement which has remained marginal by failing to acknowledge its biggest cause. Men's groups tend to look for a personal response to the contradictions their members face – THEY are the problem, they must change. This seems to be unrelated to the impersonal world of politics and the hard realities of jobs, pay, working hours and conditions, etc. But this is exactly the area where anti-sexism could have its greatest impact. Because, in spite of the effects of massive unemployment, little has changed men's ideas about work. The classic picture of man-as-incomplete-person that men's groups invoke – emotionally retarded, distant from his children, competitive at work and dominant at home – describes a man well moulded to the career world. The stereotypical male values closely match the qualities desirable in competitive work. Despite the ‘personal politics' of a few men, the nature of work itself has not changed and continues to reinforce the same traditional male values. But there are now women working successfully in most professions – so why should male values continue to dominate? It is because of the strict division between full-time and part-time work. It's in full-time work in the majority of occupations that men and traditional values prevail – women in these jobs work on men's terms. Part-time work on the other hand is clearly the province of women – over 90% of part-timers in Britain is female. In fact, much of the recent increase in women's employment has been in the part-time sector. So what are the differences in these two areas of work? Full-time jobs are valued more highly, often paid a ‘family wage', and require the specialisation of skills and continued commitment that would merit the title ‘career' (though the principle is the same from bricklaying to brain surgery). This continuity is very important – women (in Britain) are permitted usually only a token break for maternity and men generally none for paternity. Outside this career world, there is both unpaid domestic work, including childcare, and formal part-time work – with pay, conditons, prospects and job interest generally worse than full-time work. There are two results of this duality of working situations. Firstly, because of women's unavoidable involvement in caring for their babies, career work favours men. Full-time work has changed little to accommodate the increasing number of women in it, who have to accept the limitations imposed by men such as avoiding children or delegating their care to the domestic/part-time sector. Secondly, the domestic and part-time workforce is not only economically inferior to the career sector but actually services its interests and sustains it. This relationship is the framework for exploitation of both capitalist and patriarchal nature. So, women having children must be free from work from late pregnancy until the baby is weaned at the very least. As men are generally not permitted any reasonable paternity leave it is necessarily the mother who continues to look after the child at least until school age (unless the parents are willing and financially able to pay someone else to do so). If these considerations did not keep the woman out of full-time work in the first place, they are likely to do so for some years at this stage, especially since this whole situation increases the likelihood that the father will be earning more than her at this financially critical time. While this rigid division of work exists, therefore, women wanting children will be disadvantaged in full-time work, and many women having children will have to accept the limitations of part-time work. Men, if they are able to get full-time work, will almost always take this in preference to part-time work – and when they become fathers are likely to be under financial pressure to keep their full-time job, at the expense of their involvement with their children. Some European men, notably in Belgium, have come up with ideas that could break down the rigidity of this full-time/part-time division. They have lobbied the European Parliament for the establishment in the EEC Constitution of what they call the Flexible Work Right. This would be the legal right of anyone to choose how many hours a week to work, being paid accordingly. It would be a move against the binding domination of full-time work and the undervaluing of part-time work, which would allow a balance of working and domestic life to suit the priorities of individual men and women. In particular, parents would be free to share childcare and earning according to their own values. A practical shift in the distribution of the tasks between the sexes would open the door to many other changes. If the responsibility for financial support was no longer borne principally by men this could undermine the damaging tendency for manhood to be measured by economic success – which is often won at the price of being a second rate parent. And for women, work on these terms would mean not only an increase in real economic power and independence, but with this a greater participation in public and political life. Also any overall reduction in average hours worked could help to reduce unemployment in the right circumstances. So how might these ideas be realised in practice? Three possibilities for change are better provision for job sharing, more flexibility of working hours (especially total hours worked) and better parental leave allowances. As far as trade unions are concerned, defending the interests (primarily financial) of those in work comes before freeing members to work less. So small reductions in the working week, (which would probably serve mainly to increase overtime payments), take priority over genuine flexibility of hours and job-sharing provisions. Some forward-looking unions ARE seeking better paternity leave – most men take some time off whether it is officially available or not (94% in a recent Equal Opportunities Commission study). Better parental leave entitlement would go some way toward the goals of this anti-sexist men's politics, especially since the right to flexible work will surely only be won in slow stages. And here the EEC is already playing a part. The EEC Commission has issued a directive aiming to set minimum standards for parental leave in all member countries (three months for men and women during the child's first two years, in addition to maternity leave and at no extra cost to employers). Despite agreement of all other members, and within Britain support of the House of Lords and the Equal Opportunities Commission, the British government has so far vetoed the passage of this Directive into Community law. So there's no doubt that some aspects of anti-sexist thinking are as political as they are personal. But the anti-sexist angle on work doesn't end there. Poor working conditions and occupational safety may be sustained by ideas of what is ‘manly'. The notion that men who complain of bad conditions and danger are soft is sexist and encourages mistreatment of workers – not to mention alienating and excluding women. The response to noise, pollution and heavy lifting may be headaches, ulcers, heart disease and backache; human conditions too are important – if work is a hostile or authoritarian place men may take it out in drinking or violence outside work. A humane workplace is essential for a humane world. The goals of this ‘men's politics' in fact complement those of feminism despite their separate and apparently selfish motivation. This motivation is crucial since the issue of work as a major limitation in their lives is one with which many could identify. This idea – men seeing themselves as ‘work objects' – paves the way for a wider view of anti-sexism, encompassing the aspects of personal change and ‘feminist' causes important to men's groups now. It would suggest too, a positive attitude of relating some of the less desirable trappings of maleness to the situations which shaped them, rather than blaming them on maleness itself. If men looked objectively at the unnecessary sacrifices they make on the altar of work, anti-sexism would suddenly seem relevant to many more men than the few involved at present. (C) Five Cram POSTSCRIPT The above article considers one interesting proposal for breaking down the male-dominated character of paid work. For example, as this issue went to press, a Bill introduced by the Labour MP Harry Cohen, which would introduce a statutory right to a period of parental care for parents of young children, was due to receive a second reading in the House of Commons. Under this Bill, employees with children under two years old (five if the child is disabled or adopted) would be entitled to 13 weeks paid leave if both parents are in paid work, 26 weeks if he or she is a single parent and 4 weeks if the other parent is ineligible for parental leave, for example because of unemployment. The entitlement is not transferable between the parents. The scheme would be paid for by employers and the Government. Under this Government – and probably any currently realistic alternative – it is unlikely to become law. I think it is an important step forward, but how can we as men help it to happen? Schemes of this sort, although less generous, already exist in ten of the twelve EEC countries – why not here? Even if employers, unions and the Government could be persuaded that this sort of parental leave provision is in their interests, there is a danger that it would divert attention away from the need to extend workplace nurseries and local authority childcare provision, and further privatise the provision of ‘care' in our society. Another important issue is how, ‘parental' schemes like this should be linked to more general ones like a Flexible Work Right. Which should have higher priority, and what would their effects be on the level of unemployment? Finally, I doubt if such voluntary schemes would be enough to bring about major changes in the distribution of labour between the sexes. Particularly in times of high unemployment and low wage increases, when the perceived priority of maximising the ‘breadwinners' earnings is greatest, many men would not willingly reduce their hours worked. Schemes involving paid leave avoid this problem, but inevitably involve smaller changes in hours worked so as not to be prohibitively expensive. Compulsory schemes, such as legal limits on basic hours of work and overtime (to encourage men to invest more time and effort in the home) would probably also be needed, but care would be needed to avoid reducing low-paid workers' wages oven further. But, to end on a positive note, it is true that there is a long-term trend towards fewer hours spent in paid employment by each male worker – the average has fallen by over one third in the last 100 years. Let's hope it continues and that employed men make good use of the growing part of their lives spent outside paid jobs.

Helping Relationships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Helping Relationships - Essay Example Ethics are also different from values as values refer to what is good and desirable, while ethics are more concerned with how to act. In the Helping Relationship, Brammer (2003, p. 153) identifies a number of values that contribute to ethical conduct, (1) Respect for authority, (2) an obligation not to harm others intentionally, (3) the attempt to prevent harm from coming to others, (4) justice, defined as equal distribution of burdens and benefits (but not defined as revenge), (5) fidelity or trustworthy relationships, and (6) truthfulness. While these values are important foundational elements in develop professional ethics, for the helping professional ethical standards should be even more well-defined, so as to be adhered. This essay explores a number of essential ethical standards and demonstrates why they must be adhered by to by helping professionals. While when most people consider ethics they immediately think about reprehensible behavior, it’s important to realize that ethical considerations extend to the way that the helper approaches their job. One is familiar with the phrase ‘worth ethic’ and this most definitely applies to the professional helper. When contemplating the issue of helper self-care and researching Brammer’s comments on the subject, I have identified a number of important considerations that should be adhered to as a helping professional. In situations such as nursing or teaching, perhaps the issue of physical exhaustion is more relevant than the typical counseling professional. Particularly among the more ambitious helping professionals is the issue of physical exhaustion a highly pertinent ethical standard. In many helping situations the chance that through an over-burdening workload the helper is not functioning at complete capacity is possible. In instances where the position req uires high levels of alertness it’s necessary for the helper to alert superiors of their mental state, and to consciously

Mother-Daughter Relationship and Weight Concern Annotated Bibliography

Mother-Daughter Relationship and Weight Concern - Annotated Bibliography Example Ogden, J. and Steward, J. (2000). â€Å"The Role of Mother-Daughter Relationship in Explaining Weight Concern.† International Journal of Eating Disorders, Pages 78 – 83. Presented two distinct roles manifested by mother-daughter relationship in terms of modeling the concerns of the mother and interactive role that could either be facilitative or productive of the weight concern. The authors conducted a study that required the participation of thirty mothers with respective daughters (whose ages ranged from 16 to 19 years old) through administration of the questionnaire method. The questionnaire focused on delving into issues concerning weight, as well as perceptions of participants on their relationship. According to the authors, the present study â€Å"primarily aimed to assess the degree of concordance between mothers’ and daughters’ levels of weight concern†. The results revealed that â€Å"the mother-daughter relationship may be relevant to the study of weight concern, not as a forum for modeling but as an interaction between two individuals, which is itself either facilitative or protective of weight concern in the daughter†. The article is clearly relevant in terms of the information provided from the results of the conducted study. However, the date the article was published was already fairly old, more than 10 years from contemporary time and that the results, if conducted today, could have generated a different outcome. Further, the sample size was only small and validity could have been increased by conducting the research using a larger sample size. Still, the contents could be cited in the current research for relevance of information contained herein. Ogden, J. and Chanana, A. (1998). â€Å"Explaining the effect of ethnic group on weight concern: finding a role for family values.† International Journal of Obesity, Volume 22, Pages 641-647. Explored the effect of ethnic groups, particularly Asians, on weight concern; as well as determining the influence of values exhibited by families as inflicting on the weight issues. The authors conducted the study through the participation of 20 Asians a nd 20 White daughters through a questionnaire that solicited responses on profile characteristics, values, and perception of the female perfect body. Ogden and Chanana aimed to validate previous studies that indicated that there were no differences in views with regard to body dissatisfaction and eating restraints between the Asian and White groups. In terms of the role of the family, particularly all members: mothers and siblings, except the father, the findings revealed that they all placed crucial importance on physical appearance. The authors were found to be highly authoritative on the subject matter, especially Ogden who was reported to be a Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology based in the London University. The article, though, was already outdated being published in 1998 and contemporary factors could have changed perceptions of both study groups, if the study is conducted recently. The information could therefore be cited only on areas where parallelism with current studie s would have been established. Otherwise, due to the outdated information, the results could fairly be used in the current research. Leichty, T; Freeman, P.A. and Zabriskie, R.B. (2006). â€Å"Body Image and Beliefs About Appearance: Constraints on the Leisure of College-Age and Middle-Age Women.† Leisure Sciences, Volume 28, Pages 311 – 330. Examine relevant relationships on three variables: body image, beliefs about appearance, and leisure constraints as solicited from the response of college-aged students and their respective mothers. A fairly large sample size of 116 female students and 76 mothers were used where participation required the use of computers to generate the needed information. Initially,

Just War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Just War - Essay Example Based on the information relayed by this text, I concur with it especially when it comes to the issue of â€Å"Just war†. However, the strong insistence that a certain state would result to this remedy in most cases pose numerous questions to the non-involved parties. Based on the illustrations that you have relayed concerning varied wars, which America involved itself, I agree the magnitude used in executing â€Å"Just War† does not commensurate with the case at hand. This is evident during the use of an atomic weapon during WW11 whereby it ended up exterminating numerous civilians than the targeted elements. Hence, proving despite respective authorities allowing â€Å"Just War† the remedy ends up being worse than anticipated good for not only results to massive massacre but also disruption of economy of innocent people . In addition, I do also concur with your text regarding impacts that up to date and as detailed in numerous annals of historical accounts when US involved it regional wars. This is encompasses US’ involvement in Iraq that you have stated lightly but on reflecting about the scenario and drawing similar conventional review in other incidents proves how â€Å"Just war† may be worse than good. This is beca use it is acts as a tool that â€Å"engulfs† hidden agendas but â€Å"sugar-coated† with intentions of ensuring peace, which is not the case. Since, most of US’ motivations range from political to economical whereby in losing these goals is the greatest fear. Hence, result to be more vocal compared to other global states.

Obituary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Obituary - Essay Example The author of the essay stresses that he generated knowledge from learning especially from others and he realised that sharing ideas is a basic tenet of learning. Indeed, knowledge conquers fear and there is every reason to urge other people not to be deterred from pursuing their dreams by fear. he also believed that commitment is a virtue in as far as goal attainment is concerned. Everything comes through hard work and self determination. This reporter makes a conclusion that he is glad to state that he could communicate at all levels and he possessed excellent problem solving skills. When confronted with a problem, he would first brainstorm the situation in order to come up with meaningful solutions. After scanning the situation, he would then select the best possible solution that could be implemented so as to solve the problem. Finding the best solution to a tricky situation can be challenging but critical thinking is required when faced with such a scenario. The other thing that he can be remembered for is that he has been a good mentor. he would always assist others who need his help so that they can also be great achievers. In everything he did, his motto was: â€Å"Forward ever, backward never.†

Making Provision for the Inclusion of Disabled Pupils in Mainstream Essay

Making Provision for the Inclusion of Disabled Pupils in Mainstream Schools - Essay Example Inclusion program for disabled children bestow substantial representation for both mental and physical disabilities of students in public schools and current education system in England requires innovative researches and strategies in this field. In general, the term disability is used to point toward a physical or mental circumstance that limits person’s movements, senses or both physiological and psychological activities (Sport and Persons with Disabilities, n.d, p.3). Children with disabilities find it as really hard to practice various physical activities and sports programs. In mainstream education, teachers and education professionals have often failed to ensure the participation of disabled children in physical education program. Different disabilities such as, physical disability, mental disability, developmental disability, chronic illness and external injuries cause both mental and physical pain among the children with disabilities. In general education, implementati on of various inclusion programs provides innovative ideas for teachers as well the children to overcome the problems in doing physical education. It is significant to notice that disability is not a personal misdemeanor or mistake. For that reason, disabled children need active representation in physical education as well the mainstream students.... It is obvious that a collaborative effort from the part of government and non-government agencies is essential in the field of promoting physical education in disabled children. Enrichment of inclusion programs gives numerous opportunities for pupils as well teachers. Innovative teaching strategies and sufficient inclusion programs permit a teacher of physical education in mainstream school for making provision of a disabled pupil. Different types of disabilities which could affect a pupil from doing physical education and why that specific disability could affect the child in Physical education Various kinds of disabilities such as developmental, mental, physical disabilities, chronic illnesses, external injuries and mobility impairment become the barriers in doing physical education among the children with disabilities. Mental and developmental disabilities prevent the children from understanding particular physical activities or games, while physical and disability in motor develo pment prevent their participation in particular physical activities and games. Generally, disabled children show their unwillingness to do physical education or games because of physical pain and fear. Even though disability is considered as not a crime or individual mistake, majority of disabled children in mainstream classrooms suffer from severe inferiority complex and they avoid the chances to cop up with other children. Developmental problems affect both physical and mental growth of a person. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is considered as a major developmental disorder which affects the children. Children having autism often fail to communicate with

Tort Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tort - Essay Example summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale; and where an offence under this Section committed by a corporation has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or facilitated by any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the corporation, he, as well as the corporation shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly". Therefore, Betty is obligated by law to obtain insurance for liability to employees. Employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees while they are at work. Employees may be injured at work, or they may become ill as a result of their work while in employment and might face claims for compensation in this regard. The Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 ensures that employers have at least a minimum level of insurance cover against any such claims. Public Liability Insurance is designed to cover businesses from the threat that they will be sued from a member of the public. The basic concept of public liability is, it will cover one’s business in the event that it causes injury or death to a third party, it will also cover the business in the event that it damages a third parties property. Public liability insurance is not compulsory in the UK and therefore, Betty does not require it, though it might be recommended to protect Betty from future liability from third parties. Liability for land and premises differs depending on the question whether the injured person is a lawful visitor or a trespasser. While the former case is governed by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, the latter is governed by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1984. Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, an occupier must be prepared for children to be less careful than adults1 and where damage is caused to a visitor by a danger of which he had been warned by the occupier, the warning is not to be

Targeted Organization Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Targeted Organization Summary - Essay Example The company is also dynamic and is expanding scope. It has for example been planning to expand its ventures into the Arctic waters from primary dependence on the Mexican gulf. The company has also been active in ensuring safety in its ventures, a move that contributed to its temporary clearance for the Arctic exploration. Though a number of regulatory measures still face the company over the exploration, there are high chances that a license will be granted. This will even expand the company’s scope for a more explorative work environment (Broder and Krauss, 2012). As a public health expert, I have the potential to design and implement the organization’s strategies towards safety of employees. My potential will therefore help the company in realizing its commitment and policy statements towards employee and environmental safety (Static, 2009). Broder, J. and Krauss, C. (2012). Shell clears major hurdle in its bid for new Arctic drilling. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/18/science/earth/us-tentatively-approves-shell-spill-plan-for-new-arctic-drilling.html?_r=1 Static. (2009). Shell commitment and policy on health, security, safety, the environment and social performance. Retrieved from:

White Privilege Essay Example for Free

White Privilege Essay In the aftermath of the election victory of Barack Obama, white supremacists rushed to online discussion forums to vent anger and disbelief that voters had chosen an African-American candidate as the next president of the United States. The Anti-Defamation League, which monitors and exposes extremist activity and rhetoric, said anger among white supremacists and other right-wing extremists in response to Obamas victory, resulted in an avalanche of vitriolic ranting postings on racist Web sites. At one point, the chatter so overloaded the server of the most popular white supremacist internet forum, Stormfront, which was temporarily shutdown. The notion that racism is a violation of human rights is not a new one, as those who have experienced it effects would testify. The ground-breaking progress gained by the civil rights movement of the 1960s in the United States has steadily eroded over the past decade, and the issues and incidents of racism as well as anti-Semitism, homophobia, and violence against women are ones that need to be addressed with increasing urgency. While the courts are more and more frequently relying on civil rights laws to prosecute racially motivated violence, the common abuses of basic human rights are often overlooked. In fact, the encroachment of white supremacist ideologies into the social fabric of our politics, our institutions, and our laws means that intolerance 1. is becoming the rule of the day, and the overt violation of the persons and property of individuals and groups is not only easily accepted, but part of the status quo. America has moved into a new era of white supremacy. The new tactics used by white supremacists and far right organizations must be exposed so that we can work together to mitigate their effectiveness. This includes a discussion of the relationship between three converging and ever-growing factionsthe ultra-conservatives, religious fundamentalists, and the far right. In this context, racism cannot stand alone as the sole antagonist of human rights violations. The victims of white supremacist ideologies and politics include immigrants, gays and lesbians, Jews, and women, as well as people of color. From the ranks of homophobes, anti-abortionists, racists, anti-Semites, and those who are simply afraid of a fast-changing world, white supremacists find willing allies in their struggle to control Americas destiny. Hate groups cannot be dismissed as a more complex than the virulence of a few fringe fanatics. With the breathless way the media covers hate groups, it is sometimes easier to characterize them simply as misfits or extremists, rather than acknowledge them as part of the larger problem of widespread racism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia. FBI statistics report that 65 percent of Americas hate crimes are committed by whites against blacks. A good portion of such hate crimes are what we call move-in violence, when neighborhoods, schools, churches, or jobs are finally integrated 2. 30 years after the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Terror over the visibility of the lesbian and gay movement lays behind the numerous hate crimes against gays and lesbians (and their allies) the fastest-growing hate crime category in the country. Some of the haters, living on the United States borders, are petrified at the thought that brown hordes of Mexicans, Chinese, or Haitians may swarm over them if they cease their militant rhetoric and violence toward these immigrants. If they live near Native American reservations, the aim of their violence is to challenge the few remaining treaty rights granted native peoples. Other white supremacists want to save the white race by controlling the behavior of white womenthey attack interracial couples, lesbians, and feminists. They join the anti-abortion movement, believing they can prevent white women from getting legal abortions. Racist far right organizations have been quick to glorify anti-abortion violence, making it yet another hot issue to fuel the fires of the white revolution. Hate groups have decided that they are no longer willing to wait for the white revolution, the violent backlash against human rights movements. They want a fast solution before, as they put it, the white race is extinct. These fanatics are terrorists who use bombs, murder, arson, and assaults in their genocidal war. Some skinheadsfor example, the Fourth Reich Skins arrested a few years ago in Los Angeles or the Aryan National Front, convicted of murdering homeless people in Alabama are in the vanguard of this street-level violence. Meanwhile, older survivalists like Randy Weaver, who was acquitted of killing a federal marshall in an Idaho firefight in 1992, 3.are barricaded in mountain shelters with stockpiles of weapons, awaiting the final Armageddon. Impressionable, often alienated people, both young and old, are natural recruits for this movement. They bring new energy and a willingness to display their hatred aggressively. They also expand the influence of the white supremacist movement, into the anti-abortion movement, into the anti-gay movement, into the English only movement, opening new avenues for the expression of hate. In the 21st century, the image of organized hate is rapidly changing. It is no longer the exclusive domain of white men over 30. It is becoming younger, meaner and more violent. Many people join the movement as teenagers, including a remarkable number of young women. This new and dangerous increase accounts for nearly one-third of the membership of some hate groups. The increase in the number of women, coupled with a strategic thrust to reform the public image of hate groups, has expanded womens leadership. These new recruits do not fit the stereotypical image of wives on their husbands arms. In fact, many of them are college-educated, very sophisticated, and display skills usually found among the rarest of intellectuals in the movement. Of particular concern in this early 21st century is a continuing convergence of sections of the white supremacist movement with the radical Christian Right, as represented by Pat Robertson, and nationalist ultra-conservatives, as represented by the crackpot Tea Party members and conservative Republicans such as Rick Santorum. This alliance is between religious determinists who think that ones degree of Christianity determines one’s future, economic determinists who see themselves in a 4.war of the haves against the have-nots, and biological determinists for whom race is everything. All believe they are in battle to save Western civilization (white Europeans) from the ungodly and the unfit (people of color, gays and lesbians, and Jews). What many Americans fail to realize is that, increasingly, white people are being literally scared out of their wits by demagogues, who crystallize for them their fears of people of color, lesbians and gays, the government, the media, welfare mothers, immigrants, the economy, health care, and the list goes on. The fact that race relations in the United States are usually presented as a black/white model disguises the complexity of color, the brutality of class, and the importance of religion and sexual identity in the construction and practice of white supremacy. This simplistic model, which fails to convey many of the important aspects of white supremacy, cannot specifically explain how white supremacy influences American culture and politics. White supremacy is an ideology that manipulates US politics and affects all relations in American society. It is sustained by rigid ideological categories. The construction of racial categories, although varying greatly over time, has always been based on the economic, social, and political aspirations of people of European descent. Throughout European history, racial definitions have been based on lineage, characteristics, skin hue, and religion. At the present time, there are not safe places for the victims of this type of violence to turn. No homeless shelters, no womens shelters, and often not even 5.police departments offer them support. The first step in building these resources is to recognize the magnitude of the problem so that human rights activists can come together to offer help and support to those outside the majority rule. A concerted, prolonged effort to teach young people about the true impact of white supremacy and its prevalence in American society is fundamental to breaking the cycle. To ignore this issue is to build intolerance into the next generation. An understanding of the historical and institutional effects of racism and the other isms that dominate our culture and society is vital to understanding present bigotry and abuse. In conclusion, when we recognize that racism, homophobia, sexism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia flow from the same spring, and that they permeate every aspect of the lives of all Americans, we can then take steps together to make the United States a place that respects and honors the dignity of all people. 6. A Childs Tale By Gloria A. Loftin Let me tell you a tale my child of blue and grey of a world gone wild Let me tell you a tale my child of men in hoods and capes of hearts full of rage and hate Let me tell you a tale my child of men of god of greed and wealth Let me tell you a tale my child of peace and hope for all the world Let me tell you a tale my childÃ'Ž

State and Federal Aid Essay Example for Free

State and Federal Aid Essay There are many past and rising issues involving public school finance. The public schools system is funded through federal, state and local taxes. Each state has different formulas to distribute funding from state and local taxes. Federal funding does contribute to the rising cost of education for each state. State and local taxes is allocated to cover the majority of educational costs. Student achievement depends upon the available funding allotted to each district. This author will attempt to discuss equalization of federal, state and local funding. Also, this author will attempt to describe fair, equitable and adequate tax systems. Federal, state and local funding are all important to the funding formula for public education in Texas. A large chunk of funding for Texas schools comes from sales tax. Every item that is purchased, with the exception of food, has a sales tax added on. Ultimately, all consumers contribute to the public education system. Every other week in the news, there are stories covering the rising costs of oil and gas. Every time we fill our gas tanks, we are paying taxes that go towards local funding of education. Many districts in Texas are filled with low economic status students, and are Title I campuses. Title I campuses provide free and reduced breakfast and lunch for students. These free and reduced meals are provided each school day. Title I campuses in Texas receive federal funding for the free and reduced lunch program. Each parent, every school year, is encouraged to complete paperwork for each student to qualify for the program. Throughout the history of public education the big question has been, â€Å"How can the funding of public education be equal and equitable?† Each state receives federal funding with the intent of the federal government to provide equal and equitable education to all children. The federal funding received by each state is allocated towards the basic necessities that are needed for education. Additional funding is needed for the many resources and developmental trainings that are also needed to provide adequate education. This is when state and local funding are important and added to the equation. This is also the reason given by many school districts on the importance of increasing state and local taxes. Each year school districts receive reports on accountability from the state. With these reports school boards have decisions to make. These decisions all deal with what is needed  to improve and increase accountability. In turn, discussions of where funding should be allocated and how to generate more funding. To increase local taxes would be a source of increased funding. Then, parents as well as community members would have to vote on the decision to increase taxes. Usually, members of the community are not eager to support a vote of increased taxes. The rising cost of education is not something that general community members are concerned with. There are also parents of students in the public education system that are not aware of the increasing cost of quality education. The task of increasing the funding for public education becomes harder each school year. One alternative to increasing taxes to gain more educational funding would be to enlist the support of local and state corporations. Local corporations could be included when sponsoring extracurricular school events. These extracurricular events should not be designated to only sporting events. Corporate support should be solicited to sponsor fine arts, sporting, community as well as back to school events. Corporations could use these opportunities as advertising and a source of generating revenue. In turn, these corporations would have relative concern for the success of the district’s students. This relationship would also generate funds to support equitable and adequate public education. There have been attempts made to change the way education in Texas is funded. Previous proposals included increasing sales tax instead of including property taxes. This proposal was rejected because citizens desire more local control. While this proposal would hand over more control of public education to the state. As stated by Lavine (2007), by allowing the state to provide more funding, the link between local taxpayers and public schools would be broken. Community members have more stake in school districts when their tax monies fund local schools. A fair, equitable and adequate tax system would share the wealth of local taxes. Is it possible to have a fair distribution of funding for public education? Each year when income taxes are filed and people pay taxes on wages earned and property owned. There is a standard tax bracket that is followed to determine the amount of taxes paid by each citizen. Public education funding and our students would benefit from a similar bracket. The bracket should be utilized by the state. The districts with the higher numbers of economically disadvantaged students should receive more funding from the state. This method would provide equal  funding from the state. Local funding would allow for continued support from community members and businesses. Another alternative method of generating funds for education would be to re-establish district zones. Some may argue that in re-establishing district lines, some districts may lose funding while others would gain. The re-establishment of lines would support the equality of education that is described in No Child Left Behind. As stated by McCown (2006), consolidating smaller districts is not the problem but more financially supported, larger districts should be re-zoned. By re-establishing district lines, the wealth and funding for public education would be shared. If federal, state and local funding was equal for every district; would that be equal and fair funding for education? Conclusion Our public school system in Texas is operated through the use of federal, state and local funding. Local funding is generated from property taxes levied from commercial and public property. Educational funding from the state is generated from taxes such as oil, gas and also sales taxes. Federal funding is specifically allocated towards free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs, bilingual and special education and also technology. The education system of today requires more funding than what was needed fifty years ago. The funding generated from federal, state and local governments is not adequate enough to support the changing system of education. The idea that public education I both equitable and adequate is becoming harder to believe. There is a need to increase local funding but community members are not in support of tax increase. We need to enlist the use of alternative methods to generate funds for public education. Children of Texas depend on the public education system to provide them with opportunities to create better futures and successful citizens. Every child should have access to equitable and adequate education. As described by Thompson (1972), adult success is not the difference, but improving a child’s life for the better. References McCown, F. Scott., 2006. The Texas public education challenge Texas trilogy on public education and taxes, Center for Public Policy Priorities. Thompson, Marjorie., 1972. Paying for our schools: is there a better way, National Center for Educational Communication. Lavine, Dick, 2007. Replacing property taxes with sales taxes would be bad for Texas businesses, families and public education. Center for Public Policy Priorities.

Employee Wellness Programs Health And Social Care Essay

Employee Wellness Programs Health And Social Care Essay Worksites are where most adults spend more than half of their waking hours .   In light of this, they offer a unique opportunity to affect change in an individuals health status.   Billions of dollars are spent each year addressing health in the workforce only after illness and/or injury has already occurred (2). This translates to profit losses in the form of lost wages and compensation, productivity, and high employee turnover.   Employees also pay a high physical and emotional price for poor health. Rising healthcare costs are also passed along to the consumers who share the burden of higher premiums, deductibles, and copayments (3). Prevention is the key in addressing issues in a proactive manner. For most organizations, this phenomenon is reflected in a high utilization of personal time off and requested sick leaves (2) (4) (5). A related issue is the abuse of the sick leave benefit where employees feel a stress-day off is a benefit and at their discretion. This is often related to stress in the work place or a work place environment that is uncomfortable for the employee (6). Past efforts to control this issue have included requiring physician certification of a valid health problem, implementing company policies that limit utilization of ad hoc time off, and encouraging managers to say no when asked for excessive days off. Some companies have even eliminated the concept of a sick day and increased the employees personal time off by a day or two to compensate (6). Regardless of the labeling for time off or of the managements effort to control increased health related issues, many organizations report that employees taking unplanned days off has increased (4). The recommendat ion is to move away from the confrontational approach of imposing corporate rules to limit the abuse and focus on the core of the problem, health problems and stress management in the workplace (2) (5). A human resources (HR) industry survey found that reported personal illness accounts for 35 percent of all unscheduled absences in the workplace (4). Some HR experts estimate that absenteeism can cost a company around $600 per employee per year, and thats just in use of benefits and healthcare costs. The estimates are higher if the calculation includes other related costs such as overtime pay, costs of temps, missed deadlines, and lower productivity (7). Some of these unaccounted for sick days can be avoided if the companys management is proactive when making organizational changes and in providing means for helping employees deal with health issues (1-5). This increased utilization is driving up the cost of coverage and company officials are considering some desperate options to save money such as a drastic reduction of coverage or the elimination of benefits altogether.   Prior to the implementation of such measures, company executives need to consider a different approach upon which they feel may not only raise awareness of health and safety issues, but provide the tools necessary for employees to increase their quality of life. The Healthy People 2010 initiative is a government effort to promote employers to get involved in the health of their workers with the intended goal being to Increase quality and years of healthy life (3).   One area recommended is to implement an employee wellness program that addresses staying healthy, increasing exercise opportunities, and reducing worksite injuries through increase safety practices (1) (2) (5). Employee wellness programs are predicated on the basis that most illness is directly preventable and that the workplace has the ability to transform lives (1).   Companies that implement programs will see a decrease in healthcare costs by lowering utilization rates of sick days and improving the workplace environment (2) (5).   These programs are meant to improve the overall quality of life for each of their employees (3).   Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study was to determine if an organization takes proactive efforts to implement healthy programs that can positively influence a reduction of sick days used by employees. Researchers have found significant cost savings for the organization by taking the action of becoming involved in the wellness of employees (2) (5). The use of sick days, whether due to illness or a need for a personal day away from stress, result in higher costs due to issues such as overtime pay, costs of temps, missed deadlines, and lower productivity (7). Healthy Workforce 2010 (3), a program within the Healthy People 2010 initiative, recommends employer groups take an active role in implementing programs, such as an employee wellness program, in order to improve the overall health of their employees and subsequently creating a healthier work environment. Hypothesis Hypothesis 1. The introduction and management of a worksite wellness program at a manufacturing organization will improve the overall health and wellness of their employees. Hypothesis 2. There will be a significant decrease in the number of personal days off and sick time, as reported to Human Resources, based on improved employee health and satisfaction at their workplace as a result of implementing a workforce wellness program. Hypothesis 3. There will be an increase in employee knowledge and skills for healthier living as measured by a pre and post-test measuring the amount of information gained from interventions such as onsite workplace classes. If these of hypothesis do not prove true, the researcher expects that the organization will still experience costs equal to or exceeding that of previous years in health related time off, which will be reflected in personal time off (PTO) or sick days (STO) utilization rates. Employees may show an increase in knowledge of healthier lifestyle changes but this may not change their behaviors surrounding time off and implied expectations of utilizing a company benefit. Delimitations This studys focus is on reducing the overall costs to an organization as impacted by the over-use of PTO and STO by employees. The actual cost savings are estimated to include reduction in other areas such as overtime, hiring of temps, and production losses. But to keep this studys outcomes in a reasonable space, the only measurements for success will be the reduction of overall usage of time off or PTO and STO per 100 employees. The base measurement for this analysis will be statistics from previous years. In order to keep the number of employees and impact at a manageable level, the study will only review the effects of a wellness program on one organization, a large manufacturing organization in a suburb outside of Los Angeles, California. The organization has over 600 employees at the target location, consisting administrators, engineers, line supervisors, and skilled factory workers. Managers have reported an average expected utilization of time off related to health and stress issues. Limitations Since the study will focus on a specific population in a specific industry, the results may reflect the impact of a program that is only successful under certain environmental influences. Also, a CCH survey (6) discusses the abuse of PTO or STO days, highlighting that use of these days are influenced by various reasons in addition to sickness or stress. Some areas indicated in surveys (4) include family illnesses or problems, which may not be impacted by a wellness program, and seasonal influences such as summer or holidays, which often results in 4 day weekends. The study is relying upon the information collected by the HR representatives of the organization, which limits the analysis to days reported to HR and avoiding comp time or personal days which are taken as agreements between supervisors and employees. Since the baseline will be the reported days from previous years, this limitation should have little impact on the outcome of the study. Assumptions In defining this study, the following assumptions were made: All time off is reported and tracked by the HR department. Since illnesses and stress leave are human-based factors and not necessarily bound to a specific industry, the results of this study will be applicable to other industries and workers. Implementing a program that focuses on reported time off will not unduly influence an increase or decrease in reported days due to the study itself. Since the study is qualitative, the results will be only be the starting point for other studies that should include other factors that may influence increased use of personal days off. Operational Definitions PTO Personal Time Off, a company benefit for employees of most organizations. STO Sick Time Off, a company benefits only offered at some organizations; some companies have rolled sick time into the personal time benefit. MATCH Multilevel Approach to Community Health. A five-phase program planning model developed in the late 1980s. Normative Need The needs of a population based on expert opinion. Expressed Need The needs of a population based on factual data. Healthy People 2010 U.S government publication that brought together much of what was known about the relationship of personal health behavior and health status. Primary Data Original data collected by the planners. Lifestyle Disease A disease that is associated with how a person lives. Such as their smoking habits, alcohol, drug abuse, physical activity and eating habits. Lifestyle diseases include, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Risk Factors is a variable that is associated with increased risk of disease or infection. Risk factors can include, lack of physical activity, diet, etc. Wellness Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices towards, a more successful existence (8). Absenteeism is defined as a chronic absence and in this context it is in relation to work. Non-communicative diseases diseases that are not infectious. These disease include those that are from genetic or lifestyle factors. Segmentation process of identifying groups of consumers that share similar characteristics and will respond in a like way to a marketing strategy. Chapter Two Literature Review Over 100 years ago, the biggest health care threat we faced had to do with the spread of communicable diseases. Today, communicable diseases take a back seat to a much bigger problem that plagues American citizens which is that of lifestyle origin. A lifestyle disease is defined as one that is affected by factors such as poor dietary habits, alcohol and/or drug usage including tobacco smoking, and lack of physical activity (9). These factors individually as well as in combination make a person much more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, obesity, and certain types of cancers. In order to reduce the risk of these diseases, individuals must address changes to their lifestyles that include participating in workplace healthy wellness programs. This chapter will review the influencing factors in the effort, the scope of the problem of lifestyle diseases, and discuss some of the benefits of targeting specific areas in a wellness program. Addressing Lifestyle Changes Researchers have shown found a direct relationship between providing intervention to improve a persons health and the cost saving realized by that persons employer (1) (2) (5).Taking proactive measure to improve the persons health and to implement preventative measures keeping the person out of a high-risk category for lifestyle diseases extends the persons life and benefits everyone they are involved with, from their employer to their families (1). Some researchers found the reverse to be true also. Ignoring the factors identifying people by their risk for lifestyle diseases will result in an increase of health problems and in costs to the employer through use of sick time and increased workplace injuries (2) (5). Modifying an individuals risk factors for lifestyle diseases can be difficult. People usually express a lack of time outside of the workplace for healthy behaviors such as meal planning and exercise; since, half of our waking hours are spent at work (9). In addition to time constraints, beginning any new healthy lifestyle behavior is no easy task, but it can make a profound effect on both physical as well as mental health. These benefits hold true regardless of the workers age. One large cohort study of 15,708 examined the impact of adoption of new lifestyle behaviors (9). All individuals were of typical working age 45-64. It was found that people who newly adopt a healthy lifestyle in middle-age experience a prompt benefit of lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Further conclusions recommend that we begin to adopt strategies to encourage healthy lifestyles. This is especially true among those with pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or obe sity (9). Lifestyle changes not only take commitment on the part of the participant but a great deal of support from others as well. Support from co-workers can be a strong motivator but in order for healthy changes to be fully adopted by the workforce, it must be a priority among the decision makers within the company (2) (5). The cost impact of a disease such as obesity is well documented. Obesity contributes to monetary losses for the employee as well as employer. In response, employers continue to look for ways to offset those costs through the offering of company-sponsored wellness and weight management programs. Health care organizations in particular hospitals, as well as public employers can be important role models in this process. A change in policy could make a dramatic difference for smaller employers which represent the majority of U.S. employers as they are far less likely to offer health promotion programs unless a government incentive was offered (10). Worksites are where most adults spend more than half of their waking hours. In light of this, they offer a unique opportunity to affect change in an individuals health status. Health in the workplace should focus on one main role central to prevention. Prevention tactics can be geared towards prevention of illness and spread of disease as well as prevention of accidents, injury, and disability. Billions of dollars are spent each year addressing health in the workplace only after illness and/or injury has already occurred (11). This translates to profit losses in the form of lost wages and compensation, productivity, and high employee turnover. Prevention is the key in addressing issues in a proactive manner. Wellness programs are an important component of employer benefits packages because they offer workers and their families choices for pursuing healthier lifestyles with less illness, ultimately leading to less costly benefits packages (9). Wellness programs and employee assistance programs are important benefits for workers and their employers; data from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) show that workers in the public and private sectors had greater access to these kinds of benefits in 2008 than they did a decade earlier. In an age of ever-increasing health care costs, services that promote health and wellness have become an important element of U.S. society. Wellness programs often include health education and an awareness component. According to some analysts, these programs address issues that increase worker satisfaction and productivity. Implementing a Wellness Program Using MATCH Researchers have found the employers who implement proactive, work-based wellness programs can realize significant savings in utilization of STO, decreased productivity and costs for production lags (2) (5). In one study, researchers implemented a worksite health promotion program to reduce the utilization of short-term disability days at a large company. The researchers estimated the potential cost savings over a 2-year period would be in excess of $1,300,000 (2). A similar study that implemented a health-promotion program over five years found estimated cost savings from reduced sick days at over $600,000 a year (5). The target populations in both of these studies focused on employees who were high users of sick days. Expanding that approach to the entire population should contribute even more to the cost savings. Affecting change in a population with varying influential levels is strength in the program design called the Match Model. Match is an acronym for Multilevel Approach to Community Health (12). The concept behind the Match Model is based on attempts to reach various levels within a target population through working with individuals of influence at various levels. Once appropriate goals are selected in the Match Model, intervention planning begins with the selection of objectives and approaches. The program development then commences with the creation of the actual delivery pieces such as information materials and class curricula. The preparation for implementation is the next step whereby key individuals who will deliver the intervention are trained, roll out dates established, and the program actually begins. The final step in the Match Model involves the program evaluation process. This critical step provides the program development team with outcomes measures to evaluate the program effectiveness and provide necessary feedback that will drive future programs. Worker Health in the United States Worker health in the United States is a broad issue. Multiple political initiatives have been recently developed in an effort to address the problems that have arisen as a result of national attention to multiple health concerns that currently plague the country which includes rising obesity rates, type II diabetes, tobacco usage, as well as a host of other issues. An example of a set of national health initiatives is the Healthy People 2010 (3) objectives, aimed at making a difference in 10 years. Many of the initiatives contained within are aimed at increasing quality of life through the prevention of disease. The program has a total of 467 objectives organized into 28 focus areas. There are special provisions for physical activity, tobacco usage, and obesity (3). The program also addresses issues for employers such as high utilization of benefits, increased absenteeism, and productivity issues, all resulting in high-cost employees especially those who experience multiple risk fact ors for diseases including high blood pressure, smoking, and sedentary lifestyles (3). Top reasons for taking what might be called non-sick days are family issues (21 percent), personal needs (18 percent), entitlement mentality (14 percent), and stress (12 percent). Lisa Franke, a workplace analyst at CCH, says that absences for stress and entitlement taking days employees believe they have earned are up slightly from last year because leaner staffing levels have intensified workloads (13). Based on these findings, recommendations to employers in the United States are focused around two main factors. The first recommendation from the Healthy People 2010 program is that employers, at least 75% of those in the United States regardless of size, should offer a comprehensive employee health promotion program. The second recommendation is that employer groups should strive for a 75% participation rate among all employees. The objectives of Healthy People 2010 sparked a subsidiary report known as Healthy Workforce 2010 (3). The report outlines eight primary objectives that promote health and quality of life among workers in the United States. Among the objectives presented in the report, the researchers highlighted the impact of unhealthy habits of the U.S. population on the economy and future of the country. In 1998, the report estimates that a quarter of the adult population smoked; this statistic is even higher at 35% for American teenagers. Other vices such as alcohol and drug abuse have cost the U.S. economy over $276 billion dollars as a result of healthcare, auto accidents, lost productivity, and other issues (3). In addition to problems created by substance abuse, the Healthy Workforce 2010 report estimates that over half of the U.S. population is overweight or classified as obese. This problem can be addressed by encouraging employees to participate in regular daily exercise. Similar to substance abuse among workers, this growing problem results in related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and osteoarthritis which costs both employers and the U.S. economy in healthcare costs (3). Other areas resulting in higher healthcare costs and impacting the work area include addressing work-related injuries and providing a safe working environment for employees. Even beyond the deaths caused by work accidents, the U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates that employees experience approximately 5.7 million non-fatal accidents annually, resulting in over 2.7 million lost work days. The Healthy Workforce 2010 recommends employers not only focus on preventing accidents but also increase healthcare coverage, since the U.S. Census Bureau reports that over 42 million American workers are not covered by health insurance, a trend predominant in smaller companies (3). Worker Health in California Studies from the State of California Department of Health (14) reported similar findings at the national level. The larger issues that appear to be problematic in the State of California involve lost wages and productivity caused by diseases that are aggravated by unhealthy lifestyles. These include obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular complications among others. The literature revealed that worksite wellness programs help to reduce overall operating costs from increased healthcare utilization, accidents and poor productivity. Employers also benefit from these programs through enhanced recruitment, retention of healthy employees, and reduced absenteeism (15). The easiest way to address health related issues is to take actions that prevent the problems in the first place. Primary healthcare measures are the key to ensuring a healthy population. Worker Health in Los Angeles County Similar reports in Los Angeles County provided population-wide data on health related quality of life in Los Angeles County and used measures developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track health trends at the national and state levels. The average numbers of unhealthy days and activity limitation days were higher in Los Angeles County (6.4 and 2.4, respectively) than in California (5.9 and 2.1) and the United States (5.5 and 1.9, respectively) in 1999. These differences may reflect disparities in health status across the three populations but as well as demographic differences (e.g., socioeconomic or racial/ ethnic differences) between the populations. In addition the number of unhealthy days and activity limitation days were significantly higher in persons previously diagnosed with depression, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, or asthma than in persons not diagnosed with these conditions (16). Health Consequences for Workers Employees also pay a high physical and emotional price for poor health. Rising healthcare costs are passed along to the consumers who share the burden of higher premiums, deductibles, and copayments. Financial responsibilities can lead to increased stress levels among workers. Employee wellness programs are predicated on the basis that most illness is directly preventable and that the workplace has the ability to transform lives. These programs also decrease healthcare costs through lowering utilization rates. These programs are meant to improve the overall quality of life for each of the participants (3). The Importance of Physical Activity Regular physical activity provides a multitude of benefits to an employee. According to the American Council on Exercise (11) low-back pain is a leading cause of job-related disability and missed work in the United States. This problem results in over $50 billion every year in healthcare costs. Work-related back pain experienced by most people can be prevented with just a little forethought. In high-risk back pain jobs requiring frequent bending, lifting, and twisting, employees and employers can be taught a variety of methods in order to reduce stress on the back and help prevent injuries. This risk of injury increases in those who are overweight, smoke or are inactive (11). Benefits of Smoking Cessation According a report conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (17) over 8.6 million people in the U.S. experience a health-related problem due to smoking. In the subsequent CDC report the next year (17), the agency reported that smoking was responsible for over 90% of lung cancer mortalities and over 80% of the COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) deaths. This is largely because cigarettes and other tobacco products contain over 4,800 chemical, 69 of those which have been identified as carcinogenic. Smoking has also been linked to other serious illnesses and medical problems such as slow wound healing, peptic ulcers, and other diseases contributing to loss of employee productivity (18). Employers have responded by creating smoke-free workplaces nationwide, where employees can be protected from the life-threatening effects of secondhand smoke. In 1999, a study found that approximately 70% of the U.S. workforce was impacted by a smoke-free employer policy (19). But l aws and employer responsibility varies by state, so this statistic can vary above 80% in states like Utah and Maryland or drop below 50% in states like Nevada (19). Healthy Diet Advantages According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) (20), diabetes is one of the fastest growing and one of the most costly health issues facing the U.S. worker. The disease has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting a growing number and percentage of people every year. The cost of diabetes to the American healthcare system is staggering, resulting in missed work days and higher benefit requirements for employers. In the ADA report, one-fifth of the healthcare dollars spent is used to provide care for someone with diabetes, while one-tenth of the healthcare dollars spent is associated with diabetes. For employers, the costs of diabetes increased 32% from 2002 to 2007, with the increase in medical expenditures and lost productivity estimated at $174 billion. Per capita, the annual cost of diabetes is approximately $11,744 a year. Many people do not recognize that they are at risk for diabetes (or diabetes-related complications if they already have diabetes). How ever, type II diabetes can be prevented or delayed for many of those at high risk for diabetes and diabetes-related complications can be also be prevented or delayed with lifestyle practices including maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and a balanced diet (20). Summary The prevalence of lifestyle diseases among Californians and within the U.S. is growing. Everything from fast foods to sedentary activities plays a role in contributing to this national problem. Addressing the issues requires more than just adding a few cardio sessions every week or walking a little more, the effort requires attacking the problem at the root, changing how people define and move through their lives. Lifestyles changes are exactly that, changes that affects across a persons life and hopefully for the rest of their lives. Many factors contribute to lifestyle diseases include home culture, resting activities, and work environments. Implementing a wellness program at a worksite will provide the support and information needed to make effective changes to the employees health while benefiting both the employee and employer (2).

Patients Rights Essay -- patients’ bill of rights

The practice of medicine in the 1960s saw a change in the doctor-patient relationship that ultimately cultivated the patients’ rights movement. Individuals sought to become proactive in the healthcare and the healing process of their bodies. Because the medical practice was evolving rapidly in technology and specialized care, patients’ healthcare and rights became a major concern that needed to be addressed. In 1973 the American Hospital Association published a patients’ bill of rights that provided the patient with most advantageous healthcare available. This bill of rights required all accredited hospitals to accept this standard moving forward (Patients' Rights, 2004). The American Medical Association (AMA) developed a Code of Medical Ethics which includes: the patient has a right to obtain and discuss health information related to benefits, risks, and costs of treatment alternatives; patient’s can make decisions pertaining to healthcare suggested by the physician; the patient has the right to courtesy, respect, dignity, and attention to healthcare needs in a timely manner; and the patient has a right to confidentially, continuity, and adequate health care. (emedicinehealth, 2011). Communicating openly and honestly between the patient and doctor will allow both parties to make decisions to properly take care of needs. Patients’ have the right to know all details related to the service or treatment that will be provided and the right to refuse any such service or treatment before it happens. This informed consent will communicate exact procedure details, pain intensity and or disability period encountered, risk involvement, and any alternative methods of treatment and its risks. A patient will receive a concurrence... ...egrity of protected health information. Works Cited emedicinehealth. (2011). Retrieved February 23, 2011, from http://www.emedicinehealth.com/script Fiore, K. (2011) HIPAA Violation Costs Cignet Millions. Retrieved March 15, 2011 from http://www/medpagetoday.com/tbprint.cfm?tbid=25036 Patients' Rights. (2000). Retrieved February 23, 2011, from The Royal Society of Medicine Health Encyclopedia: http://lirnproxy.museglobal.com Patients' Rights. (2004). Retrieved February 2011, 23, from New Harvard Guide to Women' Health, The. http://lirnproxy.museglobal.com Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. (2011, January). Retrieved March 03, 2011, from PrivacyRights.org: http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs8-med.htm U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. (2011). Retrieved February 23, 2011, from hhs.gov: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa