Abstract This paper discusses the effect of rheumatoid arthritis on the daily living of a patient. It describes the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and how it presents. The paper then focuses on the impact of exercise and mood on the severity of the disease and discusses the importance of ensuring enough exercise and positive mood for patients with the disease.
Table of Contents:
Review Of The Literature
Introduction to Rheumatoid Arthritis
Importance of Exercise for Individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis
RA & ADL
From the Paper "Patients with better mood "showed lower disease activity after one year of observation as compared with those with worse mood. As well as several reports relating diseases and mood, mental status has also been reported to affect immuno-regulatory systems. Chronic depression or chronic stress conditions lead to immuno-suppressive status and imbalance in corticotrophin-releasing hormone, which induces cancer and hyperthyroidism. It has been reported that depressive states induce suppression of mitogenic reaction in lymphocytes, decreases the number and activity of natural killer cells and decreases the production of interferon." Sadamoto, Ogawa, Ogura and Saito, 2006) The work of Gray (nd) entitled: "What Feature of Rheumatoid Arthritis are Hard to Cope with Psychologically and What Strategies Might be Helpful in Coping?" identifies the features of RA which are hard to psychologically cope with and explores the relationships between those features and negative psychological outcomes. The following figure shows the percentages of the disease symptoms and how the ability of those with RA are affected in coping."
Abstract This paper gives scientific and moral reasons why animal testing is wrong and unjustifiable. It details the effects on animals after experiments that are conducted in torture-like situations and how these tests are often unnecessary and/or avoidable. It shows how the law does not protect animals against being used for experiments, and that through the use of advances in technology animal testing has become obsolete. This paper uses statistics and scientific research to support its position.
From the paper:
"More than 25 million animals suffer and die each year in American laboratories alone. (ADL) This continues despite the fact that humans have long known that most animals have an ability to feel pain as advanced, if not more advanced, than their own. Human pain is easily recognizable and universally accepted as fact. Most vertebrate animals exhibit pain in a nearly identical fashion. They writhe about, contort the muscles of their bodies and face, make sounds of distress and even calls for help. They will try to avoid the source of that pain, demonstrate fear when threatened with its re occurrence, and can even be conditioned to watch for warning signs."
Abstract While it is true that a greater proportion of individuals in nursing homes have depression than the general population, the majority of these individuals are over 80 and experience chronic illness and pain. In addition, many of them have lost their loved ones and are alone most of the day. This paper discusses the factors which lead to the popular belief that depression and lack of well-being affect anybody over the age of 65. Some of the factors discussed include media attention on the negative aspects of aging, the focus on youth and beauty and general stereotyping. The paper also looks at several studies done on the myth about a clear-cut link between growing old and losing one's sense of well-being. The paper concludes that depression and despondency are not preset characteristics of all aging individuals. Rather, they are symptoms of other problems such as boredom, economic or social disadvantage or chronic illness.
From the Paper "Lucille B. Bearon, Ph.D. recommends that a two-tiered approach to defining successful aging (one for healthy older adults and one for the frail) more accurately fits the realities of aging. As the older population increases in diversity, the concept of successful aging may become even more difficult to define without expanding the number of models. One solution may be to return to an earlier theme that successful aging is in the eye of the beholder. In this case, successful aging is measured by indicators of subjective well-being such as life satisfaction, happiness, morale, perceived quality of life or other related measures of negativity such as depression, anxiety, etc."
Abstract This research examines differences in physical and mental health status between minority-group grandparents raising grandchildren and those who are not involved in this care-giving role. The discussion builds on earlier studies of grandparent caregivers, using a national data set, but it is unique in that it explores the physical and mental health of the growing sub-population of minority-group grandparents who are raising grandchildren.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Review of the Literature
Methods
Results
Discussion
Implications for Research and Practice
Conclusion
From the Paper "Minority caregivers will be significantly more likely than their non care-giving peers to have limitations in four of the five activities of daily living (ADL) investigated . Caregivers will have more problems moving around inside the house and doing day-to-day tasks. The levels of limitation will be quite substantial, with 29 percent of caregivers reporting "a lot of limitation" climbing a flight of stairs and two of five caregivers indicating that they will have a lot of limitation walking six blocks. Approximately two-thirds of caregivers will have at least one limitation, and the mean number of limitations will too. No significant differences will be found between Minority caregivers and non-caregivers with respect to self-reported health status or with their reported ability to bathe, dress, and provide other personal care."
