Assignment: Epidemiological Data Paper

Thank you for sharing. I believe a lack of knowledge has played a pivotal role in society being so judgmental and sometimes callous to persons suffering from an addiction. The article you shared was very informative. I just want to share some insights gained from reading this article entitled “The Science of Addiction Drugs, Brain and Behavior.” According to this article, medical associations such as the American Medical Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine have defined addiction as a disease, with contributing factors including behavioral, psychological, environmental, and biological factors, much like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Drug addiction is a chronic condition marked by a compulsive desire to seek and use drugs, despite negative consequences. While the decision to initially use drugs is typically voluntary, continued use can result in brain changes that make it harder for an addicted person to control their behavior and resist cravings. These changes in the brain can last long-term, which explains why drug addiction is classified as a “relapsing” illness. Individuals in recovery from drug use disorders have a higher chance of returning to drug use, even after several years of abstaining from the drug (medlineplus.gov, 2007).

A study was carried out by Wangensteen & Hystad, 2022 to understand substance use disorder and recovery. The study found that the process of recovery is challenging and that feelings of well-being and success change over time. The participants shared their experiences and reflections on various aspects of life that were crucial in their pursuit of a better life. They discussed vulnerability, resources, and the need for professional and social support. Over the four years following their treatment, the participants emphasized the importance of feeling secure in terms of housing, neighborhood, violence, and finances. They also spoke about the challenging yet helpful relationships they maintained with their families, partners, and friends, which elicited strong emotions. The participants found participation in meaningful activities necessary for their feelings of normality, ranging from ordinary jobs to activities like yoga and self-help groups for people with mental health and substance use problems. They stressed the importance of having access to such treatment and support to help them cope

According to the study, the recovery process is a challenging journey, and feelings of well-being and success evolve over time. The participants shared their experiences and reflections on crucial aspects of life that helped them pursue a better life, such as vulnerability, resources, and the need for professional and social support. Over four years following their treatment, the participants highlighted the importance of feeling secure in terms of housing, neighborhood, violence, and finances. They also spoke about the emotional yet helpful relationships they maintained with their families, partners, and friends. The participants found it necessary to participate in meaningful activities to feel normal, such as ordinary jobs, yoga, or self-help groups. They emphasized the significance of having access to such treatment and support to cope with difficult emotions, thoughts, and life situations without using substances, or to support them in stopping substance use after relapses. To provide effective assistance to those struggling with addiction, it’s crucial to comprehend the root causes that contribute to their condition. This necessitates adopting a less critical and more compassionate approach towards the individual, recognizing that addiction is a medical ailment that necessitates proper treatment for better patient results.

References

Wangensteen, T., & Hystad, J. (2022). A comprehensive approach to understanding substance use disorder and recovery: Former patients’ experiences and reflections on the recovery process four years after discharge from SUD treatment. Journal of psychosocial rehabilitation and mental health, 9(1), 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40737-021-00233-9

The science of addiction drugs, brain, and behavior (2007) Retrieved on September 12, 2023, from spring2007.pdf medlineplus.gov

Assignment: Epidemiological Data Paper

Assignment: Epidemiological Data Paper

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Question Description
I don’t understand this Health & Medical question and need help to study.

Interview Analysis

Based on your interview notes from this week’s discussion activity, analyze the epidemiological data surrounding the health issue that your agency addresses. Compare the epidemiological data with the information provided by the agency director/representative by addressing the following points:

How do the epidemiological data and the information provided by the agency director/representative differ? How are they similar?
Based on the epidemiological information collected, what is the true effect that the agency is having on your community?
Appraise the various methods that should be employed to help the agency improve its effectiveness.
Analyze the 10 Essential Services of Public Health and how they are (or are not) wrapped into the service provided by this agency.

Epidemiological data consists of statistical information on your population obtained through primary sources, which are typically research studies or government survey information (such as those provided by the CDC or health department). Utilize the Ashford University Library and/or government websites to locate statistics that relate to your organization. For example, if you interviewed someone from an organization that focused on childhood obesity, you would locate research studies that provided statistical results for your county, region, or state to illustrate what was actually occurring in your area regarding childhood obesity. Once you have this data, compare it with the information provided by the agency director or representative that you interviewed. In some cases, you may only be able to find actual state statistics, but your organization may have provided only local data. This is okay; just make sure you note this in your paper and through critical thinking, infer how this might influence the effectiveness of your organization’s work.

Assignment: Epidemiological Data Paper

Assignment: Epidemiological Data Paper

Your paper should be three to four pages in length, excluding the title and reference pages, and formatted according to APA style guidelines as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Visit the Ashford University Library to locate a minimum of two scholarly sources that support your main ideas. Also, use surveillance information that was discussed as part of the epidemiology process.

You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.

Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.

Likewise, large type, large margins, large indentations, triple-spacing, increased leading (space between lines), increased kerning (space between letters), and any other such attempts at “padding” to increase the length of a paper are unacceptable, wasteful of trees, and will not fool your professor.

The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.
Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.
One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.
I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.
Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.
In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.
Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).
Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.
APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).
Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.
I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.
Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly.
As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.
It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.
LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.
Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.
Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?
Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.
Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.
Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.
If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.
I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.
As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.
Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me:
Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.
Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.