Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Napoleon Essays (511 words) - House Of Bonaparte, Napoleon, Ajaccio
Napoleon Napoleon was born August 15, 1769 in Ajaccio, Corsica. This small, yet gallant figure was initially a fiercely independent Corsican, not a Frenchman as most would believe him to be. His areas of achievement were government, politics, and military. He was a strong leader during the French Revolution. He was very eager and determined to fight battles and win them. Sometimes, he was extremely stubborn. One of his most prestigious actions was when Napoleon crowned himself not the pope. Napoleon was the second of eight children of Charles Bonaparte and Letizia Ramolino Bonaparte, both of the Corsican-Italian gentry. Not one member of the family was a professional soldier. Napoleon was always a little boy and man. When he was young, he often had little "play" fights with the other Corsican boys and he would often lead his "troops" to victory. Napoleon was educated at Brienne and the Ecole Militaire, (French for "military school") in Paris. Napoleon graduated in 1785, at the age of sixteen. Then he joined the artillery as a 2nd lieutenant. His initial goal was to help Corsica, not France. In 1796, Napoleon was made commander of the French army in Italy. He defeated four Austrian generals and forced Austria and its allies to make peace. During his tenure in northern Italy, he founded the Cisalpine Republic and strengthened his position in France by sending millions of francs worth of treasure to the government. It was a morale boost to a nation cast in anarchy. Napoleon led an expedition to Egypt, ruled by the Turks, to cripple at British trade with the East. Despite his success in the Middle East, British Admiral Horatio Nelson destroyed his fleet, which left he and his army stranded. Napoleon took the chance to enhance his political skills by reforming the Egyptian government, abolishing serfdom, and feudalism. He also guaranteed basic rights for the citizens. Culturally, Napoleon brought French scholars to study ancient Egypt's history. These scholars helped decipher the famous Rosetta stone. Hence, the Egyptian hieroglyphics were fully translated. Although Bonaparte failed to defeat Syria in 1799, he won a crucial battle over the Turks at Abu Qir. However, France faced a major domestic problem. Austria, Russia, and lesser powers allied with Britain against France. These monarchies feared that the revolution in France would spread and incite the people of their nations. Their power was declining steadily and the only way to stop it would be to restore the French monarchy. Napoleon joined a conspiracy against the weak government in Paris. He and his colleagues seized power and established and new regime. The constitution was edited in 1802 to make Napoleon consul for life an in 1804 to create him emperor. In 1800, he assured his power by crossing the Alps and defeating the Austrians at Marengo. He then negotiated for peace in Europe that established the Rhine River as the eastern border of France. Napoleon also concluded an agreement with the pope that ended the argument with the Roman-Catholic Church. In France, the administration was reorganized, the court system was simplified, and all schools were put under centralized control. France's law was standardized in the Code Napoleon and six other codes. They guarantee rights won in the Revolution. Great Britain was prepared to take the war to Napoleon.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Doing an Article Vocabulary Building Project
Doing an Article Vocabulary Building ProjectIf you've spent any time at all in the Internet at all, then you'll have come across the 'Mongl' or Spanish-English dictionary, but I am not talking about a simple search. I am talking about a Latin dictionary, with the correct spelling for the word you want to look up.There is an English-Spanish dictionary online called Wikipedia and while that's a great place to look for a Spanish word, the problem is that Spanish words are also Latin words, so there will be two things going on at once when you are trying to find one. First, there will be the English spelling for the word and the Latin spelling. Second, there will be all the Latin quotations and forms of the Spanish word.The Latin quotations will be important if you are looking for words like 'forever,' 'and,' 'to be' or any other word that has a Latin form. They will also help you know what the word means, even if you can't find it in the dictionary, because those quotation marks are whe re the Latin form is. 'Forever' comes from the Latin 'forca' and the quotation marks help people who aren't native English speakers to remember the meaning of the word. When they see the quotation marks, they can automatically associate it with the meaning of the word, even if they can't find it in the dictionary.The other part of the equation is that English spelling isn't always correct. For example, 'Hermes,' the Greek god of transportation, isn't pronounced the way that people say it in English, so if you are going to translate the word, you need to be able to correctly spell it and be able to correctly pronounce it.This is part of the frustration that comes with writing an article vocabulary building project. That's why when you go to look up a Spanish word, it will help you tremendously, because you will have two definitions with your two forms and a quotation mark that can always help people remember what you are saying.Ottomans and Ottomanos are two Spanish words that mean ' oven.' How do you translate it into English? You can either say 'ovens,' which is a common English noun, or you can use the Latin quotation marks, which tells the person reading it, 'You need to memorize the meaning of the word 'oven,' even if you can't find it in the dictionary.'You might even consider looking up the word in an Oxford or the Spanish-English dictionary, just to make sure you aren't missing any other meanings for the word. The perfect thing to do, really, is to look up all the English words and the Latin words for the Spanish words.It is a lot easier than doing it by hand, but I have no idea if you could even find the word in the Spanish-English dictionary if you aren't familiar with that language. There is no guarantee that you will find the word in the dictionary or not, so do what you think is best and when you translate the Spanish word. You will see the value in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Jazz Age and The Great Gatsby Essays
Jazz Age and The Great Gatsby Essays Jazz Age and The Great Gatsby Essay Jazz Age and The Great Gatsby Essay Essay Topic: The Great Gatsby The New Negro ?F Scott Fitzgerald was a well-known novelist in the 1920ââ¬â¢s. He wrote many novels such as The Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned, Tender Is the Night and his well-known novel, The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald called the 1920ââ¬â¢s the ââ¬Å"Jazz Ageâ⬠because it was a time if economic success and cultural upbringing. Poetry, music and fashion were at its peak and constantly evolving. An example of the Jazz Age was, The Harlem Renaissance also known as the New Negro Movement. The Harlem Renaissance was the cultural, social, and artistic flare-up that took place in Harlem at the the end of World War I. During this period Harlem was a cultural center, drawing black writers, artists, musicians, photographers, poets, and scholars like Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Zora Neale Hurston and Countee Cullen. When you think of the Roaring 20ââ¬â¢s, you feel awake, free and alive and with all the glamour, the music and the excitement there is no wonder the term ââ¬Å"Jazz Ageâ⬠was stated by Mr. Fitzgerald. Economics were good, prosperity for all was on the rise, changes in lifestyle and Technology revolutionized Americans life in a way that it has never been the same. It was the end of WW1 and America was showing their strength as a powerful Nation, but among this, it was the parties, the alcohol, the dancing, and the frivolous sex that took a hold of what dreams were made of. Music was the fore runner of this evolvement, Jazz and Blues were being inventive by all who had something to say and express. When it came to music at this time in American history, there seem to be no barriers sharing your soul through the words and the melody.Music back then was made to listen too, made you move, made you wanted to drink, dance and be happy, which is what Mr. Great Gatsby as he is known, was at the front of this movement. Clothes back then had flair of style that even today is still represented throughout the world.Suits that were ta
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
10 Steps To Draft A Blog Outline In 10 Easy Minutes
10 Steps To Draft A Blog Outline In 10 Easy Minutes Do you swear that you do a better job writing if you donââ¬â¢t plan and instead, just write in the moment? You may feelà better about your writing experience when you do that, but that doesnââ¬â¢t make the actual writing better. When you are trying to inform or create a structured outcome from your blog post, more planning is better. Outlining what youââ¬â¢re about to write isnââ¬â¢t done the same way by every writer. Outlining, at its barest, is you knowing ahead of time the general idea of what youââ¬â¢re going to write. Itââ¬â¢s the road map, the skeleton, the structure, the foundation- you take your pick. Either way, if youââ¬â¢re serious about blogging, some form of blog outlineà process should be in your writing toolbox. The 10-Minute, 10-Step Solution For The Best Blog Outline via @JulieNeidlingerHow Blog Outlines Help In a previous post, How Planning Your Blog Content Can Help You Get More Done, I laid out an argument for planning in terms of how it can help you save time. However, planning your content with a blog outline can do more than help you save time- it can help you be a better writer. It can help you train your thought process and keep you from growing a wandering thought process. It also helps you get past writerââ¬â¢s block. Blog outlines are the perfect solution to prevent writer's block. #bloggingThe practicing of outlining is beyond mere planning. Itââ¬â¢s a conscious devotion to developing an idea, logically and persuasively. One thing I find very helpful with setting up a basic blog outline, particularly for posts that I need to do a lot of research for, is that I can plug links, snippets, and notes into places on the outline and worry about writing after all the research is done. In this situation, the blog outline helps me know what to look for and what search terms to use. This is a real time saver. There are few things I dread as a writer than a random and orderless collection of research links and notes. The outline lets me write in orderly piecemeal, one section at a time. When I am done, I can go back and streamline the post as a whole so it doesnââ¬â¢t read so choppy. The 10-Minute Blog Post Outline Traditional outlines have a pattern: Main point Point beneath it. Second point. Point beneath it. Next main point. etc. This doesnââ¬â¢t look like a whole lot of fun. It looks like homework. But good news: You donââ¬â¢t have to follow this rather strict approach to outlining. You only have to understand the basic idea that is at work in blog outlines, and apply a flexible version to your blogging. 1. Find the Big Idea Your post isnââ¬â¢t a collection of main stand-alone points (unless it is a list postà of that nature), but with supported points that are related and point back to the Big Idea. If you have lots of Big Ideas in one blog post, you will have a disjointed blog post that would be better broken up into separate posts. Whatââ¬â¢s a Big Idea? Itââ¬â¢s the thing you base your headline on. You can only have one Big Idea per post. So with outlining, you take your Big Idea (headline), break that Big Idea into a handful of Key Points, and then support those key points. Whatââ¬â¢s a Key Point? A key point is a car without wheels. It needs the rest of the wheels to go anywhere. Together, your key points lead the reader to a conclusion or place of understanding. On their own, they are merely interesting facts or ideas. So what does a ten-minute blog outline approach look like? Remember, youââ¬â¢re not writing the post in ten minutes, but outlining it so it is easier to write. Blog outlines are cars. Key points are the wheels. You won't moveà without knowing the destination.2. Understand what the end result must be The first thing is to approach your blog post not with the actual content at all, but understanding what you want from the post. You might ask yourself: Who will be reading it? What do you want them to take from it? Do you have specific research or data that you need to include? What kind of questions does that data beg to be answered? How many ways can that data be interpreted? How many angles can that data be applied to? What call to action (CTA) will you be using? How do you structure the post so that the CTA feels like a solution to your reader? Since any one topic can go in multiple directions, itââ¬â¢s a good idea to know where you want to end up when you build the structure, or you wonââ¬â¢t end up anywhere close. 3. List what you haveà to mention Depending on what your goal is, there might be specific things you might have to mention. Make a list of them. For example, it might be specific data, like I mentioned in step one. Perhaps your team has gathered up various data from your website analytics. Itââ¬â¢s up to you to decide what context you are going to give this data, but whatever you choose, you have to include it. ââ¬Å"Jim, weââ¬â¢ve seen an increase in traffic ever since we changed our siteââ¬â¢s header design. Hereââ¬â¢s the data. We think it would make an interesting blog post.â⬠Or, perhaps youââ¬â¢ve agreed to feature the infographic or some product announcement from another brand. Whatever the case, if you have a specific piece of information that has to be in the post, you need to center the post around it or it will seem awkwardly added on. Not all blog posts will make use of this step. 4. Figure out what you donââ¬â¢t know If youââ¬â¢re writing a post on a topic and thereââ¬â¢s something you want to know but donââ¬â¢t, your reader will feel the same. Make a list of those questions. For example, on a post about using outlines, I might have written: Who started blog outlines? Why? What were they hoping to achieve? How many different outlining techniques are there? When shouldnââ¬â¢t you use an outline? Are there exceptions? I often start blog posts on topics that Iââ¬â¢m not readily familiar with by listing questions (Iââ¬â¢ll talk more about this in a bit). While I may not use the answers to those questions in the final post, itââ¬â¢s a good place to start research and structure, and youââ¬â¢re going to need it when you build the scaffolding of the outline. Figure out whatà complementary info you don't know before you write. It builds credibility.5. Figure out what you do know Write down as headings, phrases, or singular sentences the things you do know. And by ââ¬Å"knowâ⬠, I mean the things you know as facts or the ideas youââ¬â¢d like to promote whether you have facts to back themà up, or itââ¬â¢s merely an approach you want to take to point your reader in a particular direction. You arenââ¬â¢t writing the post here, so keep it brief. This is only meant to help you structure things for the outline, so avoid writing paragraphs. For example, for this post on blog outlines I might write: Helps me stay on track Outlines keep logic front and center Helps you find weak points where you donââ¬â¢t have support Format can be fluid You wonââ¬â¢t necessarily use all of it, but write it down. If you use brainstorming to jumpstart your ideas, some of what you discover during that process may be helpful. For example, mind mapping can reveal several possible paths a topic could take. Choose just one path to follow; with outlining, you are wrangling that broad brainstorming swath into a linear path. 6. Organize all of the lists into related groups Look at the lists you made in steps three, four, and five. Itââ¬â¢s time to put order to that mess. Start at the top, and write down your Big Idea as a placeholder headline. It might be helpful to jot down your end goal from step two. Then look your lists, and began moving the items on these lists into groupings of related content. For example, I might look at the lists and decide there are groupings for: History of outlining What outlines do for writers How to outline Using outlines creatively Tools for making outlines I wonââ¬â¢t necessarily use all of those sections in the final blog post. It will depend on whether it really fits with the Big Idea and end goal, as well as other restrictions, such as final word count limits. If youââ¬â¢re selling an outlining tool to your reader, for example, they may not really care about the history of outlining and youââ¬â¢ll want to cut that copy so as not to get in the way of copy pointing to a sale. Combine what you know, don't know, audience's needs, and what you want to cover in your outline.If you find a grouping that is made up of only one item, get rid of it. Itââ¬â¢s going to be too weak to stand on its own, and it clearly doesnââ¬â¢t fit the Big Idea very well because there was nothing else it paired with. When you do form groupings, you start to see how almost any blog post has the capability of being long-form or short-form, depending on what you decide to do in the next step. 7. Create summarizing headings Now that youââ¬â¢ve grouped all of your potential content, give each grouping a heading that summarizes what itââ¬â¢s about. This isnââ¬â¢t likely to be the heading you use in the final post. Itââ¬â¢s mainly meant to be helpful in deciding what stays and what gets cut, and how to write that section. 8. Reorder and cut the heading groups Start to order your groups in a way that fits logically, flowing down from the Big Idea into your end goal. You might want your blog post to persuade, to sell, or to inform. You may want to present your information in terms of cause-and-effect, problem-and-solution, or compare-and-contrast. You can do so much with how a post ends up simply by what you do in this step. If you get the arrangement correct, when you write the post, youââ¬â¢ll stay on the path. Outlining helps writers stay on point and stay focused. If you donââ¬â¢t cut material that doesnââ¬â¢t fit, your outline is loose and will lead you astray. 9. Refine each heading group At this point, you should have a pretty good idea of what your post is going to be about. You have your Big Idea, and you have the sections of copy that will support that big idea topped by a guiding heading. By arranging the groups earlier, you committed to an angle. Rework the headings to help you, the writer, write copy to that angle. Again, this is likely not the final heading the reader sees, but one that gives you direction. Your final heading might be "The 10-Minute Blog Post Outline System", but the one you used while writing it might have been "The Basics Of Outlining". 10. Start writing your draft At this point, youââ¬â¢re ready to write the post. You know where youââ¬â¢re headed, you know where you will end up. You know specifically what you need to research, and where to dump that research back in your draft. You know that your own ideas are where they should be and you donââ¬â¢t have to worry about forgetting to include them. An outline like this will make much better use of your time. The 10-Minute, 10-Step Solution For The Best Blog OutlineWhy I Use This Approach To Outlining Outlining should be like cartilage: strong but flexible. It should provide support, but be malleable enough to adjust it to different blog post scenarios. I donââ¬â¢t use every step every time. But I do use the steps listed above in some form. Most blog posts I write are often assigned topics, and not on what Iââ¬â¢m writing from ââ¬Å"gut feelings.â⬠This outlining approach where I gather what comes to mind (what I know) and what I need to find out (what I donââ¬â¢t know) has kept me from writerââ¬â¢s block every single time. I donââ¬â¢t always magically feel inspired, but I do know this process will help me do the work. How To Prevent Writer's Block With A 10-Step Blog Outline SystemEssentially, this outlining system helps you embrace the questions you have about something, instead of fearing the fact that you donââ¬â¢t know a topic. And then this method gives you a system to help organize that along with the ideas that pop into your head. Sometimes, as Iââ¬â¢m researching a section, a thought comes to mind that I simply couldnââ¬â¢t have come up with until I started researching. Because I have an outline at work for the post, I simply drop that thought into the section it belongs and come back to it later when I work on that section. This approach is flexible enough to allow for thoughts that occur to you along the way. In other words, you can keep making use of the blog outline until you no longer have to. Put it to work, you can learn a lot by dissecting the work of others. Find a few blog posts you enjoy, or posts of yours that you think were either successful (or not). Break them into outlines. See if you can spot what technique is at work (or not at work). If the post is well-outlined and it reads well, mimic the approach in your next blog post. How Will You Write Your Next Blog Outline? Outlining, particularly for long-form blog posts, is a necessary part of your process. It gets a bad rap because we think of outlining as what we learned in school, full of Roman numerals, numbers, and letters. In reality, itââ¬â¢s about organizing information into groupings and finding the best linear arrangement of those groupings. The end result of creating a blog outline before writing your blog post is making you a better writer, and making your writing better for your reader. The best part? You can do it all with right in our custom editor, or even connecting your Google Docs or Evernote with the workflow you already rock for creating awesome content.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 32
Response - Essay Example instead, took advantage of it to create perspective and to intensify and stress the dramatic subjects, which is the artistry of science fiction in the authorââ¬â¢s opinion. I agree with the authorââ¬â¢s claim that we are currently living in a world where there is a blur between the past, present, and future. But such reality is still hidden to many of us. As stated by the author ââ¬Å"â⬠¦these shows were important to a degree and achieved cult status but it never encapsulated reality or capture a single theme or idea that made a show prestigious to a wider audienceâ⬠(Gasoline Sky para 2). The author is clearly criticizing viewers for taking for granted the larger themes of science fiction shows like BSG. In general, the article is enlightening, interesting, and informative. It also offers a somewhat objective analysis of the political (e.g. terrorism) and religious (e.g. polytheism vs. monotheism) aspects in the thematic agenda of the
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Progressive Era Through the Great Depression Research Paper
Progressive Era Through the Great Depression - Research Paper Example However, we can say that the timing was a bit different across various nations. This was the most wide spread, deepest and longest depression within the twentieth century. This period of immense depression started in the United States starting with a fall in stock prices and the subsequent crash of the stock market and then spread to the other nations of the world (Bernanke, 2000). This period of depression had devastating effects in many nations that it hit characterizing a plunge in international trade, a rise in the unemployment levels with magnificent falls in prices and profits. The various developmental industries got hit hard causing collapse of some. Historical turning points of the enormous depression mainly concentrated on the measures that brought about a halt that reversed the trend and effects of the depression. In most nations, the acclaimed depression recovery started at around the year 1933 and took over a decade to return the economy back to normal and stability. Rooseveltââ¬â¢s introduction of the new deals policies was the first principal cause and accelerator of the recovery process. However, they lacked aggressiveness to return the economy back to normal. Such policies were inclusive of the banking act of 1935. The advent of the World War II also favored the reverse of depression and raise in the economy as government spending on the war stopped and the funds reverted to rising of the economy.
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Health Care Program Evaluation Plan Health And Social Care Essay
Health Care Program Evaluation Plan Health And Social Care Essay The question of how to treat people who are mentally ill is highly controversial. In the not-so-distant past, people with mental illness were confined in insane asylums, where they lived in conditions of degradation, physical abuse and squalor. Mental health professionals now agree that such treatment was barbaric and that patients should receive supportive care. Opinions differ sharply, however, on what kind of treatment best serves this population of people interests. How mental illness is treated varies in every civilization, culture, century, and religion. Some religions encourage its members to do well even towards mentally ill people. The treatments carried out go from dancing to chants to tortures and exorcisms, and some treatments do more damage to the patient than good. As time passes by, the term mental illness carries with a stigma that affects not only the patient, but also his/her family. With the increasing prominence of the health promotion theory, there exists a shift towards emphasizing wellness, empowerment, and empirically supported treatment. Mentally ill people are treated more humanely at present than when compared to the only several decades ago. Adjustments are being strategized in order to address the increasing demand of mental health education and ensure the implementation of new programs in order to maintain common ground among stakeholders. Drastic changes and the need for mental health reform based on recurrences of violence within communities have played a vital role in stakeholders rethinking mental health issues, particularly what treatments are appropriate. Historically, practices of health promotion can be incorporated into evidence based with the treatment being used in programs that have been implemented for those co-morbid health conditions with mental health problems. Background of the Problem Mental health programs require a set of skills that are accessible and different from traditional programs that have been set in place but have failed the system. Through the use of monograph, a method of research or literature written about a single, specific subject, it can be deduced that the pathways to effective care are often unclear and extremely difficult to negotiate, especially for young people and their families, and for people from backgrounds that are not part of the dominant mainstream culture (National Health Strategy, 2000, p.7). In other words, there exists a disparity between social classes in the effective distribution of health care, that regarding mental health notwithstanding. This socio-economic disparity is no longer a new issue. Even in other instances, especially in the realm of healthcare, care services are not equally distributed among those who need it. It is usual that patients from low socio-economic classes are the less privileged, subjected to public humiliation and unconventional treatment; while those with a secure financial capacity are more likely to receive immediate and humane treatment. Intervention approaches into mental health vary depending on the disorder and severity of symptoms. Integrating programs and new policies in the decision-making intervention is in the forefront objective of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). According to the NHS (2000, p.89), the main actors in the delivery of health care should have a pervasive awareness of the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the people, as differences in culture and language, among others, can be a hurdle in the design and implementation of a health care program. This is not to say that efforts were not carried out to create programs to address mental health problems. However, some programs are either lacking in content or is not applicable to a particular group of people. Therefore, a program may produce significant results for adult patients, but may fail when applied to younger patients with the same mental illness. As such, the need for holistic and specific programs for mental health is high. Several measures should be taken into consideration first before a particular mental health program is to be designed and implemented. The severity of the illness and its symptoms, as well as the patients capacity to maintain treatment, among others, should be well taken into consideration. Literature Review This literature review has been prepared for evaluation of Mental Health programs, which will focus on the following topics: definition of mental health; mental health issues; treatments and therapy; global mental health policies, and legislation; and the process of evaluating a health care program, particularly that of mental health. Available literature on mental health focuses on programs that are in place and the implementation of new programs through integrating health promotion where a review of literature illustrate how the field of health promotion can be mainstreamed into all aspects of community mental health care, in policies, principles, and practices. It contains an array of clinical cases, historical analyses, assessment models, evidence-based interventions and evaluation tools, and strategies for policy reform. Definition of mental health The World Health Organization (2013) defines mental health as the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease. Furthermore, it is defined as a state of well-being where an individual can realize his potential as a person, adopt measures in coping with lifes stressors, work productively while staying emotionally well, and contribute to the development of the community with which he belongs to. Mental health issues Mental health treatments Mental illnesses are developed due to various and sometimes interrelated factors, making it difficult to clearly predict the progress of a mentally ill person (SANE, 2010). Sometimes, the symptoms are so confusing that the patient himself is not aware that they are already experiencing a mental disorder. Initial assessment is done to identify whether the patient is suffering from a mental disorder. The diagnosis will be derived from a particular pattern of symptoms that the doctor will have to observe in the patient. Symptoms include (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012): 1) feeling down for a long period of time; 2) insomnia or inability to sleep; and 3) easily distracted and inability to concentrate. From there, the doctor will decide how to best treat the symptoms and then further observe the patient for any other more specific symptoms. In the field of mental health, diagnoses can change several times as the symptoms change, progress, or disappear. Likewise, it can change as more information surfaces from the patient himself through their sessions together. The doctor then should be able to critically delineate the differences between symptoms and suggest a treatment that would best help the patient. In other words, there is no fixed treatment or medication for a single individual with a mental disorder until all the needed criteria appears in the patients behaviors (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012). There are, however, several ways in treating mental health disorders and helping patients cope and recover from mental illness. There are two main types of treatments: psychological treatments and medication. Psychological treatments are carried out on patients with anxiety disorders or depression as it helps reduce stress levels brought about or has resulted to the symptoms experienced by the patient. These treatments, or therapies, are based on how an individual react to, think about, and perceive things (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012). Therapies are also called talking cure (Discovery Health, 2013) because emotional and physical pain is alleviated by talking about it. Medications are provided to patients who have a more serious form of the disorder. There is a specific type of medication for a specific type of disorder, and they are usually highly prescriptive. Sometimes, it is given with a combination of other prescriptive drugs or with psychological therapies. It includes (Better Health, 2012): 1) antidepressants, which is given to patients with depression primarily and, with psychotherapy, to those with phobias, panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia); 2) antipsychotic medications, which is used to treat illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolarism; and 3) mood stabilizing medications, which regulates the occurrence of major depression and high episodes in patients with manic disorder. Care should be extended, however, when using medications for mental health disorders. Although the benefits are high, there are still some harmful side effects that might affect the patient especially when used for a long term at variable doses (SANE, 2010). If available, newer generations of medications are to be given to the patient, as this has lesser side-effects (Better Health, 2012). Apart from these two major types of treatment, the concept of community support as a way to help patients cope and recover from mental illness is fast becoming a choice for professionals and patients alike. Community support efforts include information, accommodation, help with finding suitable work, training and education, psychosocial rehabilitation and mutual support groups (SANE, 2010; and Better Health, 2012). Global mental health policies Kiresuk and Sherman (1968) have identified the rather contrasting two-fold identity of the goals of the mental health enterprise: a) highly philosophical in that theories are formulated in distinct relationships; or b) highly objective and focuses mainly on patient-therapy goals. These goals may be used to calibrate a mental health program to better cater to a wider group of concerned people. Furthermore, understanding the elements interacting between the patient and therapist in various stages of their relationship can aid in designing programs for community mental health. Mental health policies are rules and regulations written by the Government or its corresponding Health Ministry or Department. It includes the goals, priorities, and the main direction stakeholders have to take in order to effectively implement the services enclosed therein. Some of the components of a mental health policy include (WHO, 2005): advocacy, which is the individual and social action on raising public awareness and policy support; promotion, enabling patients to take control of and improve their mental well-being; prevention or the immediate application of measures to promote individual and community well-being and educational and informational campaigns; treatment and the carrying out of relevant care, whether clinical or non-clinical, to reduce the negative impacts of mental illness and improve patients quality of life; and rehabilitation where knowledge and skills learning are provided to mentally ill patients to help them achieve a higher and better quality of life despite of their disorder. Mental health policies are the main guiding framework in the design of mental health programs. Each of the components specified above can have its own health program that will help achieve its goals. In fact, mental health programs is to take into consideration both general and specific plans of action required by all stakeholders to undertake in order for the policy to take effect (WHO, 2005). It identifies what actions are to be done, who must do it, what specific timeframe should be followed, what resources are needed, and where can it be found. According to the WHO (2005), 90.9 percent of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean have national mental health programs in place. More than three quarters, or 76.5 percent, of North and South Americas have such mental health programs while only 52.9 percent of Europe does. Community care is the most basic unit to perform and provide healthcare services to citizens. Therefore, their presence is vital in supporting patients with mental disorders at the community level. About 75 percent of North and South American countries have existing community care facilities (WHO, 2005). On a global scale, however, a wider disparity is discovered. Only half of low-income countries have established community centers while 90-97 percent of high-income countries have such community centers. Some examples of these community centers are daycare centers, therapeutic and residential services, crisis residential services, sheltered homes, clubhouses, community mental health services which cater to all age groups (children, adolescents, elderly), and agricultural psychiatric rehabilitation villages, among others (WHO, 2005). Global mental health legislation Mental health legislation should not be confused with health policies. These are legal provisions for the protection of the basic human and civil rights of people with mental disorders (WHO, 2005). Mental health legislation deals not only with how dangerous mentally ill patients are to be restrained and protected, but also with the maintenance of treatment facilities and personnel, training of professionals, and the whole structure of providing mental health services. It also dictates and regulates the procedures in compulsory admissions, discharge procedures, and appeals, among others. Laws on mental health are present in 75 percent of North and South American Countries. This is still low in contrast to 91.8 percent of European countries. Eastern Mediterranean countries have the smallest coverage at only 57.1 percent. Knowing the coverage of mental health laws is vital in understanding how mental health is prioritized on a global scale. The timeliness of the laws needs to be considered as well. More recently existing laws may be more encompassing than older laws in the sense that evaluation processes have already been applied to it. Older laws may not be able on track with the fast changing pace of culture, society, and technology. As such, laws enacted earlier than 1990 may be ineffective because evidence-based treatment methods are not yet available during that time (WHO, 2005). More than half of existing legislation across the globe is enacted between 1990 and 2004. North and South American countries with mental health laws have enacted 58.4 percent their most recent legislatures within this time frame. There still lies the fact, however, that half of the existing legislations were designed and enacted all the way back to the 60s (WHO, 2005). One of the major facets of mental health legislations is the provision of disability benefits for mentally ill patients and their families. In some cases, the disability benefit is incorporated in mental health laws. In others, particularly in countries without specific mental health legislation, the disability benefit is part of a wider scale of health legislation. Half of low-income countries have disability benefit provisions, while a hundred percent of all high-income countries are covered (WHO, 2005). There are, however, less researches delving into the degree of implementation and the spread of coverage of mental health legislations and its accompanying provisions. Moreover, there is a need to identify what services or benefits do particular countries provided for individuals with mental health disorders. As such, these areas need to be researched into more to better accommodate to the needs of individuals and families who need it. Evaluating mental health programs Atkisson, et al (2010) has a conceptual model laying out the three components involved in evaluating a community mental health program. These three components are: a) levels of evaluative activity; b) functional roles of the evaluator; c) and the capability of the program information. This working model may be used in the assessment of the evaluation capability of mental health problems. Proper use of the model could generate a better evaluation strategy. Although outdated, Hagedon, et al. (1976) has written a reliable manual on determining appropriate evaluation strategies and in planning evaluations. Evaluations, as the authors have suggested, should be done in cycles. Monitoring and evaluation should be schedule annually or bi-annually. This allows the program to be constantly updated, making it easily be adopted into a community. Changing cultural and technological elements could pose threats or opportunities to the conduct of the program. Hargreaves, et al. (1977) states that addressing issues in a programs information system and adequately assessing outcome studies eventually act on the programs processes and integrity, as well as the stakeholders welfare. An effective mental health program should have a similarly effective system of collating and analyzing feedback, which may be used to further improve the program. The evaluation plan describes in detail how a program will be monitored and evaluated. The intention of using the results for program development and decision-making should also be made clear (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). A program evaluation must be carried out with a clear purpose in mind. In fact, in designing a plan for program evaluation, the expectations to be derived from the conduct of the evaluation should be already considered. However, the evaluation design and the actual implementation should not be carried out by just anybody. The evaluation should be done by someone knowledgeable of the processes of evaluation and must also have an understanding of the program being evaluated. Otherwise, the evaluation process might not be able to achieve its objectives. The evaluation design should be able to identify the specific group or group of people for which the program is intended for and would have access to. The methods to be used should be able to capture the needs of the stakeholders while maintaining excellence in the delivery of health care. The Minnesota Department of Health (2010), identified six reasons on why there is a need to monitor and evaluate the processes of a program: 1) to determine whether the objectives of the program is being achieved in the short-term; 2) to improve how the program is being implemented; 3) to provide a degree of liability to the funding agencies and the community with which the program is intended for; 4) to increase the stakeholders awareness of the program and encourage support; 5) to contribution to the current pool of knowledge and practices in the scientific undertaking of public health interventions; and lastly, 5) to inform and influence the decisions of the higher policy-making body, e.g., the government. A scientifically-sound evaluation has similarly scientifically-sound program objectives. According to Wilburn and Wilburn (n.d.), program objectives should be S-M-A-R-T: specific, measureable, achievable, realistic, and time-specific. It is ideal that an evaluation design is all-encompassing; however, as was said in the introduction, that it has to be specific to be able to fit the needs of the stakeholders better. Measureable concepts should be incorporated into each objective to aid in the attainment of quantifiable variables. It should also be realistic, not idealistic, and should follow a practical timeframe. The right questions should be able to answer the questions what, how, and why it matters (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). The evaluation design should be able to: 1) state the need for the implementation of the program and its relation to the intended effects (clarify the purpose and anticipated outcomes); 2) lay down the processes in the program implementation and identify whether it works well with the overall evaluation design; 3) clarify with short-term information if changes need to be done in the existing processes of the program; and 4) provide a rationale about the programs importance and impact to the field of mental health. The evaluation must apply not only to the program per se, but also to how the application of changes will affect the programs intended outcomes. There are other variables to be considered for evaluation. One is the nature of the stakeholders. Is the program able to capture the stakeholders and address their needs? Are they the right ones with whom to apply the program? Identifying the right stakeholders for the implementation of the program is vital in ensuring that the message is carried across. As such, the location where the program was implemented should also be evaluated. Cultural, social, and political issues must be considered as these could have an effect in the distribution of the program. Likewise, time should also be evaluated. This pertains not only to the timeframe or schedule of implementation of the program activities, but also on the timeliness of the program implementation. The last thing that should be subjected to evaluation is the output. Is it what the program intends to achieve? What went wrong? All the information from the monitoring and evaluation will be collated and considered as vital feedback. Feedback needs to be gathered to be used in the further development and improvement of the programs design. After the step-by-step process of evaluation is completed, the results will be integrated into the original mental health program. Recommendations for future researchers will be produced, such as the conduct of a second evaluation on the same program after it had been subjected to changes as a result of the initial evaluation. The design and methodological processes to be followed in the evaluation of a mental health program will be discussed in detail in the succeeding paragraphs. Goals and Objectives This research study primarily aims to identify a method that will be used to effectively evaluate mental health programs. Specifically, this research aims to: Identify the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and families using the mental health program; Identify their information needs; Determine their attitudes and perception towards the mental health program; and Determine the strengths and weaknesses of the program through a professionals perspective. Theoretical Framework The main reason for conducting a program evaluation is to determine the efficiency of a program, particularly in terms of whether physical and financial resources are being used wisely, the programs performance and objectives are working with the design, and is following the processes set for it (Lindeman, 2010). Based on the literature review gathered for this research, mental health program evaluations mostly focus on how the program could better adapt to certain situations. Certain social conditions call for a more customized program, given that the current specifications of a program may not be suitable for another individual or group of individuals. Therefore, interventions must be carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of a mental health program. By using a program theory, the evaluation of the program may be guided accordingly. The program theory is only recently integrated into the field of public health, as it is mainly used in social science research. The program theory, by definition, is a conceptual plan, with some details about what the program is and how it is expected to work (Issel, 2009). The program theory has two main components: 1) process theory; and 2) effect theory. Process theory is concerned with the program per se, while the effect theory is concerned with the use of interventions. Similar programs, like in the realm of public health and its programs against obesity, consider evaluation as a very important process. It follows the same way of formulation of objectives and the creation of sound evaluation plan. Evaluation Model Design This research will follow a multi-design evaluation. It will make use of the responsive evaluation, followed by the participatory/collaborative form of evaluation, and then the utilization-focused evaluation. The use of a multi-design evaluation allows the researcher to better make use of the information that will be gathered for evaluation. The first design is the Responsive Evaluation type of evaluation model and approach, which is concerned with identifying how the program would look like to different people. This design must take into consideration what stakeholders need to satisfy their thirst for information. In relation to responsive evaluation design, the participatory/collaborative form of evaluation may be used to further identify how the stakeholders view the program and what they could suggest be done to improve it. Their information needs will then be enumerated and considered. Once the information needs are identified, this will undergo utilization-focused evaluation. This allows stakeholders to take part in the evaluation process, which will be used ultimately in the decision-making phase of the evaluation. The information will also be integrated into the program itself so as to better calibrate it to fit the specific needs of the stakeholders. The model below shows how these evaluation designs will be utilized to be able to evaluate a mental health program better. INPUT OUTPUT PROCESS STAKEHOLDERS How does the program look like to different people? PARTICIPATORY/COLLABORATIVE What are the information needs of those closest to the program? CONSUMERS EXPERT INFORMATION NEEDS What are the information needs of stakeholders, and how will they use the findings? Figure 1. The Multi-Design Evaluation Model The study aims to create a viable evaluation model to use in evaluating mental health programs. For this research, both primary and secondary research will be utilized. The primary research will be conducted with the use of a survey questionnaire and interview for research instrument to gather both quantitative and qualitative information. Respondents will be identified and the questionnaire will be distributed to them. Interviews will be scheduled accordingly. Quantitative methods will be employed as this is a flexible and iterative approach in researching information. Consecutively, the research will also make use of qualitative information which will be used to locate and develop theories that would explicate the relationship of one variable with another. As such, behavior, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs on the subject matter at hand will be identified and quantified easier. Secondary research will also be carried out as well. Statistics and results from previous studies will be incorporated into this research and then compared with the results of this study. Evaluation Methods Respondents of the Study Following the evaluation designs stated above, this research will identify stakeholders to help in evaluating the program. Consumers and professionals will be asked to assess the program and their attitudes and perceptions toward it will be gauged. It is vital to determine and identify the respondents to be used for this study. The consumers may be the direct beneficiaries of the program to their close relatives who have personally observed how the program was implemented. Their personal experience on the program implementation would paint a picture of the applicability and fit of the program to various demographic. On the other hand, the professionals will be third-party experts who are knowledgeable in the field. These may be psychiatrists, psychologists, or program implementers. Their expertise on the field would contribute to the identification of whats lacking or missing in the program. Sampling Method The researcher will use two sampling strategies: random and purposive. The purposive type of sampling allows for a more flexible way of choosing respondents, given that the classifications needed are not entirely that applicable to a general group of people. Likewise, this is easier to carry out by the researcher without compromising the results of the study. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and program implementers will be purposively identified based on their availability on the subject matter at hand. On the other hand, the program consumers will be identified randomly. A list of the program beneficiaries will be retrieved from authorities. Then, random sampling will be used to identify who among the beneficiaries will be interviewed. If ever the patient beneficiary will be unavailable for interview, their immediate family members will be contacted in their place. Research Instrument To gather pertinent information from the respondents, the researcher will create a questionnaire, one set for each of the respondents. The instrument will include socio-demographic characteristics, identification of attitudes and perceptions towards the program, suggestions for improvement, among others. The major objective of using a survey questionnaire is to gather both quantitative and qualitative information from the respondents. The research instrument will use a combination of open and closed questions. Closed questions will be used at the most, especially in identifying the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. Through the use of closed questions, the choices will be limited within the scope of the study; thus, allowing the researcher to easily encode the answers. Moreover, using closed-ended questions would help keep the results in line with the researchs problem statement and objectives. As such, open-ended questions will nonetheless be used. Using this type of questions will allow the researcher to gather qualitative data. For example, their experiences on how the mental health program was implemented on them are better off detailed than limited to a set of questions. Themes are captured as they emerge from the respondents accounts. The attitudes of the respondents toward the mental health program will be gauged with the use of a five-point Likert scale. The Likert scale is a rating scale that allows the respondents to indicate his/her level of agreement or disagreement towards a particular event, situation, or part of the program. The equivalent weights that would correspond to the degree of agreement or disagreement are as follows: RANGE INTERPRETATION 4.50 5.00 Strongly agree 3.50 4.49 Agree 2.50 3.49 Uncertain 1.50 2.49 Disagree 1.00 1.49 Strongly disagree To test its reliability, the one-shot research administered survey instrument will be pre-tested to a group of individuals. The instrument will then be revised as per the comments and suggestions derived from the pre-testing. The survey questionnaire is chosen as a research instrument since they are easy to construct. Likewise, questionnaires may be easily reproduced and can be delivered to the respondents by mail or by hand. Data Collection For this research, data will be gathered; information will be collated from previously published studies from local and international universities. The researcher will then summarize the secondary information, make a conclusion and a generalization, if applicable, and then provide recommendations which may be useful for this research. The researc
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)