Essays on Comorbidity

Doctor

ABSTRACT Young people in the United States are battling depression in record numbers, reaching an all-time high of 3 million patients in 2015. Researchers are continuing to search for alternative or additional methods than therapy and medications to improve depressive symptoms in teenagers and young adults. Some studies have demonstrated that as possible option in easing depression is physical exercise. In addition to assisting mental health issues, exercise promotes social interaction, physical health, and appearance. However, research has focused primarily on adults and therefore additional studies are needed with focus on the impact of exercise on depression in young ...

Introduction

A recent report of the International Longevity Center-UK (ILC-UK) indicated that dementia can no longer be viewed as an isolated disorder due to a high prevalence of medical comorbidities, often undiagnosed, associated with it (Scrutton & Brancati, 2016). Patients with dementia also had received a less coordinated comorbidity treatments, resulting to the faster decline of their daily functioning, a reduction in their quality of life (QOL), and earlier mortality events than patients with these comorbidities, but in the absence of dementia. The report also noted other important findings, which exacerbated the need for better therapeutic options in dealing with dementia, ...

Mood disorder and substance abuse have a close relationship. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2008), over 30 percent of those with mood disorder in the United States also have substance abuse disorder. As a therapist, it is never easy to identify and distinguish between those abusing substances as a self-medication towards mood disorder from those who suffer from the disorder as a result of drug abuse. According to the Nation Health Research, self-medication is common among most of the substance abusers (Harris et al. 2005). Theoretically, those who use substance abuse such as marijuana and alcohol ...

Abstract

Heart failure (2.6% prevalent worldwide) is a complex clinical syndrome, resulting from a structural or functional cardiac disorder and impairing ventricular filling or ejection capability. The current case of a 59-year-old male patient admitted on August 18, 2016 due to worsening shortness of breath and bilateral left extremity edema (one week) involved an existing diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). Physical and clinical profiles indicate a comorbidity between heart failure (HF) and DM2. Laboratory and imaging findings were not indicated, while diagnosis was based on the NYHA Classification guidelines. A review of literature revealed three crucial weaknesses in the diagnosis. ...

Abstract

Over time, substance abuse has been under extensive research from scholars. The topic is prevalent in various areas and more so in the education sector. Most individuals fail to understand the significant difference between substance abuse and addiction. The ideas tend to revolve in the same realm. Therefore, this paper strives to elaborate on addiction and how they are related to mood disorders. Also, the paper delves into the causes and reasons why someone can be involved in a substance abuse, which can lead to mood disorders. The causes of drug addiction are also illustrated giving out the way ...

Introduction

The nursing profession is one of the chief cornerstones of health care delivery worldwide. The role that nurses play in delivering heath care to populations cannot be overemphasized, which makes the profession such an integral part of the medical sector. One of the basic tenets of the nursing profession is that it comprises an integrated approach to various nursing models that work to ensure the effectiveness of the professionals while ensuring patient safety. This paper explores the models and their importance to the overall health care delivery system. Specifically, it reviews journal articles that examine both the synergy and ...

Article under critique:

Sánchez-Meca, J., Rosa-Alcázar, A. I., Iniesta-Sepúlveda, M., & Rosa-Alcázar, Á. (2014). Differential efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacological treatments for pediatric obsessive–compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(1), 31-44. The paper presents a meta-analysis on the efficacy of interventions for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children. OCD is a psychological disorder/condition that is associated with obsessions and compulsions which may lead to functional disorder in children. Pharmacological treatment and psychological treatment have been the main treatment aspects of OCD (Lack, 2012). The main issue the paper investigates is the treatment strategy that shows more ...

Annotated Bibliography

Co-Occurrence and Treatment 1. Annotated Bibliography 1. Ta, V. M., Juon, H. S., Gielen, A. C., Steinwachs, D., & Duggan, A. (2008). Disparities in use of mental health and substance abuse services by Asian and Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander women. The journal of behavioral health services & research, 35(1), 20-36. This study is very recent which is one of the reasons it was selected for inclusion of my annotated bibliography. The researchers aimed to examined comorbidity of mental illness and substance abuse both of which that require treatment. Therefore, this analysis will yield prevalence of comorbidity as well as the ...

Abstract

PTSD symptoms among adolescents are largely connected with early start of alcohol usage hence making it imperative to diagnose and treat PTSD-associated signs before they escalate to chronic levels. Children with a number of post-traumatic stress disorders are more likely to engage in alcohol abuse than adolescents who are not exposed to trauma. With alarming rates at which adolescents use alcohol, it is appropriate that research activities be undertaken to investigate the abuse of alcohol among adolescents with PTSD. It is imperative to reduce fatality incidences of PTSD by providing the necessary support from psychiatrics professionals, family members and ...

The Influence of Early Childhood Teachers’ Mental Health Literacy and Early Intervention for Special Needs Children: Methods

Introduction In recent decades, it has become common knowledge that early childhood education is of fundamental importance to the overall development of all children, whether those children have developmental disabilities, are intellectually disadvantaged, or present with other special needs (Virmani et al., 2013; World Health Organisation, 2016; Kay-Lambkin, Kemp, Stafford & Hazell, 2007). However, despite the importance of early childhood education for all students, there are special requirements that must be met for students with special needs. Teaching special needs students in the early education classroom can be difficult for a plethora of reasons. The purpose of this discussion will ...

Abstract

Testicular cancer is a type of cancer that directly involves the main male reproductive organ, the testes. The testes are basically a loose sack of skin and flesh located below the penis. Testicular cancer is a rare form of cancer only accounting for between 1% and 3% of the total number of cancer cases in the male population in western countries. It is also one of the most curable forms of cancer. Nonetheless, it is still a condition worth reviewing. The research question in this paper asks whether survivors of testicular cancer indeed suffer from a testicular cancer-related comorbidity ...

Abstract

Anxiety in modern day has become an issue that seems apparently common among individuals. It has also been noted that there is an increasing tendency of some individuals and groups being / or feeling more prone to anxiety than others. While the topic has raised heated debate among psychiatrists and psychologists alike, there seems to be an inclination from various professionals towards specific areas of anxiety. Dealing with anxiety as a topic is an issue that causes one to be conscious of an individual’s feeling of anxiety. For this reason, it is paramount to take a closer look at prevailing ...

Abstract

In this paper, I will cover the issues of treating patients with dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis is a condition when patients develop two disorders, and most healthcare professionals are not able to assist those patients in treating their conditions. A literature review reveals that lack of proper regulations and specialized treatment models are considered the main causes of low recovery rates among patients with comorbid disorders. Other issues include lack of patient motivation, education, compliance with treatments, etc. The available literature mainly criticizes the contemporary situation in healthcare when it comes to treating patients with comorbid disorders, but some approaches ...