The Reality of a Generation Gap

Own Creation 

It is a general perception that a family tree has three generations at a time. Grandparents, parents, and young ones. We may say 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation. All have beliefs, attitudes, goals, tastes, politics, and moral values towards life. These attributes always differ.

“Every generation needs a new revolution.” Thomas Jefferson

The thought process, dealings, or handling things by these generations can’t be the same. The older generation applies experience first whereas the youngers react to that. There always be a communication gap between the two or three. This is what we call; a generation gap.

“There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old, there is no respect for age – I missed it coming and going.” J.B. Priestly

Is Generation Gap Important?

          Yes, it is; as it provides a breathing space to the culture and society.  The environment needs changes around us and this gap provides the perfect opportunity.

Reasons & Effects of Differences

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·               Brought Up.  The upbringing of all three generations is in a different time-frame. It affects their mental, psychological, and behavioral framework. So, conflict and differences of opinion are the expected byproduct.

·               Communication Gap. Since both have their likes and dislikes, thus, unable to find peace among each other. To avoid confrontation, each generation doesn’t express true feelings. So, they missed out on the channel of expression. 

Workable solution

“Parenthood…It’s about guiding the next generation, and forgiving the last.” Peter Krause

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As there is a reaction to every action same wise every problem has the solution. The generation gap is a complex issue and a joint effort from both ends can resolve it.  Elder and younger generations may resort to the following: -

·  More listening and less talking from both sides may bridge the gap.

·  The hard task is to do the compromise from both ends. 

·  Open the doors of communication all the time.

·  Senior generation possesses more knowledge and experience. But if they act as they know a little less than youngers may solve the issue of confrontation.

·   Fewer expectations lead to fewer chances of a conflict.

·  The senior generation should not only teach but be ready to learn as well.  

Conclusion

Indeed, the younger generation can’t match the experience of the older generation. But it doesn’t mean that old ones know everything. The young generation, being aggressive, opposes the seniors. The old generation, being elders, expects respect, and positive response.

Both sides need a reciprocatory attitude. We should not expect some revolutionary results from a continuing issue at once.

      
    “A generation which ignores history has no past – and no future.” Robert A. Heinlein

How to Quit Smoking in 7 Steps?

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When I say to my smoker friends and colleagues, elders and young ones, smoking is injurious to health, the reply is obvious, “Say Something New”.

But when I say it’s easy to quit, they all either laugh or smile. And when I say I have done it; it’s really easy, then I always hear “What you just said; easy, you must be kidding.”

I even hear from my best friend, “Yes, I agree that quit smoking is very easy as I did it many times in the past couple of years. But the issue is, I start again and again and again……”

Smoking is not good for health and even it is fatal. Look at the shocking statistics issued by the World Health Organization (WHO):-

·              Half of the tobacco users are killed by it.

·              Each year, more than 8 million people are killed by tobacco

o More than 7 million active smokers

o Around 1.2 million passive smokers

“The true face of smoking is disease, death, and horror — not the glamour and sophistication the pushers in the tobacco industry try to portray.” David Byrne

The following steps helped me and hopefully support the other as well. It is a must-read for chain smokers and a worth-read for potential smokers.

Step — I: Decision

If you have decided to quit smoking; believe me, you have won half of the battle. Taking the decision, making up the mind, is the hardest step ever for me.

Suggestion

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Seriousness is the key to success. Be determined if you are serious about quitting smoking.

Take a decision;
·     If you feel your mouth as an ashtray.
·      If you want to enjoy the real taste of eatables and revive your taste buds.
·   If you feel the guilt that you are making passive smokers around you.

·            After visiting smoker patients in a hospital.

·   After witnessing the death rate statistics at the WHO website.

·              If you want to enjoy a good quality of life.

Step — II: Meals & Smoking Connection

Smokers always make a cigarette ready after every meal or snack, they simply can’t live without it. You have to break the connection between a meal and a smoke. This was the most difficult step for me, but above-mentioned Step — I helped me.

Suggestion

·              Increase the time-space between a meal and smoke, you may start from 5 minutes.

·              A gradual increase in time, up to 30 minutes, would be better.

·              The time jump may take weeks or months.

·              Be determined and keep increasing the time-lapse until the connection will break.

Step — III: Avoid Smokers

When I left smoking for the second-last time, one of my colleagues pushed me by motivating, “Let’s do gang smoking” and I decided not to inhale but puff out the smoke.

Alas! I started again.

Suggestion

·              You can politely refuse the smoking offer with a smile.

·              Request your friends not to offer rather not to smoke in front of you.

·              Find a friend who quit smoking successfully and spend time with him to get tips and inspiration.

 ·              Leave the company of smokers.

·              Make non-smokers friends.

Step — IV: Change of Diet Plan

Normally the urge for a cigarette increases after eating meat stuff. But we can’t quit food of high nutrition value therefore a change of diet plan is needed. I changed my eating habits, it was beneficial.

Suggestion

·              Increase the vegetable items in the meal.

·              Add fruits to lunch and dinner.

·              Reduce meat items.

·              Increase water intake with every meal.

Step — V: Reduce Scale of Smoking

The sudden removal of any addiction has consequences; maybe severe health issues. Gradual removal is always recommended.

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       Suggestion
·  Smoke 90% of a cigarette. Decrease the percentage bit by bit. Do it with every pack.
·  Reduce cigarette per week. If you smoke 20/day, it makes 140/week. So, 139/week wouldn’t make much of a difference. Then 138, 137, 136……, and so on.

·  The need for nicotine will decrease gradually by adopting any or combination of the above methods.

Step — VI: Study Diseases Caused by Tobacco

I did an excessive and extensive study of diseases caused by smoking. Also, studied the effects on other diseases when augmented with tobacco. It was the best motivating factor that worked for me.

Suggestion

·              Go through the material available on the internet in the shape of articles and research papers etc.

·              Visit the local library for the purpose.

·              Consult a doctor and make yourself educated.

Step — VII: Take a Walk

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The best and final step is exercise. New research has confirmed that exercise can help smokers finally kick the habit.

It can easily distract you from smoking and keeps you busy until the urge for smoking passes away.

A walk or stretch reduces the cravings and pushes the brain to produce anti-craving chemicals.

Suggestion

·              Do 30 minutes exercise at once or 10 minutes exercise 3 times a day. The results would be the same. It reduces the urge for smoking.

·              Take a walk on a track and use the mobile step counter app to keep the record.

A drawback of Quitting Smoking

Yes, it is correct, there is a drawback as well. After quitting, appetite increases to the extent that smokers put on weight. Gaining weight causes other health issues.

Solution: Do more exercise and burn the extra calories regularly.

Conclusion

Smokers do smoke when they feel happiness or sadness, celebrating or grieving, having fun or getting bored, glad or depressed, etc. In short, it’s all mood solution. But the fact remains, tobacco is dangerous to the body organs.

Quitting is tough, but possible. It’s a matter of self-control and determination. It’s a matter of conviction and will power.

Good luck with the decision, if taken to quit smoking.

Writing Introduction to a Research Paper

Writing a research paper is a cumbersome and uphill task. The interesting part is; how to introduce the subject to the readers, which keeps them stay with the paper till the end. Following tricks of the trade are always helpful to me while I work on any research project: -

Why an Introduction is Needed

Normally Scientists and Researchers write the introduction at the last, ensuring that they miss no major peaks. The intended readers are justified and convinced about the importance and rationale behind the work.

Unlike abstract, the introduction doesn't face word limitations but should be concise and to the point. It should give an overall review along with a few issues from the abstract.

It should start with a broader context of the issue and gradually narrowing down to a Research Problem.

Major Components of Introduction

Few factors or components upon which introduction could be based are: -

Background

The first task of any introduction is to make an impression or a scene. A scene where the Contextual Pattern of the paper should declare a link of current research with the previous one. There should be continuity among the research carried out in the past till to-date.

The first paragraph should always give out the historical background of previous research. While narrating the background keep stick to the relevant information only.

Declarations

An introduction should give out the justification behind the research where a declaration is needed in the following way: -

´ This work is based on a previous research project.

´ This is an area which is overlooked by everyone.

´ This is an improvement upon previous research where results were not according to the expectations.

Then another declaration is needed that how to: -

´ Fill the gap

´ Layout the Objectives

´ Layout the Methodology

´ Display different hypothesis and rejection of the Null Hypothesis

Limitations

Do establish the fact of all weak areas in previous research from the beginning. All failures and disappointments should be declared in the introduction. Avoid details of such events as the introduction is a place where highlighting is required and enough.

Assumptions

Research is always built up around some assumptions. All assuming factors which are to be incorporated in the research of a paper should also be highlighted in the introduction.

Few Tips

A strong introduction should lure in the reader to read the rest of the work by following way: -

´ Short Introduction: It will keep people's interest alive, so stick to the outline for the paper and also keep the introduction's structure in a similar way.

´ Defining the Problem: End of the introduction should be at the research question and thesis statement or hypothesis. By doing this, readers will know the writer's intentions.

´ Organization: While writing paper, the writer may drift in different directions due to the flow of research, so make changes to the introduction as well and keep on moving.

´ Final Step: Once the introduction is over then the writer is good to go. Now the rest of the paper can be attempted.

Conclusion

"A good first impression can work wonders."

J. K. Rowling

An introduction is the first impression of the whole research work. If the writer has introduced the subject in the desired manner, then the interest of the readers would always be alive. In short, the introduction reflects the personality of a research paper.

Digital Health – A New Perspective

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 The most concerning aspect of the human race is to be healthy. We can say that health is a physical, mental, and social state with no disease. In the event of illness, healthy individuals suffer the power to recover without treatment/medicine and unhealthy ones are to be treated with medication. Health can be related to medicine; the historic tunnel gives out a number of hints to the lineage of medicine. People developed ways to discover a cure for diseases and treatment. Through the historic periods, the world was introduced to allopathy, homeopathy, osteopathy, naturopathy, etc.

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In the present era health is associated with digital technology. It is a simple concept where technology is employed to assist people in the healthcare sector. There are sensor devices, wearable gadgets, mobile applications, machinery with artificial intelligence, records maintaining databases, telemedicine, etc which has caused the life easy and elementary.

          The new era also witnessed the emergence of a terminology “Digital health” which is the combination of digital technologies and healthcare. Digital health can be considered as an application (software & hardware) used through smartphones or sensor devices for improving the health of the population and health care delivery. It cuts the communication gap between the physician and the patient.

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In 2019, WHO (World Health Organization) releases first digital health guidelines “WHO guideline: recommendations on digital interventions for health system strengthening” which focused government agencies and public health practitioners. The guideline outlined workable recommendations about the ways to use digital health tools. These guidelines and recommendations have been developed and based on the experience and experiments for the last two years. [1]

New Digital Health Technology

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CRISPR  

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is gene-editing technology.  In simple words, it is a genetic engineering tool that allows researchers to alter DNA sequences and change gene function by cutting out infected DNA strands.

Presently the technology under review is controversial. Most people think that it’s an interference with God’s authorities and unethical. Furthermore, religious and spiritual leaders also join the bioethical intonation. [2]

Smart inhalers

Bluetooth-enabled smart inhalers are developed for asthmatic patients. The attached device records the date and time of each dose, then share it with the physician and patient on their smartphones or tablets. [3]

Three-dimensional (3D) printing

It is a technology that constructs a physical model from digital data. These printers create implants and joints which are to be applied during operation. 3-D-printed prosthetics are made according to the patient’s required specifications and measurement. [4]

Artificial Organs

There are three types of artificial organs, namely; mechanical (polymer/metal), biomechanical (polymer/cell), and biological (cell). [5] The breakthrough of creating blood vessels, synthetic ovaries, and pancreas is a revolution, which could save millions of patients every year.   

Virtual Reality (VR) 

VR tools and devices give a real-life experience to the medical students in learning about human anatomy. It likewise aids the doctors to rehearse the procedures of a complicated operation.  It assists patients with diagnosis, treatment plans and prepares them for minor or major procedures. In short, VR revolutionizes the fields of medical training, patient treatment, medical marketing, and disease awareness. [6]

Benefits of Digital Health

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Reachability

Internet connection has made it possible for everyone to approach health services round the clock even in remote parts. Patients, doctors, and para-medical staff are easily tied in to resolve the medical issues.

Patients Self-Management

Digital health technologies allow the patients to monitor and run after their disease symptoms. Wearable devices and gadgets enable them to self-manage their health conditions regularly.

Doctor-Patient Communication

        

Fewer patients are discovered to be hesitant while discussing their condition with the physician or even unable to communicate their feelings. Modern technology reduces the communication gap between both ends. Telemedicine can be regarded as a good example to bridge this gap.

Doctor-Doctor Communication

There are a number of patients who suffer from multiple diseases and require treatment from different specialists. A constant sharing of such patients’ details among specialists is very helpful for the patients. Digital health made it possible by linking the doctors/specialists on one grid.  

mHealth Apps

      

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Development and improvement of multiple android/apple driven apps proved to be a mini health guide. These apps assist and provide stronger services to patients. Generally speaking, these apps create health awareness in the fields of “Diabetes, Pregnancy, Weight Loss, and Chronic Illness”. Few renown apps are “Fitbit, Apple Heart Study, GoogleFit, Samsung Health, AliveCor's KardiaMobile, and BlueStar”. [7] More than 318,000 mHealth apps are available for download worldwide as of November 2017. [8]

Improve Quality of Life

Patients using wearable gadgets, mHealth apps, monitoring sensors, etc receive an early warning or emergency signals in advance.  They accord priority to healthcare advice provided by these digital accessories and take charge of their deteriorating health in advance.

Digital Health and Challenges

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Data Security

Before digital databases, records were kept through ledgers and registers under proper lock and key in safe custody. Now records are kept in discs and hard drives (database warehouses) which are more vulnerable and easier to breach. [9]

Data Confidentiality

Confidentiality always focuses on the protection of data from unlawful revelation.  Threats of a physical and virtual breach through steeling and hacking respectively can’t be ruled out. [10]

Data Ownership

The storage, control, and maintenance of data are in the hands of private organizations. These organizations offer paid services to hospitals and medical substances. The access to the data by the government, semi-government, researchers, etc. is not possible without the consent and permission of the owners. According to new rules, which is underway, data ownership should be with the government and not the private organization. [11]

Cost of Technology

For the establishment of a humongous database warehouse, lots of funds are required. Since such technological advances need constant funding therefore governments are always under increasing pressure to offer more financial resources. [12] Private sector release finances and don’t share the ownership with others.

Inaccurate Diagnostics

Digital health tools are based on “Artificial Intelligence” and due to a mechanical, electrical, or hardware/software malfunction the clinical reports could be wrong. Such reports could be fatal to a patient who gets the wrong medication on erroneous diagnostics.

Conclusion

Digital health has a positive impact on the human race. The revolutionary medical advancements in the digital scenario have created an environment where a quick, remotely and responsive treatment to the patients can be promised. A significant amount of people disagrees to adapt the latest digital health, but even then, it is growing exponentially worldwide. The Earth is witnessing digital health groundbreaking inventions, innovations, and advances in the area of health care sector on an everyday base.

References

[1]    WHO Guideline: Recommendations on Digital Interventions for Health System Strengthening https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/311941/9789241550505-eng.pdf?ua=1

[2]   Michael Chang, “CRISPR: The Promise and Controversy”

http://www.uhnresearch.ca/news/crispr-promise-and-controversy

[3]   “Smart inhalers”

 https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/inhalers-medicines-treatments/inhalers-and-spacers/smart-inhalers/

[4]   Anna Aimar et. al. “The Role of 3D Printing in Medical Applications: A State of the Art” Journal of Healthcare Engineering, Universitè Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, 2019

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jhe/2019/5340616/

[5]   Xiaohong Wang, “Bioartificial Organ Manufacturing Technologies”, 2018

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6322143/

[6]   “Virtual Reality in Healthcare” https://visualise.com/virtual-reality/virtual-reality-healthcare

[7]    Alicia Phaneuf, “How mHealth apps are providing solutions to the healthcare market's problems”, Business Insider, 2019 https://www.businessinsider.com/mhealth-apps-definition-examples

[8] “11 surprising mobile health statistics”  para 2, Mobius MD, 2019 https://www.google.com/search?q=how+many+mHealth+apps&rlz=1C1RLNS_enPK890PK890&oq=how+many+mHealth+apps&aqs=chrome..69i57.14822j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8    What Do Mobile Health Apps Do?

[9]   Saiqa Aleem et. al. “Security Issues in Data Warehouse” https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1507/1507.05644.pdf

[10] “Managing data confidentiality” University of Delaware, 2018

 https://www1.udel.edu/security/data/confidentiality.html

[11]  “Principles for Digital Development.” Principles for Digital Development. The Principles; n.d. [accessed 2019 Jan 19]. 

https://digitalprinciples.org/. [Google Scholar]

[12] Team Fund. New directions in private sector capital for global health technology innovation; 2016 [accessed 2019 Jan 19]. 

http://teamfundhealth.org/new-directions-in-private-sector-capital-for-global-health-technology-innovation [Google Scholar]