Prevention Essay Example
Prevention Essay Example

Prevention Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (654 words)
  • Published: April 7, 2017
  • Type: Case Study
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Just like how the medical sector focuses on prevention rather than treatment, human services plays a crucial role in preventing societal issues and meeting citizens' needs. The government's ability to address these needs is closely linked to prevention. Human services is responsible for providing welfare facilities that aim to improve the circumstances of marginalized groups in society such as the destitute, homeless, disabled individuals and those facing unfortunate situations.

According to Burger (2008), historical prevention measures for diseases, epidemics, and disasters were often implemented haphazardly or as a consequence of other policies rather than being intentionally designed for prevention. The government prioritized providing medical treatment to address immediate societal needs, such as the increasing number of HIV cases, rather than implementing prevention campaigns. While prevention campaigns for physical illnesses have been common, mental health has

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been largely misunderstood and treated with rituals and prayers instead of medical interventions. However, recent research on mental illness has increased awareness that it is a medical condition requiring treatment and prevention strategies can also be applied.

The rise in understanding of various mental health disorders has led to increased awareness of the different psychological conditions displayed by mentally ill individuals, both among the government and general public. Some mental illnesses may be classified as physical ailments or caused by diseases, but those with disabilities or who cannot care for themselves due to mental retardation or physical handicaps require recognition of their needs, opportunities for integration into society, and improvement in their quality of life. However, pregnant women are still only advised through campaigns to avoid alcohol in order to prevent disabilities such as fetal alcohol syndrome (Longmore & Goldberger, 2000), representing

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the sole significant prevention effort thus far.According to Burger (2008), prevention can be divided into three types: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary prevention aims to stop disease, disability, or dysfunction from happening. Secondary prevention involves identifying and treating problems early on, while tertiary prevention focuses on helping those with mental illness reintegrate into society after rehabilitation. Although there are programs for treatment and rehabilitation already in place, it is essential to prioritize primary prevention to prevent disabilities from occurring - especially among individuals with special needs or disabilities (Bane & Ellwood, 1994). However, some conditions like Down syndrome have a genetic basis that cannot be prevented. People with Down syndrome require constant care due to their physical and mental limitations.In motherhood programs, it is crucial to consider the risk of having a child with DS, which increases with maternal age. However, some women postpone childbirth despite not all women over 35 giving birth to children with DS. Tertiary prevention is better suited for individuals with disabilities as it concentrates on rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Though generally applied to those experiencing mental illnesses, tertiary prevention can benefit people living with disabilities by teaching life skills and providing tools that heighten quality of life since physical disabilities may make self-care difficult.

The process of rehabilitating individuals with disabilities involves teaching them how to utilize their remaining abilities. For instance, those who are blind may learn Braille for reading, while wheelchair training can help those unable to walk. Despite laws and decrees aimed at reintegrating disabled people into society and safeguarding their basic rights, these measures are insufficient in terms of scope and intensity (Trattner, 1999). Consequently, discrimination

against people with disabilities persists, making it difficult for them to be accepted by society. To address this issue, the government should mandate a campaign promoting awareness about disabilities - including their origins and the specific needs of disabled individuals.

The inadequate support of disabilities in government funding, the public's lack of knowledge, and the general indifference of individuals with disabilities pose challenges in executing the proposed strategy (Longmore ; Goldberger, 2000). To successfully implement this prevention plan, the government needs to conduct a census to determine the number of people with disabilities, their specific requirements, and allocate an equal amount of funds for each type of disability.

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