Nurse-Authored features that use Web 2.0 applications Assignment

Nurse-Authored features that use Web 2.0 applications - Assignment Example http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2605032/ While the use of media can be very important to the nurses and other providers of health care there have been more concerns about the use of the social media. Indeed, the use of Web 2.0 tools may derive legal or ethical issues. The use of Web 2.0 tools may jeopardize the privacy and confidentiality of both the employers and the patients. Nurses can breach privacy and confidentiality by posting a photo of the patient on the social medial or comment about a patient (Younger & Morgan, 2011). According to an American research, it is eminent that several nurses have been exposing their patient’s information on public websites. The nurses ended up facing disciplinary measures for their actions. It is also unprofessional for the nurses to use Web 2.0 tools inappropriately. For instance, a nurse can use the media to bully a colleague, this results from online criticism of colleagues. This breaches the code of conduct. This behavior can result in taunting the image of the healthcare professions (Younger & Morgan,

Young People and the Vote Essay Example for Free

Young People and the Vote Essay Since the end of the Watergate Era in the mid-1970s, voter participation among those ages 18-30 had been on the decline. (To Be Young and Voting, 2008) However, in the past fifteen years, a reversal of that trend appears to be occurring. Beginning in the Clinton Era, youth participation in the political process has been on the rise. (To Be Young and Voting, 2008) Several reasons have been put forth for the rise in youth participation in the voting process. Of the various reasons purported, the one that makes the most sense is an increased dissatisfaction about the status-quo among younger people. (To Be Young and Voting, 2008) That is, in more recent years, there is a perception among young people that the country is going in the wrong direction. Evidence indicates a dramatic increase in the interest level of people under the age of thirty in the presidential elections. (Shaw, 2008) Part of the reason behind this is simple. The candidates themselves have been younger. 1992 found the first baby-boomer candidate for a major party, who was only in his 50s at the time of his election. In 2008, Barak Obama is even younger, at 47. Both of these candidates have made concerted efforts to reach the younger demographic. Clinton in 1992 played the saxophone on MTV as part of a get-out-the-vote campaign. Obama has been making similar efforts by appearing on popular TV entertainment shows, such as Letterman, The Daily Show and others. His opponent, John McCain, also appears quite often on these shows, which indicates that both parties recognize the potential voting strength of the younger demographic. Both campaigns have attempted to use the Internet to attract younger voters. (Nagourney Thee, 2008 The first significant organization effort in history on the internet was initiated by the Obama campaign. (Nagourney Thee, 2008Both candidates make use of websites, e-mail, and viral posting more now than in any time in history. It has been suggested that the candidates’ use of sharing sites such as You-Tube, and social networking sites such as Face Book and My Space have proven to be instrumental in garnering interest among younger voters. In addition to events and activities aimed at younger voters, the major candidates have embraced themes that resonate with the younger demographic. .(The Youth Vote, 2008) Both major candidates have embraced â€Å"Change† as a central theme. This coincides with a consistent trend among young voters, who tend to support a difference in the status-quo. .(The Youth Vote, 2008) As with most Americans, younger voters have expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the country, with nearly half of respondents to a recent poll indicating that the nation was a better place to live in the 1990s than it is now. The popularity of both the sitting President, and the current Congress are at historical lows. .(The Youth Vote, 2008) Troubles with the economy, gas prices, and dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq have fed the notion of the need for change. (Shaw, 2008) The â€Å"change† theme seems to coincide with some of the more divisive issues in both traditional and modern partisan politics. .(The Youth Vote, 2008) According to polls, younger people are trending to the Democratic Party, indicating that the Democrats are doing a superior job convincing young people that they are the party of change. (Nagourney Thee, 2008)An increasing number of young people are socially liberal, with liberal viewpoints on gay marriage, immigration and government programs. (Dionne, 2008) Combined with the perception that the current administration has been doing a poor job on fundamentals such as the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, younger people are beginning to flock to the Democratic Party in large numbers. (Dionne, 2008) The character of the various candidates in this election has also sparked interest among younger voters. At various times since the primary season, the major parties have offered: The first viable African American, a female who is the spouse of a former president, a Mormon, and a Former POW. All of these are firsts in major elections in the United States. The â€Å"Final Four† has generated quite a bit of youth interest, as well. Sen. McCain’s choice of running mate, Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, was the focus very recently of much attention owing to her youth, style of speaking, and the ability of a very popular actress, Tina Fey, to do a spot-on impression of her. A popular former cast-member of Saturday Night Live, Fey has injected a large political element into a variety show that has long appealed to younger viewers. There has been a marked contrast between the two presidential candidates with respect to age. John McCain, at 72 years of age, is the oldest candidate ever to run for president on a major party ticket, while Barak Obama is among the youngest at 47. The Democrats have made a considerable effort to portray Sen. McCain as out of touch, noting, among other things, his admitted inability to use the internet. (Nagourney Thee, 2008 Overall, youth participation in the political process in this election cycle has increased for numerous reasons. The primary underlying reason for this increase is a pervasive dissatisfaction with the direction of the country politically, socially, and economically. This, combined with a concentrated effort by both parties to mobilize younger voters, use of internet, and the age contrast of the candidates have combined to produce what may be the largest turnout of voters 18-30 since the voting age was lowered in 1972. References Dionne, E. J. (2008) â€Å"The Year the Youth Vote Arrives†. The Washington Post. July 25th, 2008. Nagourney, A. Thee, M (2007) â€Å"Young Americans are leaning Left, New Poll Finds†. The New York Times. June 27th, 2007. Shaw, M. (2008) â€Å"Talking Politics. † The Wilson Daily Times. Feb 9th, 2008 â€Å"The Youth Vote† (2008) The Washington Times. June 4th, 2008. â€Å"To Be Young and Voting† (2008) The Christian Science Monitor. May 5th, 2008.

Teenagers Have Rights! :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Under the eyes of god we are all created equal, and under the foundation of the country with gods blessing all patrons of the great USA are created equal. Right? Well that's what I thought until my eyes were opened this summer to the cruel REAL world. Is there any reasoning that befalls the United States Police Force to undermine the future of the USA? Are we so evil that we must be 'Plagued'; by the constant harassment of the police to follow us wherever we go no matter what we do? Are we so naive as to let this continue in the world that is supposed to be our Peaceful and Humble abode? No. We are the ones that will soon run this country and change starts with us. So here is our voice. Listen if you will, or listen if you wont. Either way you will hear our voice. We are of millions in size and will not fall to the beck, call, and command of those who only hold age higher than us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inside this document of our complaints, compliments, and worries you will hear how the young leaders feel and suffer. Points will be explained and many voices will talk. This is not just the viewpoint of me, but that of the entire generation around me. I am just the 'message bearer.'; Take offense to the following if you wish. Though this is not meant to offend, it is meant to constructively criticize. We are here not to exploit ourselves within the name of heroes. We are here to undermine the wrong and uphold the right. POINT 1: Stereo Typical Teenager   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On Sunday night, September 5th 1999, friends and I were eating outside of Apple Valley McDonalds. Two Apple Valley Police Officers approached us in their vehicles and asked us to leave. Upon a friends departure I threw, a hand signal, which is known as 'Peace.'; Deriving from the old hand signal of victory from the war. It is a hand motion that consists of the middle finger and forefinger being placed in the upright position and the thumb crossing behind them. Do not let this be confused with a gang sign, as did the two police officers. I was told that I was to receive a citation upon the next time I threw this 'Gang Sign'; in public, for Disorderly Conduct. Upon our leaving a police officer followed the car of 'John Doe'; for a block and a half and then pulled over his vehicle.

Technologies Not Only Influence but Actually Determine

The advance of technologies is attributed to the further and deeper perception that humans rationally and logically explore the nature. Such advancement leads to the change of social customs and ethics that used to be accord with the former human understanding; after all social customs and ethics, by nature, are changeable. However, whether the influence of technologies over social customs and ethics are determining is still a question worth pondering and arguing. Since human stared using tools to create things, technology has been penetrating into almost every aspect of people’s daily lives. In the contemporary world, with respect to technologies, computing technologies quickly come to mind. As a professor once said, I quote: â€Å"Electronic computation is the first to significantly amplify our mental abilities and furnish radical insights into the complexities and inner workings of our world. It is not just the ability to collect, store and process data on a massive scale, or even communication, but the opening of our minds to new and often hidden possibilities—that is real power. There is no denying that the growth and spread of computing technology have been significant things that we witness and indeed experience personally. Cell phones, for example, have been through from rarity to ubiquity. They change lives without people’s notice. For instance, billions of people enjoy digital messages from phone to phone, yet it never occurs to people to think of the microprocessors and computer power required behind just a message. Nevertheless, texting has already become a part of our daily life and expanded another of way daily communication. Moreover, it renders long-distance calling much easier and more convenient. Lives are replete with hundreds of technologies. Despite technologies do have influence over social customs and ethics, it is, however, unjustifiable to say that social customs and ethics are determined by technologies, because the impact of influence is much less forced than that of determination. From time immemorial, society has been a system that is organized with social norms and ethical standards followed by all people who live in, and these traditions that are deeply rooted in people’s mind and heart have been passed down from generation to generation in culture. For instance, Chinese people value lunar calendar a lot and celebrate many traditional festivals by lunar calendar, and one of the most well-known festivals is Chinese New Year. When it comes to the Spring Festival, Chinese people significantly weigh the festival than other festivals, and the traditions of Spring Festival dating back to the old times are still preserved by people in modern times, such as making dumplings, and clipping paper cutting etcetera. Technologies bring us convenience that any of those can be reached anytime and that we do not have to make them ourselves for lack of time, but technologies can never be influential and powerful to the extent that people stop celebrating this festival. Chinese people would consistently maintain these festival traditions annually from generation to generation instead of letting them be determined by technologies. To sum up, technology advances as humans’ understanding about nature goes deeper and further. It does have influence over social customs and ethics undoubtedly. It is, however, not able to supersede cultural traditions in people’s lives, because social customs and ethics bring us the sense of belonging and security, while technologies just give us ease and satisfy our curiosity which just comes from people’s evolving perception towards nature.

Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay Essay

After analyzing the characters in William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, one can recognize that many of the characters embody the theme of the novel. One of the prominent themes in Lord of the Flies is man’s inner savage; man’s inhumanity to others, and Golding manages explore and capture this theme in a way that is enjoyable to read. Three characters in the book who truly illustrate the theme of man’s inner savage; man’s inhumanity to others are Jack, Ralph, and Simon. The theme of the novel, man’s inner savage; man’s inhumanity to others is most apparent in Jack Merridew’s character. Our first true glimpse into Jack’s inner monster occurs after he kills his first pig: His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it, taken away its life like a long satisfying drink (Golding, 81). Jack’s excitement stems from having â€Å"outwitted† a living thing, and having â€Å"imposed† his will on it, which he later does with Simon, and Piggy. Jack really has no reason for killing showing that, â€Å"Perhaps the most disturbing motives for killing is just for the thrill of it.† (Ramsland, 3). Throughout the book, Jack is driven by his thirst for power, and is willing to go to any lengths to get what he wants, which includes killing anybody that steps in his way. He  slowly begins to lose his conscience, as shown by the fact that he feels no remorse, guilt, or regret after participating in the brutal murders of both Simon, and Piggy. The fact that Jack could turn from a proper, E nglish boy to a murderer who can kill and feel no remorse, shows that Jack does harbour a monster inside of him, is a savage, and he is very capable of being inhumane to others, thus, illustrating the theme of the novel. Read Also:  Analytical Essay Topics for College Another character who briefly illustrates the theme of the novel is Ralph. Ralph shouldered the responsibility of rescuing all the boys, proving him to be the leader that the boys on the island needed, but even then, Ralph senses himself falling into the same savagery as the other boys at times during the book. On the hunt that Ralph participates in, Ralph’s inner savage has one of its only opportunities to reveal itself, â€Å"Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh. The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering† (Golding, 164). This hunt proved that even Ralph, the sensible, responsible, and intellectual leader who represented the struggle for order, civilization, and democracy on the island, has an inner savage, just waiting to get out. Near the end of the book, Ralph was close to falling victim to the other boy’s savagery as they were chasing him through the island, ready to kill him. He trips and falls at the feet of an officer, and begins to cry, â€Å"Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy† (Golding, 290). Ralph cries for all that he has lost, and at that moment, he realizes that he will never be the same since he has learned about the evil that lurks within all humans, illustrating the theme of man’s inner savage; man’s inhumanity to others. Man’s inner savage; man’s inhumanity to others is first recognized by the character, Simon, in the novel, Lord of the Flies. When the boys discuss the possibility of there being a beast on the island, Simon steps forward and says, â€Å"Maybe it’s only us.† (Golding, 126) implying that it was the boys themselves who were the â€Å"beast†, capable of hurting, of killing, and of committing other acts of evil. This theme is explored prior to the killing of Simon, the other boys chant, â€Å"Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!† (Golding, 219) and when Simon is being murdered, Golding  describes it in brutal detail to emphasize the inhumanity shown by the other boys, and to show how savage they have become: The sticks fell and the mouth of the new circle crunched and screamed. The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise something about a body on the hill. The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws (Golding, 219). On the island, Simon was the only character to represent hope, and innocence, but in the end, he was a direct result of the other boy’s savagery, and inhumanity. His death signified the end of innocence, and goodness on the island. In William Golding’s book, Lord of the Flies, the theme of man’s inner savage; man’s inhumanity to others is explored in many ways, one of them being through the characters Jack, Ralph, and Simon. Jack embodies this theme the most, since he is the first to turn savage, and impose his will on the other boys. Ralph comes close to becoming a savage at times throughout the book, and Simon is one of the only characters who manages to keep his innocence, but is a direct result of the savagery shown by the other boys on the island in the end. William Golding managed to explore and capture the theme of man’s inner savage; man’s inhumanity to others perfectly in his book, Lord of the Flies in a way that is enjoyable for all to read. Works Cited Golding, William. Lord of the flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print. Ramsland, Katherine. â€Å"The Unthinkable — Children Who Kill and What Motivates Them† Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/weird/kids2/index_1.html

Expert Guide Which SAT Subject Tests Should You Take

Expert Guide Which SAT Subject Tests Should You Take SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Feeling lost and confused about which SAT Subject Test to choose? There are a lot of options - 20 to be exact - so it can be bewildering to know which ones will be best for your college applications. Not to worry! We've gathered the most important considerations in selecting an SAT Subject Test. As long as you approach your decisions with these ideas in mind, you'll be sure to choose the best SAT Subject Tests to take for you. We're going to go step by step through the most important questions to consider. First and foremost, what do your colleges require? Then, which subjects are you good at and which will you score highest in? What SAT Subject Tests Are There? Before we begin discussing which Subject Tests you should take, let's first go over all your options. There are currently 20 Subject Tests, and they're each listed below. Biology E/M Chemistry Chinese with Listening French French with Listening German German with Listening Italian Latin Literature Japanese with Listening Korean with Listening Math Level 1 Math Level 2 Modern Hebrew Physics Spanish Spanish with Listening US History World History What Do Your Colleges Require? First, you need to understand your colleges' specific requirements. Do they want to see one, two, or three subject tests? Are you applying to technology schools that want you to showcase your achievement in math and science? Or are you aiming for liberal arts schools that want to see a range of academic knowledge, including both literature and math? More often than not, selective colleges prefer the latter - they like to see that you possess a diversity of knowledge across various domains. More and more colleges are adopting test optional and test flexible policies, which offer you the option of sending Subject Test scores in place of the general SAT or ACT. If you feel that these specialized tests could better represent your skills and abilities, then you may want to take advantage of these flexible policies. Check out the full list of test optional and test flexible schools here. Finally, some schools use the SAT Subject Tests for placement purposes, like in a language level once you arrive on campus, or to make up for lower than desired SAT scores. Research your college of interests' approaches by checking out their admissions website or calling their admissions office and speaking to an officer directly. It will help your application to leave no stone unturned, and most admissions officers are happy to help and will appreciate your detail-oriented approach. You probably have a lot of strengths, but which ones are your best? Take SAT Subject Tests to reflect your greatest ones. Which Subjects Are You Best At? Once you've figured out what your colleges require, you need to figure out which tests will most strengthen your application. The SAT Subject Tests are a chance for you to demonstrate subject mastery, that you know a subject really well and have devoted a good deal of time to learning all about it. The subject tests are less about general reasoning skills and more about specific knowledge of content, whether it's in Math, Biology, Chemistry, Spanish, or U.S. History, among many others. Since you're demonstrating your knowledge in a particular subject, you have to ask yourself: What do I know well? What have I studied? Which classes have I excelled in? Do you love reading and writing and have always been excited to go to English class? Then the Literature test is likely for you. Do you immerse yourself in understanding the natural world and have taken at least one year of Biology in high school? Then you should direct yourself toward the Biology Subject Test. Within these subjects, there may be variations of tests among which to choose. For example, there are two versions of the Biology Subject Test, one with an ecological focus and another with a molecular focus. Math offers Level 1 and Level 2, and some Language Tests offer Listening and non-Listening options. For a more detailed explanation of the various formats of the Subject Tests, check out this article. So once you have your subject chosen, you may have to decide where your knowledge is most specialized. Are you more interested in populations and energy flow or cellular division and photosynthesis? Are you confident with trigonometry and pre-calculus or do you prefer to leave those subjects off the test, as in Level 1 Math? Are your listening skills extremely strong in your understanding of another language? By understanding where your knowledge is specialized, you'll be able to narrow down your choice to the right subject and the right format. Finally, if you have taken and feel you excelled in several subjects, then you should ask yourself which subjects you felt most connected to and interested in. Like with the rest of your college application, your choice of Subject Tests communicates something about you to admissions officers. It indicates your own unique interests, interests that you might pursue further in college. So if you're having trouble narrowing down your choices, consider which subjects you like the most and want to highlight in your applications. Which Exams Are You Most Prepared For? You may have taken several classes in the subjects covered by the Subject Tests. Which ones are most fresh in your mind? The best time to take a Subject Test is often at the end of a school year in which you have been studying that subject. May and June are popular dates, and it can help to schedule your Subject Test close to a final or AP exam so you're fully immersed in studying that subject. Read more about the best dates to take the SAT Subject Tests and schedule them in and around the general SAT or ACT. Since the Subject Tests are about content readiness, you don't have to wait until junior year to take them. You might be prepared to take Biology at the end of freshman year for example, or perhaps you're ready for Math Level 1 or Level 2 by the end of sophomore year. If you familiarize yourself with the tests and plan ahead, then you might be able to get these tests over and done with before the busy spring and fall of junior and senior year. Most colleges should take your highest scores, so you can always retake a Subject Test if you're not totally satisfied with your score. What are your future goals? What Are Your Future Goals? If you have a sense of what you would like to study in college or what professional field you want to pursue, then you might want to take a Subject Test related to that area. If you'd like to study engineering, for example, then the Math and Physics Subject Tests could demonstrate your relevant interest and talent. If you're gearing up for pre-med, then the Biology Subject Test is a good bet. As mentioned above, liberal arts schools, especially the selective ones, often like to see diversity in your choice of tests, one from the humanities and another from math or sciences. So make sure you ask for advice from the school as to what scores and tests will most impress them in your application. What Are Your Language Abilities? If you are fluent in a language other than English, then the SAT Subject Test in that language could be a fantastic way to showcase your multilingualism. You still need to prepare and familiarize yourself with the test, to make sure you know what to expect. Since the majority of students tend to score highly on many of the language tests, you will have to achieve a high score to compare favorably with the other test-takers. As long as you make time for test prep and have strong language skills, then you should be able to get a great score and highlight this additional asset on your applications. If you're not very confident in your language abilities or have only studied the language in the classroom without much exposure to or development of your speaking and listening skills, then the language tests may not be the best choice for you. Since native and fluent speakers will be taking the test, you may end up in a low percentile even with what seems like a relatively high score in the upper 600s or even 700s. College Board recommends at least two years of study of a language. If you'd like to take a language test but aren't sure if your language skills are sufficient, definitely read over the content and try some practice questions. If you're still not sure, then a different Subject Test is probably your best bet for achieving a high score. Which Subject Tests Are Easiest? Another consideration when choosing a Subject Test is how students score on average. A low average score may suggest the test is particularly challenging. If scores show a large standard deviation, then it means that students scored across a broad range. Overall, students show very high averages on the Math Level 2, Chinese with Listening, and Korean with Listening tests, meaning you have to very confident and prepared to take these tests as you'll be compared with high-achieving students. You can also take a look at our more in-depth analysis ofthe easiest SAT Subject Tests. To Sum Up When asking yourself, "What SAT Subject Tests should I take?" you can find your answer by considering these questions: What exactly do my colleges require and want to see? What do I know? What classes did I do well in? You can even ask your family and teachers for feedback here. What classes am I currently taking that will prepare me for the Subject Test by the end of the year? How advanced are my language abilities? What do I want the admissions committee to know about my academic interests and strengths? How does this Subject Test relate to my future academic and professional goals? Which Subject Tests have the most favorable scoring curve? You have likely already chosen or been placed in classes that will help to determine your content readiness. Plus by answering all these questions, you should have a clear sense of what Subject Tests are best for you and your college applications. Now it's up to you to study so you can best demonstrate your knowledge and interests on the SAT Subject Tests of your choosing. What's Next? For a more detailed look into all the SAT Subject Test options and their different formats, check out our article here. Another important consideration about SAT Subject Tests iswhen to take them, especially when you have to schedule around the SAT or ACT and all your other activities. Check out our article on thebest dates to take the SAT Subject Tests. Are you also taking the SAT or ACT? Find out exactly when you should start preparing so you can balance your SAT prep with your Subject Test prep and achieve your best target scores. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

Health insurance Essays

Health insurance Essays Health insurance Paper Health insurance Paper Health insurance is sold in three interconnected markets, which can be divided into employer-group, small-group, and individual (or non-group) insurance markets. Some carriers actively sell coverage in all three markets but most do not. More often, the one can observe large carriers selling coverage to large-employer groups, and smaller carriers selling in the small-group and individual markets. In addition to these three types of markets, every state (and the District of Columbia) regulates how insurance is sold within its borders. The states have different regulations governing facets of insurance ranging from what benefits must be covered by insurance policies to how rates are determined to requirements about financial reserves. While this is true that most people are covered through the workplace, it is equally true that when these people lose their jobs, they also lose their health benefits. According to experts in this field, on average, for each jobless worker who has lost insurance, at least one child or spouse covered under the same policy has also lost protection. The situation and the need to invest in health insurance are aptly summed up by Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio. â€Å"No matter how bad the condition of the economy - we can’t delay pursuing comprehensive health care,† said Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio. â€Å"There are too many victims who are innocent of anything but working at the wrong place at the wrong time† (The New York Times). Purchasing health insurance becomes all the more imperative for the elderly. The risks of experiencing major health problems and incurring substantial medical expenses increase dramatically for people ages 55–64, so the consequences of lacking insurance may be more severe (W. Johnson and S. Crystal). Recent studies reveal that uninsured American adults receive less appropriate care and fewer needed health services than their insured peers. The same study also suggests on the need for health insurance to improve quality in services. According to it, coverage to the near-elderly uninsured may greatly improve health outcomes for these groups (J.Z. Ayanian). These figures point to the importance of buying health insurance. According to a study In 2006, Americans spent over $7,000 per capita on health care, up from $2,400 in 1980 and $800 in 1960 (all in 2006 dollars). National health care spending has grown more rapidly than the economy as a whole, so health care accounts for an increasing share of the overall economy (Chart 4-1). National health care spending now accounts for about 16 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), up from 9.1 percent in 1980 and only 5.2 percent in 1960. Yet the scene has now changed dramatically. According to the Census Bureau, After climbing steadily for six years, the number of Americans without health insurance dropped by more than a million in 2007, to 45.7 million (Ian Urbina). The health experts also reiterate this by pointing out that the rate of people without health insurance in the USA went down by 15.3 percent in 2007, from 15.8 percent a year earlier. Health insurance can greatly help to bring down your medical bills and also provide you the much needed security if you are unfortunate enough to be suffering from any kind of disease. This is because as medical care advances, so do the costs for treatment. The very purpose of health insurance is to provide you the much needed care you require in difficult times. Health insurance not only protects you and your family financially in times of unexpected injury or illness but can also provide you with preventive care options. Remember that you can never predict what your medical bills will be. In some years they may be low and in others they may be high but at all times you will atleast have your piece of mind knowing that you and your family are protected against diseases and injuries. Also keep in mind that there is a direct relationship between health insurance and health care. For one, you are free of tensions and secondly health insurance provides for regular visits by the doctor and so you get quality services when you need it. You can buy health insurance for yourself and your family directly from insurance companies. However, before making a choice, do take time to study various health plans and then buy which best fits your requirements. Let me point out that you have a choice of buying Managed health care, which has quickly become the most common type of health insurance in the United States. With health care costs almost constantly on the rise, managed care health insurance can offer a more affordable option to traditional fee-for-service (or indemnity) plans. Managed plans stress preventative medicine too, so if most of your annual medical expenses come from check-ups and the like, this may be a good bet. You also have the option of taking an indemnity plan. This plan on the other hand, will almost certainly be more expensive, but if you have a trusted physician youd like to keep, or suffer from frequent illness, the additional cost is probably worth it. I conclude by saying that national health care expenditures are expected to nearly double over the next 10 years. Thats largely due to the increased use and cost of prescription drugs, advances in medical technology and treatments, hospital equipment and services, increased specialty care, over-use of emergency rooms for non-emergency needs, and other factors. In the light of this the only way out for us is to ensure that we have health insurance to tide us through the rough weather. References The Importance of Health and Health Care. Chapter 4 whitehouse.gov/cea/2008_erp_ch4.pdf J.Z. Ayanian et al., Unmet Health Needs of Uninsured Adults in the United States, Journal of the American Medical Association 284, no. 16 (2000) The New York Times. When a Job Disappears, So Does the Health Care nytimes.com/2008/12/07/us/07uninsured.html?blex=1228798800en=8a47220b90bc54e4ei=5087%0A Ian Urbina. A Decline in Uninsured Is Reported for 2007. nytimes.com/2008/08/27/washington/27census.html?_r=1 W. Johnson and S. Crystal. R.W. Johnson and S. Crystal, Health Insurance Coverage at Midlife: Characteristics, Costs, and Dynamics, Health Care Financing Review 18, no. 3 (1997):