Research Korner: Health Topics

Critically evaluate the impact of the currently dominant scientific paradigm (Medical Model) in relation to the use and acceptability of acupuncture

Holistic Approaches to Health   Critically evaluate the impact of the currently dominant scientific paradigm (Medical Model) in relation to the use and acceptability of acupuncture     The impeding awareness and presence of therapeutic landscapes are places, settings and situations that encompass both the physical and psychological environments associated with treatment or healing, and the maintenance of health and well-being. Practices from holistic medicine, complementary medicine are used to illustrate specific humanistic concepts in further examining therapeutic landscapes and the understanding of holistic medicine. For acupuncture, the implying of alternative medicine has a major presence and persuasive attraction in the industrialized western world. The extent to which these practices have clinical efficacy according to biomedical criteria is a matter of ongoing research and debate. It may be that independent of any such efficacy, the attraction of alternative medicine is related to the power of its underlying shared beliefs and cultural assumptions. Discussion has focused on whether these practices have any biomedical efficacy and on potential adverse consequences. The shared cultural assumptions may provide vehicle for an enlarged sense of self and a renewed sense of morality and purpose, not meant to advocate or debunk alternative medicine but describes cultural dimensions of alternative medicine as overlooked.  Despite this diversity, much of alternative medicine shares important underlying assumptions and themes that have allowed these movements to form a significant coalition in their historical tug of war with conventional medicine (Cooter, 1988; Bynum and Porter, 1987; Rothstein, 1972; Gevitz, 1988). Thus, biomedicine suffers in this bifurcation because of its association with sophistication and technology as opposed to the perceived simplicity of undeveloped nature (Huxtable, 1992 p. 166). When people use alternative medicine, "the scientific enterprise" does not have to be abandoned. In fact, the label "science" in alternative medicine, as in biomedicine, is an important source of legitimating power, moral authority, and self-definition. Adding to the genuineness of the scientific label is the fact that training in alternative disciplines may involve years of study of complex knowledge bases and relations, intricate determinations of causality and empirical testing of practice (Cooper and Stoflet, 1996 p. 226). Thus, for instance in acupuncture, the biomedicine model may have assumptions that differ radically from those of alternative medicine (Gordon, 1988). The contemporary and alternative medicine's version of science lacks the adopted biomedical notion of clinical experiments carried out under the controlled conditions, exemplified by randomized trials (Kaptchuk, 1998; Lilienfeld, 1982). It can be that, the science of alternative medicine is ultimately "person friendly." Its language is one of solidarity, unity, and holism instead of the distant, statistical, and neutral conventions of normative science (Tambiah, 1990). For person-centered experience is the ultimate verification and reigns supreme in alternative science since, such acupuncture knowledge and simple observation are not deprecated, no placebo effect haunts and casts doubt on the validity of therapeutic outcomes (Kaptchuk, 1998 p. 1724; Sullivan, 1993 p. 215). The alternative medicine science has no radical skepticism. In fact, alternative medicine science sometimes takes on the appearance of proving deeply held beliefs by selectively appropriating normative scientific studies, for instance consumer infatuation with and hope in acupuncture use is unshakable as well as sustained by skewed attention to scientific knowledge as contrary to research evidence is being known at (Apple, 1996). Ideally, acupuncture had existed today not just in its Chinese origins but also in other parts of the world, even in the United Kingdom. The scientific paradigm adheres to the contemporary and alternative use and application of medicine and its therapies known about. The need to assume acupuncture research and such aspects of the medical model relating to its usage as well as acceptability into the UK society, and its impeding and growing health care systems and other processes deemed at. Recognizing acupuncture and how it works in the UK, from within research studies are to be discussed and analyzed critically along with some statistical examples of the acupuncture study, its safety assumptions in the UK and other relevant aspects and information of acupuncture in support of such resources from books, journals and articles linked from Google scholar, the guardian news archive/ the observer (Revill, 2005) and other academic related databases and some research points of reliability and validity of acupuncture effectiveness and practice respectively. Thus, truly known that in the United Kingdom, acupuncture is widely used in private institutions of care as well as in the National Health Society (NHS) practices, and noted in surveys of the use of complementary medicine, acupuncture is consistently cited among the most commonly used (Zollman and Vickers, 1999 p. 319). Indeed, there was about  seven percent of the adult population in England have received acupuncture, and that some of the acupuncture sessions are provided by specialist practitioners without other medical qualifications, of whom there are over 2200 in the UK (Thomas, Nicholl and Coleman, 2001 p. 4; British Acupuncture Council, 2001). Furthermore, the British Medical Acupuncture Society has among its members over 2000 doctors who use acupuncture in hospital or general practice, as one survey estimated that, NHS provided one million acupuncture treatments in England. The current estimated total cost to the NHS of nearly £26 million is equivalent to all other complementary therapies as ideally combined (British Medical Acupuncture Society, 2001; Thomas, Nicholl and Coleman, 2001) The process of acupuncture involves the stimulation of specific points on the skin, usually by the insertion of needles. In its original form acupuncture was based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional acupuncturists understand health in terms of energy which circulates between the organs along channels called meridians, as the energy must flow in the correct strength and quality through each of these meridians and organs for health to be maintained.  Many conventional healthcare professionals who practice acupuncture have dispensed with such concepts. Acupuncture points are thought to correspond to physiological and anatomical features such as peripheral nerve junctions, and diagnosis is made in purely conventional terms. One concept thought important by some practitioners is that of "trigger points" which they believe often correspond to acupuncture points, one area of increased sensitivity within a muscle which is said to cause a characteristic pattern of referred pain in a related segment of the body (Baldry, 1993).  Some research indicates that, “acupuncture and the complementary medical modalities that involve holistic principles challenge the dominant biomedical paradigm of mechanical reductionism and therefore are considered unconventional or alternative, two of which lie within the dominant scientific paradigm, and a third that is built upon frontier ideas at the edge of the new science of acupuncture paradigm as being capable of accommodating many puzzling features of acupuncture. In order to embody the latter, it appears that a new paradigm for the life sciences is needed to address the wholeness and integrity of the organism. Nonetheless, despite this pluralistic view, working toward a unity of Eastern and Western thought may lead to a more universal understanding of acupuncture in the future” (Rubik, 1995 p. 41). In addition, there success in examining better ways in which the “acupuncture phenomenon is translated into scientific language through the mobilization of functional magnetic resonance imaging. In doing so, it explores how differences between science and traditional medicine are bridged and negotiated through an open-ended tuning process among heterogeneous elements. By showing the constructive interaction between traditional medicine and science, conception of East Asian medicines as culturally bounded and to provide an interpretation of trans-cultural norm that emphasizes its diverse and hybrid formations. Particularly, in order to explain the scientific translation of acupuncture, the adopting of performance based perspective rather than representational one with regard to science, as the scientific interpretation of acupuncture as an interactive stabilization between the acupuncture phenomenon, theory and the material procedure there is” (Kim, 2006 p. 2960). It can be that, ideal understanding of acupuncture, Chinese medicine is limited by lack of inquiry into the dynamics of research and its underlying process, the holistic model of acupuncture assumes that, ‘whole being greater than the sum of the parts’, implications for service provision and research design. The paradigm model will require comprehensive evidence and assimilation of acupuncture dominance in the UK, in ample medical care and health domains. For many patients attracted to complementary medicine its safety has been one of its principal appeals. Complementary methods, including acupuncture, are seen as less invasive, more natural, and less liable to adverse effects than more orthodox forms of treatment. Critics of complementary medicine have, however, often castigated it as being dangerous, sometimes in the same breath as ridiculing complementary methods for their lack of effectiveness and scientific support (Vincent, 2001 p. 467). True, that no person will want unsafe medicine, safety is a given factor for care and acupuncture safety is also deemed to be a safe alternative as the UK carers are imbued with the importance of safe practice from the moment they start their training at the same time dislike the adverse publicity of medical accidents, the social and medical cultures, which focus on blame, are a major threat to safety in medicine. The impeachable need of a systems approach to the safe practice of acupuncture is possible, and involves making a careful and systematic assessment of every aspect of practice in a hierarchy that extends from the professional institution to factors in clinical practice and the patient, indeed, very necessary to provide positive evidence of the safety of acupuncture as such risks that acupuncture carries are the risk of traumatic injury to an internal organ, especially the pleura, by needle penetration, risk of causing bacterial infections in deep structures, though this seems to be small, probably because the needle tip is too small to carry infected material from the skin. The usual way to obtain an estimate of the frequency of adverse events is to conduct prospective surveys specifically for the purpose in the UK as reported. For example, safety of acupuncture treatment for osteoarthritis can be compared with that of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as about 12% of these people will die, and it has been estimated that hemorrhage caused by NSAIDs are the cause of death in about 2000 people in the UK each year. The UK patients should be provided with information on the risks of acupuncture before giving consent to treatment. While the precise details and method of presentation will vary according to the circumstances and the needs of individual patients, as a minimum they should be informed of the risks of drowsiness, minor bleeding, and the aggravation of symptoms as well as fainting possibilities. For several acupuncture cases that works there are information effectively noted by the guardian news archive in the United Kingdom for one, there assumes that acupuncture relies on a different language and different tools from Western medicine, but however strange it seems at first, as controversy has raged for years over whether acupuncture has only a placebo effect that makes people feel psychologically and physically better but changes nothing physiologically. However, one study reveals for the first time that it provokes a specific response in the brain, shedding light on how it might affect the body's pain pathways. This helps to explain why both patients and health professionals trained in Western medicine are increasingly turning to this ancient form of Chinese healing. Aside, one study in the British Medical Journal showed that patients with osteoarthritis in the knee who received acupuncture a well as an anti-inflammatory painkiller suffered less pain and stiffness than those who received the drug plus sham acupuncture, where the needle did not penetrate the skin also, some children with hay fever and nasal allergies had fewer sneezing bouts and congestion after acupuncture compared with a placebo group, in research carried out in Hong Kong. Indeed, one particular research have indicated  the “conjunction of growing popularity, complementary and alternative medicine in the United Kingdom has witnessed increasing professionalization, as prompted by the landmark Parliamentary Inquiry during November of the year 2000. Professionalization has become significant strategy for practitioner associations and a key focus for the government, media, and patient groups, being driven by concern over the interests of patients and consumers, and in relation to the possible integration of certain forms of complementary and alternative medicine into publicly funded healthcare” (Clarke, Doel and Segrott, 2004 p. 330). There can be certain extent to which alternative therapies are being holistic as for instance, the acupuncture process in the UK, alternative medicine is contrasted with biomedical basis of orthodox medicine along with a critique of which there led to the development of contemporary notions of holistic acupuncture practice. The good background to the holistic health movement is then charted with reference to the rise of the medical profession, which has become increasingly unified around biomedicine from within largely holistic nature of alternative health care today is duly illustrated by some case studies of specific alternative therapies as well as their practice contextualization. However, it is argued that not every aspect of alternative medicine can be seen as holistic, nor should it be assumed that every elements of the known practice are non-holistic as health professionals become involved with alternative therapies in order to extend an ideal holistic approach to UK’s health care (Saks, 1997 p. 5).   For some acupuncture statistics found into the UK research context, there can linking evidence of certain conditions of research giving ample weight into the practice of acupuncture in the UK as such statistics coming from a particular investigation, meta analysis of practice and philosophy in acupuncture as it remain an issue within mainstream healthcare in the UK. In spite of the relative integration of acupuncture within orthodox medical practice, the lack of scientific paradigm conformity continues to divide traditional from Western approaches. This study sought to explore the perceptions and attitudes of existing acupuncture clinicians in the UK, from a range of professional backgrounds and affiliations, towards traditional acupuncture philosophy and practice. In doing so, it attempted to determine the extent to which traditional approaches were both regarded as legitimate and utilized in practice within mainstream healthcare. For stats, such response rates of 60.8% were being obtained, whereas 59% and 72% (Shao, Borthwick, Lewith and Hopwood, 2005) of respondents in BMAS and AACP groups used such known theory. Another point is placed at the acupuncture for such smoking cessation as the statistics research implied that acupuncture is promoted as a treatment for smoking cessation, and is believed to reduce withdrawal symptoms as there performed meta-analysis using a fixed effects model. For stats outcome, acupuncture was not superior to sham acupuncture in smoking cessation in any time point as odds ratio for early outcomes was 1.22 (95% confidence interval 0.99 to 1.49) (White, Rampes and Ernst, 2000 updated 2002), the odds ratio after 6 months was 1.38 (95% confidence interval 0.90 to 2.11) and after 12 months 1.02 (95% confidence interval 0.72 to 1.43) (White, Rampes and Ernst, 2000 updated 2002), when acupuncture was compared with other anti-smoking interventions, there were no differences in outcome at any time point and that there appeared to be superior to no intervention in the results but not duly sustained and have asserted that there has been no clear evidence that acupuncture is effective for smoking cessation. Therefore, the assimilation geared towards effective medical model of acupuncture usage and acceptance in the UK has assumptions that contemporary and alternative medication is a success as the British Medical Association had suggested the encompasses of treatments not taught in the medical curriculum as considerations of acupuncture is being evidently recognized. Thus, in UK, doctors who practise alternative medicine are practitioners, acting as mediators between the public demand for treatment and the evidence-based provision of medical services as inevitable that economic and social pressures will then encourage contemporary and alternative medicine development through the overall function stance of acupuncture areas in the UK, as well as in the determined practice environment as for acupuncture stature, some illnesses for which conventional medicine will be offering in adequate patterns of care and success in care path, the process has recently been completed in the United Kingdom (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2004) with the support of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine. Contemporary and alternative medicine is clearly known by UK and to some other Western nations but it may be a mistake to read too much into the use of any particular therapeutic intervention. Patients may be using contemporary and alternative medicine to empower themselves in the management of their chronic illnesses. Indeed, without adequate research funding and the establishment of high quality research network, as well as a critical and evaluative approach to education and practice of acupuncture, it will be impossible for UK health team to answer these vital questions about the increased use of contemporary and alternative medicine and its combined therapeutic efficacy, learning that contemporary and alternative medicine does incur positive desire for acupuncture ways to play vital role in the management of such diseases and illness points. References Apple RD. Vitamania: Vitamins in American Culture. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Univ Pr; 1996. Baldry PE. Acupuncture, trigger points and musculoskeletal pain. London: Churchill Livingstone, 1993. British Acupuncture Council. www.acupuncture.org.uk (accessed 19 June 2001) British Medical Acupuncture Society. www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk (accessed 19 June 2001) British Medical Association. Complementary medicine: new approaches to good practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993. Bynum WF, Porter R, eds. Medical Fringe & Medical Orthodoxy, 1750-1850. London: Croom Helm; 1987. Clark, D. Doel, M. and Segrott, J. (2004), No alternative? The regulation and professionalization of complementary and alternative medicine in the United Kingdom. Health & Place Volume 10, Issue 4, December 2004, Pages 329-338. 2004 Elsevier Ltd Cooper RA, Stoflet SJ. Trends in the education and practice of alternative medicine clinicians. Health Aff (Millwood). 1996; 15:226-38. Cooter R, ed. Studies in the History of Alternative Medicine. New York: St. Martin's Pr; 1988. Gevitz N, ed. Other Healers: Unorthodox Medicine in America. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ Pr; 1988. Gordon DR. Tenacious assumptions in western medicine. In: Lock MM, Gordon D, eds. Biomedicine Examined. Boston: Kluwer Academic; 1988. Huxtable RJ. The myth of beneficent nature: the risks of herbal preparation [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 1992; 117:165-6. Kaptchuk TJ. Powerful placebo: the dark side of the randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 1998; 351:1722-5. Kaptchuk TJ. Intentional ignorance: a history of blind assessment and placebo controls. Bull Hist Med. 1998; 72:389-433. Kim, J. (2006). Beyond paradigm: making transcultural connections in a scientific translation of acupuncture. Social Science Medicine Journal. Jun; 62(12):2960-72. Epub 2006 Jan 18, Elsevier University of Illinois at Urbana Lilienfeld AM. The Fielding H. Garrison Lecture: Ceteris paribus: the evolution of the clinical trial. Bull Hist Med. 1982; 56:1-18. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Acupuncture. December 2004. Available at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture (accessed on 2 September 2008) Paterson, C. and Britten, N. (2004). Acupuncture as a Complex Intervention: A Holistic Model.  The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. November 2004, 10(5): 791-801 Revill, J. (2005), It's official: acupuncture really works. Guardian, the Observer  Rubik, B. (1995), Can Western science provides a foundation for acupuncture? Alternative Therapy Health Medicine Journal. Sep; 1(4):41-7 Center for Frontier Sciences, Temple University Philadelphia Rothstein WG. American Physicians in the Nineteenth Century: From Sects to Science. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Pr; 1972. Saks, M. (1997\), Alternative therapies: are they holistic?. Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery Volume 3, Issue 1, February 1997, Pages 4-8. 1997 Elsevier Ltd. Shao, J. Borthwick, A. Lewith, G. and Hopwood, V. (2005), Attitudes towards Traditional Acupuncture in the UK. Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine. 2(1):37-45 Sullivan MD. Placebo controls and epistemic control in orthodox medicine. J Med Philos. 1993; 18:213-31. Tambiah SJ. Magic, Science, Religion, and the Scope of Rationality. New York: Cambridge Univ Pr; 1990. Thomas KJ, Nicholl JP, Coleman P. Use and expenditure on complementary medicine in England: a population based survey. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2001;9:2–11   Vincent, C. (2001),  The safety of acupuncture. BMJ 2001 323: 467-468.   White AR, Rampes H, Ernst E. Acupuncture for smoking cessation (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library. Issue 2. Oxford: Update Software, 2001   Zollman C, Vickers A. ABC of complementary medicine. Users and practitioners of complementary medicine. BMJ 1999;319:836–8

Critically evaluate the impact of the currently dominant scientific paradigm (Medical Model) in relation to the use and acceptability of acupuncture

Holistic Approaches to Health Critically evaluate the impact of the currently dominant scientific paradigm (Medical Model) in...

Risk Assessment in Pressure Sores

Pressure Sore Introduction In health care settings, the doctors and nurses and other health care providers are working together in reaching the one common aim. To provide the quality of health care and promote the wellness is one of their goals in working within the corners of hospitals. In their everyday life inside the hospital, the clinicians provide an in-depth analysis about the different diseases that is present in their patient. One of the most case-sensitive ill is the pressure sore that creates a great dilemma for both the health care practitioner and the patient. Risk Assessment A client that is suffering in paralysis might likely to experience the pressure sores. Along with that is the presence of pain and pneumonia. Focusing on the pressure sores, the proposed solution in the problem of pressure sores is the implementation of evidence based practice (EBP) as a protocol in the pressure sore management. In the collaboration of the various clinical apparatuses and innovative tools, the diagnostic results created by the specialist are nevertheless accurate on the actual condition of the patient such as their pain and discomfort feeling. Due to the different symptoms and various allergies of the patient, the stages of the disease is detected, treated and, if possible, is cured. This application of appropriate solution is based on the evidences being present in the patients. Health care practitioners are guided by the same clinical practice that assists them as well as their patients in generating a clinical decision. These guidelines were systematically formed to develop a comprehensive statement wherein the experts can deliberately explain or provide the quality care. The specific clinical condition of a patient is the most available scientific evidence and from the past experience and knowledge of the health care provider, the judgment can be created. The adequate prescription can be the last statement that a health care provider can give which is also suitable in the patient’s needs. The client should experience the support coming from their families and also the encouragement coming from the nurses and other medical staffs in assisting the recovery of the patient. In pressure sores or pressure ulcers, the level of evidences is a great source of information that a health care provider can consider in recommending for the available prevention strategies. According to the quality and quantity of available scientific data and methods, the level of evidences can be assessed. Although in most incidence, the level of evidence in pressure sores are relatively low because of the difficulty in performing randomized controlled trials and studies in the area of health (AWMA, 2001). Therefore, the use of protocol is part of the strategies in most of the hospitals to recognize the different improvement in the situation of the patient. The development of the pressure sores can be risky in the patient and the importance of the evidences plays a significant role (Shultz and Shultz, 2004). Through the use of appropriate procedures such as the observations and recording, the critical assessment on the evidences can be strong and valid (Barry, 2009). However, the role of the nurses in terms of decision making is to provide vital information that can help the patients understand the situation. That information is important to bring the independence and privacy in the hands of the clients. The confidentiality of the patient’s decision making is based on the health and safety aspects of care. The pressure sore that the patient’s feel is important factor in formulating the right solutions for assisting the patients in making their decisions. At some point, the function of the nurses became more challenging than before. Conclusion The use of evidences in the medical practice and be part of the overall procedure is one of the basic assumptions that a medical or health care provider should do. In the field of medicine, the experts and the patient should expect the different changes that might happen in the patient and through that different changes, the theories are revealed. The validity of the practice and the guideline of the medical practitioners can guarantee that all their observations are based on their knowledge and there is a valid reason for the generated medical decisions. References: AWMA, (2001) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prediction and Prevention of Pressure Ulcers, Australian Wound Management Association [Online] Available at: http://www.awma.com.au/publications/2007/cpgpppu_v_full.pdf [Accessed 30 December 2010]. Barry, D., (2009) Pressure Care February Newsletter References [Online] Available at: http://www.wounds-uk.com/pressurecare/downloads/pressurecare_february_09_references.pdf [Accessed 30 December 2010] Shultz, J., & Shultz, B., (2004) Investigative Protocol Pressure Ulcer [Online] Available at: http://www.vpurt.org/files/INVESTIGATIVE%20PROTOCOL-F314%20updated%20Nov%202004-7%20pages.pdf [Accessed 30 December 2010].

Risk Assessment in Pressure Sores

Pressure Sore Introduction In health care settings, the doctors and nurses and other health care providers are working together in re...

The impact of HIV/AIDS

The impact of HIV/AIDS. In almost 3 decades nearly 25 million people have died from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).  (Impact of HIV/AIDS. http://www.globalhealth.org/hiv_aids/, retrieved 13 April, 2011)  Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentvirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).  AIDS is a condition in the humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. Within these bodily fluids, HIV is present as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune. The four major routes of transmission are unsafe sex, contaminated needles, breast milk, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth (prenatal transmission). Screening of blood products for HIV has largely eliminated transmission through blood transfusions or infected blood products in the developed world. (HIV.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV, retrieved 13 April, 2011.) “HIV infects primarily vital cells in the human immune system such as helper T cells (specifically CD4+ T cells), macrophages, and dendritic cells.[10] HIV infection leads to low levels of CD4+ T cells through three main mechanisms: First, direct viral killing of infected cells; second, increased rates of apoptosis in infected cells; and third, killing of infected CD4+ T cells by CD8 cytotoxic lymphocytes that recognize infected cells. When CD4+ T cell numbers decline below a critical level, cell-mediated immunity is lost, and the body becomes progressively more susceptible to opportunistic infections. Most untreated people infected with HIV-1 eventually develop AIDS.[11] These individuals mostly die from opportunistic infections or malignancies associated with the progressive failure of the immune system.[12] HIV progresses to AIDS at a variable rate affected by viral, host, and environmental factors; most will progress to AIDS within 10 years of HIV infection: some will have progressed much sooner, and some will take much longer.[13][14] Treatment with anti-retrovirals increases the life expectancy of people infected with HIV. Even after HIV has progressed to diagnosable AIDS, the average survival time with antiretroviral therapy was estimated to be more than 5 years as of 2005.[15] Without antiretroviral therapy, someone who has AIDS typically dies within a year. (HIV.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV, retrieved 13 April, 2011.) HIV/AIDS has complicated the fight against poverty, health improvement and development by the following: <ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in"> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	“Diminishing 	a person’s ability to support, work and provide for his or her family. At 	the same time, treatment and health-care costs related to HIV/AIDS consume 	household incomes. The combined effect of reduced income and increased costs 	impoverishes individuals and households. </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	Deepening socioeconomic and gender disparities. Women are at high risk of 	infection and have few options for providing for their families. Children 	affected by HIV/AIDS, due to their own infection or parental illness or 	death, are less likely to receive an education, as they leave school to care 	for ailing parents and younger siblings. </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	Straining the resources of communities – hospitals, social services, schools 	and businesses. Health care workers, teachers, and business and government 	leaders have been lost to HIV/AIDS. The impact of diminished productivity is 	felt on a national scale. 	(HIV/AIDS.  	 	 	http://www.globalhealth.org/hiv_aids/, 	retrieved 13 April, 2011.)”</li> </ul> The number of people living with HIV continues to rise despite global attention and intervention efforts.  <ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in"> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	“In 	2008, globally, about 2 million people died of AIDS, 33.4 million were 	living with HIV and 2.7 million people were newly infected with the virus. </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	 	HIV infections and AIDS deaths are unevenly distributed geographically and 	the nature of the epidemics vary by region. Epidemics are abating in some 	countries and burgeoning in others. More than 90 percent of people with HIV 	are living in the developing world.3 </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	There is growing recognition that the virus does not discriminate by age, 	race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status – 	everyone is susceptible. However, certain 	groups are at particular risk of HIV, 	including men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDUs), and 	commercial sex workers (CSWs). </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	 	The impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls has 	been particularly devastating. Women and girls now comprise 50 percent of 	those aged 15 and older living with HIV.1 </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	The impact of HIV/AIDS on children and young 	people is 	a severe and growing problem. In 2008, 430,000 children under age 15 were 	infected with HIV and 280,000 died of AIDS.1, 4 In 	addition, about 15 million children have lost one or both parents due to the 	disease.4  </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	There are effective prevention 	and treatment interventions, 	as well as efforts to develop new approaches, medications and vaccines. </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	 	The sixth 	Millennium Development Goal (MDG) focuses 	on stopping and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015. </li> </ul> Global funding is increasing, but global need is growing even faster – widening the funding gap. Services and funding are disproportionately available in developed countries. (HIV/AIDS.  http://www.globalhealth.org/hiv_aids/, retrieved 13 April, 2011.)”

The impact of HIV/AIDS

T he impact of HIV/AIDS. In almost 3 decades nearly 25 million people have died from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). (Im...

CTA vs Conventional Angiograpy

This paper discusses about the differences between Computed Tomography Angiography and Conventional Angiography in terms of quality and reliability.  The two are compared and contrasted based on their characteristics. At the end of the paper, Computed Tomography is recommended to diagnose many diseases and it shows many advantages over the conventional angiography.             Diseases in blood vessels including those of the brain and the heart can be diagnosed through angiography. Angiography is used to diagnose pathology of blood vessels such as blockage caused by plaque build up ( 2006). Traditionally, X-ray or the conventional angiography was used but due to the development of technology, Magnetic Resonance, ultrasound, and Computed Tomography slowly replaced x-ray angiography.             Basically, angiography is a radiographic technique where a radio-opaque contrast material is injected into a blood vessel for the purpose of identifying anatomy on x-ray. This technique is used to image arteries in the brain, heart, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, aorta, neck or carotids, chest, limbs and pulmonary circuits ( 2006). This technique is carried out in a laboratory by a trained cardiologist or radiologist and technicians. The doctor will first need to insert an intravenous, IV, line into one of the blood vessels of the patient’s arm, chest, neck or groin (2004). Then, a catheter is inserted through the IV and into the patient’s blood vessels using x-ray machine that produces real-time pictures. When the catheter is already placed into the blood vessel of interest, contrasts material is injected and pictures are taken. It usually takes time for the doctors to get the catheter into the right spot ( 2004). There are different types of angiography depending on the type of test such as cerebral angiography for the head, extremity angiography for arm or leg, renal angiography for the kidneys and pulmonary angiography for the lungs.             Conventional angiography or cardiac catheterization is the diagnostic of standard for determining the presence, location, and severity of coronary artery disease ( 2006). Conventional angiography has long been used in the medical field for its high effectiveness. However, this technique is invasive, labor intensive due to its procedure, costly and has a significant risk of complications. This technique involves passing a catheter onto the right or left side of the heart. It is also used to determine pressure and blood flow in the heart’s chambers, collect blood samples from the heart and examine the arteries of the heart with an x-ray technique called fluoroscopy. Fluoroscopy provides real-time visualization of the x-ray images on a screen and provides a permanent record of the procedure ( 2004).             Conventional angiography carries risks depending on organ undergoing a test. These risks may include bleeding and pain at IV site; a risk that the soft plastic catheters could damage the blood vessels; the risks the blood clot could form on the catheters and later block blood vessels in the body; and the risks that the contrast material could damage the kidneys especially in diabetes patients (2004) aside from some discomfort and it mandates routine follow-up care.             On the other hand, there are other angiography techniques that are more advantageous than the conventional type. One of these is the Computed Tomography Angiography, CTA. CTA is replacing conventional angiography because this test is less invasive and easier to perform than conventional angiography while obtaining results just as accurate as the results obtained from conventional angiography. CTA is a three-dimensional technique that provides information about the imaged vessels and adjacent structures (Tins et al, 2001). It enables the display of vascular structures aided by injections of contrast medium. The multislice scanner enables the system to display the entire vascular system including small vascular exits, branches, embolisms or dissection membranes ( 2006). This is one of the advantages of CTA, with this type of imaging the physician can easily conduct and decide for surgical planning using the image produce through a CTA. CTA requires only venous vascular access and is an outpatient examination with lesser risks than conventional angiography. At minimum, CTA requires a thin section helical CT acquisition coupled with a power injection of intravenous iodinated contrast medium. A multidetector-row CT or MDCT, that is capable of detecting and reliably diagnosing pathology in the adjacent structures and end organs of the vessel is commonly used and preferred for CTA (CIGNA, 2005). For cardiac and some aortic CTA, an electrocardiograph-gated acquisition should be performed that allows retrospective reconstruction of the scan volume at multiple phases through the cardiac cycle (   2005). The advantages of Computed Tomography angiography over conventional angiography were studied by the American Heart Association ( 2004) and found out that the advantages and use of CTA varies depending on the type of disease being evaluated. For occlusive disease of the extracranial carotid arteries, CTA has higher degree of accuracy compared with conventional angiography. For thoracic aorta, one major advantage of CTA is the ability to accurately evaluate the surrounding structures within the thorax for pathology that may provide alternative explanations for the patient’s symptoms (CIGNA, 2005) necessary for the treatment. For abdominal aorta diseases, CTA has high accuracy in measuring vessel lengths, diameters and angles. With peripheral arterial disease, CTA can produce image not visualized by conventional angiography aside from the greater longitudinal coverage of multidetector-row CT ( 2005). Generally, CTA has many advantages over the conventional angiography. These advantages include visualization of the anatomy from multiple angles and in multiple planes; improved visualization of soft tissues and other adjacent anatomic structures; less invasiveness and fewer complications. However, it is still a standard for coronary artery diseases to use the conventional angiography or the Cardiac Catheterization because there is still no sufficient evidence to support the use of CTA with suspected coronary artery disease. CTA also involves radiation exposure and the potential for ionated contrast related reaction (2005) as well as temporal and spatial resolution. Recommendation of the use of either CTA or the conventional angiography depends on the type of the disease to be imaged. However, for its accuracy and advantages over the conventional one, CTA is recommended due to above mentioned characteristics, quality and reliability and due to it less invasiveness than conventional angiography.

CTA vs Conventional Angiograpy

This paper discusses about the differences between Computed Tomography Angiography and Conventional Angiography in terms of qu...

Genetically modified food is good to the world

Genetically modified food is good to the world               Genetically modified food is the trend of today. The existence of genetically modified food may mean a breakthrough in science, technology, economy and health. Genetically modified food, or GMF’s are food containing genetically modified organisms. For example, a genetically modified pig may be used to produce the pork chop that one may eat everyday.             Genetic modification is no longer a new concept. Nature has long been genetically modifying every species in order to fit the changing environment. People have adopted the action of gene modification. Genetic modification can potentially bring many positive effects for many people. it can potentially end the continuing problem plaguing many people in different parts of the world today: hunger. Hunger is one of the most widespread social issue and one of the most difficult to alleviate. In the statement by the hunger site, it described the hunger and other related issues that threaten human life everyday. The following is an excerpt from the site. “It is estimated that one billion people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition. That's roughly 100 times as many as those who actually die from these causes each year. About 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. This is down from 35,000 ten years ago, and 41,000 twenty years ago. Three-fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five. Famine and wars cause about 10% of hunger deaths, although these tend to be the ones you hear about most often. The majority of hunger deaths are caused by chronic malnutrition. Families facing extreme poverty are simply unable to get enough food to eat. The Hunger Site began on June 1, 1999. In 1999, a year marked by good economic news, 31 million Americans were food insecure, meaning they were either hungry or unsure of where their next meal would come from. Of these Americans, 12 million were children. “ (2007).                         Social policies regarding hunger are increasing in number throughout the years. This is in response to the continuous hunger problems around the world. More than a million people die of hunger every day. Due to the increasing death polls, many nations have raised their alarm. Much legislation is passed every week to alleviate the hunger in the world.             GMF’s pose a potential answer to this continuing problem of hunger. GMO’s have the capacity to reproduce and grow rapidly even without continued tending. If these organisms can reproduce and grow at a rate two times as fast as any other organic organism, then it may be something that can help many people. Another positive outcome that can be attributed to GMF’s is resistance to pests, heat, cold and drought (2006). GMO’s can lessen the usage of pesticides that contribute much to environmental pollution and poisoning. Some “pesticidial” properties occur naturally in plants. This is the reason why many organic farmers tend to use pesticides. But still, these pesticides can potentially harm the human being consuming the food. Genetically modified foods however, do not need pesticides and germicides in order to resist pests and insects. Plants that are genetically modified are inserted with genes from insects (2006), that’s why they posses insect-resistant properties.             Pigs potentially cause harm to the environment and to man as well. Pigs that are naturally bed posses manure with high counts of phosphorus, which can be harmful to the environment. Phosphorus in pig manure can deplete oxygen, encourage the overgrowth of bacteria and fungi and potentially emit dangerous greenhouse gasses. Though many laws and restrictions are put on pig farming, this can not give the desired effect of thoroughly eliminating this hazard. Genetic modification however, provides an easy solution for this. Pigs are genetically modified, so the manure they give out virtually contains less or no phosphorus at all. This is a breakthrough for farmers who have no option on the disposal of pig manure.              GMO’s can also lessen the possibility the increase of allergen carrying food. Many foods have innate allergens. This can be greatly harmful to many people, especially children and babies. But GMO’s have no or lessened possibility of carrying allergens, therefore cutting the possibility of death to almost half.   Health, Illnesses and GMO’s The ways in which health, disease and illness were defined depended upon a number of different factors. For example, the ways in which professionals define health and illness are different from the ways in which other members of society conceive of them. Within our Western culture there has always been great diversity in the conceptualizing of health and illness. Though the models of health and illness may vary, these concepts play a defining role, indicating what should, and what should not be, the objects of public health concern. According to  (1981), the concepts are ambiguous, operating both as explanatory and as evolutionary notions. Health and disease are normative as well as descriptive terms. For example, they describe states of affairs, factual conditions, while at the same time presenting them as good or bad (2001). At a cultural level what constitutes health has become a central plank of contemporary consumer culture as images of youthfulness, vitality, energy and so on have become key articulating principles of a range of contemporary popular discourses. According to (1980), health is the optimum level of independence in each activity of living which enables the individual to function at his or her maximum capacity.  (1995) defined health as a state of wholeness or integrity of the individual, his or her parts and modes of functioning.  (1986), states that health is a relatively stable state of maximum wellness which equates with independence.  (1980) pointed out that health is defined by cultures and individuals to denote behaviors that are of high value and low value.  (1966) defined health as the ability to function independently regarding fourteen fundamental activities of daily living. According to  (1982), health is a varying state of wellness and illness which is influenced by physiological, psychological, socio-cultural and developmental factors. These are just a few of the meanings of health as described by some authors. As societies increasingly come to expect their citizens to manage their own health and take responsibility for their own illnesses, the individual is required to 'police their body'. In the sociology of health, a sociology of the body has emerged as a rapidly expanding area following the impact of post-modernist theory. In the present collection, two readings focus on 'the body'. In the first it examines the significance of the body to consumerism, and emphasizes the important role that consumerist notions of the body have in 'health maintenance' and ‘disease prevention' strategies and discourses. In the field of medical sociology, empirical research has continually provided evidence of the way social and material circumstances influence the pattern of health and illness, apart from the undoubted influence of medical concepts and knowledge. The popular notion that 'knowledge is power' is often taken to mean the reverse: that under postmodern conditions power is little more than knowledge and 'truth claims'. However, the idea that we live in a period of 'post-scarcity values' where such discursive processes hold sway, flies in the face of the continuing effects of economic deprivation in contemporary societies-as reflected in the continuing debates about income differentials and social status and their impact on health, even where absolute poverty is less evident. Unless such sources of power are recognized postmodern ideas threaten to become little more than a gloss on the continuing trend of widening social inequalities (1998). Within consumer culture the emphasis on 'appearance' and 'bodily presentation' has become paramount. The individual is encouraged to 'adopt instrumental strategies to combat deterioration and decay' with 'body work' being supported and structured through the production of 'stylized images of the body' in the advertising and entertainment media. In the context of consumer culture the prime purpose of individuals' maintaining their 'inner body' through control of their diet, exercise and unhealthy behaviors 'becomes the enhancement of the appearance of the outer body'. Clearly, consumer culture is incapable of generating satisfactory strategies and solutions to the inevitable deterioration and decay which accompany ageing and death insofar as its logic is to avoid these realities and instead sell us the illusion of a forever happy, disease and pain-free life which we can achieve by buying into regimes of body maintenance (2001). In considering the social and environmental forces affecting health, access to health care, disease and illness, the significance of various dimensions and aspects of social stratification has been well documented, including 'ethnicity', 'gender' and 'social exclusion'. In the present collection a short extract from (1995) describes the 'picture of health’ experienced by women in both the developed and poorer countries of the world.  GMO’s and GMF’s provide the solution to many of these problems on health and illnesses. But GMF’s are viewed by many people as harmful due to the fact that it is synthetic. The common misconception in the world today is that if it is not natural and organic (synthetic), it carries potential harm to mankind. But still, GMO’s should be viewed as positive, because, clearly, all its positive effects outweigh the negative. It may even be the answer to man’s ultimate goal: immortality.

Genetically modified food is good to the world

Genetically modified food is good to the world Genetically modified food is the trend of today. The existence of geneti...

Research Paper on Nutrition Month

Marketing Report   Introduction             In today’s business world, the value and importance of customers is not something that should be set aside by companies. Marketing plans and strategies would be incomplete without paying much consideration to the customers. Customers will and should always be a part of the agenda in any marketing plan of any company. Because of the implications for profitability and growth, customer retention is potentially one of the most powerful weapons that companies can employ in their fight to gain a strategic advantage and survive in today's ever increasing competitive environment (Lindenmann, 1999).  It can be argued that consumers all over the world vary and that these differences may lead to different consumer behaviour.  Since the consumer behaviour (See Appendix) is being bounded by the culture and traditional values of nations the differences of consumer behaviour are vastly increasing. Consumer behaviour has been defined as the "acquisition, consumption and disposition of products, services, time and the concepts by decision making units" (Jacoby 1998). In any food product business, consumer behaviour involves the purchase process, but it is concerned with the product use process as well. Therefore, consumer behaviour in some general sense concerns not only phenomena that are directly related to but also phenomena that might be characterised as post marketing in the sense that marketing's influence on and involvement in consumers' use of products is nonexistent, more indirect, and/or less intense than its influence and involvement in product purchase. This paper discuss about the possible marketing research approach to be used in Nutrition Month. This celebration is a good opportunity for cereal manufacturers to create a new range of products to overcome the problems in labelling. The creation of another range of healthy food products will be considered. This paper will discuss the issues regarding the debate on food nutrition and labelling and the negative press generated about cereal products. This will also tackle theoretical concepts about consumer attitudes and behaviours and how these behaviours affect the success of cereal manufacturers.   The Situation Before the start of nutrition month, cereal manufacturers and healthy food manufacturers are being criticised for their new approach to nutrition labelling which it is claimed is making products look healthier than they are. Actually, a significant funding was provided by the food industry to promote the scheme in opposition to the traffic light labelling scheme put forward by the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (HFWB). Cereals are specifically criticised as it was categorised by HFWB as red products and deemed junk food by the traffic light labelling scheme. Basically, these actions of HFWB directly affect the overall business of Cereal manufacturers particularly the consumer attitude towards the product. On the other hand, when it comes to the buying preferences of consumers of cereal products, a major new business study reveals that what keeps the consumer buying a particular brand has less to do with pricing and manufacturing or merchandising than with how well the company treats its customers.  Tendency of the consumers is to buy or purchase goods and services which are healthy. Consumers are more likely to know all the information of the products before they would consume it. Thus, the decision process as one of the elements of consumer behaviour is influenced by the information available to the consumer and the way in which the consumer processes that information. The decision process is also influenced by the consumer's beliefs, attitudes, and intentions as well as many other individual characteristics. Two stages in the decision process are particularly relevant to this study: search that is whether the consumer seeks label information when selecting products and alternative evaluation, that is, whether or not the consumer uses label information in considering product alternatives. Whether consumers will search for and use label information will be influenced by both characteristics of the product and of the buyer. Product characteristics include the extent to which the product's probable performance can be assessed by visual inspection and its complexity, that is, the number of decisions the consumer is required to make about it. Consumer characteristics include experience with purchasing the product, and the kinds of criteria the consumer uses in judging the product. The evaluative criteria are shaped by the consumer's beliefs, attitudes, and perception of risk in the purchase. Through the emerging problem in labelling and opportunity brought by the Nutrition Month, it is then very vital to open a new kind of venture aside from cereals. With the advertisement and product promotion provided in Nutrition Month and for the launching of a new range of healthy products, there would be a possibility that the popularity and goodness of product to consumers could influence the decision making of the consumer in buying the products.  In the area of sensation and perception and attention, most works are confined primarily to visual or auditory processes. The attention of the consumer may have the tendency influence the decision-making process.   Marketing of New Range of Products To make-up some adjustments regarding the misleading labelling scheme of HFWB and the opportunity brought by the Nutrition Month, the cereal or the healthy food manufacturer intends to offer a new range of products (i.e. packed and bottled fruit products) aimed to health conscious consumers.  These packed and bottled fruit products offer the customers the best possible solution as it: <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Offers the lowest price on the market</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Is the most naturally processed</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Offers more healthy nutrients</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Offers our consumers better value per dollar spent</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Provides an alternative way to achieve health satisfaction.</li>   Even though the technology used to create this product is also new, we expect that others will be able to substantially reproduce our patented results within a month.  To remain on the leading edge of this product, we will need to devote approximately 10% of revenues toward research and development.    Market Segmentation The market can be segmented into three target populations: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Individuals: people that wanted healthy food products by themselves. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Families: a group of people, either friends or a group of nuclear relatives seeking for healthy food products. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Take out/Supermarket Shoppers: people that prefer to eat and drink healthy food products in their home or at a different location.</li> </ul>               The target customers are health conscious individuals between the ages of 3 and 80.  Age is not the most defined demographic of this customer base; all age groups enjoy health diet especially adults.  The most defined characteristic of the target market is income.  In consideration to nutrition month, these healthy food products might be successful in both rural and urban areas.                      Combining several key demographic factors, it arrives at a profile of the primary customer as follows: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Sophisticated families who are looking for healthy diet. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Young professionals who are maintaining their body figures and conscious to their health. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Shoppers who patronise healthy food products.</li> </ul>   Positioning             In accordance to the celebration of Nutrition Month, this healthy food manufacturer will position itself as a reasonably priced, upscale, healthy food manufacturing company.  Consumers who appreciate healthy food will recognise the value and unique offerings of packed and bottled fruit products.  Patrons will be single as well as families, ages 3-80.               Healthy food manufacturer’s positioning will leverage their competitive edge: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Product. The product will have the freshest fruit ingredients. The product will also be developed to enhance presentation, everything will be aesthetically pleasing. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Processing. Processing of fruit products will be the priority.  All employees will ensure that the customers are having the most healthy fruit products experience.  All employees in food processing will go through an extensive training program and only experienced people will be hired.</li> </ul>               By offering a superior product, coupled with superior service and opportunity brought by the Nutrition Month, healthy food manufacturer will excel relative to the competition.   Marketing Mix Part of a marketing strategy to counter the possible backlash from consumers is the utilisation of the marketing mix of the new range of products. A healthy food manufacturer's marketing mix is comprised of these following approaches to product, pricing, place and promotion. <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Product. As discussed, the new product to be set up in market in order to avoid backlash of customers due to HFWB labelling scheme are packed and bottled food products. Actually, obsessive customer attention is the mantra.  Healthy food manufacturer’s philosophy is that whatever needs to be done to make the health conscious customer happy must occur, even at the expense of short-term profits.  In the long term, this investment will pay off with a fiercely loyal customer base who is extremely vocal to their friends with referrals.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Pricing. Healthy food manufacturer's pricing scheme is that the product cost is 45% of the total retail price. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Place/Distribution. Healthy food manufacturer's healthy food products will be distributed through convenient stores and supermarkets where customers can avail these products.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Promotion and advertising. Although, the Nutrition Month is a great opportunity to have a great market, it is still very important to consider the advertising concepts. The most successful advertising will be banner ads, and TV ads with information regarding healthy benefits of food products. In the given case, the strategy in launching and promoting the products might be able to attract the attention of the consumer like their strategy in buying it with a lower price than other competitors.  Because of the strategic pricing of the product the consumer might be able to decide in availing the product rather than buying other products.  Because of these, consumer behaviour are affected especially their loyalty to the brand.  And because of the commercial advertisements seen in the television, the consumer will clearly have in mind the efficacy of the product as said by its endorser.</li> </ul>   Conclusion For more than four decades, advertising and marketing researchers have been intrigued by the symbolic properties of products (Umiker-Sebeok, 1987). During that period, it has become increasingly clear that the consumption of any product is richly embroidered by the symbolism of the practices, rituals, and texts surrounding it and, further, that the connotation and meanings associated with products are crucial to understanding their exchange value in the marketplace and the way the consumer behaves and perceived the products and services (Hirschman, Scott and Wells, 1998). In the case presented, consumers play an important role for the company to create a strategic technique in launching the new products.  And that the behaviour of the consumers has a significant role in making the product lasts and recognised. In general, consumer behaviour varies from time to time and the only thing that the company can do is to provide strategic ways in making the consumer buy or purchase the products may it be new or old products.

Research Paper on Nutrition Month

Marketing Report Introduction In today’s business world, the value and importance of customers is not something that s...