Equal Pay Difference Between Men And Women - 879 Words

Whether you know it or not there is a income pay difference between men and women. The question is why men are getting paid more, when women are doing the same job. One job occupation that is currently dealing with the issue, are doctors. Male doctors are receiving more money than the female doctor. Although many individuals claim that the difference is because men work supplementary hours or sometimes tougher jobs than women they should make more than the opposite sex. This gender pay gap is unfair and could possibly be eliminated. When economist speak of the â€Å"gender gap† these days, they generally are discussing the regular differences in the outcome that men and women achieve. The debate is that men should continue to be paid more than women, due to the fact that they typically select more challenging jobs than women. Such as, a female would be more expected to become a teacher than a male would, so that means that the woman would have to spend less money in their education than a man would, if he would be to choose to be a lawyer or architect against men and women doing the same job and receiving the same amount of pay. The gender pay gap in doctors is an on-growing problem in hospitals in the United States today. Today women make on average 79 cents for every dollar a man makes in the same field. Woman are almost half of the workforce. There receive more college and graduate degrees than men. On average woman continue to earn less than men. Females earn less thanShow MoreRelatedThe Pay Gap Bet ween Men And Women1128 Words   |  5 PagesThe pay gap between men and women has become quite a topic today. The difference in pay are very common now in many career paths where men and women are doing the same work amount. It is rare to think that when men and women are performing the same task and are just as qualified as each other that they would get paid the same. As the â€Å"wage gap† is being discussed more, the question is why do men and women have different wages when they are working the same job. While it seems that men don t haveRead MoreEarning Differences by Gender1121 Words   |  5 PagesDespite women outnumbering men in U.S. colleges and the implementation of legislation like the 1963 Equal Pay Act the pay differences persist. According to some the pay gap persists because: †¢ Men are more likely to pursue college majors and advanced degrees in fields that lead to higher-paying careers. †¢ Women are getting graduate degrees, but not necessarily in fields that give the best salaries. †¢ Discrimination remains a factor and it is difficult to document and measure. †¢ Women on averageRead MoreWage Gap in America1572 Words   |  7 PagesWage Gap in America On a broader aspect, it says men and women are equal. Though at a bottom level, women are still struggling to occupy the same status as men in the outer world. Stratification between the two genders is seen everywhere including the household or the workplace. Even today, women still earns less as compared to men involved in the same profession. Like a male physician makes $140,000, while a female in the same profession makes $88,000. Statisticians at the US census bureau lookedRead MoreThe Equal Pay Act ( Epa ) Of 19631007 Words   |  5 PagesComing Until the Equal Pay Act (EPA) of 1963, many women were paid less for doing the same work as men. This division of wages often caused hardships and bitterness forcing women to work more hours on a weekly basis in order to make the same amount of money as their male counterparts. In order to understand the impact of the Equal Pay Act, you must first understand its purpose, the benefits, and also consider the negative effects. The act caused a maximum amount of the women to get paid a similarRead MoreDifferences Between Men And Women1085 Words   |  5 Pages Both men and women have been inequalities in the workplace. Women are still are not receiving equal pay for the equal work and the equal pay of work of the equal value. Even though women have increased their presence in higher paying jobs that are dominated by men, still women continue to work in low paying occupations as men. For so long woman have received less pay in jobs. They have not been treated fair and equal as a man does in the same job fields. Woman has worked so hard and have accomplishedRead MoreSex Discrimination in the American Workplace Still Stands848 Words   |  3 Pagesones who ultimately survive. One can apply almost the same kind of concept to the American work place: a place where both men and women can gain the same education and work the same job, yet somehow the men always seem to prevail, leaving the women lagging behind. As Americans, we should all be very aware of the fact that women were not always considered to be â€Å"equal† with men. For countless decades, they were regarded as â€Å"less capable† and less significant in our society, and although there has beenRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women Essay1710 Words   |  7 Pageshaving, equality of rights between every race and ethnicity, because as we were so told, â€Å"All men are created equal.† We’ve assumed that they implied all humans, not simply the male gender when speaking that truth. However, women only gained their rights within the last 100 years and that famous quote was spoken centuries ago. So does this famous quote only apply to the male gender of our society? It seemed that for the longest time it did until women supposedly gained equal rights. Even though we haveRead MoreThe American Dream, An Aspiration Of A Land1568 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough the American dream dogma is presented to be accessible to all individuals, obstacles and barriers such as financial and social differences, specifically with gender inequalities, limit the ease and simplicity in which such a dream can be achieved for that area of people. Unfortunately, many of these discriminations still exist today. Even more so with women in the work environment, such issues serve as prevalent matters located within their own personal American dreams. The workplace, an atmosphereRead MoreThe Issue Of Equal Pay For Equal Work1129 Words   |  5 PagesThe issue of equal pay for equal work performed by women; is a political hot button in the 2016 presidential campaign. So much so that the stump speeches, for both former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, and senator, Bernie Sanders, always include this issue. Since the 1960s, congress and many researchers have tested this theory. In order to affirm the validity of this message, we will perform a five-step hypothesis test. In the book, â€Å"Statistical Techniques in Business Economics,† authorsRead More Womens Wages Essay examples1565 Words   |  7 Pageslabor groups as ‘Equal Pay Day’ because it supposedly takes 93 calendar days for women’s wages to catch up to men’s.† 3 Many people believe that sex discrimination is the main reason for the pay gap. However, several factors must be taken into consideration. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;On average, women earn 74 cents for each dollar earned by the male population. This number is calculated by comparing median annual earnings of men and women. But several other differences between the sexes make up

Involving the Service User in Shaping Services Continues free essay sample

Involving the Service User in Shaping Services Continues to Be an Important Activity Within Government Policy. Drawing from the KICK Materials Critically Discuss the Issues, Challenges and Benefits in Involving the By Marseilles In the current economic climate, managers are expected to provide a quality service at the same time as making financial savings. Critically evaluate the role of the manager in the light of the current economic climate. Introduction This assignment has its starting point on defining quality in health and social care ND how it can be delivered in a care setting. Subsequently, the role that the manager has in promoting, supporting and delivering the provision of good quality service to service users will be discussed. Moreover, as this process is not exempt from obstacles, especially in the current economic climate; it is therefore important to explore the elements that managers need to consider when assuring quality and saving costs. Finally, it will also be discussed how the service provided is evaluated so managers can ensure that a good service is provided to service users. What is quality? Every person has given or received care through life. However, whether the experience has been satisfactory or unsatisfactory depends on the quality of the service delivered and the quality of life experienced. Under those circumstances, it is possible to determine that quality in health and social services has an enormous importance as it is related to peoples lives. (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 159). Different authors have described the concept of quality from different points of views. According to Patterson (1997) and Donated (1980), even though quality mains as an important part of the health and social care agenda, it is still an elusive concept and a mystery to be unraveled. Colluded and Mullioned (2001) sustain that quality in practice refers to the provision of services that are fit for their purpose, but doing so at a reasonable cost and ensuring that people who use the services make choices based on information (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 159). In A quality Strategy for Social Care of the Department of Health (Bibb) the concept to quality is described as a process to changing and modernizing services in order to make them accessible and consistent. These services are delivered by competent workforce to meet the needs of those who use them (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 159). It could be argue that to define quality as a concept that can be applied universally is a challenging task. Therefore, it is best to define what it meaner in practice, in other words, in terms of peoples experience. People can recognize what good quality is when they experience it at first hand. Martin and Henderson (2001) acknowledge that based on this assumption, quality derives from knowing who the service users are, understanding their needs and what their expectations are as well as responding to their requirements in an effective way (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 160). Therefore, a high- quality service needs to be responsive, enabling, and inclusive (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 161) What role the manager has in achieving quality? Managers in health and social care play a key role as they are greatly involved in having to think, do, and measure quality along with facing a number of quality initiatives that might seem confusing. Providing quality is supposed to be everyones accessibility, albeit it is the responsibility of the manager to deliver it (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 1 59). The managers role in social care is continuously changing and having to adhere to an excess of policies and procedures and not getting real recognition of the day-to-day challenges and dilemmas encountered (Henderson and Sudden, 2003, up. 7-88). To sum up, managers are responsible for ensuring client, worker, departmental and governmental needs (Henderson and sudden, 2003, p. 93). About Quality Before the sasss, quality was approached from an introspective point of view. The profession was defined in terms of skills, knowledge and competence needed to do the Job. Moreover, it focused on inputs of the professionals. Howeve r, this approach fell short of taking into account the service users experience and the productivity of the service delivered (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 63). Consequently, due to government and service users that challenge the professional view of quality, procedures that are more objective originated. Besides, the need to improve services developed the concept to quality control to assure high standards to care (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 165). Quality Control and Quality Assurance methods were introduced in order to assure high standards of care. Quality control has to do with monitoring services, it is top- down and reactive and it only identifies where practice has not met standards. On the other hand, Quality Assurance is proactive, bottom- up, promotes quality instead of imposing it, and involves more staff when it comes to deliver quality care. It is a systematic approach to service delivery that consists of documenting processes, ensuring and supporting staff along with reviewing practice. It also implies a change in the culture of the services, in terms of preventing errors, so that the idea of quality becomes embedded (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, up. 166-168). Is it possible to ensure good quality service while keeping the costs down? Managers face continuous challenges to ensure quality service. However, given the current economic climate, the major challenge facing all health services today is keeping costs down and improving services at the same time. Value for money is part of quality. However, sometimes getting value for money meaner accepting deductions in quality as part of getting a lower price in a tendering exercise (Standard, 2012). On the contrary, it could be argued that limited budgets do not inevitably lead to cuts that will result in poorer quality services. It is possible to mitigate the impact of the cuts by implementing innovative and everyday approaches. In a residential setting, for instance, a practice-led manager can monitor quality within services. Firstly, internal audits on a regular basis are needed to ensure that what should be done is done and implement a plan of action otherwise. In the course CD -Room (KICK, Managing Care at Walbridge CD-ROOM, scenario 4) Julie at Walbridge considers that the quickest and simplest way to reduce unit costs is to employ more agency staff and lose the overheads which permanent staff cost (e. . Sick pay, holiday pay, overtime hours). However, Julie emphasized that it is essential to be careful not to create unnecessary Job losses and implement the use of agency staff gradually to retain the most committed and reliable staff. Furthermore, as the provision of quality care, it is correlated to the staff knowledge and skills to meet the residents needs; in souse training to reduce costs could be a useful way to minimize expenses. Besides, the same outcome can be achieved by booking staff on free training courses offered by City Councils and NASH trusts. Moreover, another way to facilitate saving for the institution is by implementing a person-centered care that is responsive to individual needs and preferences. Thus, reducing costs by targeting resources that are not needed. Additionally, managers who deal with services that help people who need care but live in the community can also deliver quality care by introducing innovative ways. For instance, moving people on trot residential care to supported living options translates into reducing costs as it decreases over-support. Equally important, it does not only entail progression but it also entails focusing on what people can do for themselves. Moreover, giving people budgetary control can and does lead to more efficient use of resources as they know best what their needs are (Coping with the cuts, 2011) What other elements of quality do managers need to consider? The quality of services can be seen from two subjective perspectives. Firstly, from the sews of those who provide the service and secondly, from the views of people who receive them. Therefore, managers need to consider a number of factors that determine the quality of life, quality of the environment, and quality of the experience of using the service (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 161). Quality of life of the service user meaner how good that is . Quality of the environment refers to aspects such as cleanliness, brightness or welcoming features etc. Quality of the experience of using the service reflects how open, respectful, responsive the service is to those who receive care. Quality of the workforce refers to how valued the staff are and how they interact with others (KICK learning guide, 2003, up. 70-71). According to Andy, a project coordinator, valuing staff is crucial as when people feel valued they will give and deliver better care along with challenging difficulties (KICK, Audio 1, track 4). How the service provided is evaluated? To ensure the provision of a good service, managers need to measure quality. Fortunately, there are frameworks that prove to be useful when scoring a service. Firstly, the Audit Commission and Social services Inspectorate were the two main dies responsible for improving quality. Since 1998, the two bodies have started Joint Reviews, followed by Quality Protect Programmer and Best Value (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, p. 169). The Audit Commission uses indicators based on performance to evaluate the functioning of public services. The social Services Inspectorate supports and inspects quality assurance approaches in local authorities. Joint Reviews evaluate how good services are from the point of view of people who use them. The Quality Protects Programmer focuses on improving the quality of childrens services and Best Value views entails local authorities to review services by using the four CSS (challenging, comparing, competing and consulting) (Walker, Murray an d Atkinson , 2003, p. 174) As quality is about improving services to users, it is therefore important to gain better understanding on how to implement quality the best possible way. In the health and social care field, two approaches are used to translate quality into practice. These are Quality Management and the Excellence Model. Total Quality Management looks at every aspect of quality. It focuses on process and outcomes by combining quality assurance and quality control. The main advantages of this model are that it creates a culture of quality within a team or organization. It is also determined by service users, it is continuous and it has no boundaries (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, up. 175-176). On the other hand, the Excellence Model enables an organization to assess itself against a set of criteria for excellence and to use the assessment to achieve excellence. It identifies the areas that need improving and how to generate the appropriate changes Thus, highlighting the fact that good exults mean good services (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, up. 179-180). In the current economic climate, implementing Total Quality Management approach might be better than sticking to The Excellence Model as it focuses on developing a culture of quality, in other words, embedding continuous practices that lead to good quality. Moreover, as this approach focuses on all the aspects of monitoring services it proves useful when gathering systematic information that comes from both external and internal audits. For example, in a care setting that provides catering revise for the service users, it is possible to control food costs, eliminate waste and fulfill different dietary needs by doing weekly stock takes and negotiating prices with food suppliers. In addition the use of a person-centered approach can be used as a cost-cutting measure by assessing the amount of support that is needed and avoid unnecessary high staffing levels. Total Quality Management also involves staff, service users and the wider community in the process of achieving quality. These people are known as the stakeholders. In the quest for quality, staff can be involved by having supervision and appraisal to view progress, set individual targets or identified the training that is needed. The provision of staff meetings is also a way to encourage cooperation to evaluate or discuss quality (Walker, Murray and Atkinson, 2003, up. 179). However, this can also bring out difficulties from the staff and the managers perspective. Staff might not be willing to engage in the process or to express their opinions due to a lack of trust in the system under the assumptions that these might be used against them or, simply, that no action will be taken to improve quality. From a managers perspective, the halogen is about finding ways to encourage staff to observe critically at the service so that they can identify what improvements need to be done and communicate their opinions on development. Organizations can involve service users, relatives and wider community in the evaluation of quality initiatives. Managers can involve service users in evaluating the quality to the service by setting groups or individual interviews to consult people about their experiences, designing service users satisfaction questionnaires that reflect how good the experience of care provided is (KICK learning guide, 2003, p. ). However, this process is not straightforward and presents challenges too. Managers need to be aware that feedback correlates with the engagement of the individual. Therefore, when seeking feedback, they need to take into account factors such as the willingness or the ability of an individual to make and communicate decisions. Under those circumstances, managers need to reflect on options that can be used to assess quality e. G. Questioning style. For instance, when designing a feedback questionnaire it is necessary to keep in mind that the instructions given are clear and what types of questions will be used , open-ended or closed questions (KICK learning guide, 2003, p. 74). According to Rockford (2000) as cited in the Reader (Henderson and Sudden, 2003, p. 85) another issue that managers face is that they are the first in line for blame, but not always the first in line for training. However, as mentioned in the Course Reader, the best practice Journey is to link up with another manager to become a critical friend to each other in order to develop a peer review (Evans, 2003, p. 1 12). Conclusion Because quality is an elusive term, it is best to measure it into practice. This practice is about achieving excellence. To achieve excellence different models have been introduced through time to measure quality. Quality is measured by peoples experiences. Therefore, it is necessary to involve the service providers and service users in the process. However, the manager has a key role in knowing how to make this happen. In the current economic climate, the biggest difficulty that managers face is keeping the costs down without Jeopardizing the quality of the service. Through innovative approaches, it is possible to achieve this.

The Marauder’s Map Essay Example

The Marauder’s Map Essay In the wizarding world, which is the setting of the Harry Potter series, there are numerous magical objects with various and amazing powers. One such magical object is the Marauder’s Map, which was created by four mischievous young men, namely, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and James Potter. The four friends created the map based on their extensive knowledge of the Hogwarts grounds, as a result of their late night wanderings when they transform as animals. The map made its first appearance in the third Harry Potter book, entitled Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when the twins Fred and George Weasley gave it to Harry. (Wikipedia). As to appearance, the Marauders Map would simply appear as a blank sheet of parchment. However, upon activation, it would reveal itself as a magical map which contains details of the interior and exterior of Hogwarts castle, including the names and locations of people inside the castle. People would appear as miniscule dots that move as the real persons travel inside the castle. (hp-lexicon). The map can be activated by saying I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. Thereafter ink lines would appear across it to reveal a very detailed map of Hogwarts. It would show all places inside the castle, including secret passageways. There is only one room which the map cannot show, which is the Room of Requirement. (Answers). In order not to bring the map back to its original state as a blank piece of parchment, the user must tap the map as say the words Mischief managed! Thus, anyone who would come across the map cannot use it and avail of its secret powers. (Rowling). We will write a custom essay sample on The Marauder’s Map specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Marauder’s Map specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Marauder’s Map specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The map obviously serves numerous functions, foremost of which is to inform the user of necessary information he would need in accomplishing his tasks. The user can instantly know whether there are friends or adversaries to be met along the way, which provides him with opportunity to change course, if necessary. In addition, the map teaches its user of the many secret passageways which are unknown to others who live in the castle. More importantly, the map recognizes real identities of persons, including those who are disguised using the Polyjuice Potion or those who have transformed into Animagus form. It can also look beyond Invisibility Cloaks. (Mugglenet). Thus, there is no escaping the powers of the amazing Marauder’s Map. If I had a Marauder’s Map, and provided I could use it outside Hogwarts, I would use it to keep track of the locations of people I care about, so I would know instantly if anyone were in trouble. Also, if I want to surprise them, I could always show up unexpectedly. I could also use it to look for alternate routes when there is any kind of trouble with my usual path. However, given the nature of the map, it should not be abused to the extent that people’s privacy would be violated. It should only be used for good-natured purposes. For example, the map can be used as a surveillance tool to locate dangerous people. Also, I can offer its use as a public service tool in searching for missing loved ones.

Free Essays on Worldcom Ethics

The recent scandal at WorldCom is only one of many prominent examples of a fundamental lack of ethics amongst the corporate environment. Subsequently, the internal ethical values of all business entities are now the locus of stakeholder concerns. The core interests of the operation - such as product development, increasing sales revenue, and attracting stakeholders are no longer the dominant consideration in decision making; ethical interests are increasingly important as aspects of the organizational structure. However, this new development has only come about after the revelations of major accounting fraud in companies such as WorldCom. Good ethical values consist of honesty, trust, and fairness, in addition to compliance with legal standards. In retrospect, these are the major values that seem to have been lacking in the accounting division of WorldCom. The major ethical dilemma in the WorldCom scandal is an overall lack of fairness to stakeholders, which includes stockholders, customers, suppliers and employees. It is impossible to determine the extent of the impact of accounting fraud on each of these segments. Though it is also impossible to diminish the affects the scandal has had on any one of these groups of stakeholders, it is arguable that the stockholders were most affected by the scandal at WorldCom. Following the disclosure of accounting fraud, WorldCom stock values fell by over seventy-five percent. This loss of monetary value is easily identified and measured, and the financial losses of stockholders are undeniable. In addition, suppliers have recently found themselves with much less revenue than anticipated prior to the fall-out. This has certainly made it difficult for suppliers to match budgeted numbers and, thus, keep their own stakeholders happy. However, the ramifications of this scandal are much more widespread t han financial numbers can affirm. The intangible losses caused by this scandal are unimaginable... Free Essays on Worldcom Ethics Free Essays on Worldcom Ethics The recent scandal at WorldCom is only one of many prominent examples of a fundamental lack of ethics amongst the corporate environment. Subsequently, the internal ethical values of all business entities are now the locus of stakeholder concerns. The core interests of the operation - such as product development, increasing sales revenue, and attracting stakeholders are no longer the dominant consideration in decision making; ethical interests are increasingly important as aspects of the organizational structure. However, this new development has only come about after the revelations of major accounting fraud in companies such as WorldCom. Good ethical values consist of honesty, trust, and fairness, in addition to compliance with legal standards. In retrospect, these are the major values that seem to have been lacking in the accounting division of WorldCom. The major ethical dilemma in the WorldCom scandal is an overall lack of fairness to stakeholders, which includes stockholders, customers, suppliers and employees. It is impossible to determine the extent of the impact of accounting fraud on each of these segments. Though it is also impossible to diminish the affects the scandal has had on any one of these groups of stakeholders, it is arguable that the stockholders were most affected by the scandal at WorldCom. Following the disclosure of accounting fraud, WorldCom stock values fell by over seventy-five percent. This loss of monetary value is easily identified and measured, and the financial losses of stockholders are undeniable. In addition, suppliers have recently found themselves with much less revenue than anticipated prior to the fall-out. This has certainly made it difficult for suppliers to match budgeted numbers and, thus, keep their own stakeholders happy. However, the ramifications of this scandal are much more widespread t han financial numbers can affirm. The intangible losses caused by this scandal are unimaginable...

Lesson 7 discussion & Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lesson 7 discussion & - Assignment Example Devendra Banharts song touch upon his own reflections of the past, including the themes of social inequality. Willy Masons lyrics, just as that of Bob Dylan, are often focused on issues of tensions between social classes, poverty and existential problems, such as loneliness and senselessness of the modern way of life of an ordinary man. Beth Orton reminds me of Joan Baez with both her style of singing and subjects that her lyrics is focused on. She often sings of love and failed relationships between a man and a woman. I do not agree with Pete Seegers statement according to which folk magazines have to print the best rap songs. Although, the origins of rap root to American hip hop, which, in turn, is in incorporates some distinct features of traditional music of African American people. At first glance rap and hip hop have nothing to do with folk at all. In fact, these are different musical styles and genres. Unlike folk, rap is more of spoken word poetry with a monotonous rhythmic music on the background, where lyrics lie at the heart of every song and the role of music itself is neglected, though there are certain criteria to it among rap artists. Rap culture was initially widely spread in urban areas among African Americans, although today the situation has changed and the genre found its audience among other social and racial groups. Folk, to the contrary, rooted from suburban and countryside areas populated by white communities. On the other hand, comparing rap and folk Pete Seeger believed that there are more similarities in these two genres than differences. In fact, the way lyrics plays a the most important role in each and every rap song, touching upon social and existential issues, has a strong resemblance with the style and spirit of folk music, not to mention the historical implications of the development of rap genre. In spite of similar subjects that both rap and folk tend to

Maternal Obesity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Maternal Obesity - Research Paper Example The health indicators were developed on the rationale that they related to several of the chronic disease states and the exercise of control over these indicators would lead to significant improvement of health to a high proportion of the population (Pivarnik, 2008). Obesity is considered to have reached epidemic proportions globally in the modern world. Along with growing rise of obesity in the general population, obesity during pregnancy is also on the rise. Obesity during pregnancy is now considered a common obstetric high-risk condition (Conway, 2011). Estimates suggest that one in four of women in the reproductive age group are obese in the USA (March of Dimes, 2010). This translates into one out of every five women being obese at the start of pregnancy highlighting the depth of the public health problem of maternal obesity (Kim et al, 2007). Significance of Maternal Obesity While in general the risk of obesity among the general population is heightened due to the life styles, t he risk of obesity during pregnancy is even more because of the erstwhile practices and beliefs of women during pregnancy. Earlier it was believed that maternal weight gain was useful in enhancing infant health and reducing perinatal mortality. However, evidence from studies now point to excess of weight gain during pregnancy is detrimental to the mother, enhanced risks during delivery, and undesirable birth outcomes. It has also been found that 40% to 50 % of women during pregnancy put on more weight than is recommended by the Institute of medicine. Risk factors for this unwanted weight gain during pregnancy include higher pre-pregnancy weight, primiparity, lower income, poor knowledge of weight gain recommendations, lower levels of physical activity, and enhanced food consumption (Herring et al, 2008). Evaluation of the prevalence of maternal obesity across the cross-section of the female population in the US shows that the women from the racial and ethnic minorities and low socio -economic status are more prone to maternal obesity than women from the majority population and higher socio-economic groupings (DHHS, 2007). There are several reasons as to why maternal obesity is more prevalent among racial and ethnic minorities and the low socio-economic groups in the community. False beliefs of greater weight gain being beneficial to both mother and child make them prone to excess of nutritional intake. The high cost of healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grain and easy availability of low cost fast foods results in women from the economically segments of society more likely to use low cost unhealthy fast foods as the source of their increased nutrition, leading to unwanted weight gain and obesity during pregnancy (Larson, Story & Nelson, 2009). Lack of or poor facilities for physical activity in the lower income communities, depression, fatigue, and the lack of motivation to maintain one’s health among the women with low socioeconomic status also contributes to the greater prevalence of maternal obesity in this segment of the population (APA, 2011). Consequences of Maternal Obesity Evaluation of the consequences of maternal obesity has to be viewed from the three perspectives of consequences to the mother,

Social Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Social Philosophy Essay Introduction As more and more cities, counties, states, and counties ban smoking in public places, place high taxes on cigarettes, and otherwise enact anti-smoking laws, clashes between the rights of one group of people and the rights of another are inevitable. If this principle were the basis for deciding public policy, which Mill advocated as one of its usages, Mill would fall somewhere in the middle on the smoking/anti-smoking spectrum. Certainly, Mill’s harm principle can be (and has been) used by both sides to support their own arguments.    In the smoking debate, the harm principle falls short in determining which of two harms is lesser, or which of two rights or interests is greater. This is why it is a useful philosophy in debate, but should not be the sole basis for legislation and public policy. John Stuart Mill’s Harm Principle In On Liberty, John Stuart Mill argued for a society organized around â€Å"one very simple principle †¦ that the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection† (15-16). This is referred to as the â€Å"harm principle,† and is considered one of the founding principles of utilitarianism (Wilson 45-48). Utilitarianism is a belief system which adopts the harm principle, arguing that each individual has the right is pursue his or her own happiness, as long as that pursuit doesn’t harm another individual also pursing their happiness or utility (Wilson 40-44). This is not quite the same as interfering or impeding an individual’s path to happiness, as Mill points out in chapter V of On Liberty; â€Å"In many cases, an individual, in pursuing a legitimate object, necessarily and therefore legitimately causes pain or loss to others, or intercepts a g ood which they had a reasonable hope of obtaining† (106-7).   In other words, Mill recognized that there was not a utopia where every individual could pursue happiness with no overlap when, for example, two individuals pursue happiness through the same, singular person. Mill’s goal was to create a principle that could serve as the basis for society, in legislation, and in social standards and customs. In the final chapter he goes into significant detail regarding the kinds of situations to which this principle could be applied, specifically â€Å"how far liberty may legitimately be invaded for the prevention of crime, or of accident† (108). Mill favors the strongest strictures on liberty in the case of children, where he argues for potential parents having to prove their financial fitness in order to have children at all, and then to provide education for all children (121-122). On issues of crime, he considers government to properly have a place as a precautionary, administrative organization than as a legislative and punitive one (Mill 128). Throughout the treatise, Mill treads the line between the liberties of individuals and the commitment each individual has to society, seeing individuals as heroes who must consistently fight against the whitewashing of democratic society, warning that â€Å"If resistance waits til life is reduced nearly to one uniform type, all deviations from that type will come to be considered impious, immoral, even monstrous and contrary to nature† (84). How the Harm Principle Relates to Anti-Smoking Laws Mill specifically discusses the â€Å"sale of poisons† and taxes on the sale of certain substances deemed to be immoral (109-113). He argues for both the sale and taxation of, for example, alcohol, as being regulation that is â€Å"not contrary to principle† (109). Therefore, we can extrapolate that he would not necessarily be averse to taxes on the sale of cigarettes, since It must be remembered that taxation for fiscal purposes is absolutely inevitable; that in most countries it is necessary that a considerable part of that taxation should be indirect; that the State, therefore, cannot help imposing penalties, which to some persons may be prohibitory, on the use of some articles of consumption. (114) This is important because it underlines Mill’s philosophy of harm as it relates to economics. He did not believe that by adding taxation which would put the price of a certain item out of reach for some individuals, that this was â€Å"harming† them in such a way as to impose on their pursuit of happiness and utility. He considered taxation to be most properly levied against â€Å"what commodities the consumer can best spare† (114). Cigarettes and tobacco are certainly considered ‘extras’ rather than necessities in contemporary society, but they have not always been considered as such. So where, at certain points and in certain cultures, cigarettes were considered something of necessity, the taxation of them would have been an encroachment from the State onto an individual’s liberty. This case problematizes the relationship between Mill’s harm principle and his theory of democratic societies being slavishly ruled by the majority opinion. We have seen an enormous shift in popular opinion regarding the use of tobacco in the United States. What may have been an affront on liberty 50 or 100 years ago (heavy taxation of cigarettes and tobacco products) may be viewed now as simply being necessary to fund our government. If societies are not static entities, and the mores of a single society may shift over even short periods of time, how can we be sure that the currently prevailing opinion is, in fact, the ‘right’ one? Mill believed that â€Å"Society has expended fully as much effort in the attempt †¦ to compel people to conform to its notions of personal, as of social excellence† (19). Indeed the taxation of cigarettes seems to amount to a sin tax, as more of a punishment than a tax of an item which is not absolutely necessary to survival. Medical science is not immune to these changing tides in public opinion. During the waning years of Prohibition in this country, teetotalers claimed that the exhalation of breath from a person drinking alcohol could effectively â€Å"poison† an innocent person standing nearby (Stewart lines 18-19). Similarly, anti-smoking proponents claim today that the exhalations of smoke from one individual can adversely affect the health of another individual. Mill saw this as an argument against censorship; â€Å"We can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavoring to stifle is a false opinion, and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still† (14). While we may not be able to know without doubt which opinion is the right one, Mill saw this as an opportunity for individuals to exercise their liberty through discussion and debate. In the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Mill, Fred Wilson discusses the important of debate in Mill’s philosophy; â€Å"Only through free debate can such critical skills be developed and maintained: our self-development as reasonable persons, capable of critical assessments for belief and action† (45). The goal is not to produce an unerringly ‘right’ decision, but to create a society where open and honest discussion is a part of the mechanism of liberty in society, as both a check on our human fallibility and an encouragement to progress. Why the Harm Principle is Inadequate as a Basis for Public Policy The harm principle provides a philosophy of the individual and his or her relationship to society which is useful as an individual or institution level philosophy. This is especially true for those individuals or institutions without a set of religious beliefs, as the harm principle provides a system of morality to follow. However, as the basis for legislation and public policy, it is somewhat inadequate. There are, more often than not, many people with conflicting interests, and while the harm principle may form the basis of discussion, in the end an individual’s liberty may be stifled in favor of another’s. At that point, the decision has to be made as to which liberty is more important. In the case of smoking bans, an individual who derives happiness from smoking, particularly happiness from smoking in a public place, where he or she is also able to drink and socialize with friends, is taken away. At the same time, other individuals are not subjected to the possible ill health effects of secondhand smoke. The harm principle provides a useful lens through which to frame the debate, but policymakers must often make slightly messier decisions than On Liberty provides for. The very nature of public opinion as Mill saw it (which was as a tyrannical force) means that the definitions of harm will change throughout history and across geography. This leads to both sides of the smoking debate claiming Mill as a member of their side. In an interview, Mill biographer Richard Reeves, in discussing the misuse of Mill by policymakers, said that; What sometimes happens is that if you are doing something that’s actually quite paternalistic, and you don’t want to say so because you want to dress it up as a liberal policy, you might use Mill. And you stretch the harm principle well beyond reasonable usage to justify what’s fundamentally a paternalistic policy. The worst thing is to dress up a paternalistic argument in shoddy, ill-worn, liberal clothing (par. 9). Mill saw the free thought and operation of the individual as being necessary to the progress of society, and especially as a check against both the State and prevailing public opinion (19). Conclusion In this essay I have described and critically examined Mill’s harm principle and how it relates to the contemporary issue of anti-smoking laws. I have argued that the harm principle as applied to anti-smoking laws is and could be used by either side of the debate. An individual who smokes finds his or her happiness circumscribed by the happiness of those individuals who do not wish to have cigarette smoke in the public places they frequent, and vice versa. A group of individuals are going to have their liberty trespassed upon in order for other groups of individuals to retain their liberty, and rather than bringing harm to none there are only degrees of harm, which are considered more or less harmful according to the current tides of public discourse. While this creates space for a robust debate (one of the requirements of a society based on liberty), it does not provide a basis for policymakers and legislators to create public policy. Works Cited Mayes, Tessa. â€Å"Mill is a Dead White Male With Something to Say.† Spiked! Review of Books 28 March 2008. 16 April 2008 http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/reviewof  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   books_article/4923. Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty and The Subjection of Women. New York: Penguin, 2006. Stewart, C. â€Å"The Case Against Smoking Bans.† 2002. New York City C.L.A.S.H. 18 April 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.nycclash.com/CaseAgainstBans/Conclusion.html#Conclusion. Wilson, Fred. â€Å"John Stuart Mill.† The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (Fall 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stanford University. 15 April 2008 http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2007/   Ã‚  Ã‚   entries/mill/.