Unit Summary Models
The following unit assignment summaries were well written. I am including them as an illustration of how to complete a successful unit assignment. A good unit summary will provide a detailed explanation of the activity, as well as a comprehensive evaluation of the activity and how you might apply the information to your own situation. A good summary should flow smoothly and be written in essay form, not outlined. There should be no spelling errors. This is accomplished in two ways: using a spell checker and proof-reading for proper word usage.
Current Health News: Summary
For this assignment I chose to go to the CNN Health site. Being a woman, I decided to read the article titled "Study: most cervical abnormalities don't turn into cancer." This title caught my attention because I was under the impression that most "abnormalities" found in cervical examinations were cancerous. The article was about a large study done in Canada that tracked the health of some 18,000 women diagnosed with "dysplasia" (a mild precancerous cell change detected by a pap smear). Diagnosed anytime between 1970 and 1980, their records were studied through 1989.
The most amazing part of the study were the findings of the researchers who concluded that, after the ten years of study, "more than 60 percent of the women with mild dysplasia had their abnormal cells revert to normal." In the past, it was thought that regardless of the degree of dysplasia, women needed more extensive testing called a "coloscopy," or possibly even a biopsy. However, with this new information, the medical field is re-evaluating their line of treatment.
Many people feel that it is becoming all too often a practice of doctors to perform extensive, costly and painful surgeries on women who have been diagnosed with something like dysplasia, endometriosis, or in some cases, cancer. My mother had a complete hysterectomy when she was in her late thirties after being diagnosed with endometriosis. Now, thirty years later, the treatment for this condition has been changed, and is less invasive than what my mother was forced to endure. It was reassuring to me that the medical community is continuing to re-evaluate their current
practices, and upon these evaluations opting for less invasive techniques. Having a thirteen year old daughter of my own I do consider any small step in the right direction now will be a major step in that direction as she becomes women, and eventually, a mother.'Live Well' Assessment: Summary
Because I love questionnaires, this assignment was a perfect choice for me. I found the questions very straightforward to answer. However, there were two questions about blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which I did not know the answer to, so I left the answers as they were. I would have to say that the questions covered pretty much everything except sexual practices, which in this day and age, should be given more attention.
I was essentially, quite pleased with my results. Overall I am in good health: according to the assessment, "better than most." It was suprising to find I had a somewhat " average" score on the physical fitness part of the test, however. I believe that I am quite fit, since I exercise regularly. Unfortunately, I have a high resting pulse rate (85bpm), so maybe that is the reason for the low score. My assessment results for the other sections were appropriate to my life style. It looks like I could improve some aspects of my life: Physical self- care and emotional awareness were low scores for me.
After reviewing my answers, it seems that I should brush and floss my teeth after meals more often to improve my physical self-care score. I don't think I am putting myself at risk for anything serious by not flossing after each meal. Who has the time to do that after eating anyway? My emotional awareness score was "average," probably because I answered the questions honestly. No one is bursting with energy all the time. And life has its ups and downs, which of course takes a toll on someone's emotions. I don't think I could improve my score on this, but I doubt that too many people feel absolutely positive about themselves all the time either. All in all, I'm normal .
One thing that I didn't like were the "What do these percentages mean?" part. Less than 60% meant, "poor- are you really trying?" Really trying what, I wonder? Trying to be honest, or trying to be healthy? I presume it meant to be healthy. If that was the case, links to helpful pages would have been appropriate. Also, advice about weak areas, and how to improve them would have been great. Basically this assessment was to show someone their weak areas of health, not to help them overcome these shortcomings. However, this might be addressed in other readings and assignments for this class.