I need help with week 3 discussion question 1 its due tomorrow. Your cousin Stella, who lives 300 miles away, has smoked nearly a pack a day for about 5 years. Lately, she been complaining about shortness of breath more than usual, but she does not think she needs to see a doctor. What wouls you say to Stella that might convince her to have a doctor evaluate her symptoms? What would you say regarding the impact of smoking on her respiratory health? How is her respiratory function different from normal respiratory function? Back up the statements in your e-mail to Stella with at least two facts from the "Smoking and COPD" article listed on this week's Electronic Reserve Reading page.
Go back into your course materials -- including the article referred to here -- and read the appropriate sections that deal with this topic. Take notes.
Also, read widely in these two searches;
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=impact+of+smoking+on+health&aq=0&aqi=g10&oq=impact+of+smoking&fp=f856a575d939ef4
and
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=impact+of+smoking+on+lungs&aq=2&aqi=g-p1g9&oq=impact+of+smoking+&fp=f856a575d939ef4
Then write up your assignment and re-post here if you would like someone to comment on your thoughts.
To convince your cousin Stella to see a doctor for her symptoms and understand the impact of smoking on her respiratory health, you can mention the following points in your email to her:
1. Express concern about her symptoms: Begin by acknowledging her complaints about shortness of breath and emphasize your concern for her well-being. Tell her that it's important to take such symptoms seriously and have them evaluated by a healthcare professional.
2. Highlight the dangers of smoking: Explain to Stella the well-known and widely accepted fact that smoking is harmful to respiratory health. Mention that smoking is the leading cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung disease that can have serious consequences.
3. Discuss the specific impact of smoking on respiratory health: Inform Stella that smoking damages the airways and air sacs in the lungs, leading to reduced lung function and breathing difficulties. Mention that inhaling tobacco smoke harms the cilia in the respiratory tract, which are important in clearing mucus and foreign particles from the lungs. Without functioning cilia, more mucus and particles accumulate, making breathing even more difficult.
4. Compare Stella's respiratory function to normal respiratory function: Explain to Stella that in normal respiratory function, the airways and air sacs in the lungs are healthy and not obstructed. Breathing is easy and efficient, allowing oxygen to enter the bloodstream and carbon dioxide to be expelled. However, with smoking and related respiratory damage, the airways become narrow, inflamed, and obstructed, making breathing more challenging.
To substantiate your statements, refer to at least two facts from the "Smoking and COPD" article on the Electronic Reserve Reading page:
1. Fact 1: According to the article, long-term smoking increases the risk of developing COPD. It states that "smokers are up to 12 to 13 times more likely to die from COPD than non-smokers."
2. Fact 2: The article also highlights that smoking damages the lungs' natural defense mechanisms, such as the cilia. It states that "smoking paralyzes and eventually destroys the cilia," leading to impaired airway clearance and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.
By incorporating these facts into your email, you can provide Stella with evidence-based information about the impact of smoking on her respiratory health and reasons to seek medical evaluation for her symptoms.