THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF INFORMATION: POWER, PERIL, AND PROMISE

TI N A R A Y , Z O HA I B I S H A Q , A L I C I A HO N O R E , B I L L G A R R E T T , S U S A N N E G L I A

A L P HA A L P HA T H E TA

Abbreviated Title: Issue 9: Science: What are the connections between the scientific process and information? Word Count*: 1493 Last Date of Revision: 15 December 2010

KEYWORDS

Information Scientific Healthcare Networks Technology Epidemiology Influenza Community Outreach

Word Count is of all pages, including Title Page, Abstract, References, Figures and Tables

Ray, Ishaq, Neglia, Garrett, Honore 2010 What are the connections between the scientific process

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ABSTRACT

Aims: Gain an understanding of how the increased access to information altered our everyday understanding of science. Rationale: This research topic "What are the connections between the scientific process and information." was chosen for studying in the area of informatics. However, the research topic seemed to be in the philosophical term to understand the basic need of technology more than the informatics subject, which deals with creating and developing of scientific understanding. So this topic needed past experience and historical background to be evaluated, but didn't need much in education background because the topic wasn't related to the theory or language of computer study. The topic in this area was very interesting for future study because it could aide in understanding and forecasting the need of society need when developing or creating new technology or inventions which lead to the success in healthcare. Methods: The research was carried out in three steps. The first step was to understand the research topic by searching for definition, background history, and general information from the source books and journal articles. Then all the information was evaluated to find out which areas are mostly involved in the research topic and range, which is the scientific and technological experimentation. The second step was the collection of data to find the relevant information. The information was analyzed according to the relevancy to the research area, the objectivity of the author, and the period spent on collecting of the data. Then third step, the limitation of the information will be analysis on the certain aspects of the topic areas of the scientific and technological experimentation. Therefore, the research will focus only the necessity and invention in the areas of scientific and technological connections. Most of the sources that use in the research were obtained through medical journals or internet sites such as the World Health Organization. Results: Increased access to information plays a large role in empowering us to live healthier lifestyles or to gain better quality medical care. It is in this role we found the answer. The answer lies in trust - in creating systems and processes that are always secure so that people and organizations have a high degree of confidence that the technology they use will protect their identity, their privacy, and their information. This is an imperative that transcends any one company. Success will require hard work and extensive cooperation between companies, governments, and organizations from around the world.

Main Conclusions: 2

Ray, Ishaq, Neglia, Garrett, Honore 2010 What are the connections between the scientific process

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WHY WE CHOSE ISSUE 9

Choosing a college major is something that requires much thought and consideration but, in reality, it is just the first step toward developing a foundation that you will continue to build on for the rest of your life. Although some college students know exactly what they want to major in when they enter college, the majority of students are not even close to choosing a major when entering college. The fact is that a major is only a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to deciding on a career after college. College students may decide on a major based on a personal interest in a specific discipline or by doing well in specific courses in high school. Other students may already know that they have an interest in medicine, law journalism, business and the arts (art/music/theater), psychology, government, social policy etc. Often times students will combine their interests and will choose to do a double major or major in one concentration and minor in another to enable them to pursue their interests in both subjects. Most majors require a science component, because science is in every facet of our lives from each cell to neurons to our cognitive ability, we live out scientific evidence in our own human nature.

SUMMARIZE YOUR OBJECTIVES FOR THIS HONORS IN ACTION PROJECT AND THE PROC ESS BY WHICH THE CHAPTER SET THESE OBJECTIVES

1. Set out specific goals and measurable goals for our project: 1. 2. 3. 2. How many people can we reach in the community?

3. What is the plan for the Action portion?

Ray, Ishaq, Neglia, Garrett, Honore 2010 What are the connections between the scientific process

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4. Talk with local healthcare experts, epidemiologist, public health department officials. Find out what the local action plan the community has in place for handling a major disease outbreak. Cecil County Health Department has a Communicable Disease and Outbreak Investigation Program. The Communicable Disease and Outbreak Investigation Program investigate reports from laboratories, physicians and hospitals of possible communicable disease or outbreaks, then reports to a appropriate nation agency.

5. Speak with Cecil College administration regarding who is responsible for the colleges action plan for such events and what is the plan?

6. Invite an allied healthcare or nursing faculty member to facilitate a discussion about the lessons we learned from the scholarly research, and ways to use this information to develop an influenza project.

7. What are the steps that can be taken for us to minimize the spread of any flu strain?

8. Launch an informational poster campaign about influenza and prevention.

Art Department-

Lori Lopez4

Ray, Ishaq, Neglia, Garrett, Honore 2010 What are the connections between the scientific process

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9. Research the efficiency of different types of hand sanitizer, are we using the most effective one?

10. Invite a guest speaker to campus to discuss the fact and myths about influenza and H1N1

a. Who?

b. When?

c. Why are we inviting this person?

d. How will we promote this event to the community?

e. What will the cost be?

f.

Who will be invited?

Ray, Ishaq, Neglia, Garrett, Honore 2010 What are the connections between the scientific process

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WHAT CONCLUSION DID YOUR CHAPTER REACH BASED ON YOUR RESEARCH

The amount of American citizens that do not have health insurance is staggering. There are over nine million children in the United States that have no insurance. Many of this is caused by lack of funding, education and class status. In addition to the nine million children that lack health insurance, there are over 46 million adults without health insurance. These people have no option when it comes to obtaining good, concise information other that through the media outlet. One of the most basic of any human goods is certainly health. Health is a major determinant in almost all human activities, from productivity to procreation. Following that, the health and wellbeing of its population should be of utmost importance to any nation. Employing this principle depends on a country's philosophy of distributive justice and their ethics on resource allocation. Regardless of who has health care, the crucial issue is that everyone should receive appropriate accurate information on an equal basis. A healthy population is the life-blood of any nation and sustaining that people should thus be a primary imperative. So much depends on a person's health that it affects every aspect of that person's life. Consequently, if a person cannot obtain the medical services or information they need to maintain their health, the effect will be a detriment to their entire being. Therefore, it is irrational to assume that a person should be left in ill health. Or without accurate information simply because he or she does not have the means to pay for the attention or information they need.

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WITH WHOM DID YOU COLLABORATE FOR THIS HONORS IN ACTION PROJECT
Cecil County Health Department, inquiry into supplying flu shots for our community. Spoke with Dr. Judy Rodenick and Robin Wadell and Health Officer Stephanie Garrity who gave informed us that typically, the flu arrives in Cecil County in January or February, so getting a flu shot during December and January can still protect you from the flu. We originally wanted to offer Cecil collage as a satellite site for flu shots to those people in our community who may not have otherwise had access, however due in the extreme availability of flu vaccines and the decrease in the amount of cases this year satellite sites are not necessary. Cost for us to supply shots to the community would be thirty to forty dollars per shot, when community residents can obtain shots at no `cost, or drastically reduced cost.

Ray, Ishaq, Neglia, Garrett, Honore 2010 What are the connections between the scientific process

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BREIF LY SUMMARIZE THE RESOURCES USED TO RESEARCH YOUR CHAPTERS HONORS PROGRAM GUIDE ISSUE
James Truscott, Christophe Fraser, Wes Hinsley, Simon Cauchemez, Christl Donnelly, Azra Ghani, Neil Ferguson, and Aronrag Meeyai. Quantifying the transmissibility of human influenza and its seasonal variation in temperate regions. Version 4. PLoS Curr. 2009 November 3 [revised 2010 June 14]; 2: RRN1125. doi:10.1371/currents.RRN1125

PLoS ONE. 2007; 2(12): e1296.Published online 2007 December 12. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001296. Global Patterns in Seasonal Activity of Influenza A/H3N2, A/H1N1, and B from 1997 to 2005: Viral Coexistence and Latitudinal Gradients Brian S. Finkelman,1* Ccile Viboud,2 Katia Koelle,3 Matthew J. Ferrari,1Nita Bharti,1 and Bryan T. Grenfell1,2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Facts About Seasonal Influenza, Sept. 8, 2009. Michael Osterholm, Preparing for the Next Pandemic, The New England Journal of Medicine 352 (May 15, 2005): 1839-1842. Department of Health & Human Services, Influenza Pandemics: How They Start, How They Spread, and Their Potential Impact, Oct. 18, 2005.

19, By June. "CDC Novel H1N1 Flu | Background on the Situation." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. <http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/background.htm>. "Interregional Spread of Influenza through United States Described by Virustype, Size of Population and Commuting Rates and Distance, April 19, 2006 NewsRelease - National Institutes of Health (NIH)." National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Home Page. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. <http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/apr2006/fic-19.htm>. "Issues Safety Factsheet." Aflcio.org - America's Union Movement. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. <http://www.aflcio.org>. "Notable Industrial Espionage Cases." Departmental Management - Home. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. <http://www.dm.usda.gov/ocpm/Security Guide/Spystory/Industry.htm>. "Origin of 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): Questions and Answers." Flu.gov. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. <http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/about/h1n1_qa.html>. Technology Today: Alan J. Pierce EdD. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. <http://www.technologytoday.us/>.

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DESCRIBE THE LEADEERSHIPROLES UNDERTAKEN BY THE CHAPTERTHAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS HONORS IN ACTION PROJECT

DESCRIBE SPECIFIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACTIONS TAKEN THAT HELP CHAPTER MEMBERS BE MORE EFFECTIVE LEADERS FOR THIS HONORS IN ACTION PROJECT

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DESCRIBE THE SERVICE OR ACTION COMPONET OF THIS HONORS IN ACTION PROJECT

WHAT WHERE THE QUANLITATIVE OUTCOMES OF YOUR PROJECT, INCLUDING THE LESSONS LEARNED BY YOUR CHAPTER MEMBERS? AND OTHERS

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WHAT IS LEFT UNDONE OR WHAT OPPERTUNITIES REMAIN FOR THE FUTURE

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