Perspectives Of Inquiry

Perspectives Of Inquiry

Abstract

Asthma is a prevalent disease that affects children of all ages differently, and the severity of asthma varies for each child. Asthma just like other upper respiratory issues that an individual may experience causes one a lot of problems during breathing hence reducing a child’s ability to perform tasks and experience a day’s happenings. Asthma is one of the most common, chronic, and non-communicable diseases that are especially prevalent in children. According to the CDC, the condition affects one in twelve children and affects approximately six million children in the United States. It has been discovered that symptoms of asthma will be objective in children before they reach the age of five. Symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and chest pain can be observed. Most of the time, children from ages five to eleven years old will receive inhaled corticosteroids as their treatment method. If the child portrays worse symptoms, the child will also receive combination inhalers. Both treatment methods work together to help control persistent asthma. This paper seeks to present a perspective inquiry of asthma, with a particular focus on both the scientific and mathematical or analytical perspectives of investigation, and both the cultural and ethical perspectives of inquiry.

Introduction

Asthma can affect people regardless of age and geographical location, but it is specifically a common issue for children. In contemporary American society, one in five households is affected by asthma, and in most cases, parents are not offered enough information on what they can do after their child is discharged from the Emergency Room after an asthma attack. According to Ardura-Garcia, Garner and Cooper (2018), asthma prevalence in the United States is as a result of low levels of hygiene maintained, which then is preceded by infections. Asthma is a condition affecting the bronchial tube and is often characterized by an increase of mucous production and constriction. A child with asthma has bronchial tubes which are very sensitive to many different triggers and stimuli, which can lead to the development of symptoms. Essentially, asthmatic children have very specific sensitivity which prompts their lungs to have a much higher reaction to some triggers or stimulating factors. Because of this reason, children suffering from this condition are believed to have “twitchy airways”. According to Harris et al. (2019), symptoms experienced by children with asthma include coughing, production of high quantities of mucous, wheezing, difficulty in exhaling and inhaling and tightening of the chest. Coughing may be either intermittent or frequent, dry and deep, or loose, and it should, however, be noted that these symptoms are not common for children suffering from the condition. A loose cough means that there is a secretion of extra mucous in the airways while a deep and dry cough indicates tight bronchospasms. According to Bhagat et al. (2019), depending on the situation, children can experience coughing which are devoid of symptoms for months and parents often fail to realize that they have asthma. An interesting observation about the condition is that the symptoms worsen during the night, especially when a child goes to sleep since his or her airways narrow because of the changes in gravity. Additionally, the lung tissue does not clear secretions properly during the night, which leads to another issue of mucous retention, which may increase airflow obstruction. Additionally, a child’s body produces little amounts of some chemicals which help to reduce spasms in the airway and guarantee that the airway tubes are open. These factors contribute to a much greater possibility of experiencing severe asthma attacks at night. There is, therefore, a need for parents, teachers and caregivers to recognize asthma and reduce the effects it has on them, the children, families and the society at large. This paper, therefore, seeks to present a perspective inquiry of asthma, with a special focus on both the scientific and mathematical or analytical perspectives of inquiry, and both the cultural and ethical perspectives of inquiry.

Perspectives of Inquiry

There are several misconceptions about asthma, and the disease can be misunderstood. Asthma is a disease that can be life-threatening and can be hard to predict. It is characterized by inflammation in the airways and is considered to be a life-long disease. According to Eassey (2020), the experience is vital in determining the right approach to apply. There are many ways to control the symptoms of asthma; however, there is no cure for it. A scientific perspective of asthma will include how this disease affects children pathologically. When undertaking research to understand the statistics of children with asthma, it is highly important to look at many different groups of children in the same location from the same race or gender. An example of this can be seen where, if a study area is going to research asthma among children living in an urban setting, it is important to look at many different groups of children within that same urban area. Doing a cross-sectional study is a good way of finding statistical information on children affected by asthma. For the first part of this paper, the issue of asthma in children is described from a scientific and mathematical perspective of inquiry with a focus on the anatomical, physiological, pathological, or epidemiological issues of asthma within children. Therefore, the main aspects of the scientific perspective of inquiry include the body systems affected by asthma, the events happening at the genetic or cellular level, and important biological or chemical issues. On the other hand, the analytical or the mathematical perspective of inquiry on the issue of asthma in children touches more on statistical information. An analytical approach guards a researcher against bias

A mathematical or analytical perspective discussed upon asthma will include statistical information. This paper will also go in depth in relation to treatment, treatment implications, and economic costs. The analytical perspective protects a researcher from hindsight bias which is a belief that he or she would have foreseen an outcome. Additionally, the mathematical perspective guard’s researchers from judgmental overconfidence which is the bias to look for information which confirms a decision on the basis of intuition. Therefore, the main aspects of the Therefore, the main aspects of the scientific perspective of inquiry include the statistical facts related to asthma in children, economic approaches that well explain asthma in children, economic issues involved, and lastly statistical processes utilized in the study of asthma which offer the best understanding of the issue.

Scientific Perspective

Quite a number of studies done by various researchers, including Menzies-Gow et al. (2019), have discovered that asthma is a chronic disease that is especially prevalent in children and causes inflammations in the airways. According to Kanemitsu et al. (2018), asthma affects one in twelve children and affects approximately six million children in the United States. It has been discovered that symptoms of asthma will be objective in children before they reach the age of five. Symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and chest pain can be observed. However, emotions among the childhood population can subjectively be observed. Bhaghat et al. (2019) mention emotions such as crying, stress, and yelling can be additional symptoms that can be considered a warning sign in children and can also be triggers for asthma to become worse. Kanemitsu et al. (2018) held research on the coughing nature of the asthma patients and the effects that come with coughing. Asthma can also be precipitated by allergens. These allergens can range anywhere from sensitivity, dander, pollution, and even second-hand smoke. A hallmark trait of asthma observed in children is shortness of breath as well as a congested cough. Since asthma is considered to be a respiratory disease, a child that is diagnosed with having asthma will show weak signs of breathing. There will be anatomical differences in the trachea and chest.

The wind pipe’s location is in front of the gullet, which connects the mouth and the stomach. The windpipe has got two branches known as bronchi and bronchus in the singular. The two tubes individually further get subdivided into numerous tubes. These branches form the bronchus are known as bronchioles which carry out the task of ensuring that the incoming air from the bronchus reaches the alveoli. In the alveoli, air passes through the walls of tiny blood vessels that surround them known as capillaries, where the unwanted substances or gases like the CO2 is removed from the blood. Behind the chest wall, are very vital human body’s organs. It is thus the function of the chest wall to provide cover and protection from external harm. The nature of the creation of a chest wall makes it fit and with all the qualities to ensure vital organs protection. The most sensitive body organs include; the heart, major veins and arteries, the lungs, kidneys and the liver which are all located behind the chest. The chest wall is made up of fats, thoracic skeleton and muscles that are all meant to reinforce the protection of the internal organs. During breathing, the thoracic skeleton can expand hence increasing the volume of the air that’s required as a result of the expansion of the muscles. During an asthma attack, the bronchioles will contract, which will cause bronchospasm. This will allow fluid to build up and ultimately cause airway restriction and can cause a slight protrusion in the chest.

Although asthma is considered to be a physiological disorder, many studies have also shown that asthma can affect multiple systems of the body. The nervous system, gastrointestinal system, and the immunological system are all affected when an individual has difficulty breathing. All of these systems are affected primarily because sensory neurons in the nervous system are what contract respiratory responses, the immune system combats stress when experiencing an attack due to an allergen, and the G.I tract is disrupted by goblet cell altercation as well as epithelial atrophy. The examination of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) has shown pathological alterations in asthmatic patients and usually worsen during an asthma attack because it uses the mucosal immunological system. This sensation can cause cellular atrophy in the lung and airways and can also affect the small intestine and stomach. Asthma is first experienced when expansion and contraction of the muscles surrounding the bronchiole walls occur upon being subjected to activation which then causes problems for an individual as the air cannot flow in or out of the lungs. Not forgetting the effect, the mucus has, as the risk of it blocking the bronchiole tubes hence further causing hindrance to the flow of the air which is to basically what happens to anyone with asthma. According to McAlinden et al. (2019), therapies involved with asthma may fail to provide a solution to the problems in the airways, which then may result in lungs malfunctioning.

Mathematical/Analytical Perspective

There are several risk factors that can result in a child developing asthma. First and foremost, children who reside in urban, lower socioeconomic areas tend to have higher rates of childhood asthma. Childhood asthma can also be enhanced by pollution. According to Hamelmann, Szefler and Lau (2019), the exposure of children to pollution, especially during pregnancy, can congenitally cause changes in the DNA. DNA methylation changes which have implications on one’s immune system. This can cause children to have weaker immune systems and be prone to allergens. Study shows that even in children, there is a disparity in the rate of contraction of the disease. The number of boys that have or have had asthma is more compared to the number of girls. At an adulthood stage, tables are turned as the prevalence in women gradually rises and are hence higher than that of men. This higher prevalence in boys is partly due to their smaller airways relative to lung size compared with young girls (Brighling, 2018). Additionally, according to the research by Brighling (2018) on average, the medical cost for children with asthma in the United States is $81.9 billion annually.

Penabaka, Kumar, and Prasad (2020), in their research, found out treatment methods for asthma which include inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, long-acting beta-agonists, and combination inhalers. A study conducted at a university randomly assigned 97 patients with asthma to utilize corticosteroids. In the placebo-controlled trial, it was found that inhaled corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment for people who have chronic asthma. Control of asthma may be the hardest thing, but the recent breakthrough has shown quite a number of methods of controlling it. The use of over the counter medicine such as Inhaled corticosteroids has proven effective over the years. According to Hong et al. (2020), the effectiveness of over the counter medication on children has not been determined; hence there is no proven difference in them. Although all the OTC medication has proven to be effective so far, their control over inflammations that occur in the airways makes them very important to every individual suffering from asthma. These medicines are the only known means of controlling asthma and are utilized by most of the asthma patients worldwide. In some instances, an additive meant to reduce the corticosteroids consumption is brought in play as it is responsible for making asthma control much easier.  In another experimental study, children with asthma were treated with anti-immunoglobulin E. These children who ranged from the age of 6-12 switched from their corticosteroids to equivalent doses of beclomethasone propionate (BDP). The results concluded that asthma symptoms lessened; however, with the combination of BPD and corticosteroids, the effectiveness of reducing asthma was great.

The scientific perspective of asthma has shown how this disease can affect multiple organ systems and how there can be treatment implications, but with proper care, asthma can be under control (Quirt et al., 2018). The mathematical and analytical perspective of asthma suggests that the statistics of asthma in children along with the socioeconomic status and risk factors all play a huge role in asthma, especially among the childhood population. These implications all intertwine to help better understand asthma. The science behind asthma is important and can be useful when diagnosing a child with asthma, depending on their severity. Since all cases of childhood asthma are different, it is important to pay attention to both subjective and objective symptoms.

Ethical and Cultural Perspectives of Inquiry

Asthma is a prevalent disease that affects children of all ages differently, and the severity of asthma varies for each child. Most of the time, children from ages five to eleven years old will receive inhaled corticosteroids as their treatment method. If the child portrays worse symptoms, the child will also receive combination inhalers. Both treatment methods work together to help control persistent asthma. However, the treatment methods that each child will receive will be evaluated culturally and ethically. The ethical perspective considers the three different ethical theories when applying treatment methods for children with asthma. The three theories include utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. Due to these ethical theories, what is taken into consideration when deciding the appropriate treatment method for the child? In the cultural perspective, different values and norms will influence asthma differently. Since every culture holds different values, the type of treatments used to assess asthma will be distinguished by what’s appropriate based on certain cultural beliefs. Which cultures or societies are most affected by asthma, and why is that the case? How is asthma addressed differently in varying cultural contexts and situations?

Ethical Perspectives

The utilitarianism ethical theory focuses on moral obligation and differentiates actions based on right and wrong. This theory helps healthcare professionals to emphasize with children who have asthma and ultimately allows them to reach the utilitarianism goal, which is to produce happiness. According to Do et al. (2020), asthma in childhood population has immensely increased because many children around the world do not get basic healthcare and may live in poor areas. This decreases their basic health and social services and doesn’t promote a child’s well-being. If children at a young age are not able to reach their full potential in fundamental ways, it denies them of equal opportunity. Factors that increase asthma symptoms can make it challenging for young children to be happy when deprived of certain chances. The utilitarianism perspective can be a huge asset when promoting the well-being of children who are affected by asthma.

The utilitarian approach holds the number of individuals as a determinant for the choice of drug to utilize. This might be as true as it sounds as most individuals tend to be swayed by the number of (other) people utilizing the drug. Utilizing this approach to determine the type of drug to considering it is basically an influence by one individual on another, may cause harm to some, but in most instances, it is of much importance. Utilitarianism has got two alternatives that are known, namely; rule and act Utilitarianism where Act utilitarianism involves analysis of an individual’s reaction in terms of harm and benefits it brings. On the other hand, rule utilitarianism, no expectations are in play as harms and benefits of the drug are not considered. In order to arrive at a decision to determine what drug to offer an asthma patient, proven facts are utilized to dictate the decision. For example, many children often cry, feel stressed, and scared when they can’t breathe. Children who experience anxiety while undergoing an asthma attack can make their symptoms a lot worse. Healthcare professionals can help make the child feel more comfortable by expressing a calm demeanour, telling the child that “it’s going to be okay,” and providing a sense of comfort by utilizing therapeutic play (Harris et al., 2019). When the child’s emotional needs are met during an asthmatic attack, they will feel more comfortable. As a result, the child would be more willing to receive treatment, and it would also reduce the severity of the asthmatic symptoms.

Another ethical theory that relates to the treatment methods of children with asthma is deontology. Deontology is an ethical theory that emphasizes on the duty and moral rights of the human being. Asthma is a straightforward disease, and essentially there is no right and wrong when it comes to the fundamentals of treating it. However, placebo effects can be triggered when treating asthmatic patients because some argue it’s unethical due to the fact that it compares the new treatment with standard therapy( McAlinden et al., 2019). For example, in a placebo-controlled trial (PCT) children were observed to see whether or not they’ve been harmed in their participation with PCT. Throughout the sixty-two clinical asthma trials, subjects were given anti-inflammatory medication and were analyzed for the frequency of asthma exacerbations. In the perspective of deontology, placebo effects can be categorized as unethical and standardized asthmatic treatments are a more encouraging option by immunologists to reduce exposure to unnecessary problems.

The last ethical theory that relates to the treatment methods of children with asthma is virtue ethics. Virtue ethics is an ethical theory that is the key element of an individual’s character. Virtue ethics is focused primarily on the provider than it is for the patient suffering. It is in the provider’s greatest concern to help a patient return back to normal and to relieve the symptoms of asthma with optimal care. It can be a challenge for healthcare professionals to establish a sense of trust with a child suffering from asthma. However, with the proper care and virtue ethics, the provider can learn how to enhance their social interaction skills to meet the emotional needs of a patient. As mentioned previously, children undergoing an asthmatic attack may experience high volumes of anxiety which can worsen their episode. The provider must learn to utilize therapeutic play so children can understand and help cope with their disease. Furthermore, once a provider establishes that sense of comfort and trust with a suffering patient, the child will be more willing to receive additional treatments and will also be able to stay calm which will ultimately reduce their symptoms.

Cultural Perspective

Cultural values and norms can play a huge role in decision making. Values, norms, and beliefs can influence treatment implications among the childhood population suffering from asthma. For example, there was a study conducted to analyze variations in asthma treatment in European countries. “The goal of the study was to compare treatment decisions and the influence of specific patient characteristics on asthma management in five European countries”. The technique that was utilized was clinical judgement analysis in order to determine how doctors made decisions based on the patient’s symptoms. The results of the trial concluded that doctors in European countries relied more on short-term, quick-relief “rescue” medications. For example, doctors in the Netherlands prescribed more oral steroid courses and fewer antibiotics than in Norway and Sweden. Countries like Germany and the Slovak Republic provided the least amount of oral steroids and heaps of antibiotics. On the contrary, treatment of asthma in America focused more on long-term control medications. Inhaled corticosteroids and combination inhalers are the most effective and common treatment methods for controlling asthma in the U.S.A. The study concluded that the variation in the treatment of asthma patients between doctors in different countries might be attributed to the different use of clinical patient characteristics. Due to the different approaches of how asthma is treated in different countries, it should be noted that the goal of treatment is to restore effective function and that even with different treatment methods, similar results can be achieved regardless of one’s location.

Conclusion

Treatment methods for children affected by asthma both evaluate the cultural and ethical perspective. From the ethical perspective, the main theories that apply to the treatment methods are utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. It is in the hands of healthcare professionals to understand the different treatment methods and that treatment will be different for every child. From a cultural perspective, healthcare professionals, families, and children should consider their beliefs and understand that the diagnosis and treatment of asthma vary in each country. To sum this up, asthma takes the lives of many people and mostly the young generation every 365 days throughout the world. It is hence very important for every health practitioner to grasp an understanding of how this disease is developed, caused, and diagnosed. Treatment of it, however, has been difficult for the health officers do not know its root cause. Also noticeable, is the different symptoms that the patients suffering from the disease portray that further complicates everything. It is important to note that asthma affects a kid’s social affairs, physical health and even may experience psychological issues. Asthma just like other upper respiratory issues that an individual may experience causes one a lot of problems during breathing hence reducing the child’s ability to perform tasks and experience a day’s happenings. This explains why some kids who suffer from asthma experience problems as they go to their schools and also those individuals that are going to work. Children having the disease portray a different character at schools as they do not actively involve themselves in activities such as bike riding, hide and seek, running among other activities that require one’s participation. They are also subjected to isolation within the school that only themselves see and completely makes their lives at school very difficult. Although in some schools, they may not experience any isolation, the disease’s symptoms make it difficult to stay around where healthy people are. This then subjects them to isolate themselves as they do not want to be a liability to others as one may prove to require aiding in most aspects. Families sometimes find it difficult to provide the care that these special individuals care to render them to even harder life. As they require company at home and the need for them to be aided in most instances makes it difficult for the family members to cope up with it. The symptoms of the disease like sneezing, coughing, and the difficulty in breathing inhibits most individuals with asthma from acquiring a quality sleep like any other individuals. This then makes their lives more abnormal and difficult to cope with. This disease has a series of effects that very serious in nature. Besides its capability to end one’s life, it is characterized by a state of fear that an individual experience because of the variety of issues that like the shortness of breath that is usually a dominant characteristic of the disease. The disease makes one’s stay really uncomfortable and may render one change the character and become more focused on the personal life that is actually the part deteriorating. Acquisition of medicine is rather difficult and confusing for persons living with asthma. As they strive to grasp the know-how of their own asthmas, they develop a feeling of shame as they continually acquire the medicine. Research shows that children living with asthma develop a life that involves most activities by oneself and not associating with others. The solo life one experiences come with a mental issue that causes even more problems to the individual. Generally, asthma renders individuals to experience a difficult life that makes it a really bad disease to occur to an individual of any age bracket.

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