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Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement

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Assignment: Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement

.

If you talk about a possible poor health outcome, do you believe that outcome will occur? Do you believe eye contact and personal contact should be avoided?

You would have a difficult time practicing as a nurse if you believed these to be true. But they are very real beliefs in some cultures.

Differences in cultural beliefs, subcultures, religion, ethnic customs, dietary customs, language, and a host of other factors contribute to the complex environment that surrounds global healthcare issues. Failure to understand and account for these differences can create a gulf between practitioners and the public they serve.

In this Assignment, you will examine a global health issue and consider the approach to this issue by the United States and by one other country.

To Prepare:

· Review the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global health agenda and select one global health issue to focus on for this Assignment.

· Select at least one additional country to compare to the U.S. for this Assignment.

· Reflect on how the global health issue you selected is approached in the U.S. and in the additional country you selected.

· Review and download the Global Health Comparison Matrix provided in the Resources.

The Assignment:

1- 2-page Global Health Comparison Matrix.

1-page Plan for Social Change)

Part 1: Global Health Comparison Matrix

Focusing on the country you selected and the U.S., complete the Global Health Comparison Matrix. Be sure to address the following:

· Consider the U.S. national/federal health policies that have been adapted for the global health issue you selected from the WHO global health agenda. Compare these policies to the additional country you selected for study.

· Explain the strengths and weaknesses of each policy.

· Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the global health issue you selected. Be specific and provide examples.

· Using the WHO’s Organization’s global health agenda as well as the results of your own research, analyze how each country’s government addresses cost, quality, and access to the global health issue selected.

· Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the health of the global population. Be specific and provide examples.

· Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the role of the nurse in each country.

· Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries. Be specific and provide examples.

Part 2: A Plan for Social Change

Reflect on the global health policy comparison and analysis you conducted in Part 1 of the Assignment and the impact that global health issues may have on the world, the U.S., your community, as well as your practice as a nurse leader.

In a 1-page response, create a plan for social change that incorporates a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

· Explain how you would advocate for the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

· Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens might impact your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

· Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice as a nurse leader represents and contributes to social change. Be specific and provide examples.

Attached is an the assignment for global health comparison.  . The grid has to be  entirely completed. I reviewed some health care issues with a lot of information that can be easily compared with the United States including the World health Organization  (WHO). Issues such as the recent Covid-19 virus, influenza pandemic, Ebola virus, MERS-SARS, and HIV/Aids. There are countries with a high prevalence  in comparison with the United States such as china and the  African continents. Please elaborate to fill in the grid template entirely.  Thank you.

 

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

 

Global Healthcare Issues and Policies
Part 1: Global Health Comparison Matrix
Focusing on the country you selected and the U.S., complete   the Global Health Comparison Matrix. Be sure to address the following:
• Consider the U.S. national/federal health policies that have   been adapted for the global health issue you selected from the WHO global   health agenda. Compare these policies to the additional country you selected   for study.

45 (45%) – 50 (50%)

Response provides a   clear and accurate explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of policies in   the U.S. and another country.
Response provides a clear and accurate explanation of how the social   determinants of health impact the issue in the U.S. and in another country.   Specific examples are provided.
Response provides a clear and accurate explanation of how the governments of   the two countries address cost, quality, and access related to the issue.
Response provides a clear and accurate explanation of how the policy in each   of the two countries impacts the health of the global population. Detailed   and accurate supporting examples are provided.
Response provides a clear and complete explanation of how the policies in   each country impact the role of the nurse.
Response provides an accurate and detailed explanation of how the global   health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in each of   the two countries.

40 (40%) – 44 (44%)

Response provides an   explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of policies in the U.S. and   another country.
Response provides an explanation of how the social determinants of health   impact the issue in the U.S. and in another country. Specific examples may be   provided.
Response provides an explanation of how the governments of the two countries   address cost, quality, and access related to the issue.
Response provides an explanation of how the policy in each of the two   countries impacts the health of the global population. Supporting examples   may be provided.
Response provides an explanation of how the policies in each country impact   the role of the nurse.
Response provides an explanation of how the global health issues impact local   healthcare organizations and policies in each of the two countries.

35 (35%) – 39 (39%)

Explanation of the   strengths and weaknesses of policies in the U.S. and another country is vague   or inaccurate.
Explanation of how the social determinants of health impact the issue in the   U.S. and another country, and/or the examples, are vague or inaccurate.
Explanation of how the governments of the two countries address cost,   quality, and access related to the issue is vague or inaccurate.
Explanation of how the policy in each of the two countries impacts the health   of the global population, and/or supporting examples, is vague or inaccurate.
Explanation of how the policies in each country impact the role of the nurse   is vague or incomplete.
Explanation of how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations   and policies in each of the two countries is vague or inaccurate.

0 (0%) – 34 (34%)

Explanation of the   strengths and weaknesses of policies in the U.S. and another country is vague   and inaccurate, or is missing.
Explanation of how the social determinants of health impact the issue in the   U.S. and in another country, and the examples, are vague and inaccurate, or   is missing.
Explanation of how the governments of the two countries address cost,   quality, and access related to the issue is vague and inaccurate, or is   missing.
Explanation of how the policy in each of the two countries impacts the global   population, and supporting examples, is missing.
Explanation of how the policies in each country impact the role of the nurse   is vague and inaccurate, or is missing.
Explanation of how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations   and policies in both countries is missing.

 

The Nurse’s Role in Global Healthcare
Part 2: A Plan for Social Change
Reflect on the global health policy comparison and analysis   you conducted in Part 1 of the Assignment. In a 1-page response, create a   plan for social change that incorporates a global perspective or lens into   your local practice and role as a nurse leader.
• Explain how you would advocate for the incorporation of a   global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse   leader.
• Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or   lens might impact your local practice and role as a nurse leader.
• Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or   lens into your local practice as a nurse leader represents and contributes to   social change. Be specific and provide examples.

32 (32%) – 35 (35%)

Response provides a   clear and thorough explanation of how one would advocate for the   incorporation of a global perspective or lens into his/her role as a nurse   leader.
Response provides a clear and thorough explanation of how the incorporation   of a global perspective or lens might impact local practice and the role as a   nurse leader.
Response clearly and thoroughly explains in detail how the incorporation of a   global perspective or lens in one’s role as a nurse represents and   contributes to social change. Accurate and detailed supporting examples are   provided.

28 (28%) – 31 (31%)

Response provides an   explanation of how one would advocate for the incorporation of a global   perspective or lens into his/her role as a nurse leader.
Response provides an explanation of how the incorporation of a global   perspective or lens might impact local practice and the role as a nurse   leader.
Response explains how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens in   one’s role as a nurse represents and contributes to social change. Some   supporting examples are provided.

25 (25%) – 27 (27%)

Explanation of how   one would advocate for the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into   his/her role as a nurse leader is vague or incomplete.
Explanation of how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens might   impact local practice and the role as a nurse leader is vague or incomplete.
Explanation of how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens in one’s   role as a nurse represents and contributes to social change, and/or supporting   examples provided, are vague or incomplete.

0 (0%) – 24 (24%)

Explanation of how   one would advocate for the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into   his/her role as a nurse leader is vague and incomplete, or is missing.
Explanation of how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens might   impact local practice and the role as a nurse leader is vague and incomplete,   or is missing.
Explanation of how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens in one’s   role as a nurse represents and contributes to social change, and/or   supporting examples, is missing.

 

Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and   Organization:
Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed   ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are   carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance.   A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided   which delineates all required criteria.

5 (5%) – 5 (5%)

Paragraphs and sentences   follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity.
A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is   provided which delineates all required criteria.

4 (4%) – 4 (4%)

Paragraphs and   sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of   the time.
Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is   brief and not descriptive.

3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)

Paragraphs and   sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%- 79%   of the time.
Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off   topic.

0 (0%) – 3 (3%)

Paragraphs and   sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity < 60%   of the time.
No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided.

 

Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards:
Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation

5 (5%) – 5 (5%)

Uses correct   grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors.

4 (4%) – 4 (4%)

Contains a few (1-2)   grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)

Contains several   (3-4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

0 (0%) – 3 (3%)

Contains many (≥ 5)   grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s   understanding.

 

Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct   APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins,   indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference   list.

cognitive informatics

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Assignment:

Based on what you have learned so far this week, create a PowerPoint presentation with 1-2 minutes of speaker notes for each slide that addresses each of the following points/questions. Be sure to completely answer all the questions for each bullet point. Use clear headings that allow your professor to know which bullet you are addressing on the slides in your presentation. Support your content with at least four (4) citations throughout your presentation. Make sure to reference the citations using the APA writing style for the presentation. Include a slide for your references at the end. Follow best practices for PowerPoint presentations related to text size, color, images, effects, wordiness, and multimedia enhancements which is located in the Resources tab.

  1. Title Slide (1 slide)
  2. Imagine a clinical scenario and analyze the complements using the Foundation of Knowledge Model. How did you acquire knowledge? How did you process knowledge? How you generate knowledge? How did you disseminate knowledge? How did you use feedback and what was the effect of feedback on the foundation of your knowledge? (4 slides)
  3. How would you describe cognitive informatics (CI)? Reflect on a plan of care that you have developed for a patient. How could cognitive informatics be used to create tools to help with this important work? (2-3 slides)
  4. Take the self-assessment test on computer competencies offered at this URL: http://www.nursing-informatics.com/niassess/plan.html. How did you score? What are your areas of strengths and weaknesses related to computer competencies? (2-3 slides)
  5. References (1 slide)

McGonigle, D. & Mastrian, K. (2017) Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett

MSN program.

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To Prepare:

· Reflect on questions or concerns you might have as you begin the MSN program.

· Consider the individuals, teams, and departments you previously considered in Week 1 and how they may provide support to address these questions and concerns.

By Day 3

Post any questions or concerns that you are willing to share with the group. The Discussion Board represents an opportunity to network with your course colleagues, and others may have the same questions or concerns. Then, identify potential individuals, teams, or departments within Walden or your network that you can turn to for assistance in answering these questions and/or concerns.

Support main post with 3 of more current, credible sources and cite source within content of posting and on a reference list in proper APA.

self-awareness.

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No Plegarism please, assignment will be checked with Turnitin. 

Will need minimum of 300 words, APA Style, double spaced, times new romans, font 12. 

 

 

Writing about one’s personal experience encourages self-reflection and improves self-awareness. In this activitystudents are invited to reflect, in writing, on their experiences related to managing clinical risks for patients. Students to write about an event they observed or were involved in during their nursing profession that they feel might have placed a patient at risk. Alternatively, students may want to write about an event that occurred to them as recipients of healthcare, or as an observer to their friends’ or family members’ experiences. The event may be one that they feel related to any of anticipation, recognition, or management of a patient safety risk. Safe patient care and reducing medical-legal risk requires nurse practitioners to be aware of potential risks and how to avoid them.

The narrative should include:

a description of the event

an explanation of how this event placed a patient at risk

the student’s reflections on the event including:

if and how the event was recognized

why and how the event occurred, for example, was the event due to

* action or inaction by an individual healthcare provide

*system failure(s)

*a combination of systems failure(s) and individual provider performance issue

what changes or improvements they would make, if any

how they felt at the time

how they currently feel about the even

Were you personally involved in the event? Discuss.

What, if any, workplace factors contributed to the event? (e.g., Was it during a handover? Did it involve a medication?)

How aware was the healthcare provider(s) of what was going on around them? (situational awareness)

How did the health care provider(s) recognize the safety problem, and how did they respond?

How did this event affect you?

What did you take away that you will use in the future?

I would do something differently next time because

patient-care technologies

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Course Project Milestone 1 Guidelines

Updated 11/2019

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate the skills of the professional nurse as an educator. You are to prepare a patient scenario based on the required assigned topic. You will choose an already developed and reliable mHealth app to use in the education of your patient.

Course Outcomes

This assignment enables the student to meet the following Course Outcomes.

CO1: Describe patient-care technologies as appropriate to address the needs of a diverse patient population. (PO1)

CO5: Identify patient care technologies, information systems, and communication devices that support safe nursing practice. (PO5)

Points

The entire project is worth 600 points. Milestone 1 is worth 150 points of this total.

 

Required Assigned Topic for the focus of your paper

• Person with Asthma OR breathing issues. Note: You will create a scenario based on this required assigned topic.

Requirements and Guidelines

  • Download the required Milestone 1 TemplateLinks to an external site.. Save it to your computer with the file name: Your Last Name NR361 Milestone 1.docx.
  • Write a patient scenario using the Required Assigned Topic.
    • Make sure to include a disease process, diagnosis, OR identify a patient with a desire to maintain good health and prevent illness and who would benefit from an already developed and reliable mHealth app.
  • Describe in detail content planned for teaching this patient in the scenario.
    • Include the nurse’s assessment of learning needs and readiness to learn.
  • Identify a mHealth app that could benefit the patient.
    • Describe the app including the mHealth app name, purpose, intended audience, mobile device(s) upon which it will operate, where to download or obtain it. Add any other information you believe would be pertinent to this situation.
    • Include a working link if it is to be downloaded from a website.
    • Make sure to add a citation for this mHealth app in APA format.
  • You are required to complete the Milestone 1 Template using the productivity tools required by Chamberlain University, which is Microsoft Office Word 2013 (or later version), or Windows and Office 2011 (or later version) for MAC. You must save the file in the “.docx” format. Do NOT save as Word Pad. A later version of the productivity tool includes Office 365, which is available to Chamberlain students for FREE by downloading from the student portal at http://my.chamberlain.eduLinks to an external site.

 

  • Carefully review the grading rubric criteria for Milestone 1 and type directly on your saved Milestone 1 Template.
  • The instructor will score Milestone 1 and provide feedback and a clear statement regarding the required assignment topic:
    • Accepted,
    • Accepted with revisions needed, OR
    • Not accepted.

If the Milestone 1 assignment needs revisions or is not accepted, the instructor will indicate if the student should communicate further revisions to the instructor. No additional points will be earned for revisions to Milestone 1 issue, but these revisions will greatly enhance success on later milestones.

Unlicensed Assistive Personnel and the Registered Nurse 

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Case Study, Chapter 8, Unlicensed Assistive Personnel and the Registered Nurse

The increased use of unlicensed assistive personnel presents both opportunities and challenges for the American health care system. The nurse manager has to deal with the challenge that unlicensed assistive personnel only be used to provide personal care needs or nursing tasks that do not require the skill and judgment of the RN.

1. The nurse manager reviews the national effort to define the scope of practice for unlicensed assistive personnel. In 2007, the American Nurses Association made recommendations for a national and/or state policy for nursing assistive personnel. What are the six actions that should be taken to create a national and/or state policy agenda about the educational preparation of unlicensed assistive personnel and the competencies they should have for safe practice?

2. The need in health care today is for today’s nurses to have highly developed delegation skills in working effectively and efficiently with unlicensed assistive personnel. This is critical to ensure the clients’ needs are met and their safety is not jeopardized. What are the key general principles that the nurse manager needs to review with professional registered nurses in delegating to unlicensed assistive personnel?

Becoming a Doctoral Learner

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Topic: Becoming a Doctoral Learner

1. After reading, “Dr. Ronald Berman on Time Management” and viewing the video at the conclusion of the article, describe two strategies you will implement in order to improve your time management skills? How will you change your approach to time management using that information?

2. The DNP PI Workspace is a critical resource for DNP students. It contains essential resources for this course and valuable guidance tools for successfully completing your DPI projects. Navigate the DNP PI Workspace, Student Success Center, and the Guidelines for Graduate Field Experiences. After reviewing the above resources, answer the following:

a. What information within the Guidelines for Graduate Field Experiences, DNP PI Workspace, and Student Success Center is the most helpful for this course and the completion of your DPI project? Why?

b. Review the “DNP Direct Practice Improvement Project Recommendation PowerPoint” found in the course materials. Discuss a potential topic for your project in a brief paragraph. Consider the PICOT reminder slide when selecting your potential topic.

paediatric case

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For this essay, select either

Essay Case Option 1 (the paediatric case) or

Essay Case Option 2 (the adult case).

Review your chosen case and the clinical documents. Using the clinical reasoning cycle you are required to assess, plan, implement and evaluate your care for the patient. After identifying the relevant assessment data you must identify two (2) priority problems for your patient. For each priority problem identified, list two (2) nursing interventions (collaborative/independent) linking to your research of the literature. Include a one to two line rationale for each intervention. Evaluation of your care is essential.

 

The 2200 word essay should cover the points below: 

  • Introduction (150 words approx): State an overview of the patient’s condition and identify the TWO priority nursing problems. Give a brief plan for the essay topics.
  • For each of your identified priority problems (950 words approx): Briefly explain how it relates to the patient’s assessment data. You will need to draw on your understanding of pathophysiology to explain the link between the problem and the patient’s signs and symptoms. Identify TWO priority nursing interventions to address the problem. Justify the nursing interventions you will implement (explain what is involved in implementing the intervention, why it is suitable, any relevant positive or negative aspects/considerations) and support/justify the use of these interventions with reference to current evidence-based literature. Outline the evaluation criteria/data that would indicate that each intervention is improving or resolving the identified problem.
  • Conclusion (150 words approx): Briefly restate the patient’s condition and problems and how the nursing interventions can benefit the patient’s health.
  • You need to discuss at least one independent nursing intervention in your essay.
  • For any collaborative nursing interventions you must discuss the nursing responsibilities and actions in relation to this collaborative intervention.
  • Medications cannot be both of your chosen collaborative interventions for a problem. If a medication is one of your collaborative interventions you must identify an appropriate drug that is likely to be/or has been prescribed by the doctor. You must consider and discuss the nursing responsibilities associated with the medication (action, dose, side effects, prevention and management of same, administration requirements, evaluation).

 

• A minimum 20 references but be cited from valid, contemporary journal articles or books no older than 7 years.

 

  • Use  APA referencing for citing academic literature

The Case of Mrs. G.

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In this written assignment, you have the opportunity to share your thoughts about how to deliver client-centered culturally competent care and work collaboratively with others.

The Case of Mrs. G.
Mrs. G. is a 75 year old Hispanic woman who has been relatively well all of her life. She had been married for 50 years and had five children. Her children are grown with families of their own. All but one of her children live in other states. Mrs. G.’s husband passed away last year, which was devastating for her. She had been very close to him and relied upon him for everything. He was “the life of the party” she always said and was a loving and caring man. Since his passing, Mrs. G. has continued to live in the house they shared for 35 years. In the last month, Mrs. G. has fallen twice sustaining injuries, though minimal. Her home health nurse comes weekly to check in on her. Mrs. G. likes her very much and wishes she could come more often. Mrs. G.’s daughter who lives in the next town over, has been worried and decided with the urging of her siblings and the doctor to start looking for an assisted living facility for her mother. She found one last week and talked with the Director who said she would be happy to help in whatever way was best. The daughter decided to tell her mother that it was time for her to move, so she can be cared for and be safe. When she told her mother, Mrs. G. cried and said, “This will not happen ever. I plan to stay in this house of loving memories for the remainder of my life.”

In 3 – 4 pages answer the following questions:

  1. How would you best describe Mrs. G.’s feelings about her life, her family, her traditions, and her future?
  2. Did Mrs. G.’s response to her daughter surprise you? Please explain your answer.
  3. In what way do you believe her culture might be influencing her decision?
  4. If you were Mrs. G.’s daughter what would you say to her that shows you are caring and have compassion for her situation? What nonverbal communication would support that level of communication?
  5. Suppose Mrs. G. stands firm about not leaving her house. What resources and collaborations might be available and helpful so the daughter and other healthcare providers can keep her mother safe and make the most effective decision?

real world and the medical community.

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look at probability in terms of both the real world and the medical community.

Survey 30 people to find out if they are left-handed or right-handed, and use the following chart to create a contingency table with the information.
Left handed Right handed Total Female Male Total

Answer the following questions about the information in your contingency table:
If a person is randomly selected from the survey participants, what is the probability that the person will be left-handed?
If you randomly choose a female from the people you surveyed, what is the probability that she is left-handed?
What is the odds ratio of choosing a left-handed female?
What is the relative risk of choosing a left-handed female?
Example:

green blue total

cats 40(A) 20(B) 60(A+B)

dogs 30(C) 40(D) 70(C+D)

total 70(A+C) 60(B+D) 130(A+B+C+D)

Probability of Green – (A+C)/(A+B+C+D): 70/130 = 0.54
Probability of Green Cat – A/(A+B): 40/60 = 0.67
Odds Ratio of Green Cat – (A/B)/(C/D) or AD/BC: (4040)/(2030) = 1600/600 = 2.67
Relative Risk of Green Cat – [A/(A+C)]/[B/(B+D)]: (40/70)/(20/60) = 1.71
Answer the following question: How do the probabilities and percentages for your study compare to those in the study you read?

Read the below study as follows:

If you’re a lefty, you’re not alone.

Are you right-minded? If so, you are most likely one of the 10 percent to 13 percent of the world population that is lefthanded. Lefties are controlled by the right side of their brains, and so lefties are sometimes said to be the only people in their right minds!

Change-by Force

This wasn’t the story several decades ago. Left-handedness was considered by many to be a disorder-a problem that needed to be fixed. The Latin name for left-handed was “sinister,” and the connotations of the word seemed to bleed over to the people themselves.

Left-handed students were coerced, sometimes rather forcefully, to pick up a pencil with the other hand and “overcome” their preference. “This resulted in all kinds of problems from bed-wetting to stuttering,” says Dr. Sharlene McEvoy of Fairfield University in Connecticut, founder of The Sinistralian, a newsletter devoted to lefties. This practice has, in fact, strongly influenced some of the studies that are still being published today.

One of the biggest myths of left-handedness is that lefties die younger. But that just isn’t so.

“The study that stated that was based on faulty data,” says Dr. McEvoy. “The researcher studied the elderly and found few left-handers, so he surmised that it was because they had died. “However,” she continues, “it was actually due to the fact that most of the seniors weren’t allowed to be lefthanded as kids.”

Dr. Clare Porac, professor of psychology at Penn State Erie and researcher on lateral preference, agrees. “According to current research, many of the 80-year-olds interviewed were forced to change their hand preferences as children.” Fortunately, that has changed.

Myth vs. Reality

The line between what is fact and what is fiction about left-handedness is a thin one. What one researcher believes, another refutes. “The brain is too complex an organ for us to truly understand,” says Dr. McEvoy. “Research just isn’t that advanced.” Some studies, for instance, state that lefties are more prone to accidents and injuries at work because of having to deal with tools and other machines designed for right-handers. Dr. McEvoy says, “True. Left handers are more prone to injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.”

Dr. Porac says, “No, there has been no higher incidence of work injuries in left-handers.” Some studies say lefthanders are more creative and intelligent. “Not true,” says Dr. Porac.

“Debatable,” says Dr. McEvoy. “For instance, lefthanders make up approximately 10 percent of the overall population, yet 20 percent to 25 percent of law students are left-handed-and so are 15 to 20 percent of the autistic population. What does that prove?”

What are the facts about being left-handed? “The fact,” says Dr. Porac, “is that lefthanders are pretty much just like right-handers. One of the only differences,” she continues, “is that left-handers are more variable in their hand use and brain organization. Righthanders are very strongly one sided, while left-handers are more flexible,” she continues. “In other words, left-handers can use their right hands better than right-handers can use their left hands.”

According to other research, lefties are also more prone to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. “This is due,” says Dr. McEvoy, “to the tensions of having to adapt to life in a right-handed world.” Both doctors agree that there are some definite links between left-handedness and autoimmune disorders such as asthma, diabetes, lupus, and multiple sclerosis. Why, however, remains a mystery to both.

Assessing the Cause

Just like the traits of lefties are up for debate, so is the original cause of left-handedness. Theories range from people having a left-handed gene to prenatal damage to birth defects, but the research doesn’t prove any of them. “We are simply born disposed one way or another,” says Dr. McEvoy. Genetics obviously plays a large role, though. Your chance of being lefthanded is one in 10 if both of your parents are right-handed, two in 10 if one parent is lefthanded, and three to four out of 10 if both parents are lefties.

Surprisingly, hand preference is not just limited to humans, either. According to Dr. McEvoy, most animals also show a preference in claw and paw. Even elephants have one tusk that they will present and use over another!

Being left-handed is certainly not the problem or disorder that it was once thought to be. In fact, if you decide to go to Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, it can even earn you a scholarship! The Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Beckley Scholarship was established by two student lefties who met and married at the college way back in 1924. In their wills, they set aside substantial money for any Juniata student who shows financial need, academic success-and writes with his or her left hand! +