Case study Kate, a 38-year-old graduate student, has asthma and gets several respiratory infections each year. She also
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 6:45 am
Case study
Kate, a 38-year-old graduate student, has asthma and gets
several respiratory infections each year. She also has smoked
regularly for the past 20 years. Recently, she was diagnosed with
an early stage of emphysema. Although her friends and family
members have talked with her about smoking and its relationship to
respiratory ailments, she is defiant about maintaining her habit.
She insists that because she doesn't smoke in her car, her friends'
cars, or in her house, her smoking is nobody else's business.
Further, she says that several members of her family – even the
nonsmokers – have a long history of respiratory problems. Therefore
she believes that she would have developed asthma and emphysema
anyway.
When we think of deadly diseases, asthma may not be the first one
that comes to mind. Despite this, each day, 14 Americans die from
asthma. The cause behind asthma is not clear, but scientists do
know what can aggravate the condition, or how to treat an attack.
Why do you think asthma is on the rise? Some experts point to
environmental links to explain this increase.
Your Conclusions: (Address each question)
1- What role does smoking play in asthma and emphysema?
2- What actions could you take to reduce risks and problems
associated with chronic lung diseases?
3- What part of Kate's argument about smoking is accurate?
inaccurate?
4- If you were a close friend of Kate, what strategies might you
try to encourage her to quit?
Kate, a 38-year-old graduate student, has asthma and gets
several respiratory infections each year. She also has smoked
regularly for the past 20 years. Recently, she was diagnosed with
an early stage of emphysema. Although her friends and family
members have talked with her about smoking and its relationship to
respiratory ailments, she is defiant about maintaining her habit.
She insists that because she doesn't smoke in her car, her friends'
cars, or in her house, her smoking is nobody else's business.
Further, she says that several members of her family – even the
nonsmokers – have a long history of respiratory problems. Therefore
she believes that she would have developed asthma and emphysema
anyway.
When we think of deadly diseases, asthma may not be the first one
that comes to mind. Despite this, each day, 14 Americans die from
asthma. The cause behind asthma is not clear, but scientists do
know what can aggravate the condition, or how to treat an attack.
Why do you think asthma is on the rise? Some experts point to
environmental links to explain this increase.
Your Conclusions: (Address each question)
1- What role does smoking play in asthma and emphysema?
2- What actions could you take to reduce risks and problems
associated with chronic lung diseases?
3- What part of Kate's argument about smoking is accurate?
inaccurate?
4- If you were a close friend of Kate, what strategies might you
try to encourage her to quit?