Ethical Challenges in Informatics

1. Thesis Statement: Many ethical challenges shape the informatics profession nowadays. It is, therefore, necessary to understand the ethical challenges in informatics.
2. A) Schizophrenia disease occurs differently depending on age group, SES, region, ethnic group, gender, and other factors.
3. According to the age group factor, schizophrenia is prevalent in the late teens to the early twenties in the case of men and females between the late twenties and early thirties (Casarella, 2020).
4. For children under the age of twelve years, it is unheard of to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. It is also uncommon for adults above forty years to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.

B)  SES is also a factor that contributes to the prevalence of Schizophrenia disease.

1. Low SES, otherwise known as socioeconomic status, is attributed to the high risk of Schizophrenia (Mulvany et al., 2001). Being raised in a low SES environment has increased the risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia.
2. A cross-tabulation between socioeconomic status and Schizophrenia hospitalization was done to test the association between SES and Schizophrenia. The findings indicated a slight significance decline in risk of Schizophrenia with increase in SES, i.e, (χ² = 53.925, df = 19, P for trend < .001) (Goldberg et al., 2011).  In comparison, a significantly high risk of hospitalization for schizophrenia was associated with low SES.

C) Region determines the prevalence of schizophrenia in many ways.

1. There is a different Schizophrenia prevalence depending on geographical region. The tendency of prevalence mostly increases with latitude.
2. An increase in latitude causes prevalence mostly because the latitude areas are associated with prenatal Vitamin D deficiency, which contributes to the diagnosis of the disease (Kinney et al., 2009). Additionally, schizophrenia prevalence is lowest in regions near the equator.

III. Causes and symptoms of Schizophrenia disease

1. Schizophrenia can be caused by factors such as genetics, environment, substance use, and brain chemistry.
2. The event of complex genetic variations can lead to one being diagnosed with Schizophrenia (Nami.org, 2021). Alternatively, heredity can expose one to a higher risk of developing the disease.
3. Using drugs that alter the mid functioning during teen years and early adulthood can lead to schizophrenia.
4. Some of the symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking.
5. Hallucinations involve hearing or seeing things that others can’t perceive (Casarella, 2020). The hallucinations appear real to the one experiencing hallucinations and might not be understood by other people.
6. Disorganized thoughts, also known as cognitive issues, are critical as the schizophrenia patient does not remember things or even complete tasks (Psychiatry.org, 2021). Such people struggle to organize their thoughts, which is arguably why they struggle to remember things.

        IV. Treatment and proliferation without treatment

1. There is no current cure for schizophrenia, but the disease can be managed through antipsychotic medications, psychotherapy, and family education (Casarella, 2021).
2. Antipsychotic medications can help reduce psychosis in Schizophrenia symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions (CAMH, 2021).
3. In psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral, supportive, and assertive community treatment processes might be used (Mayoclinic.org, 2021).

        V. Conclusion & Future Research

1. People diagnosed with schizophrenia should seek medical attention from people who understand their cultural background and health professionals who share common treatment expectations with the patient.
2. It is important to note the causes of schizophrenia to avoid the inevitable causes.
3. The fact that schizophrenia does not have a current cure does not mean all hope is lost. Patients can still manage the sickness if they follow the doctor’s instructions.
4. Future research
5. Details on more causes of schizophrenia can be researched, and future findings can be given.
6. The relationship between schizophrenia and factors such as ethnic group is not yet well defined, thus the need for future research.