Bystander Apathy –An Enquiry Into The Expression Of Humanity And Empathy In China (2013-2014)

Aim To explore the apparent lack of personal concern for the welfare of others in China? To develop concepts to understand this  social phenomena in natural  settings using ethnographic and participatory research. Research Question How can the knowledge derived from qualitative research be used to improve the welfare of the poor in Shanghai? Ethics The study was carried out within the guidelines of the declaration of Helsinki. The study was characterised by anonymity, beneficence, non maleficence, and the  maintainence of  the dignity of participants Method Collection of data. The principle data source was “observation” spot observation”(Baksh 1990)”, participant observation”(Hammersley and Atkinson 1983)vignettes(Finch 1987, Sani Bin Gabi 1990), oral history(narrative) Conclusion The study was conducted ethically. It was a worthwhile study attempted to deal with current problems. The publication of this paper can be used to stimulate further enquiry into the problem of those in need of social welfare in Shanghai and China, in the hope it will improve services where they are needed. Suggested solutions In a country where intergenerational family ties are so strong and “guanxi” exists it is paradoxical there is  little empathy for others. Confuscian values, changed family beliefs, and education at school and  university may assist in increasing empathy. Learnt conditioning, to ignore or dissociate, from another human being in   need of help, can be slowly overcome by implementing universal and improved changes in societal living conditions. This can be achieved  by improving social welfare programs, spearheaded by a compassionate government. There is a view that it is an egregious and transparent fiction, to promulgate and publically promote, the philosophies and policies of communism, yet allow these curable social ills to remain. ”Rex ipsa Loquiter”. The healthy should help the sick, the rich should help the poor and the employed should help the unemployed, Proportionately, in accordance with what they have they should give. The promotion of a “ forward thinking, humane, listening and open society, rather than a closed, narrow, opaque, inward looking “weltanschaung” would assist societal reform. We “bystanders”, we must all try to imagine we are in the  place  of those in need, and  feel aas they do, in their situation. We must follow the advice of Mencius (372-289BC) and develop and use “empathy” As Mencius  said, ”a  developed  human heart is the basis  of a moral life”

Quality of Life As Determined by Psoriasis: Patients’ Perspective of Psychological Well Being

Mental health, undoubtedly occupies a pivotal role in the life of an individual and the society at large. Any disharmony in the maintenance of normal health has been found resulting in the hampered psychosocial functioning leading to highly distressing and devastating situations. In today‘s world of awareness and self-preservation, ―Psoriasis‖ a skin disease of organic nature which has tremendously attracted the attention of the affectees as well as the Social and Health Scientists and more so the psychologists who feel desperately concerned with the mental health of people. The present study therefore has its main focus on the psychological well being by exploring its prevalence, etiology and its distressing effects leading to a host of psychosocial problems. Tremendous work done in the advanced world inspired the researcher to probe the prevalence and its consequences in Pakistan. A purposive sample consisting of 300 patients of psoriasis was contacted for data collection. All the patients were taken from the government hospitals of Lahore cosmopolitan. The control group was selected and matched with regard to gender, marital status, family system and age (except existence of psoriasis) in groups so that the two groups were subjected to the same environmental background and hence results could be reliably compared. The participants were administered in addition to demographic questionnaire, (i) an urdu version of duly standardized Medical Outcome Study short form Health Survey (SF-36), (ii) standardized urdu adaptation of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (iii) and udru adapted and semi standardized version of Psoriasis Quality of life Questionnaire (PQLQ) for finding out the general health, anxiety depression and psoriasis related quality of life of the people. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics indicated that out of 300 respondents the patients‘ age ranged from 18-56 years with mean age xvof 37 years. Further 148 patients belonged to nuclear family system where as 152 patients lived in a joint family system. The lot was further identified as consisting of 110 (37%) married and 190 (63%) unmarried. Necessary and relevant statistical analyses such as Regression analysis, ANOVA and t-test were employed for inferential statistics. The results revealed that patients showed a considerable and significant loss of quality of life due to the disease psoriasis. Additionally the experience of anxiety and depression was observed more in women than men, it was also found that severity of the disease affected the physical, as well emotional well being of the patients. These results provided the answers to the questions about the relationship between̳the degree of severity of psoriasis‘ and the̳resultant anxiety and depression‘ as determining factors of quality of life and congenial living. Information gained from this study can be used to demonstrate the importance of physician-patient communication and serve as an adjunct to future research exploring the impact of psoriasis on quality of life. In addition, the reported findings as above may serve as a better guideline for exploring more aggressive treatment options.