Case Study

Case Study

The following case study has been formulated to give an insight of the implications associated with tuberculin – including and not limited to the infected person’s social life. Ms. Q is a HIV positive patient who found out about her status five years prior to her current mishap. By profession, Ms. Q works as a receptionist at an insurance agency. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the recent past and thereafter felt compelled to reveal this information to her office manager. She acted in this manner out of concern that for her colleagues, the agencies employees as well as the impact the illness could have on her job.

Tuberculosis is a form of infection caused by bacteria that spread through the lymph glands, the bloodstream and can affect any organ of the human body but most often affects the lungs. Tuberculosis is primarily transmitted through the air and infection normally occurs after prolonged exposure with an infected individual (Finer, 2003). When infected, majority of people do not show up with symptoms because the bacteria are capable of living in the body in an inactive form. However, if the immune system has been compromised by conditions such as old age or HIV, the tuberculosis bacteria then become active. Therefore, it would be reasonable to attribute MS. Q’s Tuberculosis infection with her HIV positive status. Regardless, general symptoms of tuberculosis infection include fever, cough, coughing up blood, and profuse sweating at night, involuntary weight loss, and swollen lymph nodes (Finer, 2003).

The Tuberculosis bacteria works through killing the tissue of the organs they have infected. The consequences can be fatal if the disease is left untreated. Treatment is therefore mandatory for any one diagnosed with tuberculosis. Treating active Tuberculosis normally implements the use of a combination of many drugs that usually consists up to four drugs. The drugs are supposed to be taken by the patient until laboratory tests indicate the best medicine to eradicate the infection. Taking Tuberculosis pills is supposed to be done at prescribed time for a period not less than six months and may even take longer.

Failure to take the drugs as prescribed by the doctor is a precarious risk that may eventually lead to worsening of the patient’s condition. In this case, the infection becomes even more difficult to treat. At the extreme, even strong drugs lack sufficient strength to ward off the infection because it has become resistant to treatment. In case there is possibility that patient may fail to follow the prescription to the letter, intervention by a health care provider becomes necessary to assist in the treatment process. This protocol is referred to directly observed therapy. This may involve drug intake follow up by the medical practitioner. Quarantine action may also be warranted to prevent further infection to the public.

In terms of social impact, tuberculosis bears devastating effects on how the infected individual is supposed to relate with their social and professional life. In the initial stages of infection, treatment protocol requires that the infected patient be isolated in an enclosed area for a period not less than two weeks and could even last longer. The reason is to prevent infection to other people and the isolation is normally exercised until test results conclude that the infection is no longer contagious (Long, 2003). This is in itself will separate the patient from their significant other. The relationship between the two may be compromised especially if the isolation is prolonged.

A study in New Delhi concluded the love life was significantly affected (Long, 2003). Women in particular admitted that they feared that the ailment could jeopardize their romantic life as well as their parenting abilities. They feared that they would pass on the infection to their soul mates or children. This study can therefore establish that the relationship between the infected individual and their family was significantly compromised. When children become separate from one of their parents, they become emotionally affected due to the new and unfamiliar void created by the parent’s absence. The rest of the community however bears a different perspective. Their relationship becomes tarnished because people tend to shun and avoid people infected with the disease. However, the patient is normally encouraged to join support groups in the society. This move is deemed a proper means alleviating the stress and the low self-esteem of the patient (Long, 2003).

Tuberculosis is terrible disease that can bear devastating effects on one’s health as well as their social life. Considering the implications involved with the infection, there is dire need to exercise care to prevent one from contracting the disease. A lot of finances and time become wasted through efforts of quelling the infection. Additionally, there is also need for society to have a better understanding of managing themselves as well as having better attitude towards those infected with the disease (Long, 2003).

Question one

The positive tuberculin skin test will indeed have negative vocational implications on Ms. Q. She will be required by medical protocol to submit herself to isolation and treatment procedures. By the time she is declared healthy enough to resume both her social and professional life, her work position will have been put at risk (Martin, 2004).

Question two.

The most important additional information with regard to decision-making and Ms Q’s employment will be determined by the medical practitioners. In this case, there will be need to establish the most probable time when Ms. Q is expected to regain her health. This will help to determine whether her work position will be filled with another employee or not.

Question three

A positive TB test for Ms. Q will ultimately spell negative vocational implications. Tuberculosis is a highly infectious disease. Ms. Q will inevitable have to be isolated meaning that her position at the insurance agency will be left open until she is given the all clear by doctors to resume. This implies that Ms. Q is on the verge of losing her job should she take a long time recuperating.

References

Finer, K. R., & Alcamo, I. E. (2003). Tuberculosis. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.

Long, E. R. (2003). Tuberculosis in modern society. Bulletin of the History of Medicine, 27.

Martin, P. (2004). The tuberculin skin test. The New Zealand Medical Journal, 107, 983, 310-1.