Immunosenescence is one of the health conditions affecting the elderly that has continued to raise concerns in the medical department. It refers to the declining function of the immune system in a person that leads to a higher incidence of infection in the elderly population by reducing their body's ability to fight and defend against pathogen invasion ( Thewissen et al., 2007) . This paper will answer the following level 1 questions : What ethical obstacles affect how the medical community addresses the issue? How do ethical theories apply to the issue? How is the issue addressed differently in varying cultural contexts and situations? Which cultural values and/or norms influence the issue?
Cultural and ethical perspectives are crucial when it comes to the treatment of immunosenescence. This research paper authenticates these claims by investigating the moral and cultural influences on the condition. My level 1 research questions for this paper are how culture influences immunosenescence, and the ethical obstacles that affect how the medical community addresses the issue. The subsequent level 2 questions included how cultural and ethnic factors affect immunosenescence treatment, whether lifestyle preference can reduce the risk of immunosenescence development, and the different barriers that affect treatment.
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Level 1 Questions
What Ethical Obstacles Affect How The Medical Community Addresses The Issue?
The first level 1 research question is the ethical obstacles that affect how the medical community addresses the issue of Immunosenescence in the elderly. Several ethical standards and barriers exist that make it difficult to treat the condition. The ethics of treatment defines the appropriate means of helping the elderly deal with immunosenescence without violating the ethnic and cultural affiliations ( Isidori et al., 2018). There are several ethical rules implemented on how the medical community can address immunosenescence and its treatment. The regulations include those that determine the treatment of the elderly, respecting them, and ensuring their family members are involved in any decisions.
The ethical values of a community can be an obstacle for addressing immunosenescence among the elderly by affecting how medical professionals can provide the necessary treatment. The reason for it lies in the fact that some societies do not consider aging as a disease and therefore are less likely to help the medical community in addressing the problem. Most children do not seem to understand their ethical and legal responsibilities in assisting the elderly and helping them achieve wellness. At the same time, there is a moral question on when physicians can prescribe medication for patients with Immunosenescence without violating the existing standards.
How Do Ethical Theories Apply To The Issue?
There are ethical theories of aging and healthcare, including appropriate treatment model for immunosenescence among the elderly population. The theories describe how medical practitioners can interact with the elderly while offering treatment for immunosenescence. The theory of utilitarianism applies to this issue of aging and immunosenescence as it relates to doing more significant good for the elderly in the society and helping them achieve health and wellness. The elderly need help to get the right diet and exercise that would improve their immune system and prevent the development of Immunosenescence ( McElhaney & Effros, 2009) . The utilitarianism theory also requires that public health take the initiative and help elderly patients achieve wellness.
Some members of the medical community do not understand the medical significance of immunosenescence and its impact on the health of the elderly. There is also the ethical question of whether physicians can diagnose and treat patients without the involvement of their family members ( Isidori et al., 2018) . The moral values of a neighborhood can prove an obstacle for the medical community to address the issue of immunosenescence in the aging population. Some societies do not consider Immunosenescence as a problem, and will not help the medical community to resolve the issue among the aging population. At the same time, some community nurses may not seem to understand the ethical and legal responsibilities of helping the aging population achieve health and wellness.
How Is The Issue Addressed Differently In Varying Cultural Contexts And Situations?
Cultural norms and beliefs are reliable indicators of how certain people treat and respond to societal issues. Different cultures around the world have varying degrees of opinions regarding taking care of the elderly. The views of aging differ across cultures and religions and translate to their views regarding diseases such as immunosenescence ( McElhaney & Effros, 2009) . The way a culture perceives old age influences how its societal members interact with and helps individuals with immunosenescence.
Different cultures around the world have different attitudes and practices around aging and health, with these cultural perspectives affecting how they address the issue of immunosenescence ( Pawelec, 2018) . In some cultures, the elderly are often removed from the community and relegated to hospitals and nursing homes. Other cultures have put in place measures and initiatives such as training children on the need to respect the elderly and help them achieve health and wellness. The differences in the way communities and cultures treat old age and diseases determines how they address the issue of immunosenescence among the elderly. Some cultures prefer sending the elderly to nursing homes as opposed to helping them, which reduces their influence in helping their relatives recover ( Pawelec, 2018) .
Level 2 Questions
How Cultural and Ethnic Factors Affect Immunosenescence Treatment
The nursing professional has an obligation and responsibility of creating awareness on the health of elderly patients through health promotion. As the older adult population increases, the health care sector is required to improve their knowledge of immunosenescence and provide intervention for the aging population ( McElhaney & Effros, 2009) . Medical officers are at the center of treating immunosenescence and lower its rate of occurrence among the elderly. This can be done by encouraging interaction among different disciplines in the community, the media, and learning institutions. The public is not sure of their roles in helping deal with this condition, and the appropriate people to help them understand are public health professionals.
The medical profession have the knowledge to address the issue ethically since they understand how to interact with the elderly. They can provide interventions and improve the immunity of the elderly while broadening the scope of cultural patterns to address the health problem ( Fulop, Franceschi, Hirokawa & Pawelec, 2009) . A multidisciplinary approach is needed to help the public and health officials identify the most suitable intervention measure that can work to improve the elderly.
A cultural perspective of immunosenescence influences its treatment and determines how society relates to the elderly. Many cultures view the elderly with respect and will implement policies towards honoring them. The Asian cultures, including Japan, China, and Korea, highly respect the seniors and show utmost honor in taking care of the elderly. American seniors are subject to prejudice and stereotyping, and are not often given the respect they deserve ( Giefing‐Kröll et al., 2015) . While families and religious value their elders, they are not accorded the same respect as elders in other regions. In the United Kingdom, the elderly are valued as an asset who are supported to enjoy full and positive lives in a family setting.
Different Barriers That Affect Treatment
Several cultural traditions affect the treatments of immunosenescence based on how they take care of the seniors. For example, the stigma attached to this condition has been an obstacle for appropriate treatment, leaving the elderly lacking the necessary support for treatment. Individuals with immunosenescence have been associated with having the HIV/AIDS virus, which some cultures discriminate and stigmatize.
Media exposure is also an important aspect when it comes to health promotion for immunosenescence among the elderly population. The media plays a vital role in spreading the awareness of immunosenescence and help people understand its cause and impact on the health of the elderly ( McElhaney & Effros, 2009) . However, the media has not been an excellent partner in spreading immunosenescence awareness due to a lack of knowledge on the severity of the condition among the elderly.
Whether Lifestyle Preference Can Reduce the Risk of Immunosenescence Development,
The question of whether ageing is a disease or not carries high normative significance. Some people believe that aging is a disease and is an appropriate target for medical intervention, while other cultures believe it is normal for older adults to feel weak ( Thewissen et al., 2007) . This perception affects how different cultures approach the treatment and response of the problem. For example, some cultures have labeled aging as a disease, which has been crucial in facilitating access to medical care. Other religions in the United States have different beliefs on aging and will not show enough respect towards them.
The conceptions and experiences of well-being vary across cultural contexts while tied to fundamental cultural differences. The independent cultural backgrounds in the United States and around the world influences how well they interpret this issue. Aging is a biological change that occurs in an individual over time, often involving a decline in function and processes common to all living things ( Giefing‐Kröll et al., 2015) . The immune system is affected by aging, and the immune response reduces, leading to high morbidity and reduced productivity. Aging is influenced by both nutritional and pharmacological interventions, which are primary medication for immunosenescence.
Conclusion
Immunosenescence is a significant concern among the elderly and their families, associated with reduced immune protection. The immune system is the most critical protective physiological system of a person. The condition is often linked with the subclinical accumulation of pro-inflammatory factors such as inflamm-aging that causes elderly diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease ( Thewissen et al., 2007) . This paper has looked at the ethical and cultural perspectives regarding immunosenescence in the elderly. The research questions formulated in this paper focuses on finding out the ethical obstacles that affect how the medical community addresses this problem and how public health can address the issue. The research questions also look to find out the cultural and social influence on this condition, and the effect of media exposure. The findings show that the world is characterized by several cultural and ethical views that have been an obstacle to dealing with this problem of immunosenescence ( Fulop, Franceschi, Hirokawa & Pawelec, 2009) . The results also show the significance of public health and its role in addressing the rapidly increasing epidemic of immunosenescence. Media exposure has not been adequate to highlight this problem and deal with the attached stigma on immunosenescence for the aging population.
References
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