Your First step toward Buying a Home

When preparing to buy a home, the first thing many homebuyers do is look at “homes for sale” ads in newspapers, magazines and listings on the internet. Some potential buyers read “how-to” articles like this one. The next thing you should do – before you call on an ad, before you talk to a Realtor, before you shop for interest rates – is look at your savings.

Why?

Because determining how much money you have available for down payment and closing costs affects almost every aspect of buying a home – including how you write your purchase offer, the loan programs you qualify for, and shopping for interest rates.

What is a Mortgage?

A mortgage is nothing more than a loan. Like most loans, it requires some collateral (the thing you’ll lose if you don’t pay the lender back). In this case, the collateral is a house or apartment you want. A bank lends you money to buy a house, and if you don’t pay them back when they say to, they get to seize the house, put you out on the street, and sell your home so they can get their money back.

How Can You Get a Mortgage?

If you’re never applied for a mortgage before, you may not realize that you’re about to have every crevice of your financial life looked over by banks who consider you for a loan. You’d better make sure your financial house is in order.

Check Out your Credit Report and Score

Start your search by ordering copy of your credit report and finding out your credit score. Read more about how to get, understand, and improve your credit score and reports here.

If you’re worried that your score is looking kinda low (say, below 750) check out this Wall Street Journal article to find out some ways you can boost your score in a relatively short time. Just understand that “a relatively short time” in this case means months, not days. Which goes to a bigger point: If you’re thinking about buying a home, give yourself six to 12 months to get everything in order.

Pull Together your Financial Records and History

You’ll be amazed how much paperwork is involved with getting a mortgage. You’ll be asked to supply your tax returns from the last few years, pay stubs, bank statements and other bits and pieces from your life. Start gathering that info now, well before you even apply.

Collect and Deposit Family Gifts as Soon as Possible

A lender will view gifts from family members (and always call them “gifts,” even if you intend to pay your dad back—banks don’t like “loans” from third parties) differently than savings you diligently set aside over time. If it’s feasible, you should deposit any contributions from other people to your housing fund at least six months before you apply for a loan. That way, when your lender goes over your last few bank-account statements, it will appear as if the money was always yours and it won’t raise any questions.

Get Pre-approved

It’s a good idea to get pre-approved for a mortgage if you haven’t found your house yet (if you have found a place, then just go ahead and apply for the mortgage). What pre-approval means is that a lender has checked your credit and verified that you make and owe what you said you make and owe. The lender will also issue you a letter that you can show off to brokers and sellers, indicating that the bank has agreed to lend you a certain amount of money.

There are two big benefits to getting pre-approved: It shows sellers that you are serious, and it gives you a head start on the mortgage application process (so long as you decide to get a mortgage from that lender—you’re under no obligation to get a loan from the lender that pre-approved you).

Advice on Getting a Good Mortgage

The size of your down-payment affects how much you pay in interest and other fees down the road. Paying for 20% of your house upfront is great. It’s the gold standard. It’s also not entirely realistic for everyone. Paying 20% on a $350,000 home is still $70,000—a considerable chunk of change. Use our mortgage calculator to see how much different sized mortgages would cost you. If you can’t swing 20%, you have options, but they come with costs—some more than others. Here’s what you can do:

• See if you qualify for a Federal Housing Authority Loan – First-time homebuyers may qualify for government assistance, in the form of loans that allow you to put as little as 3% down. There are limits as to how big a loan you can get (go here to find out what the limit is in your area), and there is mortgage insurance fees, but it’s only a slightly higher monthly payment than a standard 30-year-fixed loan.

• Ask about LPMI – Lender-Paid Mortgage Insurance is different than Private Mortgage Insurance, in that your lender pays for it and passes on the cost to you in the form of a slightly higher rate. LPMI can be cheaper than PMI, but remember one thing: If you pay a loan down long enough, PMI goes away (you’ve paid in enough to have bought 20% of your home, therefore, no more PMI). LPMI lasts until you sell the place or pay off the entire mortgage. For most young homebuyers, this isn’t a huge concern, since the first place you buy is usually not your last.

• Check in with a mortgage broker – A mortgage broker is someone who shops around from bank to bank and tries to find the best mortgage for you. These brokers come with a price tag. While you often don’t have to pay them anything out of your own pocket, the mortgage broker does make money off of your loan, in the form of rebates or commissions from the bank and built-in fees.

Study finds cancer is the second most frequent cause of death in individuals with schizophrenia:

People with schizophrenia are four times as likely to die from all causes and are 50 percent more likely to die from cancer compared to people in the general population. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the August 1, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The study’s results suggest that extra efforts should be made to improve cancer prevention and early detection in patients with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is associated with an increased incidence of premature death, in part due to a high rate of suicide among individuals with the disease. However, suicide alone does not account for the shortened life expectancy seen in schizophrenia patients. Some studies have indicated that cancer mortality may play a role, but other data suggest that cancer rates are actually lower among individuals with schizophrenia compared with the general population.

To more precisely determine the prevalence of cancer in patients with schizophrenia, Prof. Frédéric Limosin of the University of Reims, Robert Debré Hospital, in Reims, France and colleagues prospectively studied 3,470 patients with schizophrenia and tracked cancer incidence beginning in 1993. The investigators also sought to identify characteristics that might help predict which schizophrenic patients are likely to develop cancer.

The researchers found that 476 (14%) patients died during the eleven years of the study, a death rate was nearly four-fold higher than in the general population. Seventy-four patients died of cancer, making it the second most frequent cause of death behind suicide. In men with schizophrenia, the risk of death due to lung cancer was significantly higher than that in the general population, but the risk of overall cancer death was not significantly higher. In women, the risk of overall mortality was significantly higher than among the general population. The proportion of patients who were smokers was significantly higher in the study population than in the general population (56.3 vs. 33.0%). In female schizophrenic patients, the risk of death due to breast cancer was significantly higher than in the general population. The authors say possible explanations include is a delay in diagnosis due to patients paying less attention to symptoms; the difficulty for schizophrenic patients to benefit from optimum treatment; and less compliance to treatment.

Schizophrenia Overview
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling mental illness. It affects men and women with equal frequency. People suffering from schizophrenia may have the following symptoms:

• Delusions, false personal beliefs held with conviction in spite of reason or evidence to the contrary, not explained by that person’s cultural context
• Hallucinations, perceptions (can be sound, sight, touch, smell, or taste) that occur in the absence of an actual external stimulus (Auditory hallucinations, those of voice or other sounds, are the most common type of hallucinations in schizophrenia.)
• Disorganized thoughts and behaviors
• Disorganized speech
• Catatonic behavior, in which the affected person’s body may be rigid and the person may be unresponsive
The term schizophrenia is Greek in origin, and in the Greek meant “split mind.” This is not an accurate medical term. In Western culture, some people have come to believe that schizophrenia refers to a split-personality disorder. These are two very different disorders, and people with schizophrenia do not have separate personalities.
Schizophrenia and other mental health disorders have fairly strict criteria for diagnosis. Time of onset as well as length and characteristics of symptoms are all factors. The active symptoms of schizophrenia must be present at least 6 months, or only 1 month if treated.

Who is affected?

o Estimates of how many people are diagnosed with this disorder vary. The illness affects about 1% of the population. More than 2 million Americans suffer from schizophrenia at any given time, and 100,000-200,000 people are newly diagnosed every year. Fifty percent of people in hospital psychiatric care have schizophrenia.
o Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed in people aged 17-35 years. The illness appears earlier in men (in the late teens or early twenties) than in women (who are affected in the twenties to early thirties). Many of them are disabled. They may not be able to hold down jobs or even perform tasks as simple as conversations. Some may be so incapacitated that they are unable to do activities most people take for granted, such as showering or preparing a meal. Many are homeless. Some recover enough to live a life relatively free from assistance.

 What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has been recognized throughout recorded history. It affects about 1 percent of Americans.
People with schizophrenia may hear voices other people don’t hear or they may believe that others are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These experiences are terrifying and can cause fearfulness, withdrawal, or extreme agitation. People with schizophrenia may not make sense when they talk, may sit for hours without moving or talking much, or may seem perfectly fine until they talk about what they are really thinking. Because many people with schizophrenia have difficulty holding a job or caring for themselves, the burden on their families and society is significant as well.
Available treatments can relieve many of the disorder’s symptoms, but most people who have schizophrenia must cope with some residual symptoms as long as they live. Nevertheless, this is a time of hope for people with schizophrenia and their families. Many people with the disorder now lead rewarding and meaningful lives in their communities. Researchers are developing more effective medications and using new research tools to understand the causes of schizophrenia and to find ways to prevent and treat it.
This brochure presents information on the symptoms of schizophrenia, when the symptoms appear, how the disease develops, current treatments, support for patients and their loved ones, and new directions in research. Read more

 What causes schizophrenia?
Like many other illnesses, schizophrenia is believed to result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. All the tools of modern science are being used to search for the causes of this disorder. Read more

Experts think schizophrenia is caused by several factors:

Genes and environment. Scientists have long known that schizophrenia runs in families. The illness occurs in 1 percent of the general population, but it occurs in 10 percent of people who have a first-degree relative with the disorder, such as a parent, brother, or sister. People who have second-degree relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents, or cousins) with the disease also develop schizophrenia more often than the general population. The risk is highest for an identical twin of a person with schizophrenia. He or she has a 40 to 65 percent chance of developing the disorder.15
We inherit our genes from both parents. Scientists believe several genes are associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia, but that no gene causes the disease by itself.16 In fact, recent research has found that people with schizophrenia tend to have higher rates of rare genetic mutations. These genetic differences involve hundreds of different genes and probably disrupt brain development.17
Other recent studies suggest that schizophrenia may result in part when a certain gene that is key to making important brain chemicals malfunctions. This problem may affect the part of the brain involved in developing higher functioning skills.18 Research into this gene is ongoing, so it is not yet possible to use the genetic information to predict who will develop the disease.
Despite this, tests that scan a person’s genes can be bought without a prescription or a health professional’s advice. Ads for the tests suggest that with a saliva sample, a company can determine if a client is at risk for developing specific diseases, including schizophrenia. However, scientists don’t yet know all of the gene variations that contribute to schizophrenia. Those that are known raise the risk only by very small amounts. Therefore, these “genome scans” are unlikely to provide a complete picture of a person’s risk for developing a mental disorder like schizophrenia.
In addition, it probably takes more than genes to cause the disorder. Scientists think interactions between genes and the environment are necessary for schizophrenia to develop. Many environmental factors may be involved, such as exposure to viruses or malnutrition before birth, problems during birth, and other not yet known psychosocial factors.

Different brain chemistry and structure. Scientists think that an imbalance in the complex, interrelated chemical reactions of the brain involving the neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate, and possibly others, plays a role in schizophrenia. Neurotransmitters are substances that allow brain cells to communicate with each other. Scientists are learning more about brain chemistry and its link to schizophrenia.
Also, in small ways the brains of people with schizophrenia look different than those of healthy people. For example, fluid-filled cavities at the center of the brain, called ventricles, are larger in some people with schizophrenia. The brains of people with the illness also tend to have less gray matter, and some areas of the brain may have less or more activity.
Studies of brain tissue after death also have revealed differences in the brains of people with schizophrenia. Scientists found small changes in the distribution or characteristics of brain cells that likely occurred before birth.3 Some experts think problems during brain development before birth may lead to faulty connections. The problem may not show up in a person until puberty. The brain undergoes major changes during puberty, and these changes could trigger psychotic symptoms. Scientists have learned a lot about schizophrenia, but more research is needed to help explain how it develops.

Can schizophrenia be inherited?

Scientists have long known that schizophrenia runs in families. It occurs in 1 percent of the general population but is seen in 10 percent of people with a first-degree relative (a parent, brother, or sister) with the disorder. People who have second-degree relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents, or cousins) with the disease also develop schizophrenia more often than the general population. The identical twin of a person with schizophrenia is most at risk, with a 40 to 65 percent chance of developing the disorder.
Our genes are located on 23 pairs of chromosomes that are found in each cell. We inherit two copies of each gene, one from each parent. Several of these genes are thought to be associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia, but scientists believe that each gene has a very small effect and is not responsible for causing the disease by itself. It is still not possible to predict who will develop the disease by looking at genetic material.
Although there is a genetic risk for schizophrenia, it is not likely that genes alone are sufficient to cause the disorder. Interactions between genes and the environment are thought to be necessary for schizophrenia to develop. Many environmental factors have been suggested as risk factors, such as exposure to viruses or malnutrition in the womb, problems during birth, and psychosocial factors, like stressful environmental conditions.

Do people with schizophrenia have faulty brain chemistry?
It is likely that an imbalance in the complex, interrelated chemical reactions of the brain involving the neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate (and possibly others) plays a role in schizophrenia. Neurotransmitters are substances that allow brain cells to communicate with one another. Basic knowledge about brain chemistry and its link to schizophrenia is expanding rapidly and is a promising area of research.

Do the brains of people with schizophrenia look different?

The brains of people with schizophrenia look a little different than the brains of healthy people, but the differences are small. Sometimes the fluid-filled cavities at the center of the brain, called ventricles, are larger in people with schizophrenia; overall gray matter volume is lower; and some areas of the brain have less or more metabolic activity. Microscopic studies of brain tissue after death have also revealed small changes in the distribution or characteristics of brain cells in people with schizophrenia. It appears that many of these changes were prenatal because they are not accompanied by glial cells, which are always present when a brain injury occurs after birth. One theory suggests that problems during brain development lead to faulty connections that lie dormant until puberty. The brain undergoes major changes during puberty, and these changes could trigger psychotic symptoms.
The only way to answer these questions is to conduct more research. Scientists in the United States and around the world are studying schizophrenia and trying to develop new ways to prevent and treat the disorder.

 Specific Conditions

Catatonic Schizophrenia
People with this type of schizophrenia can be clumsy and uncoordinated. They may also show involuntary movements, grimacing, or unusual mannerisms. They may repeat certain motions over and over or, in extreme cases, may become catatonic. Catatonia is a state of immobility and unresponsiveness that was more common when schizophrenia treatment was not available. Fortunately, catatonia is now rare. Read more

Disorganized Schizophrenia
People with this schizophrenia type often have unusual thought processes. One dramatic form is disorganized thinking, where the person may have difficulty organizing thoughts or connecting them logically. Speech may be garbled or hard to understand. Another form is “thought blocking,” where the person stops abruptly in the middle of a thought. When asked, the person may say it felt as if the thought had been taken out of his or her head. Finally, the individual might make up unintelligible words, or “neologisms.”

A person with this form of schizophrenia also has disorganized behavior and flat or inappropriate affect (such as immobile facial expression and monotonous voice).
Read more

Paranoid Schizophrenia
Paranoid schizophrenia is the most common form. With this type of schizophrenia, the primary symptoms are delusions or auditory hallucinations. People with paranoid schizophrenia usually do not have thought disorder, disorganized behavior, or affective flattening. Read more

Undifferentiated Schizophrenia
With this type of schizophrenia, a person meets the criteria to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, but his or her symptoms are not consistent with any of the other forms of the disease.

Residual Schizophrenia
Residual schizophrenia can occur in people with long-term schizophrenia. With this schizophrenia type, a person no longer shows positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior), but still shows negative symptoms, which can include:

• Flat affect (for example, immobile facial expression and monotonous voice)
• Lack of pleasure in everyday life
• Diminished ability to initiate and sustain planned activity
• Speaking infrequently, even when forced to interact.
People with residual schizophrenia often neglect basic hygiene and need help with everyday living activities.

Schizophrenia Symptoms
Usually with schizophrenia, the person’s inner world and behavior change notably. Behavior changes might include the following:

• Social withdrawal
• Depersonalization (intense anxiety and a feeling of being unreal)
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of hygiene
• Delusions
• Hallucinations (eg, hearing things not actually present)
• The sense of being controlled by outside forces
In order to better understand schizophrenia, the concept of clusters of symptoms is often used. Thus, people with schizophrenia can experience symptoms that may be grouped under the following categories:
• Positive symptoms – Hearing voices, suspiciousness, feeling under constant surveillance, delusions, or making up words without a meaning (neologisms).
• Negative (or deficit) symptoms – Social withdrawal, difficulty in expressing emotions (in extreme cases called blunted affect), difficulty in taking care of themselves, inability to feel pleasure (These symptoms cause severe impairment and are often mistaken for laziness.)
• Cognitive symptoms - Difficulties attending to and processing of information, in understanding the environment, and in remembering simple tasks
• Affective (or mood) symptoms – Most notably depression, accounting for a very high rate of attempted suicide in people suffering from schizophrenia
Helpful definitions in understanding schizophrenia include the following:
• Psychosis: Psychosis is defined as being out of touch with reality. During this phase, one can experience delusions or prominent hallucinations. People with psychoses are not aware that what they are experiencing or some of the things that they believe are not real. Psychosis is a prominent feature of schizophrenia but is not unique to this illness.
• Schizoid: This term is often used to describe a personality disorder characterized by almost complete lack of interest in social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings, making a person with this disorder appear cold and aloof.
• Schizotypal: This term defines a more severe personality disorder characterized by acute discomfort with close relationships as well as disturbances of perception and bizarre behaviors, making people with schizophrenia seem odd and eccentric because of unusual mannerisms.
• Hallucinations: A person with schizophrenia may have strong sensations of objects or events that are real only to him or her. These may be in the form of things that they believe strongly that they see, hear, smell, taste, or touch. Hallucinations have no outside source, and are sometimes described as “the person’s mind playing tricks” on him or her.
• Illusion: An illusion is a mistaken perception for which there is an actual external stimulus. For example, a visual illusion might be seeing a shadow and misinterpreting it as a person. The words “illusion” and “hallucination” are sometimes confused with each other.
• Delusion: A person with a delusion has a strong belief about something despite evidence that the belief is false. For instance, a person may listen to a radio and believe the radio is giving a coded message about an impending extraterrestrial invasion. All of the other people who listen to the same radio program would hear, for example, a feature story about road repair work taking place in the area.

 Schizophrenia Treatment

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is not the treatment of choice for someone with schizophrenia. Used as an adjunct to a good medication plan, however, psychotherapy can help maintain the individual on their medication, learn needed social skills, and support the person’s weekly goals and activities in their community. This may include advice, reassurance, education, modeling, limit setting, and reality testing with the therapist. Encouragement in setting small goals and reaching them can often be helpful.

Medications

Schizophrenia appears to be a combination of a thought disorder, mood disorder, and anxiety disorder. The medical management of schizophrenia often requires a combination of antipsychotic, antidepressant, and antianxiety medication. One of the biggest challenges of treatment is that many people don’t keep taking the medications prescribed for the disorder. After the first year of treatment, most people will discontinue their use of medications, especially ones where the side effects are difficult to tolerate.

Coping Guidelines for the Family
1. Establish a daily routine for the patient to follow.
2. Help the patient stay on the medication.
3. Keep the lines of communication open about problems or fears the patient may have.
4. Understand that caring for the patient can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Take time for yourself.
5. Keep your communications simple and brief when speaking with the patient.
6. Be patient and calm.
7. Ask for help if you need it; join a support group.

Self-Help

Self-help methods for the treatment of this disorder are often overlooked by the medical profession because very few professionals are involved in them. Adjunctive community support groups in concurrence with psychotherapy is usually beneficial to most people who suffer from schizophrenia.Read more

Sources:

http://www.physorg.com/news164878421.html

http://www.psychiatry24x7.com/bgdisplay.jhtml?itemname=schizophrenia_about

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia/what-causes-schizophrenia.shtml

http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/paranoid-schizophrenia/DS00862/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx31t.htm

Psych test for departing OFWs?
How mentally prepared are you to work overseas? This is something the POEA wants to find out.

Newspapers have picked up plans by the agency to conduct a mandatory “enhanced” psychological test for all workers leaving for abroad. At present, all departing OFWs must undergo a medical and psychological test that they pay for.

A team from the Department of Health and the National Center for Mental Health is reportedly reviewing the current test standards and is set to release new ones.

Under the proposed plan, the new psychological test would be a two-stage assessment. The first stage would assess an individual’s mental preparedness; the second stage would validate any assessment that puts doubt on an OFW’s mental capability to adapt to the pressures of work life abroad.

But the proposed psychological test has met opposition from clinics accredited to conduct such tests. They object to the plan to conduct the enhanced test without added cost to the departing OFW. The clinics insist that it should be paid by either the agency or the worker. They also say that the test would delay the processing of departing workers. They point out that the examination would last from three to five hours, with the release of results taking up to seven days.

Meantime, the pre-departure orientation seminars all OFWs also go through to familiarize themselves with the laws and culture of their host country are being revised to include a stress management course. The workshop-seminars would give OFWs tips for dealing with loneliness, homesickness, and job stress.
more

Mandatory psych test for leaving OFWs opposed

MANILA, Philippines — A coalition of migrants’ rights organizations has opposed the proposal to make psychiatric examination mandatory for leaving overseas Filipino household service workers.more

MANILA = The Department of Foreign Affairs has proposed to require Filipino workers going abroad to undergo psychiatric tests before their departure. The proposal was made because of the high rate of suicides and breakdowns among Overseas Filipino Workers abroad.
But an expert said there is no psychiatric procedure that can guarantee that a person will not break down if placed in a hostile environment away from loved ones.
Dr. Reynaldo Lesaka, a psychiatrist at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, said the proposal of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to require Filipino workers, particularly domestic helpers, to undergo psychiatric tests before their departure is impractical.
“No one can give a full guarantee a person will not break down if she is away from family or being abused by her employer. No one is exempt to have a break down if you are in a hostile environment,” Lesaka told The STAR.
He said what the government should do is to create local employment so that Filipinos would no longer have to go abroad to better their lives.
The expert noted the government should also ensure that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) get adequate protection in embassies and consulate offices in case they are being subjected to exploitation and abuses abroad.
He claimed there are only some 500 active psychiatrists, which are not enough to provide at least one-hour psychiatric evaluation to each OFW.
“It’s the government officials that should undergo psychiatric tests. I don’t think they consulted psychiatrists about their ‘bright’ idea,”?
Lesaka added.
Migrante International said that DFA officials should undergo psychiatric test if they really believe that it is necessary to assure that OFWs won’t snap in their work place.
The group said requiring OFWS to undergo psychiatric test before leaving for employment is an absurd policy that would typecast them as “lunatics.”
“The Department of Foreign Affairs should realize that deplorable working conditions overseas; verbal, physical, emotional and sexual abuse; torture and non-payment of wages are major factors that drive
OFWs to the brink of insanity,” Migrante chair Connie Bragas-Regalado said in a statement.
Regalado noted that most of the time OFWs commit crimes to defend themselves while others were just victims of frame-up and not because they were suffering from mental disorder.
OFWs like Sarah Balabagan, Mary Jane Ramos and Joselito Alejo committed heinous crimes, but escaped execution because they were found merely defending themselves, she said.
“It is the DFA and definitely not the OFWs who should have their heads examined if they really believe mandatory psychiatric tests could help prevent OFWs from snapping in the workplace,” Regalado added.
She also criticized Vice President Noli de Castro and Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos for considering “a preposterous and anti-migrant proposal.”
“It is such a shame that those who are directly responsible for pushing migrants rights are the ones who are blind and deaf to the real issues OFWs face,” Regalado said.

Earlier, the Federated Association of Manpower Exporters Inc. (FAME) also expressed strong opposition to the proposal, which they claim would drive many Filipino domestic helpers to leave the country illegally.

The DFA is reportedly set to require Filipinos applying to work as domestic helpers abroad to undergo psychiatric test starting Sept. 1.

DFA is enforcing the new policy in apparent effort to curb the rising number of welfare cases, mostly involving Filipino household workers.

Labor officials said the DFA move is for the protection and welfare of domestic helpers who are vulnerable to abuses committed by foreign employers.

Group: Psych test for OFWs only added burden

MANILA, Philippines – An alliance of migrant workers in the Middle East (ME) called the proposed rigid psychological tests for Filipino domestic helpers as ineffective and a financial burden.

Migrante-ME Regional Coordinator John Leonard Monterona said the rigid psychological test would only add to the expenses of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) instead of gauging the psychological state of a foreign worker.

“No measure of mental stability can resist and endure prolonged overwork; physical maltreatment coupled with non-payment of a rightful salary as stipulated in the contract; no rest day; and sexual harassment,” Monterona said.

Online news site Khaleej Times reported that Philippine Consul-General in Dubai Benito Valeriano said this measure can reduce the number of welfare cases in host countries.

“The manpower agencies have the option to find other applicants if the psychological test proves the applicant cannot withstand work and have the tendency to break down emotionally and psychologically,” Valeriano was quoted in the news article as saying.

Valeriano made the proposal to manpower agencies recruiting Filipino domestic helpers in response to the growing concerns about runaway household helpers seeking refuge at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLO-OWWA).

The workers’ complaints had ranged from overwork, maltreatment, non-payment of salary, no rest day and sexual harassment, Valeriano said.

Meanwhile, Monterona tagged Valeriano as an escapist who is inefficient in his job in defending and guiding OFW-victims in filing charges in court against abusive employers.

Migrante –ME also urged the Philippine government to have a bilateral agreement with the host government that would protect the rights and welfare of OFWs and conduct human rights and migrant education program amongst foreign employers.

‘Psycho test’ sa OFWs walang bayad – POEA

Tiniyak ng Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) na walang karagdagang babayaran ang mga OFWs sa sandaling maisakatuparan ang panukalang “mandatory psychiatric exams” sa mga ito bago umalis ng bansa. Ayon kay POEA Administrator Jennifer Manalili, mayroon silang direktiba para sa hindi paniningil ng fees sa mandatory tests kung ito ay maipapatupad. Sinabi rin ni Manalili na sa halip na bumuo ng bago at hiwalay na test, ia-update na lamang ng POEA ang kanilang kasalukuyang “psychological test component”. Hinihingi na rin aniya nila ang tulong ng National Center for Mental Health at ng Bureau of Health Facilities and Services ng Department of Health (DOH) para rito. Ayon kay Manalili, aalamin muna ng POEA ang kahandaan ng isang tao na idedeploy sa ibang bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagsukat ng kasalukuyang “state of mind” nito. Kung mayroon aniyang alinlangan o may makitang problema doon na kakailanganin isalang sa 2nd level ng test. Una nang ipinanukala ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang mandatory psychiatric o psychological tests, sa mga OFWs. Para malaman kung maayos ba ang “coping mechanism” ng isang papaalis na manggagawa.

JUSTIFICATIONS OF USING TESTS

Psychological tests were created for three main reasons, all of which are interconnected:

It’s easier to get information from tests than by clinical interview. Most people won’t talk about this, but, believe it or not, many psychologists are rather inept at dealing with people, and so it’s a great relief to them to be able to administer a test rather than conduct a competent interview. Thankfully, such psychologists tend to specialize in testing (or research, or teaching) rather than psychotherapy. Think about this if ever you find yourself sitting in front of a steely-eyed psychologist while being given a battery of psychological tests.

The information from tests is more scientifically consistent than the information from a clinical interview. If a psychologist is simply trying to arrive at a diagnosis to help determine the course of psychotherapy, an interview is just fine. But when decisions have to be made about legal matters, disability issues, and so on, then the standardized information from tests allows one person to be directly compared with others, and it makes things more fair.

It’s harder to get away with lying on a test than in a clinical interview. Many tests have multiple “alarms” that go off when a test taker tries to lie. And some tests, such as the Rorschach (the “inkblot test”) don’t even give a clue as to what preferred, or healthy, responses might be, so it’s pretty much impossible to make yourself “look good” by fabricating deceptive answers to a test like this.

Cautions

Psychological test scores can be very useful under the proper circumstances—and when the limitations of psychological testing are properly understood and respected.

Note, however, that the score you get on any psychological test is nothing more than “the score you have gotten on that test.” Let’s say you took an IQ test and got a score of 126. Well, your IQ test score may be 126, as measured by that test, at that time, under those circumstances. But what is your real IQ? Well, no one knows. And that’s a fact. So what does an IQ test really measure? Well, again, no one knows. And that’s another fact.

Note also that every well-known and widely used psychological test in the US was developed and standardized in English. This might not seem very important, but just consider what happens when someone needs to be tested who doesn’t speak English fluently. If the test is translated into another language—either in print or through a translator—all kinds of problems can occur. English words with multiple meanings cannot be adequately translated. English idioms cannot be expressed in another language without changing the entire sentence structure along with the underlying logic of the sentence—and when that happens standardization, and the guarantee of fairness it promises, is lost.

So, even though translated versions of tests might be used, and even though you might be given a score that appears to be official and scientific, that score is nothing more than “the score you have gotten on that test.” This might not mean much to you, and it might seem like philosophical quibbling. But what if your life depended on that score?

Your Rights

If ever you find yourself being given a psychological test, remember that you have all the rights of a consumer, as well as the right

• to know the purpose of the testing;

• to know the names of, and rationales for, the tests being used;

•to know the results of the testing (you even have the right to read the psychological report itself);

• to determine, through your signed release of information, who will have access to the testing information (interview information, raw scores, test reports) in your chart.

A simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.read more

Health benefits of water

Water is your body’s principal chemical component, making up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

Several approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.

* Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.

* Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the “8 x 8 rule” — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, “drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day,” as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though the approach isn’t supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.

* Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WATER INTAKE

1. We are Mostly Water
The average adult body is composed of 55 to 75 percent water, which makes up 2/3 of our body weight. This means that each individual contains from 40 to 50 quarts of water. Ideally we should be replacing our body with 2.5 quarts of clean, filtered water per day.

2. Many of us are Dehydrated
Dehydration occurs when the amount of water in the body drops below an accepted level. Often this decrease goes unnoticed, such as in cold weather when we don’t feel actively thirsty. Dieting can also reduce water reserves in the body. As dieters observe the loss of water weight, they are often reluctant to drink more. Dehydration can cause symptoms such as a dry mouth, fatigue, difficulty in focusing, nausea, headaches and reduced physical performance.

3. What we Gain From Adequate Water Intake
Adequate water intake is essential for keeping energy high, weight low, muscles strong and joints supple. Water helps in reducing toxins, carrying nutrients and oxygen to the cells, assisting in blood circulation, regulating metabolic function, cushioning joints and infusing the tissues and organs with necessary moisture. Adequate intake of water helps to decrease the risk of disease, including cancer.

4. When to Drink Water
Ideally we should drink water before we are thirsty. Eight oz. of water first thing in the morning and then throughout the day is essential to health. Fill up a reusable quart or liter bottle with fresh water to keep with you throughout all of your activities. When working out, drink 8 oz. of water 2 hours before exercising and then again 15 minutes before you begin. Take sips of water every 10 to 20 minutes during your workout, finishing with another 8 oz.

5. The More Active you are, the More Water you Need

Our muscles are composed of 70 percent water. When we are active, we burn calories at a higher rate than when we are in our normal state, causing us to lose body fat. Losing fat causes the body to need a higher percentage of water. As we gain muscle through exercise, we also require more water. Because we store glycogen in the muscles, an element that is used as energy, the more fit we become, the more glycogen is produced. Each gram of glycogen holds approximately three grams of water, which also needs replenishment.

HOW TO DRINK WATER EVERYDAY?

Steps:
1. Determine how much water you need. You’ve probably heard the “8 by 8″ rule – drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (2 quarts, 1.8 liters) – but the amount of water a person needs varies depending on his or her weight, activity level and climate. Another way to determine your specific recommended water intake is to divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need each day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., strive to drink 75 ounces of water daily. For those who use the Metric system, divide your weight (in kilograms) by 30 (ex. somebody weighing 70 kg is going to need 2.3 liters per day). Keep in mind that these recommended intake numbers are controversial and some experts believe they are a gross exaggeration. See “warnings” below for more information.

2.Measure your daily intake of water. Do this for a few days. If you find that you’re drinking less than the recommended quantity, try some of the following tips.

3.Carry water with you everywhere put it in a bottle or other container.

4.Keep a glass or cup of water next to you whenever you’ll be sitting down for a long time, such as when you’re at your desk at work. Drink from it regularly as you’re working.

5.Try wearing a digital watch that beeps at the beginning of each hour. Use that as a reminder to pour yourself a glass of water. Vow to drink that water before the next beep. If you drink only one small (6 ounce or 180 ml) cup per hour, you’ll have consumed 48 ounces (1.4 liters) by the end of an 8-hour workday.

6. Get a water purification system. Purified water tastes very good and may help make drinking water more appealing to you. Be aware, though, that as you grow accustomed to purified water, you may find that tap water leaves a bad taste in your mouth, even though it may be better for your teeth.

7. Add lemons or limes to your water. This makes it taste better and makes you want to drink more of it. Be careful not to make it too sour; just a splash of sourness should do the trick.

8. Eat water rich foods, such as fruits like watermelon, which is 92% water by weight.

9.Keep water cold if it tastes better for you. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator at home. Add ice or freeze water in a sports bottle before taking it with you, it will eventually melt and stay cold. Bear in mind that cold water takes energy for your body to regulate the temperature, and does burn some calories.

10. Climate can drastically change how much water you need. On hot days that require you to be outside, you should drink more water to counteract the fluids you lose when you sweat. This not only keeps your body hydrated, it can prevent heat-related illness.

read more

]]>