Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Introduction

Osteogenesis imperfect is the condition where an individual has weak bones, which can easily fracture. The individuals with this disease have been found to have weak and curved bones. The individuals experience poor development patterns and their bodies may be curved on the ribs, back or the limbs. The disorder is caused by the lack of protein type I collagen which is a significant genetic component. The protein usually dictates the body actions and can lead to disorders if it is not well functioning. The disorder has many effects on individuals and their families. The effects range from economic to social and can be fatal in some communities. The communities may fail to understand the condition and end up raising superstitious reasoning to explain the factor in question.

The family may also seek financial constrains as they try to seek medical intervention. This may be worse in instances where the family is poor or the parents are jobless. The individual suffers low self esteem, as they cannot participate in any activities like the normal children. They also go ahead to suffer psychologically as they tend to feel insufficient and end up developing personal sympathy. The economy usually feels the effect of the problem as the condition renders the individual unproductive. This may extend to relatives who may have to spend all their time taking care of the disabled individual. The individual affected lacks the opportunity to go and take care of the environment and the society needs, as they are unproductive in their status (Gardner 2009). In America alone, the disease affects about 50,000 people per year. This creates a burden to the public and the government which has to budget for the needs of the disabled individual. This leads to constrained budgets, and the whole public health facilitation is affected.

It’s Importance in Human Biology

The study of the genetically make up of the human beings has been of great interests to the scientists. The area of the osteogenesis imperfect has mainly generated high interest as the specialists try to identify the cause and effect of the genes on the condition. The scientists have been working to determine what causes the protein to fail in giving instructions on the body. They have also taken a keen interest in determining the possibility of the genetic transfer from parents to children. The study has so far become extended on the determining of the uses of different proteins and ions in the body. The topic is a crucial area of research in the medical arena (Talwar and Srivastava 2004).

It’s Impacts on Environment

The environment demands that human beings take care of it. Individuals need to be healthy and physically capable to be able to do this. Individuals suffering from osteogenesis imperfect cannot be able to perform this noble task. They also sometimes find themselves becoming involuntary pollutants due to their inability to move which makes them unable to move and dispose off their waste. In these ways, the conditions implicate on the environment negatively.

Effects on Agriculture

The disability denies the agriculture sector the most needed human resource to perform the tasks of production. The peoples who suffer from this condition are unable to give any tangible outcomes on this vital sector. The dependence of this people on other people also renders them to be unproductive. The funds, which would otherwise be used to buy chemicals and implements, are also used in seeking medical attention by the victims and their families. Finally, this affects agriculture and reduces food production. It also turns the members of the affected families to beggars as the expenditure denies them the basic needs. The consequences are severe in poor countries where government support is minimal (Stevenson and Hall 2006).

Effects on Society

The disorder affects the society in many ways and mostly economically. The society suffers psychologically when they see one of their own suffer. The society may suffer superstitious believes that may split the society. The members of the society may further experience financial constraints as they from time to time raise money for the treatment of the effected members. The member of the victim’s family suffers the most, as they have to take up the responsibility of carrying the victim, changing their pants and feeding them. These activities if involving a grown up may be dehumanizing and may feel the victim feel that their dignity has been abused (Alam 2011). The association of the society members and the victim may experience some limitations as considering the fragile nature of the victim both physically and emotionally.

Effects on the Public Health

The problem in question is a health one and requires heavy medical attention. The cure and control for the disease requires heavy funding and attention. The cost of running the program and transporting the victims strains the health facilities both financially. The problem may further be extended if the victim has to stay within the health facility to receive treatment. The fact that the victim suffers multiple fractures reassures the health technicians of the patient’s future return. This denies other patients the patient to get health attention ( Deng and  Liu 2005).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it would be correct to say that the condition is a complex one that has many effects to both the victim and the general society. The condition turns individuals to beggars and dependents. The attempt by scientists to get the best control has so far not come to any tangible results. The problem being genetic, it has become a hard nut to crack as people continue to suffer.