Prevalence of Substance Abuse Among Veterans in Nigeria

Veteran WebQuest
MY TOPIC IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND IM IN GROUP #2. My hometown is Nigeria in Africa.
You will be completing a WebQuest for this assignment. A WebQuest is an inquiry oriented activity in which most or all of the information that you need comes from the web. The goal of this WebQuest is for you to search for knowledge, and to integrate information from a variety of sources. At the end of this WebQuest, you will have grappled with new information, and hopefully gained a better understanding of an issue in your hometown.
Introduction:
While many veterans return from war and are able to reintegrate into their work and home life, there are many who have difficulty adjusting. Contributing factors are TBI, PTSD, mental health issues prior to deployment, lack of resiliency, experiencing adversity in childhood (child abuse, poverty, parental conflict or divorce, parents with mental health disorders), and the current economic climate. In the last few years the substance abuse, homelessness and suicide rates in the United States are climbing for veterans. The intent of this WebQuest is for you to explore and gain an accurate picture of the problem of these issues in America, to encourage inquiry and dialogue, and to foster compassion and advocacy by assuming a decision-making role within a community.
Your Situation:
You are a community health professional working in a Health Department in your hometown. You have seen more and more veterans come through your clinic in the last five years, but Jim really caught your attention. After meeting him, and hearing about his difficulty finding work, substance abuse, homelessness and suicidal thoughts, you are moved to take a stand and make much needed changes in your community. After you talk to your supervisor, you are given the task of researching the problem of either homelessness (Group 1), substance abuse (Group 2), suicide (Group 3), and unemployment (Group 4) and working on a community-wide strategy to manage the problem. You will identify the issues and will prepare recommendations for solutions to the City Council.
Good Luck! The city is trusting you to help the veterans of your town!
Jim's Story
Jim comes into your office looking unkept and unwashed. Jim has difficulty making eye contact with you, and seems restless. He seats himself by the door, and insists on keeping the door open. He says he “just can't take it anymore” and he “needs help.” On further questioning, he admitted to being homeless for the last 6 months. Jim said that his wife kicked him out of the house for his “rages” and has asked for a divorce. He lived with a friend for a few weeks, but that “didn't work out.” He has been sleeping at a park in town, and gets occasional meals at a shelter. He said he really misses his wife and kids, and wants to get back to them.
He said he just hasn't been the same since his second deployment to Iraq in 2006. He was injured in an IED explosion. He said he was “out of it for a little while, spacy. It was like I couldn't think straight.” He had shrapnel removed from his back and leg. He also lost several combat buddies in the explosion. He was honorably discharged from the military in 2011. He had difficulty finding work after he left the military, and his wife has been working to support the family.
He states that he is “on edge, and gets really angry about stuff.” He has frequent recurring thoughts about the IED explosion, and “sees” his friends who died in the explosion. He said he has been drinking a lot ever since he got back in 2006, and has recently been thinking about “ending it all.”
Tasks
1.Determine the issue that your group will explore1.Group 1: Homelessness
2.Group 2: Substance abuse
3.Group 3: Suicide
4.Group 4: Unemployment
2.Use your hometown (where you grew up or where you were born) and the current veteran situation there to discuss your topic. (We would prefer not to have 40 descriptions of Tampa, and using your hometown will give a broader view of the communities across the country).
3.Conduct your WebQuest (you may start with some of the websites below) by exploring sites on the internet that can help you accomplish the following objectives:1.Explore the current state of the issue both locally and nationally
2.Identify contributing factors for the development of the issue
3.Identify government programs and non-profit programs that provide resources for this issue.
4.Make recommendations for ways your local community can improve on this issue.
1.Choose one of the following methods to describe your topic, your population, and your solutions
Public Opinion Poll
Interview 10 people. Ask them to define your topic, the prevalence of your issue, five reasons why veterans experience your topic, what resources are in the area, and ask for a potential solutions. Create a brief presentation to show your findings. Compare the opinions of those you interviewed with the statistics, contributing factors, and proposed solutions that you found during your WebQuest.
Persuasive Paper
Assume the role of a public advocate for a charity group that assists veterans in your hometown (Catholic Charities, Wounded Warrior Foundation, a local homeless shelter). Write a persuasive two page paper that portrays the challenges of those veterans experiencing your topic in your hometown. Speak to the programs and services provided by the federal government and public and non-profit agencies in your town. Use the information you gained in your WebQuest to support your case. Make a case for continuing or increased support.
Town Hall Meeting
Host a town hall meeting. Think about the following members of your community: mayor, community planner, real estate developer, police, hospital and clinic administrators, school superintendent, church pastor, small business owner, and citizen. Think about how each community member may feel about your topic, and write a short logical opinion stating how each member might feel about your topic, and what they might propose as a solution for the problem
City Council Speech
In your role as a health department professional, gather your data and write a persuasive speech to give to the city council. Include the findings of your research and your proposed solutions.
1.Post your Public Opinion Poll, Persuasive Paper, Town Hall Meeting or Speech on the Module 6 discussion board.
2.Provide a substantive response to one person in your group and one person in another group.
Below are some websites to begin your WebQuest… There are many more
http://www(dot)va(dot)gov/homeless/
http://www(dot)nchv(dot)org/
http://www(dot)endhomelessness(dot)org/pages/veterans
http://www(dot)vetcenter(dot)va(dot)gov/
http://veteranscrisisline(dot)net/
http://www(dot)va(dot)gov/homeless/dchv.asp
http://www(dot)ptsd(dot)va(dot)gov/index.asp
http://www(dot)polytrauma(dot)va(dot)gov/understanding-tbi/
http://www(dot)fas(dot)org/sgp/crs/natsec/RS22452.pdf
PS: I attached a sample of a student paper