Steve Bogira talk

Steve Bogira, spoke with our class about his career as a senior writer for the Chicago Reader.

Bogira  is originally from the south side of Chicago and he graduated from Northwestern University. He worked briefly for the Chicago Tribune, before moving to the Chicago Reader. Bogira sites more freedom to write about what he wants to and in greater detail as his reasons for the move. 

Bogira is the race and poverty beat writer for the "Reader."He also authored the book "Courtroom 302." 

"I write about stories involving parts of the city that don't get enough attention," Bogira said. 

Urban poverty is one of Bogira's main interests, especially reporting on mental and physical health, as well as criminal justice in those societies. 

Bogira has covered a wide variety of stories within those topics. He likes to bring attention to the lesser known news stories that exist in these societies. 

For example in the late 1980s, in a high-rise apartment building, one of the most dangerous at the time, on the south side of Chicago, a woman was killed by thieves who entered her home through her medicine cabinet. Bogira wrote the article about diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, Ruthie McCoy's death. 

To effectively report for his 5,000-plus word feature stories, Bogira speaks with family members of the subject of the story, neighbors, mentors, medical experts. Often, he relies on court transcripts, police reports and details from the lawyers in a case. 

A major issue that journalists must consider, Bogira said, is the level of access they will have to the various elements, details and sources involved in the story. That is something writers have to consider, especially for longer projects, Bogira said. 

Bogira's structure is unique, especially within his longer stories, because they do not always develop in a chronological manner, they skip from flashbacks to flashforwards or the present. 

He doesn't write his articles from beginning to end during the writing process. Instead he focusses mostly on the lede and the end of a story first; the middle comes last. 

Another element critical when reporting a story is skepticism. A reporter must double-check every fact and detail to avoid errors.

"If your mom says she loves you, check it out," Bogira said about the level of skepticism. 

If a writer is unsure of the validity of someone's statement, be sure to attribute the statement to that person. 

Bogira now spends four to six weeks on any given feature story, which usually hits the 5,000 word count. He used to spend three months on a story and that story would be eight to ten thousand words. 

"People are eager to talk, especially to those who don't often get listened to," Bogira said. 

Beat reporting is also unique because the reporter learns in greater depth what they are writing about, since they are focussed on one environment regularly. 

Bogira recommends paying attention to every little thing when reporting a story to get the little details that make a story more memorable. 

Bogira still keeps in touch with several of the people he's written about, including 

"We're 'just presenting facts,' but really we're a guide to the reader in certain directions," Bogira said. "I start with the background then explain the solo crime to empathize."

Follow Steve on Twitter: @stevebogira 

By Emily Brown

Workplace stress

      People are working longer hours, taking their work home with them and are all-around more stressed in the workplace, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

      The CDC cites a Northwestern National Life study, which reports that one-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. In the same article, the CDC also cites a study by St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, which reports that, “Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems.”

      The CDC defines job stress as “the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.”

Job stress, according to the CDC, can lead to higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders (back and upper extremity), psychological disorders, injuries at the workplace and some studies suggest a greater risk of suicide, cancer, ulcers and impaired immune function.

      The American Institute of Stress reported that The Seventh Annual Labor Day Survey about “Attitudes in the American Workplace VII”. The survey found that 80 percent of workers feel stress on the job and almost half of them admitted they need help in managing stress. Helpguide.org provides tips on how to deal with workplace stress:

1.       Recognize the warning signs

2.       Take care of yourself

a.       Regular exercise

b.      Eat healthy

c.       Get enough sleep

3.       Prioritize and organize tasks

For more tips on how to reduce workplace stress, check out helpguide.org.


By Emily Brown

Study finds men more likely to not recognize eating disorder symptoms and delay treatment

A study published in the April issue of British journal, BMJ shows men are more likely to not recognize symptoms for eating disorders and delay treatment because of the perception of them as a female problem.

Little is known about how men recognize eating disorder symptoms and how they decide to seek  help. The study, conducted by Ulla Räisänen of University of Oxford, and Professor Kate Hunt of Glasgow University, is an effort to understand how young men recognize eating disorder symptoms, decide to seek help, and study their experiences of initial contacts with primary care.

Researchers studied 29 women and 10 men, ages 16 to 25, who had been diagnosed with eating disorders. It took men a longer time to notice signs and symptoms of an eating disorder.

One of the reasons since it took men longer to know that they had an eating disorder was the notion that eating disorders affects only women.

The group also delayed assistance because they didn’t know where to go or they feared they wouldn’t be taken seriously by doctors.

"I didn't know men could get eating disorders then ... ‘cos that would be like five years ago and there wasn't really much said about men with eating disorders then ," said a participant of the study. " I didn't know the symptoms, didn't know anything, it was just, to me it was just happening. I didn't really know what was going on."

Although the study group was small, it brings focus to the gender angle of eating disorders which is not usually covered.

Below, young men interviewed by Oxford University speak about their eating disorders. 

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By: Anel Herrera

Mental Illness on T.V.

 More and more television shows are including mental illness in their plotlines. From bipolar disorder in ‘Homeland’ to autism in ‘Parenthood,’ mental illness is becoming more prevalent on the small screen. 

Critics have said that 'Homeland' effectively portrays the lead character, Carrie Mathison's, struggle with bipolar disorder. She receives electric-compulsive therapy (ECT) at the end of season one. ECT has been proven as an effective treatment for bipolar disorder when other forms of treatment have failed. 

Carrie Mathison (played by Claire Danes in 'Homeland') receives ECT.

On ABC's 'Parenthood,' one of the lead characters, eight-year-old (at the start of the show) Max was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. 

One specific group supports the depiction of the boy's character. That's the Autism Society of Ohio. According to an article on the society's website, many members of the society view the show: "Ever since the first episode of Parenthood, it's been: 'Hey, did you see it this past week?' " said Cherry Hill resident Debbie Schmidt, whose son Jordan has the syndrome. "It's being watched by many of us."

Max Burkholder plays Max Braverman, an autistic child in 'Parenthood.'

Disability Scoop also praised the portrayal of an autistic child on the show. The show's storyline, in many episodes, revolves around the difficulty of the family accepting Max's diagnosis in the first season and how it affects their lives moving forward. 

Max Burkholder, the actor  who plays the ausistic told Disability Scoop in a Q & A : 

"Every couple of episodes I get together with an Asperger’s doctor, the director and the executive producer and we talk about what Max might do in the given situations in the script. I get new ideas about what to do during the scenes — how he would act, what he would say — because a lot of ad libbing happens on the show. As I do more and more, I start to understand more about what Max might be feeling."

As more television shows address mental illness, they should follow the leads of these shows to display the mental illnesses effectively and truthfully. 

By Emily Brown

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Photo by: pixbay/CreativeCommons

As the sun comes out of its' winter slumber, it shines its' rays on a major issue affecting every American: April is Alcohol Awareness Month. It is a good time to learn about all of the problems and issues that are both caused and associated with an over consumption of alcohol. A press release by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) asks people to evaluate their own drinking habits and educate themselves and others in the latest treatments for alcohol related disorders.
By saying alcoholism affects every American, does not mean that every American is having problems with over consumption. There are many adults who practice drinking in moderation and responsibly. Research even shows that moderated drinking can have - in some cases - provide health benefits. It does, however, mean that alcoholism in the United States costs around $200 billion from lost productivity, health care and property damage costs.

The NIAAA defines "low-risk" drinking as follows:

• For women: no more than three drinks on any single day and no more than seven drinks per week.
• For men: no more than four drinks on any single day and no more than 14 drinks per week. 

One drink is defined as 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.

NIAAA studies conclude that only about 2 in 100 people drink within these safe limits.

There are two types of treatments that have been shown to benefit people with alcohol use disorders. Behavioral treatments, which include changing drinking habits, and medications. Generally, the two kinds of treatment go hand-in-hand.

Current medications include naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram. They are non-addictive medications.

Those that currently live with dangerous drinking habits or patterns could benefit from treatment such as these. In addition, simply trying to cut back or quit drinking can have significant and immediate health benefits.

The NIAAA says that people who reduce their drinking decrease the risk of injuries, liver disease, heart disease, depression, stroke, sexually transmitted diseases and many types of cancer.

Each year only 15 percent of the people dealing with alcoholism actually seek help.

April is a time of rebirth, growth and abundance. It is also a month to help shed light on a major issue in America. Not only can it save money, it can save lives.

Posted by: Torey Darin

Study suggests autism may develop as early as pregnancy

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found focal disruption of cortical laminar organization in the cortexes of a majority of young children with autism. 

According to the U.S. government, autism affects one in every 68 children. 

In the brain tissue of healthy children, the cortex had six distinct layers, each made up of a specific cell type. The brains of children with autism had specific cells in specific layers missing. 

Because the organization of the cortex starts in the second trimester during pregnancy, the study suggests the disorder is present before birth. 

"So what we found is very interesting because it suggests there could be a common underlying biology that is there at the beginning, so a common time, a commonplace, a common underlying neuropathology that begins this disorder," says Eric Courchesne, an author of the paper and director of the Autism Center of Excellence at the University of California, San Diego. "That will really help the search for the original triggers that cause autism. And it changes the direction of research from postnatal to prenatal."

Samples of cortex were examined from 11 deceased children with autism and an 11 children who did not have the disease. Of the sample studied, 10 out of the 11 children had disorganized patches of cortex. 

"It also gives clues as to what might be biomarkers for identifying autism at very young ages, perhaps as early as at the age of 1 to 2 years, so that kids can be identified at much younger ages, be referred for treatment at much younger ages, and thereby have a better outcome," Courchesne said. 

Below: Eric Courchesne talks about the new findings. 

By: Anel Herrera