Friday, March 20, 2020

How to Write a Professional Letter of Acknowledgment

How to Write a Professional Letter of Acknowledgment The purpose of letters of acknowledgment is to provide proof that you have received specific documents  or a specific type of request. Letters of acknowledgment are often used for anything involved in a legal process. Elements of the Letter As with any  business or professional correspondence, you should begin your letter with a few specific and expected elements: Your name, address, and the date on the top rightThe name of the person to whom you are addressing the letter on the top left on the line below your addressThe company name (if appropriate)The address of the firm or individualA subject line that briefly states the purpose of the letter in bold (such as Legal Case No. 24)An opening salutation, such as Dear Mr. Smith When you are beginning the letter of acknowledgment, start with a brief sentence stating that this is, indeed, a letter of acknowledgment. Some phrases you can use include: I hereby acknowledge the receipt of the following documents...I am acknowledging receipt of...We will make sure that the person responsible receives these materials immediately upon returning to the office. The remainder of the letter should include the body text, where you explain in one or two paragraphs what, specifically, you are acknowledging. At the end of the body of the letter, you can offer your help if needed, such as: If  I may be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. End the letter with a standard closing, such as: Sincerely, Mr. Joe Smith, XX Firm. Sample Letter It can be helpful to view a sample letter template. Feel free to copy the format below for your letter of  acknowledgment. Though it does not print as such in this article, note that you should generally make your address and the date flush right. Joseph SmithAcme Trading Company5555 S. Main StreetAnywhere, California 90001​​March 25, 2018​​​Re:  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Legal Case No. 24Dear ______:Because Mr. Doug Jones is out of the office for the next two weeks I am acknowledging receipt of your letter dated March 20, 2018. It will be brought to his attention immediately upon his return.If I may be of any assistance during Mr. Jones absence, please do not hesitate to call.Yours sincerely,Joseph Smith Sign the letter under the closing, Yours sincerely, just above your name. Other Considerations The letter of acknowledgment provides documentation that you have received the letter, order, or complaint from the other party. Should the matter become a legal or business disagreement, your letter of acknowledgment shows proof that you did respond to the request from the other party. If you are unfamiliar with business letter style, take the time to learn the basic format for writing  business letters, and review the  different types of business letters. This will help you refine your skills for specific business purposes such as making inquiries, adjusting claims, and writing cover letters.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Sociology of Health and Illness

Sociology of Health and Illness The sociology of health and illness studies the interaction between society and health. In particular, sociologists examine how social life impacts morbidity and mortality rates and how morbidity and mortality rates impact society. This discipline also looks at health and illness in relation to social institutions such as the family, work, school, and religion as well as the causes of disease and illness, reasons for seeking particular types of care, and patient compliance and noncompliance. Health, or lack of health, was once merely attributed to biological or natural conditions. Sociologists have demonstrated that the spread of diseases is heavily influenced by the socioeconomic status of individuals, ethnic traditions or beliefs, and other cultural factors. Where medical research might gather statistics on a disease, a sociological perspective of an illness would provide insight on what external factors caused the demographics who contracted the disease to become ill. The sociology of health and illness requires a global approach of analysis because the influence of societal factors varies throughout the world. Diseases are examined and compared based on the traditional medicine, economics, religion, and culture that is specific to each region. For example, HIV/AIDS serves as a common basis of comparison among regions. While it is extremely problematic in certain areas, in others it has affected a relatively small percentage of the population. Sociological factors can help to explain why these discrepancies exist. There are obvious differences in patterns of health and illness across societies, over time, and within particular society types. There has historically been a long-term decline in mortality within industrialized societies, and on average, life-expectancies are considerably higher in developed, rather than developing or undeveloped, societies. Patterns of global change in health care systems make it more imperative than ever to research and comprehend the sociology of health and illness. Continuous changes in the economy, therapy, technology, and insurance can affect the way individual communities view and respond to the medical care available. These rapid fluctuations cause the issue of health and illness within social life to be very dynamic in the definition. Advancing information is vital because as patterns evolve, the study of the sociology of health and illness constantly needs to be updated. The sociology of health and illness is not to be confused with medical sociology, which focuses on medical institutions such as hospitals, clinics, and physician offices as well as the interactions among physicians. Resources White, K. An Introduction to the Sociology of Health and Illness. SAGE Publishing, 2002. Conrad, P. The Sociology of Health and Illness: Critical Perspectives. Macmillan Publishers, 2008.