Download DISABILITY

DISABILITY
To enable students to develop an understanding of:
Stereotyping & labelling in relation to chronic illness/
Disability linked to Neurosciences
How to challenge prejudice & discrimination
Whether problems due to individual or society
Carol Forde-Johnston, Lecturer Practitioner in
Neurosciences, Oxford UK
What do we understand by the
following terms

Impairment

Disability

Handicap
IMPAIRMENT


“Any loss or abnormality of
psychological, physiological or
anatomical structure or function”
(WHO 1999)
DISABILITY


“Any restriction or lack (resulting
from an impairment) of ability to
perform an activity in the manner or
within the range considered normal
for a human being”
(WHO 1999)
HANDICAP


“A disadvantage for a given
individual, resulting from an
impairment or a disability, that
limits or prevents the fulfilment of a
role that is normal (depending on
age, sex, social and cultural factors)
for that individual
(WHO 1999)
ASSOCIATED IMAGES


What sort of images are associated
with the following conditions, by lay
people? And by health care
workers?
EPILEPSY, SPINAL CORD INJURY,
AUTISM, BLINDNESS, ARTHRITIS,
AIDS, GUILLAIN BARRE SYNDROME,
SCHIZOPHRENIA, MS, PARKINSONS
DISEASE, HEAD INJURY
WHERE DO IMAGES COME FROM?

T.V. , Magazines, adverts, films,
books, personal contact,
experiences, seeing people in the
street, charities, colleagues,
labelling stereotyping
STIGMAS



Split into three groups and read the
following extracts
Brainstorm your thoughts and
feelings as a group
How do these extracts relate to your
future practice
PATTERNS OF DISABILITY



At Birth: Spina Bifida, Cystic
Fibrosis, Down’s Syndrome
Sudden & Unexpected: Teenage
paraplegia, schizophrenia, heart
disease, stroke
Slow & Progressive; M.S.
Parkinson’s Disease
ENACTED STIGMA: Actual Experience

Those with various conditions may
lose jobs, be excluded from jobs,
shops, friends
STIGMA


Felt Stigma: what you expect/ the
fear of being stigmatised
E.G. epilepsy & schizophrenia
(feeling of shame) M.S. (tremors),
AIDS (outcast)
DISCREDITED: VISIBLE

Arthritis, M.S., amputee, spinal cord
injury, these are observable
conditions
DISCREDITABLE: NOT VISIBLE

Epilepsy, blindness, M.S., only a
small proportion of disabled people
are likely to use wheelchairs (image
of disabled stickers), 3-7 million
only 200,000 in wheelchairs
Passing: working at appearing normal


Person with Rheumatoid Arthritis
puts up with pain & continues as
usual, disguises arthritic symptoms
to avoid negative stigmatising
Those who use ‘passing’ have to
decide to tell or not, do those with
epilepsy tell potential employer,
may feel ‘on trial.’
MASTERING STIGMA

A PERSON WHO IS BLIND MAY
DECIDE TO RUN A MARATHON, AN
AMPUTEE MAY DEECIDE TO TAKE
UP SPRINTING
WHERE DO PROBLEMS OF
DISABILITY LIE??

With individuals or society?????????
SCULLION (1999)


Explores disturbing evidence that
health care professional sometimes
discriminate against disabled people
in their care
Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
reflects the facts that the
government & the public are more
aware of widespread discrimination
against disabled people
Views of Disabled People


Many disabled people feel that
health care professional hold
negative views attitudes towards
them which reduces the quality of
care they receive. Key factors
causing this:
Lack of awareness, lack of
appropriate provision, hostile built
environment & language
Challenging Discrimination



Recognise the barriers: how
friendly/ hostile is the environment
Use of Access Audit
Identify Good Practice: Royal
College of Physicians (1998)
publishes good practice guide for
disabled people in hospital
Consult individuals themselves