- Name five different types of disabilities.
Five disabilities that come to mind are: Mental Health like someone with depression, anxiety, Intellectual disability with down syndrome, dementia, Learning disabilities like ADHD, dyslexia. Physical Disability like someone in a wheelchair due to spinal cord injury or lower extremity amputations. Sensory disabilities, like someone with a previous stroke, or a diabetic with poor circulation.
- What is expected of health care providers who treat individuals with disabilities?
Health care providers who treat individuals with disabilities are expected to meet specific standards of care to ensure effective, respectful, and accessible healthcare. Patients come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes with other co-morbidities that health care providers must take into account and have to adjust to. The presence of co-occurring psychiatric disorders among individuals with developmental disability (DD) requires clinicians to adjust and modify standard mental health assessment and treatment planning (Davis, Banhill, & Atezaz, 2008). Facilities are required to accommodate the needs of patients with disabilities and providers need to be aware and knowledgeable of their patients’ conditions. Besides modifying the facility, providers must modify how they provide care. Patient centered care while also being sensitive to their needs will improve outcomes.
- What is the most important thing medical providers should do to treat individuals who have disabilities. Give 2 examples.
It can be hard when you’re meeting a patient for the first time, and I think it’s important for a provider to be honest when they are not familiar with a certain disability. Studies have shown clinicians tend to dismiss mental health problems as part of the disability (Hay, Wilson, Ong, Benson, & Gallego, 2024). Another important aspect would be for a provider to simply ask the patient what works for them, in order to incorporate them in making decisions in their care. Whether it’s someone who is deaf, blind, or they speak a different language. Asking them how they want to communicate.
- What can individuals with disabilities do to help their healthcare providers in providing their care. Give 2 examples.
Individuals can inform providers about any specific needs, such as communication preferences or physical assistance requirements. Patients sometimes forget their hearing aids and may need a provider to talk a little louder, a translator may be needed. Sometimes there is a gender preference and that should also be voiced by the patient.
It’s helpful for patients to provide specific information about their disability and any associated health concerns or past treatments. For a provider to provide the best care its important that they know about all the details of a patient history so because it enables the provider to tailor the care plan appropriately.
References
Davis, E., Banhill, J. L., & Atezaz, S. (2008). Treatment Models for Treating Patients with Combined Mental Illness and Developmental Disability. Psychiatric Quaterly, 205-223.
Hay, G., Wilson, N., Ong, N., Benson, P., & Gallego, G. (2024). Educating the educated: The impact of educational interventions on knowledge, attitudes and confidence of healthcare professionals in caring for patients with intellectual disability: A systematic review. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 134-145.
