Chronic Illness Experience Flashcards
What is a chronic illness?
Refers to a condition which is long-term
What is the definition of impairment?
Abnormalities in the functioning of the body
What is the definition of disability?
Inability to perform an activity in a manner considered normal for a human being
What is the definition of handicap?
A social disadvantage due to inability to have full-time employment
What are some disadvantages of Chronic illness?
Difficulties to manage symtoms
Difficulties to manage the treatment
Adjust to a new life, have to adopt a new role (the sick role)
Psychological distress and dependence
Change in lifestyle and social isolation
What are the 3 types of uncertainty?
Uncertainty about the cause
Uncertainty about the functionality
Uncertainty about the prognosis
What are the effects on family relations?
Reallocation of tasks
Chronic patients may feel they are a burden on their family
May withdraw from family life
Marital breakdown
What are some examples of biographical disruption that occurs because of chronic illness?
Patients’ daily life is disrupted
Patients’ may lose what they understand as the most important contexts of life.
What are some characteristics of the Doctor’s role
Use their knowledge
Treat patients
Fair treatment
What are some characteristics of the Patients’ social role?
Nobody blames them
Excused to be withdrawn from social activities
Expected to seek help
Expected to return to social activities
What is the role of the sick role for acute and for chronic conditions?
Acute conditions : patients adopt the sick role and get well
Chronic conditions : patients adopt the sick role and improve their condition/ quality of life
What are a few problems of the sick role?
Patients may get well quickly
Patients may have lethal disease
Patients may not be legitimate to adopt the sick role
Patients may get well quickly and not enter the sick role at all
What are the 2 types of biographical disruption?
Disruption of routine
Disruption of biography
How do patients respond to disruption?
Negotiation
How do patients respond to disruption?
Coping - cognitive processes
Strategy - action taken by the patient
Style - way a patient deals with his/her condition
