Learning Diasbilites And Health Flashcards
Impairment
Any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function
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; functional limitation
Handicap
A disadvantage for a given individual that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal
Equality Act 2010
A person has a ‘disability’ if ‘he or she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on her or his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’
Social definition of disability
The loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in society on equal level with others due to social and environmental barriers
Disabled person
A person with an impairment who experiences disability
Disability barriers
Negative cultural representations
Inflexible organisational policies, procedures and practices
Segregated social provision
Inaccessible information formats
Inaccessible built environment and product design
Negative cultural representation
Images and assumptions that medicalise, patronise, criminalise and dehumanise people with impairments
Inflexible organisational polices, procedures and practices
Many deaf people or those with a hearing impairment were forced to make contact with their GP using a method that was not best for them eg telephone call
90% of GP surgeries in Wales did not offer suitable alternatives for making appointments
Learning disability
Significant impairment of general cognitive functioning acquired in childhood is lifelong
Leads to difficulty with everyday activities, eg household tasks, socialising or managing money
People with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills, understand complicated information and interact with other people
Average reading age of UK population
11-12
Percentage of populations of developed nations diagnosed with learning disabilities
1-4%
Are boys or girls more likely to be identified as having a learning disability
Boys
Causes of learning disabilities
Genetic factors
Maternal use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco during pregnancy
Complications during pregnancy
Environmental toxins eg cadmium and lead
Commonest cause of learning disabilities
Down syndrome
Down syndrome increases risk of
Dementia
Thyroid problems
Visual/hearing impairment
Other associated long term medical conditions
Health inequality
Differences in health status between different population groups that are attributable to the external environment and conditions mainly outside the control of the individuals concerned
Barriers to accessing healthcare
Failure to identify people with LD
Discriminatory attitudes
Failure to make reasonable adjustments
Diagnostic overshadowing
Unable to phone to make appointments unaided
Unable to read appointment letters/ advice leaflets
Difficulties with patient call systems
Lack of trust in clinicians not met before
Diagnostic overshadowing
Symptoms of physical ill health being mistakenly attributed to a behavioural problem or seen as being inherent in the person’s LD
Social stratification of LD
More common among children in more disadvantaged families
People with LD are:
More likely to be economically disadvantaged
Have communication, numeracy, literacy and memory difficulties
Have personal health risks and behaviours
Experience deficiencies in access to and quality of healthcare provision
Increased risk associated with specific genetic and biological causes of learning disabilities
Health promotion issues
Low uptake of health promotion and screening activities,eg routine dental checks
Annual health checks
All people with LD offered annual health checks
Health consequences of inadequate LD provisions
More risky health behaviours, eg smoking
More sensory and physical impairments
Poorer physical health
Shorter life expectancy and premature mortality
Poorer mental health - inappropriate use of psychotropic medication for people with LD as a form of chemical restraint for behaviour management
