Topic 4: chronic illness experience Flashcards
Define chronic illness
A condition that is long term and can last a life time e.g. diabetes, end stage kidney disease
What is the prevelance of chronic illness?
- 18% = 16 yr +
- If 75 yr + = 51% women and 43% men
- Significant increase at age 45 +
Define impairment
Abnormalities in the functioning body e.g. MS, diabetes, heart disease
Define disability
Inability to perform in a manner considered normal e.g. walking with support
Define handicap
Social disadvantage from inability to fulfil normal role e.g. have a full time employment
Describe some disadvantages + deprivations of chronic illness
- Difficulty managing symptoms
- Difficulty managing treatment
- Adjusting to new life/role
- Psychological distress
- Social isolation
What might be the psychosocial changes for chronic patients?
1) Uncertainty
2) Family relations
3) Biographical disruption
Describe the psychosocial change of uncertainty
3 forms:
1) Uncertain about cause
2) Uncertain about functionality of self
3) Uncertain about feelings about prognosis
- Feelings are stronger when patient have social obligations
Describe the psychosocial change of family relations
- Reallocation of tasks = partner working more hours to compensate salary
- Feel a burden
- Withdraw from family life = not participate in gatherings
- Marital breakdown
Describe the psychosocial change of biographical disruption
- Daily life disrupted = withdraw from routine activities for treatment
- May lose what they think is most important to them in life e.g. career + family = causes stress
How does access to resources help manage chronic illness?
- Access to good adequete resources supports independent living
- E.g. healthcare + house + shops + social networks
Explain Talcott Parson’s sick role
- Society as social harmony
- Hospitals = micro societies
- Doctors + patients adopt social roles = stability
What is the doctor’s role in the sick role?
- Use knowledge
- Treat patients
- Fair treatment
What is the patient’s role in the sick role?
- Nobody blames
- Excused to withdraw from social activities
- Expected to seek help
- Expected to return to social activities
Describe sick role in different cases
- Acute conditions = patient adopts = gets well
- Chronic conditions = patient adopts = improve condition + quality of life
- Purpose in all cases = return to normal social roles
Describe the problems with the sick role
- Patient may have lethal disease = not able to enter sick role = incurable cancer/brain injury = can’t complete sick role
- Patient may not be legitimate = people with HIV society doesn’t care about them improving condition + return to social roles due to stigma
- Patient gets well quickly = not enter sick role
Explain biographical disruption
- Defined by Michael Bury
- There is 2 main types
1) Disruption of what is taken for granted = daily routine
2) Disruption of biography = family + career + education - Different chronic conditions = different experiences
- Social obligations = greater impact
Explain negotiation
- Response to disruption
- Patients renegotiate with new ill self
- There are 3 ways:
1) Coping = cognitive = compare with people worse
2) Strategy = action by patient = hobby or join group
3) Style = way of dealing with condition = use humor when talking about condition + take control of condition
