Sample records for medical disability assessment

  1. A theoretical framework to describe communication processes during medical disability assessment interviews

    PubMed Central

    van Rijssen, H Jolanda; Schellart, Antonius JM; Anema, Johannes R; van der Beek, Allard J

    2009-01-01

    Background Research in different fields of medicine suggests that communication is important in physician-patient encounters and influences satisfaction with these encounters. It is argued that this also applies to the non-curative tasks that physicians perform, such as sickness certification and medical disability assessments. However, there is no conceptualised theoretical framework that can be used to describe intentions with regard to communication behaviour, communication behaviour itself, and satisfaction with communication behaviour in a medical disability assessment context. Objective The objective of this paper is to describe the conceptualisation of a model for the communication behaviour of physicians performing medical disability assessments in a social insurance context and of their claimants, in face-to-face encounters during medical disability assessment interviews and the preparation thereof. Conceptualisation The behavioural model, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), is conceptualised for the communication behaviour of social insurance physicians and claimants separately, but also combined during the assessment interview. Other important concepts in the model are the evaluation of communication behaviour (satisfaction), intentions, attitudes, skills, and barriers for communication. Conclusion The conceptualisation of the TPB-based behavioural model will help to provide insight into the communication behaviour of social insurance physicians and claimants during disability assessment interviews. After empirical testing of the relationships in the model, it can be used in other studies to obtain more insight into communication behaviour in non-curative medicine, and it could help social insurance physicians to adapt their communication behaviour to their task when performing disability assessments. PMID:19807905

  2. Teaching disability and rehabilitation to medical students. Steering Group on Medical Education and Disability.

    PubMed

    Kahtan, S; Inman, C; Haines, A; Holland, P

    1994-09-01

    A survey of UK medical schools was undertaken to determine the teaching that was being offered on disability and rehabilitation. In general, teaching on this topic appeared fragmented and inadequate but a number of interesting innovations were identified. These included: a drama workshop run by a group whose members mainly have learning disabilities at St George's Medical School, student-directed learning at the University of Dundee and structured teaching programmes at the Universities of Leeds and Edinburgh. The General Medical Council Education Committee's 1991 discussion document on the undergraduate curriculum specifically mentions disability as an important topic. A number of schools mentioned that they were in the process of revising their curriculum as a consequence. Recommendations arising from the findings of the survey include integration of disability and rehabilitation into clinical teaching, focus of teaching on those types of disability which are common in the community, greater emphasis on functional assessment in teaching the physical examination, and the wider use of standard assessment instruments, for example for activities of daily living, cognitive impairment and locomotor disability. There is a need for improved communication between medical schools to facilitate the spread of educational activities on this topic.

  3. Medical health care professionals' assessments of oral health needs in children with disabilities: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Hallberg, Ulrika; Klingberg, Gunilla

    2005-10-01

    Good collaboration between medical and dental care is essential to provide not only good oral health care, but also more holistic care for children with disabilities. The aim was to explore and describe medical health care professionals' assessments and considerations of orofacial problems and treatment needs in children with disabilities and in their families. In-depth interviews focusing on orofacial function were carried out with 17 medical health care employees. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed in open and focused (selective) coding processes according to grounded theory. A core category was identified and named focusing on basic needs, showing that oral health care assessment was not on the agenda of medical health care professionals, but was instead viewed as a responsibility of parents or dentists. This study shows that oral health issues are not fully integrated in the medical care of children with disabilities. The omission of oral health issues from the medical agenda implies a risk of oral health problems in children with disabilities. To put the oral cavity and oral health on the medical agenda, dentists need to influence the undergraduate training of medical professionals and to initiate co-operation with the medical care system.

  4. Assessing the Impact of Psychotropic Medication Changes on Challenging Behavior of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

    PubMed Central

    Valdovinos, Maria G.; Henninger-McMahon, Meara; Schieber, Elizabeth; Beard, Lisa; Conley, Brenna; Haas, Annette

    2016-01-01

    Objective The use of psychotropic medication to address challenging behavior in individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities is common practice; however, very few studies have examined how multiple medication use (or combination treatment) impacts the behaviors these medications are prescribed to treat. Method The current study followed eight individuals over a two-year period as they experienced changes in their psychotropic medication regimens. During that time, data from functional analyses and indirect assessments of challenging behavior were collected. Results The results suggest that changes in psychotropic medication regimens can produce changes in functional assessment outcomes, suggesting a need for continued behavioral assessment to better inform medication practices and behavioral treatment. Of the eight participants in the study, five participants’ behaviors varied in rate of responding in FAs across all medication changes. Additionally, three participants’ FAs produced changes in outcomes; however, those changes were not consistent across all medication changes, that is, not every medication change yielded different outcomes from previous assessments. Conclusion This study demonstrates how the outcome of an FA can be used to monitor the effects of psychotropic medication changes, specifically when medications are combined, on challenging behavior in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. PMID:27429750

  5. [Medical expert assessment, objectivity and justice in disability pension cases. ].

    PubMed

    Solli, Hans Magnus

    2003-08-14

    The formal principle of justice is often interpreted as the requirement of objectivity when a person's situation is to be evaluated in the light of social justice. The aim of this article is to analyse whether or not the formal principle of justice is fulfilled by the ontological and the epistemological concept of objectivity when disability claims are evaluated medically in relation to the Norwegian legislation on disability benefits. material is legal and medical texts about medical disability evaluation. The method is text analysis. The main result is that the concept of ontological objectivity functions as the criterion of objectivity when the causal relations between sickness, impairment and disability are explained. This criterion is, however, problematic because it is based on the assumption that there is a linear causal model of these relations, which precludes the explanation of many cases of disability. The ontological concept of objectivity is not a necessary condition for impartiality and formal justice in relation to the causal relation between sickness and disability. In some situations this concept is a sufficient condition. The epistemological concept of objectivity is a sufficient condition, but it is not a necessary condition. Some cases must be reviewed on a discretionary basis.

  6. Medical education and disability studies.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Fiona Kumari

    2009-12-01

    The biomedicalist conceptualization of disablement as a personal medical tragedy has been criticized by disability studies scholars for discounting the difference between disability and impairment and the ways disability is produced by socio-environmental factors. This paper discusses prospects for partnerships between disability studies teaching/research and medical education; addresses some of the themes around the necessity of critical disability studies training for medical students; and examines a selection of issues and themes that have arisen from disability education courses within medical schools globally. The paper concludes that providing there is a commitment from senior management, universities are well positioned to apply both vertical and horizontal approaches to teaching disability studies to medical students.

  7. [Medical assessment of occupational disability (preparation of a list of occupational diseases with the colaboration of scientific societies)].

    PubMed

    Jardón-Dato, E

    Amongst the financial benefits given by the Social Security Service, that of disability benefit is one of the most important. To determine the right to obtain this and the amount due, it is necessary to have administrative certification of the existence of this disability, the cause of it and the degree (partial, total, absolute or great disability). Therefore medical assessment is essential. The medical assessors of the Disability Tribunals of the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social are responsible for medical assessment. It is necessary for these doctors to understand all types of disorders and useful for them to have methodology at their disposal for each of the different disorders. Also, lack of official criteria for evaluation, due to the variety of situations which may arise, make unification difficult. We aim to devise criteria for evaluation of the diagnosis, by means of the tests and investigations necessary, their evaluation and the symptoms of each disorder which may cause problems (deficiencies) in the individual person, when carrying out his work (determining which tests and investigations allow this to be shown). Neurology is one of the specialities which offers the greatest difficulty to nonspecialists. This is due to the evaluation of complementary tests used and the subjectivity of some defects. In this paper, we aim to report these difficulties in order to promote collaboration between medical assessors and Neurology specialists.

  8. Supporting medical students with learning disabilities in Asian medical schools

    PubMed Central

    Majumder, Md. Anwarul Azim; Rahman, Sayeeda; D’Souza, Urban JA; Elbeheri, Gad; Abdulrahman, Khalid Bin; Huq, M Muzaherul

    2010-01-01

    Learning disabilities (LDs) represent the largest group of disabilities in higher education (HE) institutes, including medical schools, and the numbers are continuing to rise. The worrying concern is that two-thirds to half of these students with LDs remain undiagnosed when they start their undergraduate education and may even graduate without having their disabilities diagnosed. These students struggle with their academic abilities, receive poor grades and, as a result, develop lower perceptions of their intellectual abilities than do those students without LDs. All these ultimately hamper their professional practice, employment, and career progression. Appropriate and adequate educational policies, provisions, and practices help students to progress satisfactorily. In Asian countries, public and professional awareness about LDs is low, supportive provisions are limited, legislations are inadequate, data are scarce, and equal-opportunity/widening-participation policies are not implemented effectively in the HE sector. This article discusses the issues related to LDs in medical education and draws policy, provision, and practice implications to identify, assess, and support students with LDs in medical schools, particularly in an Asian context. PMID:23745060

  9. Evaluation of nursing and medical students' attitudes towards people with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Sahin, Hatice; Akyol, Asiye D

    2010-08-01

    The aim of this study is to assess the attitudes of students towards disabled people and provide suggestions to make necessary changes in the curricula. Disabled people suffer from rejection, exclusion and discrimination. The undergraduate education of future health professionals should include processes of critical thinking towards and analysis of the disabled. Cross-sectional design was used. All the preclinical medical and nursing students in our institution were included in study. Data were collected using the Turkish Attitudes towards Disabled Person Scale (TATDP) and demographical variables. TATDP Scale was scored according to five-point Likert Scale. Students' mean attitude score is 120.57 (SD 15.24). Subscale mean scores are 53.61 (SD 7.25) for compassion (CP), 50.47 (SDS 7.26) for social value (SV) and 16.49 (SD 2.89) for resource distribution (RD). Whilst nursing students had less contact with the disabled, medical students had a closer contact with them. Medical students acquired more prior knowledge about attitudes towards the disabled. Total attitude scores of female students were above the students' mean attitude score when compared to those of male students. Only if early contact is established with patients and the disabled, practical educational strategies are adopted, and the students are provided with information on attitudes about the disabled, will a social model of disability be introduced into the curriculum. This study results were presented to curriculum planning committees of nursing and medical schools, so that they should use them as needs assessment data in developing a disability awareness curriculum. The curriculum will be implemented in cooperation with not only schools but also other social institutions. For instance, clerkship applications will be accomplished by cooperating with nursing homes and organisations of disabled people.

  10. Athletes with Disabilities. Removing Medical Barriers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peck, David M.; McKeag, Douglas B.

    1994-01-01

    Disability-related conditions such as bladder problems or pressure sores need not keep people from activity. Although active individuals with disabilities require some specialized management, they mainly need medical care for sports-related cuts, sprains, and strains. Physicians can help remove medical barriers to participation for active…

  11. What disability studies has to offer medical education.

    PubMed

    Couser, G Thomas

    2011-03-01

    Disability studies can be of great value to medical education first, by placing the medical paradigm in the broad context of a sequence of ways of understanding and responding to disability that have emerged in the last two thousand years or so; second, by reminding medical professionals that people with disabilities have suffered as well as profited from medical treatment in the last two hundred years; finally, by providing access to a distinctive point of view from which the experience of disability looks very different than it may from the outside.

  12. What does "disability" mean for medical students? An exploration of the words medical students associate with the term "disability".

    PubMed

    Byron, Margaret; Cockshott, Zoë; Brownett, Hilary; Ramkalawan, Tina

    2005-02-01

    Disability teaching is a core theme in undergraduate medical education. Medical students bring a range of experiences of disability to their medical training. The principal aim of this study was to explore the words that medical students associate with the term "disability" and to consider how the resulting information could inform teaching. A secondary aim was to see if a short disability course changed the word associations. Students were asked to write down 2 words that came to mind when they heard the word "disability", before and after a 4-day course in disability. Words from 4 cohorts were analysed by frequency and the following word dichotomies: visual icons/personal attributes; loss/enabling, and medical model/social model. A random sample of students took part in focus groups at the beginning and end of the course. A total of 381 students provided 667 before-course words and 189 students provided 336 after-course words. Before the course, words denoting visual icons of disability, and loss were prominent, accounting for 85% of the words, and 74% of the words describing personal attributes were negative. Focus group responses at this stage reflected an eagerness to help but patronising terms were prominent, along with concern about political correctness. Students also expressed nervousness about encountering disabled people. In response, teaching was adapted to make it more learner-focused, to offer a safe environment in which students can test out their language, to build on the positive associations and to develop a range of pre-course creative activities with disabled people. After the course a considerable and significant shift in emphasis was observed, with a reduction in the use of visual icon words, an increase in words denoting enablement, and an increase in words relating to the social model of disability and to positive personal attributes (P < 0.001). Focus group participants at this stage reported greater confidence in approaching disabled

  13. Central nervous system medication use in older adults with intellectual disability: Results from the successful ageing in intellectual disability study.

    PubMed

    Chitty, Kate M; Evans, Elizabeth; Torr, Jennifer J; Iacono, Teresa; Brodaty, Henry; Sachdev, Perminder; Trollor, Julian N

    2016-04-01

    Information on the rates and predictors of polypharmacy of central nervous system medication in older people with intellectual disability is limited, despite the increased life expectancy of this group. This study examined central nervous system medication use in an older sample of people with intellectual disability. Data regarding demographics, psychiatric diagnoses and current medications were collected as part of a larger survey completed by carers of people with intellectual disability over the age of 40 years. Recruitment occurred predominantly via disability services across different urban and rural locations in New South Wales and Victoria. Medications were coded according to the Monthly Index of Medical Specialties central nervous system medication categories, including sedatives/hypnotics, anti-anxiety agents, antipsychotics, antidepressants, central nervous system stimulants, movement disorder medications and anticonvulsants. The Developmental Behaviour Checklist for Adults was used to assess behaviour. Data were available for 114 people with intellectual disability. In all, 62.3% of the sample was prescribed a central nervous system medication, with 47.4% taking more than one. Of those who were medicated, 46.5% had a neurological diagnosis (a seizure disorder or Parkinson's disease) and 45.1% had a psychiatric diagnosis (an affective or psychotic disorder). Linear regression revealed that polypharmacy was predicted by the presence of neurological and psychiatric diagnosis, higher Developmental Behaviour Checklist for Adults scores and male gender. This study is the first to focus on central nervous system medication in an older sample with intellectual disability. The findings are in line with the wider literature in younger people, showing a high degree of prescription and polypharmacy. Within the sample, there seems to be adequate rationale for central nervous system medication prescription. Although these data do not indicate non-adherence to

  14. Disability in society-medical and non-medical determinants for disability pension in a Norwegian total county population study.

    PubMed

    Krokstad, Steinar; Westin, Steinar

    2004-05-01

    The objective of this study was to describe sociomedical determinants and developments for the medically based disability pension in Norway by linking individual based data from a county health survey to data on disability from the National Insurance Administration. Two cross-sectional total population health surveys with an approximate 10-year interval were conducted in Nord-Trøndelag county, HUNT I (1984-86) and HUNT II (1995-97), which allows for analyses of changes over time, supplied with official incidence data on disability pension. The large-scale variations and overall increasing incidence rates of disability pension in Norway during the last 20 years also applied to the county of Nord-Trøndelag. The prevalence of disability pension generally increased in the population from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. A striking finding was a consistent pattern of increasing prevalence of disability pension with decreasing socio-economic status and education. A geographic pattern for disability pension prevalence on a municipality level suggested that structural and cultural factors were important in determining the level of disability in society. Medical determinants alone cannot explain either the dramatic variations or the overall increased incidence rates of disability pension in the last two decades in Norway. The results demonstrate the importance of social, non-medical and contextual determinants for disability pension, how these determinants result in important prevalence differences by socio-economic status, and their impact on the level of disability in society.

  15. Neurobehavioral assessment of children and adolescents attending a developmental disabilities clinic.

    PubMed

    Brasić, James Robert; Barnett, Jacqueline Y; Kowalik, S; Tsaltas, Margaret Owen; Ahmad, Raheela

    2004-12-01

    Although the risk of the eventual development of tardive dyskinesia and other persistent adverse effects of neuroleptics is high, among adults with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities, neuroleptics may ameliorate dyskinesias, aggression, and inattention. The effects of traditional neuroleptics on a comparable population of children and adolescents with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities are unknown. The objective of this study was to develop an assessment battery to describe the effects of traditional neuroleptics on the behavior and movements of a small sample of children and adolescents with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. 13 children and adolescents aged 6 to 16 years attending a developmental disabilities clinic were evaluated utilizing a Movement Assessment Battery to measure behavior and motions. Five subjects took traditional neuroleptic medications. Trained raters can reliably assess the movements and behaviors of children and adolescents with multiple handicaps. Children and adolescents with developmental disabilities may be vulnerable to experience functional impairment and akathisia, tics, and other dyskinesias when administered traditional neuroleptic medications.

  16. Medication and Reading Disability.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Humphries, Laurie L.

    1981-01-01

    The clinical syndrome which relates most frequently to the reading-disabled child is the attention deficity disorder. The child psychiatrist will generally resort to medication only when behavioral management techniques have failed. The two most frequently used medications are Ritalin and Dexedrine, central nervous system stimulants. (JN)

  17. Assessment of bone health in children with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Kecskemethy, Heidi H; Harcke, H Theodore

    2014-01-01

    Evaluating the bone health of children with disabilities is challenging and requires consideration of many factors in clinical decision-making. Feeding problems and growth deficits, immobility/inability to bear weight, effect of medications, and the nature of his or her disease can all directly affect a child's overall picture of bone health. Familiarity with the tools available to assess bone health is important for practitioners. The most commonly used method to assess bone density, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, can be performed effectively when one appreciates the techniques that make scanning patients with disabilities possible. There are specific techniques that are especially useful for measuring bone density in children with disabilities; standard body sites are not always obtainable. Consideration of clinical condition and treatment must be considered when interpreting dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scans. Serial measurements have been shown to be effective in monitoring change in bone content and in providing information on which to base decisions regarding medical treatment.

  18. Acute migraine medication adherence, migraine disability and patient satisfaction: A naturalistic daily diary study.

    PubMed

    Seng, Elizabeth K; Robbins, Matthew S; Nicholson, Robert A

    2017-09-01

    Objective To examine the influence of acute migraine medication adherence on migraine disability and acute medication satisfaction. Methods Adults with migraine completed three months of daily electronic diaries assessing headache symptoms, acute medication taken, acute medication satisfaction, and daily migraine disability. Repeated measures mixed-effects models examined the effect of initial medication type [migraine-specific medication (MSM) vs. over-the-counter analgesic (OTC) vs. an opiate/barbiturate], the severity of pain at dosing, and their interaction with daily migraine disability and satisfaction with acute medication. Results Participants (N = 337; 92.5% female; 91.1% Caucasian, non-Hispanic; 84.0% with episodic migraine) recorded 29,722 diary days. Participants took acute medication on 96.5% of 8090 migraine days. MSM was most frequently taken first (58%), followed by OTC (29.9%) and an opiate/barbiturate (12.1%). Acute medication was most frequently taken when pain was mild (41.2%), followed by moderate (37.7%) and severe pain (11.4%). Initially dosing with MSM while pain was mild was associated with the lowest daily disability [medication × pain at dosing F (4, 6336.12) = 58.73, p < .001] and highest acute medication satisfaction [medication × pain at dosing F (4, 3867.36) = 24.00, p < .001]. Conclusion Using an MSM (triptan or ergot) first was associated with the lowest migraine disability and highest acute medication satisfaction.

  19. International guide to prescribing psychotropic medication for the management of problem behaviours in adults with intellectual disabilities

    PubMed Central

    DEB, SHOUMITRO; KWOK, HENRY; BERTELLI, MARCO; SALVADOR-CARULLA, LUIS; BRADLEY, ELSPETH; TORR, JENNIFER; BARNHILL, JARRET

    2009-01-01

    Psychotropic medications are used regularly to manage problem behaviours among people with intellectual disabilities. This causes concern because often these medications are used out of their licensed indications in this context. The WPA Section on Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability has recently developed an evidence and consensus-based international guide for practitioners for the use of psychotropic medications for problem behaviours among adults with intellectual disabilities. This guide advises on assessment of behaviours, producing a formulation, initiation of treatment, assessment of out-come and adverse effects, follow-up arrangements, and possibility of discontinuation of treatment. PMID:19812757

  20. At sea with disability! Transformative learning in medical undergraduates voyaging with disabled sailors.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Trevor; Lamont-Robinson, Catherine; Williams, Val

    2016-08-01

    Attitudinal objectives are difficult to formulate, teach and assess; yet good attitudes are fundamental to good practice. For instance, studies highlight negative attitudes to disability in the medical student community that contrast with the self-conceptions of disabled persons. This study was designed to better understand attitudinal learning, inadequately addressed by contemporary programmes, through the application of Mezirow's 'transformative learning theory' (TLT) to a novel educational intervention. Participating students went to sea, for voyages of 5-7 days, in tall ships operated by the Jubilee Sailing Trust. Each student was buddied with another sailor living with disability. Disabilities included cerebral palsy, loss of sight, loss of limbs and paraplegia. Students recorded their experiences using audio diaries, written logs, formal voyage reports and art work and in post-voyage seminars. The data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis, and the results are considered under five themes suggested by Mezirow. Sixteen students were recruited, with four students sailing on each of four separate voyages. Each student recorded audio-diary entries, which had a total duration of between 10 and 212 minutes. For seven of the 16 students, the five key elements of TLT were demonstrable, suggesting that transformative learning, as described by Mezirow, was occurring. Drawing on diverse qualitative data, insights into different aspects of this transformation are provided. TLT can be used to characterise, and thus design, educational interventions to meet attitudinal learning objectives. Students can be helped to discover their less helpful frames of reference. In safe environments these frames can be challenged and subjected to personal and communal reflection. Drawing on audio diaries and other evidence, and in answer to critiques of contemporary medical teaching on disability, we demonstrate such transformation in students 'at sea with

  1. From Impairment to Empowerment: A Longitudinal Medical School Curriculum on Disabilities.

    PubMed

    Sarmiento, Cristina; Miller, Sonya R; Chang, Eleanor; Zazove, Philip; Kumagai, Arno K

    2016-07-01

    All physicians will care for individuals with disabilities; however, education about disabilities is lacking at most medical schools. Most of the schools that do include such education exclusively teach the medical model, in which disability is viewed as an impairment to be overcome. Disability advocates contest this approach because it overlooks the social and societal contexts of disability. A collaboration between individuals with disabilities, educators, and physicians to design a medical school curriculum on disabilities could overcome these differences. A curriculum on disabilities for first- and second-year medical students was developed during the 2013-2014 academic year and involved a major collaboration between a medical student, medical educators, disability advocates, and academic disability specialists. The guiding principle of the project was the Disability Rights Movement motto, "Nothing about us without us." Two small-group sessions were created, one for each medical school class. They included discussions about different models of disability, video and in-person narratives of individuals with disabilities, and explorations of concepts central to social perceptions of disability, such as power relationships, naming and stigmatization, and disability as identity. According to evaluations conducted after each session, students reported positive feedback about both sessions. Through this curriculum, first- and second-year medical students learned about the obstacles faced by individuals with disabilities and became better equipped to understand and address the concerns, hopes, and societal challenges of their future patients. This inclusive approach may be used to design additional curricula about disabilities for the clinical and postgraduate years.

  2. 42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

  3. 42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

  4. 42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

  5. 42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

  6. 42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

  7. Comparing Medical and Recreational Cannabis Users on Socio-Demographic, Substance and Medication Use, and Health and Disability Characteristics.

    PubMed

    Goulet-Stock, Sybil; Rueda, Sergio; Vafaei, Afshin; Ialomiteanu, Anca; Manthey, Jakob; Rehm, Jürgen; Fischer, Benedikt

    2017-01-01

    While recreational cannabis use is common, medical cannabis programs have proliferated across North America, including a federal program in Canada. Few comparisons of medical and recreational cannabis users (RCUs) exist; this study compared these groups on key characteristics. Data came from a community-recruited sample of formally approved medical cannabis users (MCUs; n = 53), and a sub-sample of recreational cannabis users (RCUs; n = 169) from a representative adult survey in Ontario (Canada). Samples were telephone-surveyed on identical measures, including select socio-demographic, substance and medication use, and health and disability measures. Based on initial bivariate comparisons, multivariate logistical regression with a progressive adjustment approach was performed to assess independent predictors of group status. In bivariate analyses, older age, lower household income, lower alcohol use, higher cocaine, prescription opioid, depression and anxiety medication use, and lower health and disability status were significantly associated with medical cannabis use. In the multivariate analysis, final model, household income, alcohol use, and disability levels were associated with medical cannabis use. Conclusions/Scientific Significance: Compared to RCUs, medical users appear to be mainly characterized by factors negatively influencing their overall health status. Future studies should investigate the actual impact and net benefits of medical cannabis use on these health problems. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  8. Medical and Sociocultural Aspects of Disability. Section III.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thornhill, Herbert L.; And Others

    This document contains four papers, discussing medical and sociocultural aspects of disability, presented at a national conference on the nonwhite disabled. In "Some Observations on Blacks and Physical Disability," Thornhill and Torres note the higher prevalence of physical disability among blacks and cite the example of more frequent lower…

  9. The State of Disability Awareness in American Medical Schools.

    PubMed

    Seidel, Erica; Crowe, Scott

    2017-09-01

    This study was designed to: (1) determine how many American medical schools include disability awareness in their curriculum, (2) explore the format of disability awareness programs in existence, and (3) understand why some schools do not include disability awareness in their curriculum. An online survey was sent to deans of medical education (or equivalent positions) at accredited allopathic and osteopathic American medical schools (N = 167) in 2015. Seventy-five schools (45%) completed surveys. Fifty-two percent (39/75) reported having a disability awareness program. The most common format was people with disabilities or caregivers speaking in a large group setting. Programs were most likely to focus on adults with physical disabilities. Among schools without a program, the top barriers were no one advocating for inclusion in the curriculum and time constraints. Nearly half of schools without a program expressed interest in adopting an awareness curriculum if one was made available. Such results indicate that efforts should be made to increase the number of schools that provide disability awareness education through increased advocacy and providing additional resources to schools without a curriculum.

  10. Clinician Experiences Assessing Work Disability Related to Mental Disorders

    PubMed Central

    Dewa, Carolyn S.; Hees, Hiske; Trojanowski, Lucy; Schene, Aart H.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Medical certification is one of the basic administrative mechanisms used by social policies aimed at income protection. The assessment of work disability is central to the income protection application. Yet, there is evidence suggesting that determining work disability related to mental disorders is challenging. Although essential to the disability application process, few studies have looked at physician and other clinician experiences with the process. However, this type of information is critical to developing processes to support providers who participate in the assessments. This purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of physicians and other clinicians assessing public long-term work disability related to mental disorders. Methods This is an exploratory and descriptive study using qualitative methods. Clinician input was gathered through focus groups and individual in-depth interviews. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed to identify recurrent and significant themes that arose during the focus groups and individual interviews. Results Many of the experiences that the clinicians in this sample discussed related to the difficulty of trying to fill the roles of advocate and medical expert as well as the challenge of determining the impact of functional capacity and work ability. The findings also highlight the current gap in knowledge about the factors that affect successful functioning in general and at work in particular. Conclusions Given the challenges created by the current state of knowledge, it may be useful to consider a category of “partial disability”. In addition, the fact that work disability depends on the interaction between the experience of the mental disorder and specific job requirements and the fact that people applying for public long-term disability are not working, it might be helpful to offer a clear description and guidelines of the meaning of work ability. PMID:25789478

  11. Medication and Supplement Use in Disability Football World Championships.

    PubMed

    Broman, Daniel; Ahmed, Osman Hassan; Tscholl, Philippe M; Weiler, Richard

    2017-10-01

    Individuals with an impairment comprise more than 15% of the world's population, many of whom can benefit greatly from participation in sport. The provision of medical services in disability sport is a challenging area with a lack of scientific evidence. Given the positive impact that sport can have on the people with an impairment, it is vital that measures are taken to better understand the medical issues posed by disability sport. It is well established that medications and supplements are overused in sport, particularly within professional football, but there is no current evidence on medication or supplement use in elite disability football. To examine and describe the use of medication and supplements in disability football, before and during international tournaments, and to identify the profile of substances used by category. Prospective, descriptive, cohort study. International Blind Sport Association Football World Cup 2015 and the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football World Cup 2015. Two hundred forty-two elite-level disability footballers, classified with B1 visual impairment or cerebral palsy. Team clinicians were asked to document all medication and supplements taken in the 48 hours before each match. This study recorded the use of 1648 substances in 242 players, with more than one half (53.1%) classified as supplements. There was an overall rate of 1.26 substances used per player per match and a medication use rate of 0.59 medications per player per match. Seventy percent (170/242) of players reported using at least one substance per tournament, with 57.9% (140/242) using at least one prescribed medication (63.6% of players at International Blind Sports Association World Games and 57.7% of players at International Federation of Cerebral Palsy World Cup). The most commonly prescribed category of medications was nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, representing 39.3% of all reported medications. This study highlights the potential

  12. Twelve tips for teaching child development and disability to medical students.

    PubMed

    McDonald, Jenny

    2018-02-01

    Child development is a marker of well-being in childhood and recognition of developmental delay allows timely investigation and intervention for children with developmental disabilities. Despite this, child development and disabilities are not given emphasis in the medical curriculum. This under representation of teaching combined with the stigma associated with disabilities contributes to the sub-optimal health care of people with disabilities. As well as, addressing the stigma of disability a medical undergraduate curriculum should include: the key concepts of child development; the clinical presentation of the most common developmental disabilities; developmental history taking and the infant neurodevelopmental examination. The following twelve tips provide practical advice about how to teach this knowledge and these skills during medical training.

  13. Identifying Medication Management Smartphone App Features Suitable for Young Adults With Developmental Disabilities: Delphi Consensus Study

    PubMed Central

    Salgado, Teresa M; Fedrigon, Alexa; Riccio Omichinski, Donna; Meade, Michelle A

    2018-01-01

    for 60% (12/20) items in the medication list module, 100% (3/3) in the medication reminder module, 67% (2/3) in the medication administration record module, and 63% (10/16) in the additional features module. In addition to the medication list, medication reminder, and medication administration record features, experts selected the following top 3 most important additional features: automatic refills through pharmacies; ability to share medication information from the app with providers; and ability to share medication information from the app with family, friends, and caregivers. The top 3 least important features included a link to an official drug information source, privacy settings and password protection, and prescription refill reminders. Conclusions Although several mobile apps for medication management exist, few are specifically designed to support persons with developmental disabilities in the complex medication management process. Of the 42 different features assessed, 64% (27/42) achieved consensus for inclusion in a future medication management app. This study provides information on the features of a medication management app that are most important to persons with developmental disabilities, caregivers, and professionals. PMID:29792292

  14. Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions

    MedlinePlus

    ... Rule Special Procedures Disabilities & Medical Military Children Seniors Law Enforcement Cultural TSA Pre✓® Airports & Airlines Schedule FAQ Passenger Support Civil Rights Travel Redress Claims Travel Tips Travel Checklist ...

  15. Permanent Disability Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Chovil, A. C.

    1975-01-01

    This paper is a review of the theory and practice of disability evaluation with emphasis on the distinction between medical impairment and disability. The requirements for making an accurate assessment of medical impairments are discussed. The author suggests three basic standards which can be used for establishing a simplified method of assessing physical impairment. PMID:20469213

  16. [What Psychiatrists Should Know about the Medical Documentation They Issue: Admission for Medical Care and Protection, Medical Treatment for Persons with Disabilities, Mental Health Disability Certification, etc].

    PubMed

    Yamasaki, Masao

    2015-01-01

    Psychiatrists issue a wide variety of documentation, among which are torms such as Registration of Admission for Medical Care and Protection, Periodic Report of Condition, Certification of Medical Treatment for Persons with Disabilities, and Mental Health Disability Certification, which are required under laws such as the Act on Mental Health and Welfare for the Mentally Disabled. These documents are important in that they are related to protecting the human rights of people with mental disorders, as well as securing appropriate medical and welfare services for them. However, in the course of reviewing and evaluating documentation at our Mental Health and Welfare Center, we encounter forms which are incomplete, or which contain inappropriate content. In order to protect the human rights of people with mental disorders, and to ensure the provision of appropriate medical and welfare services for them, I call on psychiatrists to issue carefully written and appropriate documentation. In this talk I will focus primarily on what psychiatrists should know when filling in forms in the course of their day-to-day clinical work.

  17. A Critique of "Controversial Medical Treatments of Learning Disabilities"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feingold, Benjamin F.

    1977-01-01

    The author replies to the article titled "Controversial Medical Treatments of Learning Disabilities" (R. Sieben), and discusses research on the relationship between food additives and hyperactivity, and dietary treatments for learning disabled children. (IM)

  18. Assessment of Learning Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shepard, Lorrie A.

    The assessment and diagnosis of learning disabilities (LD) in the school is problematic. How do educators determine who is learning disabled? What practices are recommended? The main focus of the paper is on specific, relatively technical points that influence the validity of assessment. Since technical concerns are only one of the factors…

  19. Controversial Medical Treatments of Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sieben, Robert L.

    1977-01-01

    The author presents a critical review of popular medical treatments for children with learning disabilities, including dietary treatment (food additives theories, brain allergies, hypoglycemia, megavitamin therapy, and trace mineral tests) and neurophysiologic retraining (patterning, sensory integrative therapy, and optometric training). (IM)

  20. [Medical and psychological rehabilitation of patients and disabled persons].

    PubMed

    Zaĭtsev, V P

    2013-01-01

    The paper unveils the concept of medical rehabilitation and defines its place in clinical medicine. It underlines the inextricable link and interaction of different components of a rehabilitation system. The value of the psychological aspect of rehabilitation is considered. Categories of patients and disabled persons who need psychological rehabilitation are identified; a classification of personal reactions to disease and the changes in the psychological state of patients in different periods after disease onset are given. The factors influencing the process of psychological readjustment in patients and the disabled are analyzed. The psychological rehabilitation system for patients and disabled persons is considered in detail. Data on its medical and socioeconomic efficiency are presented.

  1. [Teaching skills of functional assessment to medical students: why not playing games?].

    PubMed

    Huber, Philippe; Saber, Abdelmalek; Schnellmann, Yves; Gold, Gabriel

    2012-11-07

    Today, physicians take care of an aging population suffering from multiple chronic diseases and disabilities. Therefore, a good knowledge of functional assessment is required, and this topic should be addressed in the undergraduate medical curriculum. This article reports our experience with a seminar on functional assessment using an "aging game" as a pedagogic vector. This seminar is organized by geriatricians, occupational therapists and physical therapists. Medical students are exposed to situations where they experiment disabilities and try to elaborate compensatory strategies. Then, they reflect on a complex discharge project by analyzing a written clinical case. Finally, they are introduced to the use of validated functional assessment instruments. Evaluation indicated that this pedagogic approach is highly valued by students and fosters the acquisition of knowledge in functional assessment.

  2. Health Care Expenditures and Length of Disability Across Medical Conditions.

    PubMed

    Zaidel, Catherine S; Ethiraj, Rajesh K; Berenji, Manijeh; Gaspar, Fraser W

    2018-02-19

    To describe the relationship between the length of short-term disability (STD) and health care spending. Medical claims for insured US employees on STD were evaluated to describe the distribution of disability durations and health expenditures across major diagnostic categories and common medical conditions. Correlations between health expenditures and disability durations were examined. The most expensive 10% of cases accounted for more than half of total health spending. The longest 10% of cases accounted for more than one-third of total disability time. Only one-third of the most expensive cases were also among the longest in duration. Disability durations were moderately correlated with medical spending and this relationship was modified by comorbid conditions and age. Psychosocial barriers, in addition to biomedical factors, should be considered to achieve optimal functional outcomes and well-being of patients.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0.

  3. Learning Disabilities, Professionalism, and the Practice of Medical Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hafferty, Frederic W.; Gibson, Gary G.

    2003-01-01

    Examines arguments by Little in the preceding article that a successful legal suit for accommodations on a state bar exam is generalizable to learning disabilities and medical education. Explores the legitimacy accorded to academic accommodations in medical education. Asserts that medical schools have a social responsibility to shift their…

  4. Dynamic Assessment of Language Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Deirdre

    2015-01-01

    The paper reports a study of a narrative-based Dynamic Assessment (DA) procedure developed in the USA that is used in the UK with children with developmental language disabilities. Three monolingual English children with language disabilities are assessed by a speech/language pathologist/therapist who is learning to work with DA in collaboration…

  5. Use of the late-life function and disability instrument to assess disability in major depression.

    PubMed

    Karp, Jordan F; Skidmore, Elizabeth; Lotz, Meredith; Lenze, Eric; Dew, Mary Amanda; Reynolds, Charles F

    2009-09-01

    To determine whether there was greater disability in subjects with depression than in those without, the correlation between disability and depression severity and quality of life, and whether improvement in disability after antidepressant pharmacotherapy was greater in those who responded to antidepressant treatment. Disability in subjects with and without depression from two different studies was compared for 22 weeks. Correlations were performed for the subjects with depression between disability and depression, anxiety, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and medical comorbidity. T-tests were used to compare disability between subjects who did and did not respond to antidepressant treatment and change in disability after pharmacotherapy. Late-life depression research clinic. The 313 subjects were recruited from primary care and the community and were aged 60 and older; 244 subjects were participants in a depression treatment protocol, and 69 subjects without depression participated in a separate longitudinal observational study of the mental and cognitive health of depression-free older adults. The Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument (LL-FDI), a measure of instrumental activity of daily living, personal role, and social role functioning. Subjects with depression scored lower than controls for domains measuring limitation (can do) and frequency (does do) of activities. Both disability domains correlated with depression severity, anxiety, HRQOL, and cognition. Disability improved with antidepressant treatment; for partial responders who continued to receive higher-dose antidepressant treatment out to 22 weeks, there was continued improvement, although not to the level of comparison subjects without depression. The LL-FDI appears to discriminate subjects with depression from those without, correlates with depression severity, and demonstrates sensitivity to antidepressant treatment response. We recommend further investigation of the LL-FDI and similar

  6. Re-evaluating disability assessment in war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Samardžić, Radomir M; Živić, Bratislav; Krstić, Dragan; Joković, Danilo; Dolić, Mirko; Stojanović, Zvezdana; Eror, Aleksandar; Đokić, Milan; Milojević, Slavoljub; Mandić-Gajić, Gordana

    2016-10-01

    Sametimes war veterans may resort to such strategies as preducing exaggerated symptoms and malingerating in order to obtain material compensation rights. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the basis of which war veterans were entitled to a financial compensation due to their disability. The diagnoses of 259 war veterans were re-evaluated. Veterans were previously diagnosed by a psychiatrist on local level, while regional state medical commission determined the degree of disability and the right to a financial compensation. A team of experts, consisting of psychiatrists with research experience in the field of traumatic stress and who were trained to use a structured interview for PTSD, conducted the evaluation of medical data from veterans’ military records. The diagnostic process was conducted using the standardized diagnostic interview (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale – CAPS), after which the diagnosis was reaffirmed or reviewed. This influenced disability status and consequential financial compensation. There was a remarkable difference between the first diagnostic assessment of PTSD, conducted by the psychiatrists on local level, and the second evaluation conducted by the team of experts. In more than half of 259 veterans (52.1%) diagnosed with PTSD in the first assessment the diagnosis was not confirmed. The diagnosis was confirmed in 31.7% of veterans. Those veterans who were diagnosed with lifetime PTSD (7.3%) should also be treated as accuratelly diagnosed. This means that a total of 39% of the diagnoses were accurate. The rest (8.9%) were diagnosed with other diagnoses, but not PTSD, as was the case in the initial assessment. The possibility for war veterans to obtain the right to disability and financial compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD might interfere with the proper diagnostic assessment and thus the treatment outcome. During the procedures for the obtention of these

  7. Using a flipped classroom and the perspective of families to teach medical students about children with disabilities and special education.

    PubMed

    Sheppard, Mary E; Vitalone-Raccaro, Nancy; Kaari, Jacqueline M; Ajumobi, Taiwo T

    2017-10-01

    The need to teach medical students to care for children with disabilities, work effectively with these patients' families, and collaborate with schools has been well established. Yet, what is not clear is the exact nature of the content to be taught and how medical schools develop the systems and enabling structures required to ensure medical education responds to the needs of children with disabilities and their families. The aim of this study was to develop and assess the efficacy of an educational intervention designed to introduce the topics of special education law and practices and working with parents of children with disabilities into an undergraduate medical education pediatrics course. A new curricular element based upon the flipped classroom that included an on-line module followed by participation in a panel discussion comprised of parents of children with disabilities, and concluding with an on-line discussion was implemented. Medical students completed a pre- and post-assessment that evaluated their knowledge of special education law and practices. Students demonstrated increased understanding of special education laws and practices. Qualitative findings showed that students recognized the importance and value of learning the content to support their patients and their patients' families. Based upon study findings, the flipped classroom method improved student knowledge of the topic and students reported they valued the content. This addition to the undergraduate medical curriculum provided students with an effective introductory overview and demonstrated one viable option for incorporating necessary topics into the undergraduate medical curriculum. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Discourse in Action: Parents' use of medical and social models to resist disability stigma.

    PubMed

    Manago, Bianca; Davis, Jenny L; Goar, Carla

    2017-07-01

    For parents of children with disabilities, stigmatization is part of everyday life. To resist the negative social and emotional consequences of stigma, parents both challenge and deflect social devaluations. Challenges work to upend the stigmatizing structure, while deflections maintain the interaction order. We examine how parents of children with disabilities deploy deflections and challenges, and how their stigma resistance strategies combine with available models of disability discourse. Disability discourse falls into two broad categories: medical and social. The medical model emphasizes diagnostic labels and treats impairment as an individual deficit, while the social model centralizes unaccommodating social structures. The social model's activist underpinnings make it a logical frame for parents to use as they challenge disability stigma. In turn, the medical model's focus on individual "improvement" seems to most closely align with stigma deflections. However, the relationship between stigma resistance strategies and models of disability is an empirical question not yet addressed in the literature. In this study, we examine 117 instances of stigmatization from 40 interviews with 43 parents, and document how parents respond. We find that challenges and deflections do not map cleanly onto the social or medical models. Rather, parents invoke medical and social meanings in ways that serve diverse ends, sometimes centralizing a medical label to challenge stigma, and sometimes recognizing disabling social structures, but deflecting stigma nonetheless. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Comprehensive health assessments for adults with intellectual disability living in the community - weighing up the costs and benefits.

    PubMed

    Gordon, Louisa G; Holden, Libby; Ware, Robert S; Taylor, Miriam T; Lennox, Nicholas G

    2012-12-01

    Health assessments have beneficial effects on health outcomes for people with intellectual disability living in the community. However, the effect on medical costs is unknown. We utilised Medicare Australia data on consultations, procedures and prescription drugs (including vaccinations) from all participants in a randomised control trial during 2002-03 that examined the effectiveness of a health assessment. Government health costs for adults with intellectual disability who did or did not receive an assessment were compared. Bootstrapping statistics (95% confidence interval) were employed to handle the right-skewed cost data. Over 12 months, patients receiving health assessments incurred total costs of $4523 (95% CI: $3521 to $5525) similar to those in usual care $4466 (95% CI: $3283 to $5649). Costs were not significantly higher compared with the 12 month pre-intervention period. Health assessments for adults with intellectual disability living in the community are encouraged as they produce enhanced patient care but do not increase overall consultation or medication costs.

  10. Respiratory Disability in The Van Region Based on the Medical Board Reports

    PubMed Central

    Çilingir, Buket Mermit

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVES Respiratory system disorders have an impact on daily living activities of subjects, resulting in disability. Data should be gathered on disability for health services. The present study aimed to review the records of patients with a respiratory disability report from our medical board, and contribute to the national and regional statistics on disability. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed sociodemographic characteristics, respiratory diseases and disability rates of the patients who were examined by the Chest Diseases Department during the Medical Board evaluations in our hospital between January 1st and July 1st, 2014. RESULTS Among 4285 patients whose applications were submitted to the medical board for evaluation, 401 (9.3%) had a respiratory disease. Of these patients, 163 were male, and 238 were female, with a mean age of 64.2 years. The most common diseases associated with disability were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and sequelae tuberculosis. The disability rating for respiratory system was 80% in 24.9% of patients, 40% in 34.7% of patients, and 20% in 40.4% of patients. Patients with a respiratory disability report were also considered disabled by the departments of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Cardiology and Eye diseases. There was a positive correlation between disability rating and age, and a negative correlation between forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) and oxigen saturation measured by pulse oximeter (SpO2) values (p= 0.002; p< 0.001; p< 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, smokers had a higher disability rating compared to non-smokers (p= 0.02). CONCLUSION In Turkey, we have limited number of studies about respiratory disability. We believe that the present study will help determination of the etiology of respiratory disability and contribute to any action on prevention of these disorders in our region. PMID:29404126

  11. Respiratory Disability in The Van Region Based on the Medical Board Reports.

    PubMed

    Çilingir, Buket Mermit

    2016-04-01

    Respiratory system disorders have an impact on daily living activities of subjects, resulting in disability. Data should be gathered on disability for health services. The present study aimed to review the records of patients with a respiratory disability report from our medical board, and contribute to the national and regional statistics on disability. We retrospectively reviewed sociodemographic characteristics, respiratory diseases and disability rates of the patients who were examined by the Chest Diseases Department during the Medical Board evaluations in our hospital between January 1 st and July 1 st , 2014. Among 4285 patients whose applications were submitted to the medical board for evaluation, 401 (9.3%) had a respiratory disease. Of these patients, 163 were male, and 238 were female, with a mean age of 64.2 years. The most common diseases associated with disability were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and sequelae tuberculosis. The disability rating for respiratory system was 80% in 24.9% of patients, 40% in 34.7% of patients, and 20% in 40.4% of patients. Patients with a respiratory disability report were also considered disabled by the departments of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Cardiology and Eye diseases. There was a positive correlation between disability rating and age, and a negative correlation between forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV 1 ) and oxigen saturation measured by pulse oximeter (SpO 2 ) values (p= 0.002; p< 0.001; p< 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, smokers had a higher disability rating compared to non-smokers (p= 0.02). In Turkey, we have limited number of studies about respiratory disability. We believe that the present study will help determination of the etiology of respiratory disability and contribute to any action on prevention of these disorders in our region.

  12. Physical practice is associated with less functional disability in medical students with migraine.

    PubMed

    Domingues, Renan B; Teixeira, Antônio Lúcio; Domingues, Simone A

    2011-02-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate possible association between migraine and physical practice among 480 medical students who were submitted to a questionnaire about headaches and physical practices. Migraine diagnosis was assessed by ID-Migraine and functional disability was evaluated with MIDAS. The type (aerobic or strength training), the weekly frequency and the intensity of physical practice and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. There was a reduction in functional disability of migraine in students reporting physical practice (no physical practice - MIDAS=8.81±1.40, physical practice - MIDAS=15.49±1.78; P=0.03). Frequency, intensity, and type of physical practices were not associated with functional impact of migraine. BMI did not correlate with migraine impact (normal weight - MIDAS=12.34±1.33, overweight or obese - MIDAS=17.45±3.86; P=0.33). These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis. Our data suggest that physical practice is inversely related with functional disability of migraine in university students regardless of BMI.

  13. Somatization Increases Disability Independent of Comorbidity

    PubMed Central

    Orav, E. John; Bates, David W.; Barsky, Arthur J.

    2008-01-01

    Background Somatoform disorders are an important factor in functional disability and role impairment, though their independent contribution to disability has been unclear because of prevalent medical and psychiatric comorbidity. Objectives To assess the extent of the overlap of somatization with other psychiatric disorders and medical problems, to compare the functional disability and role impairment of somatizing and non-somatizing patients, and to determine the independent contribution of somatization to functional disability and role impairment. Design Patients were surveyed with self-report questionnaires assessing somatization, psychiatric disorder, and role impairment. Medical morbidity was indexed with a computerized medical record audit. Participants Consecutive adults making scheduled visits to their primary care physicians at two hospital-affiliated primary care practices on randomly chosen days. Measurements Intermediate activities of daily living, social activities, and occupational disability. Results Patients with somatization, as well as those with serious medical and psychiatric illnesses, had significantly more impairment of activities of daily life and social activities. When these predictors were considered simultaneously in a multivariable regression, the association with somatization remained highly significant and was comparable to or greater than many major medical conditions. Conclusions Patients with somatization had substantially greater functional disability and role impairment than non-somatizing patients. The degree of disability was equal to or greater than that associated with many major, chronic medical disorders. Adjusting the results for psychiatric and medical co-morbidity had little effect on these findings. PMID:19031038

  14. 20 CFR 410.424 - Determining total disability: Medical criteria only.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Determining total disability: Medical criteria only. 410.424 Section 410.424 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Total Disability or Death Due to...

  15. 20 CFR 410.424 - Determining total disability: Medical criteria only.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Determining total disability: Medical criteria only. 410.424 Section 410.424 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Total Disability or Death Due to...

  16. Disability Support Workers' Knowledge and Education Needs about Psychotropic Medication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donley, Mandy; Chan, Jeffrey; Webber, Lynne

    2012-01-01

    Disability support workers are the predominant workforce employed to support people with an intellectual disability in Australia. Many support workers are required to assist people they support to take psychotropic medications in the form of chemical restraint. Support workers in Australia receive limited education and training in this area and as…

  17. 42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

  18. 42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

  19. 42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

  20. 42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

  1. 42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

  2. Development of an Instrument to Measure Medical Students' Attitudes toward People with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Symons, Andrew B.; Fish, Reva; McGuigan, Denise; Fox, Jeffery; Akl, Elie A.

    2012-01-01

    As curricula to improve medical students' attitudes toward people with disabilities are developed, instruments are needed to guide the process and evaluate effectiveness. The authors developed an instrument to measure medical students' attitudes toward people with disabilities. A pilot instrument with 30 items in four sections was administered to…

  3. A New Disability-related Health Care Needs Assessment Tool for Persons With Brain Disorders

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Yoon; Eun, Sang June; Kim, Wan Ho; Lee, Bum-Suk; Leigh, Ja-Ho; Kim, Jung-Eun

    2013-01-01

    Objectives This study aimed to develop a health needs assessment (HNA) tool for persons with brain disorders and to assess the unmet needs of persons with brain disorders using the developed tool. Methods The authors used consensus methods to develop a HNA tool. Using a randomized stratified systematic sampling method adjusted for sex, age, and districts, 57 registered persons (27 severe and 30 mild cases) with brain disorders dwelling in Seoul, South Korea were chosen and medical specialists investigated all of the subjects with the developed tools. Results The HNA tool for brain disorders we developed included four categories: 1) medical interventions and operations, 2) assistive devices, 3) rehabilitation therapy, and 4) regular follow-up. This study also found that 71.9% of the subjects did not receive appropriate medical care, which implies that the severity of their disability is likely to be exacerbated and permanent, and the loss irrecoverable. Conclusions Our results showed that the HNA tool for persons with brain disorders based on unmet needs defined by physicians can be a useful method for evaluating the appropriateness and necessity of medical services offered to the disabled, and it can serve as the norm for providing health care services for disabled persons. Further studies should be undertaken to increase validity and reliability of the tool. Fundamental research investigating the factors generating or affecting the unmet needs is necessary; its results could serve as basis for developing policies to eliminate or alleviate these factors. PMID:24137530

  4. A new disability-related health care needs assessment tool for persons with brain disorders.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yoon; Eun, Sang June; Kim, Wan Ho; Lee, Bum-Suk; Leigh, Ja-Ho; Kim, Jung-Eun; Lee, Jin Yong

    2013-09-01

    This study aimed to develop a health needs assessment (HNA) tool for persons with brain disorders and to assess the unmet needs of persons with brain disorders using the developed tool. The authors used consensus methods to develop a HNA tool. Using a randomized stratified systematic sampling method adjusted for sex, age, and districts, 57 registered persons (27 severe and 30 mild cases) with brain disorders dwelling in Seoul, South Korea were chosen and medical specialists investigated all of the subjects with the developed tools. The HNA tool for brain disorders we developed included four categories: 1) medical interventions and operations, 2) assistive devices, 3) rehabilitation therapy, and 4) regular follow-up. This study also found that 71.9% of the subjects did not receive appropriate medical care, which implies that the severity of their disability is likely to be exacerbated and permanent, and the loss irrecoverable. Our results showed that the HNA tool for persons with brain disorders based on unmet needs defined by physicians can be a useful method for evaluating the appropriateness and necessity of medical services offered to the disabled, and it can serve as the norm for providing health care services for disabled persons. Further studies should be undertaken to increase validity and reliability of the tool. Fundamental research investigating the factors generating or affecting the unmet needs is necessary; its results could serve as basis for developing policies to eliminate or alleviate these factors.

  5. Care coordination, the family-centered medical home, and functional disability among children with special health care needs.

    PubMed

    Litt, Jonathan S; McCormick, Marie C

    2015-01-01

    Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) are at increased risk for functional disabilities. Care coordination has been shown to decrease unmet health service use but has yet been shown to improve functional status. We hypothesize that care coordination services lower the odds of functional disability for CSHCN and that this effect is greater within the context of a family-centered medical home. A secondary objective was to test the mediating effect of unmet care needs on functional disability. Our sample included children ages 0 to 17 years participating the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. Care coordination, unmet needs, and disability were measured by parent report. We used logistic regression models with covariate adjustment for confounding and a mediation analysis approach for binary outcomes to assess the effect of unmet needs. There were 34,459 children in our sample. Care coordination was associated with lower odds of having a functional disability (adjusted odds ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.77, 0.88). This effect was greater for care coordination in the context of a medical home (adjusted odds ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.66, 0.76). The relationship between care coordination and functional disability was mediated by reducing unmet services. Care coordination is associated with lower odds of functional disability among CSHCN, especially when delivered in the setting of a family-centered medical home. Reducing unmet service needs mediates this effect. Our findings support a central role for coordination services in improving outcomes for vulnerable children. Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Intellectual disability health content within medical curriculum: an audit of what our future doctors are taught.

    PubMed

    Trollor, Julian N; Ruffell, Beth; Tracy, Jane; Torr, Jennifer J; Durvasula, Seeta; Iacono, Teresa; Eagleson, Claire; Lennox, Nicolas

    2016-04-11

    There is a high burden of unmet health needs for people with intellectual disability. Despite experiencing significantly higher rates of morbidity and mortality compared with the general population, this group faces greater barriers to accessing healthcare. While increasing workplace capacity is one way to reduce this inequitable access, previous research indicates a scarcity of undergraduate teaching in intellectual disability. The aim of the study was to determine the extent and nature of intellectual disability content currently offered within medical degree curricula. All Australian universities (n = 20) providing accredited medical training were invited to participate in a two-phase audit via an email invitation to the Dean of each medical school. The Dean's delegate from 14 medical schools completed Phase 1, which involved a questionnaire or telephone interview about the overall medical course structure. Unit coordinators and/or teaching staff from 12 medical schools completed Phase 2, which involved an online survey about intellectual disability content within the curriculum. In Australia, medical school curricula contain a median of 2.55 h of compulsory intellectual disability content. The majority of universities only offer a small amount of compulsory content. Of compulsory units, intellectual disability teaching is minimal in sexual health and emergency medicine (only one unit offered in one school for each). Topics of key relevance in intellectual disability health such as human rights issues, interdisciplinary team work and preventative health are poorly represented in intellectual disability teaching. Elective content varies markedly across universities (1 to 122 h), but emergency medicine, women's health, men's health and many other specialist medicine areas are not represented. Inclusive practice is inconsistent in degree and nature, but a majority of universities (nine) involve people with intellectual disability in the development or delivery

  7. Unreasonable adjustments: medical education, mental disorder, disability discrimination and public safety.

    PubMed

    Parker, Malcolm

    2014-09-01

    Recently the Civil and Administrative Tribunal of New South Wales found that the, University of Newcastle had discriminated against a medical student with borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder on the grounds of her disability. This column summarises the case, and integrates a psychodynamic account of borderline personality disorder with Fulford's conceptual analysis of mental disorder as action failure, that is no different in principle from physical illnesses, some instances of which appear to uncontroversially rule out of contention some applicants for medical training. It is argued that some applicants for medical and health care programs with mental disorders should not be selected, because their disabilities are not amenable to satisfactory accommodation in the university training period, and they are incompatible with clinical training and practice. Universities should develop "Inherent Requirement" policies that better integrate their responsibility to support disabled students with the responsibility, currently reserved entirely to regulators, to ensure safe practice by their graduates.

  8. Requesting Accommodation for a Disability: A Telephone Survey of American Medical Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sack, William; Gale, John; Gulati, Sanjay; Gunther, Michael; Nesheim, Robert; Stoddard, Frederick; St. John, Rachel

    2008-01-01

    Members of the committee on disabilities of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) contacted 107 of 126 American Medical Schools to determine the number of students requesting accommodation for a disability, the time at which the request was made, the type of disability, and the type of accommodation offered. The survey determined that…

  9. Effects of a training in the Disability Assessment Structured Interview on the interviews of Dutch insurance physicians.

    PubMed

    Spanjer, Jerry; van de Mei, Sijrike; Cornelius, Bert; Brouwer, Sandra; van der Klink, Jac

    2016-08-01

    The Disability Assessment Structured Interview (DASI) is a semi-structured interview for assessing functional limitations of claimants in a work disability evaluation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a 3-day DASI training course on the quality of assessment interviews of insurance physicians (IPs). In a pretest-posttest study, 55 IPs employed at the Dutch National Institute for Employee Benefits Schemes completed a 3-day DASI training. Before (T0), directly after the training (T1) and after 3 months follow-up (T2), these IPs filled out questionnaires that measured knowledge, skills, attitude and self-efficacy. Furthermore, in 10 disability assessment cases interview duration, IP's satisfaction, amount of acquired information and confidence of judgement were measured. Finally, the amount of information reported was measured in three randomly selected disability assessment reports of each IP. IP's knowledge, skills and self-efficacy improved significantly after the training. The attitude of the IPs changed towards a more open attitude and structuring of the interview. Satisfaction about the interview, amount of acquired information and confidence of their judgement all increased. The DASI training improved the quality of assessment interviews of IPs. A semi-structured interview, like the DASI, can help physicians to pay more attention to activity limitations and participation in addition to medical information. Implications for Rehabilitation Experienced IPs are able to change their disability assessment interview routine after training. In determining work ability, IPs should pay more attention to claimant's activity limitations and participation in addition to medical information. A semi-structured interview as the DASI can help IPs to pay more attention to claimant's functioning. A 3-day DASI training for IPs can increase their confidence in their judgement and provides significantly more information in their assessment reports.

  10. [How to write a medical report for the assessment of disability].

    PubMed

    Calvet, Xavier; Motos, Jaume; Villoria, Albert

    2014-01-07

    The present article revises practical aspects on the format and content of the clinical reports used for the evaluation of disability for the Spanish Disability Grants System. As a framework for understanding how these clinical reports should be, the review includes also a short overview of the different types of disability grants and the administrative and court mechanisms for granting. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  11. A preliminary report on the medical profile of disabled persons living in Zhabei District, Shanghai, Mainland China.

    PubMed

    Chen, Gang; Tan, B-K; Sun, Xiaoxiao; Meng, Xingqiong; Jiwa, Moyez

    2011-01-01

    The prevalence of chronic diseases and their risk factors in different general populations are well documented, but little is known about disabled populations in China. The purpose of this study is to report available data on the medical profile of disabled persons living in Zhabei District, Shanghai, Mainland China. It also aimed to explore the association between any medical conditions, types and severity of disabilities and socio-demographic factors. Nine hundred and sixty-one disabled persons underwent physical medical examination to identify predisposing conditions for chronic diseases (hypertension and elevated glucose, lipids and triglyceride levels) and to diagnose two common chronic diseases - heart disease and diabetes. Logistic regression was used to assess the influence of age, gender, disability type, disability severity, education level, employment status, socio-economic status or marital status on chronic diseases and predisposing factors. The mean age of the participants was 53 (±12.5) years. The most prevalent types of disability were physical disability (44.9%), visual impairment (28.8%) and intellectual disability (12.5%). Hyperlipidemia was most prevalent (17.1%), followed by hypertension (15.3%), heart disease (7.2%) and diabetes (6.0%). These conditions were not associated with the type or the severity of disability in this sample. Males were more likely to have hypertension (OR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.93) and elevated triglycerides (OR=1.84; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.20). The unemployed (OR=4.80, 95% CI: 1.45, 15.76) and older participants (OR=1.04, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.07) were more likely to have elevated blood glucose levels. Divorced individuals were more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease (OR=3.72; 95% CI: 1.37, 10.09) and those with better socio-economic backgrounds (OR=3.09; 95% CI: 1.05, 9.15) and the older disabled (OR=1.08, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.12) were more likely to have diabetes. This preliminary study found that abnormal clinical findings

  12. [Analysis of the causes of visual disability based on medical court opinions].

    PubMed

    Czepita, Damian; Zejmo, Maria

    2005-01-01

    To determine visual invalidity causes based on medical-court opinions. An analysis of 337 medical-court opinions requested by the Public Insurance Department of the State Court in Szczecin has been carried out. The opinions concerned 189 men and 148 women at the age ranging from 23 to 96 years old. The average age was 52 years. The causes of appeals have been analyzed as well as admitted welfare assistance due to disablement and none self-reliance. It was found that a trauma of an eye was the most frequent cause of applying a request for acknowledgment of partial disablement (13.4%) or complete disablement (25.8%). The most frequent reason of being not self-reliant was glaucoma (16.4%). It has been observed that the most often accepted by court cause of partial disablement was the undergoing of an eye injury (22.8%). Glaucoma was the most often accepted by court cause of complete disablement (17%) and none self-reliance (15.4%).

  13. Structured Medication Review to Improve Pharmacotherapy in People with Intellectual Disability and Behavioural Problems.

    PubMed

    Scheifes, Arlette; Egberts, Toine C G; Stolker, Joost Jan; Nijman, Henk L I; Heerdink, Eibert R

    2016-07-01

    Polypharmacy and chronic drug use are common in people with intellectual disability and behavioural problems, although evidence of effectiveness and safety in this population is lacking. This study examined the effects of a structured medication review and aimed to improve pharmacotherapy in inpatients with intellectual disability. In a treatment facility for people with mild to borderline intellectual disability and severe behavioural problems, a structured medication review was performed. Prevalence and type of drug-related problems (DRPs) and of the recommended and executed actions were calculated. In a total of 55 patients with intellectual disability and behavioural problems, 284 medications were prescribed, in which a DRP was seen in 106 (34%). No indication/unclear indication was the most prevalent DRP (70). Almost 60% of the recommended actions were also executed. This high prevalence of DRPs is worrying. The structured medication review is a valuable instrument to optimize pharmacotherapy and to support psychiatrists in adequate prescribing of both psychotropic and somatic drugs. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Fibromyalgia and Obesity: The Association Between Body Mass Index and Disability, Depression, History of Abuse, Medications, and Comorbidities.

    PubMed

    Gota, Carmen E; Kaouk, Sahar; Wilke, William S

    2015-09-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of increasing body mass index (BMI) in fibromyalgia (FM) and to understand the impact of increasing BMI on FM. Patients with FM were divided into 3 BMI classifications: normal weight, overweight, and obese. We then sought relationships of increasing BMI to core process FM variables and symptoms and disability, as well as medical comorbidities and demographic, socioeconomic, psychiatric, and treatment data. Of 224 patients, 0.4% were underweight; 25.9%, normal weight; 29.9%, overweight; 43.8%, obese. We found no differences within groups with regard to age, gender, demographics, FM symptoms, FM impact questionnaire scores, and meeting the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria and FM survey criteria. Patients with FM who are obese, compared with normal-weight patients, have higher depression scores measured by Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (13.2 [6.6] vs 10.5 [6], P = 0.03), report increased disability by Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index scores (1.3 [0.6] vs 0.9 [0.6], P < 0.001), exercise less (8.4% vs 25.4%, P = 0.003), have more medical comorbidities (1.5 [1.3] vs 0.7 [0.9], P < 0.001), take more medications for FM (3.5 [2.2] vs 2.1 [1.8], P < 0.001), and report higher prevalence of abuse (48% vs 33.9%, P = 0.016) and sexual abuse (17.3% vs 6.8%, P = 0.01). Compared with normal-weight patients, obese FM patients are more disabled, report more medical comorbidities, exercise less, have a higher incidence of abuse, report increased depressive symptoms, and take more medications for FM. Bivariate analysis showed association of increasing BMI with the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (not FM impact questionnaire) and depression. We confirm that the prevalence of overweight and obesity is high in FM and believe that physicians treating FM should be aware of our bivariate linear correlations and discuss weight loss with their FM patients. Even if increasing BMI is not

  15. Medical, environmental and personal factors of disability in the elderly in Spain: a screening survey based on the International Classification of Functioning.

    PubMed

    Virués-Ortega, Javier; de Pedro-Cuesta, Jesús; del Barrio, Jose Luis; Almazan-Isla, Javier; Bergareche, Alberto; Bermejo-Pareja, Felix; Fernández-Mayoralas, Gloria; García, Francisco Jose; Garre-Olmo, Josep; Gascon-Bayarri, Jordi; Mahillo, Ignacio; Martínez-Martín, Pablo; Mateos, Raimundo; Rodríguez, Fernanda; Rojo-Pérez, Fermina; Avellanal, Fuencisla; Saz, Pedro; Seijo-Martínez, Manuel

    2011-12-01

    The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) advocates a multifactorial and multifaceted conceptualization of disability. The objective of this study was to ascertain major medical, environmental and personal determinants of severe/extreme disability among the elderly population in Spain. The assessment scheme was consistent with the ICF model of disability. Nine populations contributed probabilistic or geographically-defined samples following a two-phase screening design. The Mini-Mental State Examination and the 12-item version of the World Health Organization-Disability Assessment Schedule, 2(nd) ed. (WHO-DAS II), were used as cognitive and disability screening tools, respectively. Positively screened individuals underwent clinical work-up for dementia and were administered the 36-item version of the WHO-DAS II to estimate ICF disability levels. We used logistic regression for the purposes of data combination, adjusted for age and sex in all analyses. The sample was composed of 503 participants aged ≥ 75 years. Alzheimeŕs disease and depression were highly predictive of severe/extreme disability (OR: 17.40, 3.71). Good access to social services was strongly associated with a low level or absence of disability (OR: 0.05 to 0.18). Very difficult access to services and having dementia or another psychiatric disorder were associated with an increase in disability (OR: 66.06). There was also a significant interaction effect between access to services and neurological disorders (OR: 12.74). Disability is highly prevalent among the Spanish elderly and is influenced by medical, social and personal factors. Disability could potentially be reduced by ensuring access to social services, preventing dementia and stroke, and treating depression. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  16. Psychiatric Services for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Medication Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell, Andrew T.; Hahn, Joan Earle; Hayward, Katharine

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe the medication management and treatment provided in a specialty outpatient psychiatry clinic for 198 community-residing children and adults with intellectual disability and other developmental disabilities (IDD) referred to the clinic and discharged between 1999 and 2008. Using a descriptive design, data…

  17. [Temporary disability and its legal implications].

    PubMed

    Martin-Fumadó, Carles; Martí Amengual, Gabriel; Puig Bausili, Lluïsa; Arimany-Manso, Josep

    2014-03-01

    Temporary disability is the condition that workers face when, as the result of illness (common or professional) or accident (work-related or not), they are temporarily prevented from performing their work and require health care. The management of temporary disability is a medical act that involves (in addition to a complex clinical assessment) obvious social, occupational and financial connotations and requires continuing medical follow-up from doctors, as well as responses to medical-legal conflicts. The regulatory framework on the subject is extensive in the Spanish setting and highly diverse in the European setting. Beyond the regulatory framework, the repercussions of temporary disability are self-evident at all levels. Although determining temporary disability is a common medical act for practicing physicians, it is not exempt from risks or difficulties arising from the assessment itself and the characteristics of practicing medical care. Established medical-legal conflicts include the processing of health data and the requirements for transferring information related to workers' temporary disability to their company's medical services. The interest and usefulness demonstrated by the data obtained from forensic medicine for public health require the incorporation of these data into general healthcare information, as it could be essential to the surveillance of worker health. The recommendations established by medical societies, as good practice guidelines, are especially useful in this type of conflict. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  18. The Development of In Vivo Measures to Assess the Impact of Sex-Drive Reducing Medications in an Offender with an Intellectual Disability.

    PubMed

    Rea, Jerry A; Dixon, Michael R; Zettle, Robert D; Wright, Kasey L

    2017-04-01

    The ability to adequately evaluate medications in the treatment of paraphilias has been limited by reliance upon self-report as a measure of effectiveness over periods of time that may be too short to detect reoffending. One solution to this shortcoming is the development of valid, long-term, stable assessment measures. The purpose of this case study was to analyze the effects of Prozac and Provera on an array of behaviors germane to the successful treatment of paraphilias, including: (a) sexual arousal in the laboratory and natural environment, (b) sexual thoughts (deviant and nondeviant) accompanied by arousal in the natural environment, and (c) overt actions in the community associated with increased risk of reoffending over a 31-month period for an exhibitionist with an intellectual disability. Despite the ineffectiveness of the medications, the measures demonstrated long-term, differentiated significant clinical responding; further underscored the importance of assessing deviant sexual arousal and adherence to relapse-prevention procedures in the natural environment; and provided a new methodology to assess sexual preoccupations and sexual arousal. Use of these in vivo measures raises questions regarding their potential to improve the predictability of risk assessments, and serve as an aide in the analysis of whether a treatment procedure is effective for an individual.

  19. Concurrent Medical Conditions and Health Care Use and Needs among Children with Learning and Behavioral Developmental Disabilities, National Health Interview Survey, 2006-2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schieve, Laura A.; Gonzalez, Vanessa; Boulet, Sheree L.; Visser, Susanna N.; Rice, Catherine E.; Braun, Kim Van Naarden; Boyle, Coleen A.

    2012-01-01

    Studies document various associated health risks for children with developmental disabilities (DDs). Further study is needed by disability type. Using the 2006-2010 National Health Interview Surveys, we assessed the prevalence of numerous medical conditions (e.g. asthma, frequent diarrhea/colitis, seizures), health care use measures (e.g. seeing a…

  20. Disability assessment: the efficacy of multimedia interactive nurse education.

    PubMed

    Chiang, Hui-Chaun; Lin, Feng-Yu; Hwu, Yueh-Juen

    2013-06-01

    Nearly 3% of the population in Taiwan is classified as disabled. Disability assessment directly relates to long-term care quality and resource allocation. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a multimedia interactive DVD on enhancing nurse knowledgeand disability assessment skills. The study was a quasi-experimental design. The experimental group received multimedia interactive DVD, and the control group received conventional classroom education. The study gathered data using scales assessing knowledge related to disability assessment and case studies. Scales were implemented before and after multimedia interactive DVD interventions at weeks 2 and 4. In-depth interviews with voice recording were used to collect qualitative data to elicit differences in perception between the experimental and control groups. This study found significant improvements in the experimental group in terms of disability assessment knowledge and case study assessment skills. These improvements lasted through at least 1-month posttest. Analysis of interview data for the experimental group showed that the multimedia interactive DVD provided a more flexible approach to learning than classroom education and improved participant self-confidence to conduct disability assessments. The study showed the effectiveness of the developed multimedia interactive DVD in significantly improving the disability assessment confidences of nurses. Study findings can be used as a reference guide for continuing educational efforts in long-term care settings.

  1. Measurement of Environmental Constructs in Disability Assessment Instruments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guscia, Roma; Ekberg, Stuart; Harries, Julia; Kirby, Neil

    2006-01-01

    The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) assumes a biopsychosocial basis for disability and provides a framework for understanding how environmental factors contribute to the experience of disability. To determine the utility of prevalent disability assessment instruments, the authors examined the extent to…

  2. 20 CFR 404.1593 - Medical evidence in continuing disability review cases.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    .... (b) Obtaining evidence from your medical sources. You must provide us with reports from your... will help us determine if you are still disabled. See § 404.1512. You must have a good reason for not giving us this information or we may find that your disability has ended. See § 404.1594(e)(2). If we ask...

  3. Knowledge and Perceptions of Newly Graduated Medical Practitioners in Malaysia of Their Role in Medical Care of People with Developmental Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moyle, Judith L.; Iacono, Teresa; Liddell, Merilyn

    2010-01-01

    Improving content and consistency on developmental disabilities in undergraduate medical curricula has been recommended as a means of improving health outcomes for people with developmental disabilities. Although often the subject of studies in Western countries, little is known about content on developmental disabilities in undergraduate…

  4. Psychological Assessment of the Disabled.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pool, Donald A.

    The paper examines issues, philosophy and guidelines for psychological assessment of the disabled. Focused on are: (1) adjustments in testing procedures and (2) applicability of standard norms with commonly used psychological test instruments for the assessment of ability, interest, and personality. The importance of accurate assessment for…

  5. Patient-centered medical homes for patients with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Hernandez, Brigida; Damiani, Marco; Wang, T Arthur; Driscoll, Carolyn; Dellabella, Peter; LePera, Nicole; Mentari, Michael

    2015-01-01

    The patient-centered medical home is an innovative approach to improve health care outcomes. To address the unique needs of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), a large health care provider reevaluated the National Committee for Quality Assurance's 6 medical home standards: (a) enhance access and continuity, (b) identify and manage patient populations, (c) plan and manage care, (d) provide self-care and community support, (e) track and coordinate care, and (f) measure and improve performance. This article describes issues to consider when serving patients with IDDs.

  6. Impact of a musculoskeletal disability management program on medical costs and productivity in a large manufacturing company.

    PubMed

    Bunn, William B; Baver, Robin S; Ehni, Thomas K; Stowers, Allan D; Taylor, David D; Holloway, Anita M; Duong, Duyen; Pikelny, Dan B; Sotolongo, David

    2006-12-01

    To evaluate a program to reduce musculoskeletal disability-related absenteeism at a North American manufacturing facility. Staged communication and educational interventions targeting physicians to improve care of musculoskeletal conditions and reduce related absenteeism. The program was implemented in three 1-year stages. The first stage required physicians to complete assessment forms for employees claiming disability because of musculoskeletal injuries. The second stage added physician education programs focusing on current clinical guidelines. The third stage incorporated local physician education about the facility's onsite physical therapy program. Annual number of work-related injuries, days lost per injury and per scheduled full-time-equivalent (FTE) employee, light-duty days per injury, average annual indemnity per FTE, indemnity per injury, medical costs per FTE, and medical costs per injury were examined to determine the program's effectiveness. Overall productivity improved by a mean of 12.5 days per injured employee. Mean days lost per work-related injury decreased from 35.1 to 27.6. Number of light-duty days increased from 6.1 to 11.1 per work-related injury. Mean annual indemnity per work-related injury decreased from $9327 to $4493; mean annual medical costs per work-related injury decreased from $4848 to $2679. The annual incidence of musculoskeletal injuries declined by up to 50%. This intervention was associated with reduced musculoskeletal disability-related absenteeism and increased productivity. The program reduced medical costs per work-related injury and improved the company's communications and relationship with local physicians.

  7. Medically necessary sterilization of a minor with intellectual disability: a case report and historical perspective.

    PubMed

    Sowa, Nathaniel A; Rosenstein, Donald L

    2015-01-01

    Medical necessity may lead to secondary sterilization of individuals with intellectual disabilities, but legal statutes mandate that certain procedures be followed in these cases. In this article, we present a case of medically necessary sterilization of an individual with intellectual disability, and we discuss important legal statutes that guide this practice in North Carolina.

  8. Assessment of health, functioning and disability of a population aged 60-70 in south-eastern Poland using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0).

    PubMed

    Ćwirlej-Sozańska, Agnieszka; Wilmowska-Pietruszyńska, Anna

    2018-03-14

    There is a growing number of older people in Poland. This phenomenon results in the need to assess their problems related with functioning in everyday life. This is the first study conducted in Polish society which evaluates the prevalence of disability and limitations in functioning by means of WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire. Evaluation of the health, functioning and disability of people aged 60-70 years living in south-eastern Poland. The researched material was a randomly- selected sample of 1,000 inhabitants of south-eastern Poland. The study was conducted by use of direct interviews applying the WHODAS 2.0. For the purpose of statistical analysis, measures of descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests of significance were used. Limitations in functioning were reported by 67.00% of participants aged 60-70 years, including 46.20% with a mild disability, 14.50% - moderate, 6.30% - significant and extremely large disability. The highest level of disability occurred in areas related to participation in social life (mean = 20.77), performing activities of daily living (mean = 17.42) and mobility (mean = 17.23). A significantly higher level of disability (p <0.0001)was observed among unmarried people, the elderly and those with a greater number of chronic diseases. Higher level of physical activity was associated with lower disability level in the studied population (p<0.009). Regarding the studied population, it was found that many health problems become worse over the years. The state of health that deteriorates with age causes limitations in daily functioning, which lead to disability, activity limitations and participation in everyday life. The progressive ageing of the Polish population will cause an increasing demand for medical care and on the social services.

  9. 42 CFR 435.340 - Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973. 435.340 Section 435.340 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.340 Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled...

  10. 42 CFR 435.340 - Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973. 435.340 Section 435.340 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.340 Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled...

  11. 42 CFR 435.340 - Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973. 435.340 Section 435.340 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.340 Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled...

  12. 42 CFR 435.340 - Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973. 435.340 Section 435.340 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.340 Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled...

  13. 42 CFR 435.340 - Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled individuals eligible in December 1973. 435.340 Section 435.340 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.340 Protected medically needy coverage for blind and disabled...

  14. Psychotropic Medication Adherence among Community-Based Individuals with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tan, Xi; Marshall, Vincent D.; Balkrishnan, Rajesh; Patel, Isha; Chang, Jongwha; Erickson, Steven R.

    2015-01-01

    Psychotropic medications are a common treatment for mental illness in people with developmental disabilities. Medication adherence is a critical determinant of the effectiveness of psychotropic drugs, but psychotropic medication adherence research specific to this population remains limited. This retrospective study analyzed Marketscan®…

  15. Assessment of ADHD Documentation from Candidates Requesting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodations for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners COMLEX Exam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joy, Javed A.; Julius, Rose J.; Akter, Rashida; Baron, David A.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: Every year increasing numbers of candidates request special accommodations for high-stakes medical licensing examinations, due to ADHD, on the basis of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This poses significant challenges for both the applicant and the medical boards and has significant financial, legal, and ethical implications.…

  16. Multi-level modelling of the factors that influence the participation of disabled rural individuals in social medical insurance in China

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The Second China National Sample Survey on Disability in 2006 showed that the participation rate of disabled Chinese rural individuals in social medical insurance participation was less than 30%. However, there has been limited number of studies on the influencing factors, especially contextual factors, affecting their participation in social medical insurance. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the factors influencing the participation of disabled rural individuals in social medical insurance, including contextual factors. Methods Based on data derived from the Second China National Sample Survey on Disability, chi-square test and two-level logistic regression model were used to analyze the influencing factors. Results The results showed that the disabled rural individuals in the New Rural Cooperative Medical System pilot counties who lived in communities with rehabilitation stations or with higher per capita income of villagers were more likely to participate in the social medical insurance. Meanwhile, those employed, with less severe disability degree or with less severe barriers in participation in society were more likely to participate in the social medical insurance. Conclusions Contextual factors including economic and policy contexts were important factors influencing their participation in social medical insurance before 2006 in China. Unemployment, severer disability degree and social isolation might also prevent them from gaining equal access to social medical insurance. PMID:23402275

  17. Confronting Similar Challenges? Disabled and Non-Disabled Students' Learning and Assessment Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madriaga, Manuel; Hanson, Katie; Heaton, Caroline; Kay, Helen; Newitt, Sarah; Walker, Ann

    2010-01-01

    The article presents evidence from a systematic survey of disabled (n = 172) and non-disabled (n = 312) students regarding their learning and assessment experiences within one higher education institution in the UK. This study builds upon previous work in the sector, with the aim of gathering evidence to inform inclusive policy and practice for…

  18. Assessment of visual disability using visual evoked potentials.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Jihoon; Oh, Seiyul; Kyung, Sungeun

    2012-08-06

    The purpose of this study is to validate the use of visual evoked potential (VEP) to objectively quantify visual acuity in normal and amblyopic patients, and determine if it is possible to predict visual acuity in disability assessment to register visual pathway lesions. A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients diagnosed with normal vision, unilateral amblyopia, optic neuritis, and visual disability who visited the university medical center for registration from March 2007 to October 2009. The study included 20 normal subjects (20 right eyes: 10 females, 10 males, ages 9-42 years), 18 unilateral amblyopic patients (18 amblyopic eyes, ages 19-36 years), 19 optic neuritis patients (19 eyes: ages 9-71 years), and 10 patients with visual disability having visual pathway lesions. Amplitude and latencies were analyzed and correlations with visual acuity (logMAR) were derived from 20 normal and 18 amblyopic subjects. Correlation of VEP amplitude and visual acuity (logMAR) of 19 optic neuritis patients confirmed relationships between visual acuity and amplitude. We calculated the objective visual acuity (logMAR) of 16 eyes from 10 patients to diagnose the presence or absence of visual disability using relations derived from 20 normal and 18 amblyopic eyes. Linear regression analyses between amplitude of pattern visual evoked potentials and visual acuity (logMAR) of 38 eyes from normal (right eyes) and amblyopic (amblyopic eyes) subjects were significant [y = -0.072x + 1.22, x: VEP amplitude, y: visual acuity (logMAR)]. There were no significant differences between visual acuity prediction values, which substituted amplitude values of 19 eyes with optic neuritis into function. We calculated the objective visual acuity of 16 eyes of 10 patients to diagnose the presence or absence of visual disability using relations of y = -0.072x + 1.22 (-0.072). This resulted in a prediction reference of visual acuity associated with malingering vs. real

  19. Assessment of visual disability using visual evoked potentials

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The purpose of this study is to validate the use of visual evoked potential (VEP) to objectively quantify visual acuity in normal and amblyopic patients, and determine if it is possible to predict visual acuity in disability assessment to register visual pathway lesions. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients diagnosed with normal vision, unilateral amblyopia, optic neuritis, and visual disability who visited the university medical center for registration from March 2007 to October 2009. The study included 20 normal subjects (20 right eyes: 10 females, 10 males, ages 9–42 years), 18 unilateral amblyopic patients (18 amblyopic eyes, ages 19–36 years), 19 optic neuritis patients (19 eyes: ages 9–71 years), and 10 patients with visual disability having visual pathway lesions. Amplitude and latencies were analyzed and correlations with visual acuity (logMAR) were derived from 20 normal and 18 amblyopic subjects. Correlation of VEP amplitude and visual acuity (logMAR) of 19 optic neuritis patients confirmed relationships between visual acuity and amplitude. We calculated the objective visual acuity (logMAR) of 16 eyes from 10 patients to diagnose the presence or absence of visual disability using relations derived from 20 normal and 18 amblyopic eyes. Results Linear regression analyses between amplitude of pattern visual evoked potentials and visual acuity (logMAR) of 38 eyes from normal (right eyes) and amblyopic (amblyopic eyes) subjects were significant [y = −0.072x + 1.22, x: VEP amplitude, y: visual acuity (logMAR)]. There were no significant differences between visual acuity prediction values, which substituted amplitude values of 19 eyes with optic neuritis into function. We calculated the objective visual acuity of 16 eyes of 10 patients to diagnose the presence or absence of visual disability using relations of y = −0.072x + 1.22 (−0.072). This resulted in a prediction reference of visual

  20. The effects of dysthymic disorder on health-related quality of life and disability days in persons with comorbid medical conditions in the general population.

    PubMed

    Baune, Bernhard T; Caniato, Riccardo N; Arolt, Volker; Berger, Klaus

    2009-01-01

    We aimed to investigate in medical disorders the effects of comorbid dysthymic disorder as compared to major depressive disorder (MDD) on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and disability days in the general population. In a population-based study 4,181 individuals were assessed for the presence of dysthymic disorder and depression, utilizing the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Each participant received a thorough medical examination to assess the presence of comorbid somatic conditions. HR-QoL was evaluated using the Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and disability days were provided by self-report. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and multivariable logistic regression were used. Comorbidity with illnesses from a maximum of 6 somatic disease groups was more prevalent in persons with dysthymic disorder (78.7%) than in those with MDD (70.4%). Persons with dysthymic disorder had a significantly lower mental health summary score in the SF-36 and more disability days than those with MDD. The physical health summary scores were not significantly different between participants with dysthymic disorder and MDD (after Bonferroni correction), suggesting that limitations in physical functioning due to comorbid medical conditions were similar in both affective disorder groups. These results show that affective disorders comorbid with medical, somatic illnesses have a major impact on HR-QoL and disability with more pronounced effects in dysthymic disorder than in MDD. Differences in the time course of both conditions might contribute to this finding. Our results support the need for an improved identification and treatment of affective disorders in patients with somatic illnesses. Copyright (c) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  1. Functioning and disability analysis by using WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 in older adults Taiwanese patients with dementia.

    PubMed

    Huang, Shih-Wei; Chang, Kwang-Hwa; Escorpizo, Reuben; Chi, Wen-Chou; Yen, Chia-Feng; Liao, Hua-Fang; Chang, Feng-Hang; Chiu, Wen-Ta; Lin, Jia-Wei; Liou, Tsan-Hon

    2016-08-01

    To analyse the disability status of elderly Taiwanese dementia patients by using the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). We enrolled 12 126 disabled elderly (>65 years) patients with dementia during July 2012-January 2014 from the Taiwan Data Bank of Persons with Disability. Trained interviewers evaluated the standardised scores in the six WHODAS 2.0 domains. Student's t test was used for comparing WHODAS 2.0 scores of male and female dementia patients with different age groups. The study population comprised 12 126 patients; 7612 were women and 4514 were men. The WHODAS 2.0 scores showed that the dementia patients had global activity limitation and participation restriction in all domains. Dementia-induced disability was prominent in male patients in all of the domains of the WHODAS 2.0. The domains of life activities, getting along with people and cognition were more strongly affected than the other domains. However, women experienced more rapid functional decline than men did as they aged. The data analysed in this large-scale, population-based study revealed crucial information on dementia-induced disability in elderly patients on the basis of the WHODAS 2.0 framework. Implications for rehabilitation Dementia patients have global functional disability in all domains of WHODAS 2.0 and multidisciplinary team is needed for rehabilitation programme intervention for these patients. When considering the rehabilitation resource and strategy, the domains of cognition, activities of daily living and life activities should be focussed. When dementia patients aged 65-75 years old, male patients got more restriction of function than female and more medical resource allocation for disabled male patients is recommended. With ageing, female dementia patients exhibited more rapid functional decline than male patients did and more budget about rehabilitation for maintain functional and dementia progression is crucial for female patients.

  2. Sickness Presence among Disabled Workers at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana

    PubMed Central

    ŠKERJANC, Alenka; DODIČ FIKFAK, Metoda

    2014-01-01

    Objectives The aim of the article is to investigate the differences in sickness present and non-sickness present in the group of disabled health care professionals. Methods Data were gathered from all disabled health care professionals suffering from invalidity of category II or III who were identified in the research among all health care professionals at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana and who were employed there in the period between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2010. Each employee obtained a questionnaire composed of three standardized international questionnaires. Results There were 248 disabled workers of the II. and III. category of invalidity among the participants. Disabled sickness present reported to have more chronic diseases than disabled non-sickness present (OR = 57.0; 95% CI = 24.4–133.2), lower salary when on sick leave (OR = 13.1; 95% CI = 5.7–30.2) and poor self-rated health (OR = 5.8; 95% CI = 2.7–12.3). Conclusions The prerequisite for sickness presence among disabled workers is their chronic bad health. It is also formally recognized with the degree of disability. Economic factors are among the most important to direct disabled workers towards sickness presence. The results indicate that workplaces are not adapted to disabled workers in regard to their limitations. PMID:27669513

  3. Assessing functional impairment in siblings living with children with disability.

    PubMed

    Goudie, Anthony; Havercamp, Susan; Jamieson, Barry; Sahr, Timothy

    2013-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to empirically test if siblings of children with disability had higher levels of parent-reported behavioral and emotional functional impairment compared with a peer group of siblings residing with only typically developing children. This was a retrospective secondary analysis of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We included only households with at least 2 children to ensure sibling relationships. Two groups of siblings were formed: 245 siblings resided in households with a child with disability and 6564 siblings resided in households with typically developing children. Parents responded to questions from the Columbia Impairment Scale to identify functional impairment in their children. On the basis of parent reports and after adjusting for sibling demographic characteristics and household background, siblings of children with disability were more likely than siblings residing with typically developing children to have problems with interpersonal relationships, psychopathological functioning, functioning at school, and use of leisure time (P < .05). The percentage of siblings of children with disability classified with significant functional impairment was 16.0% at the first measurement period and 24.2% at the second (P < .001). For siblings of typically developing children there was a smaller percentage increase from 9.5% to 10.3% (P < .001). Functional impairment is a key indicator for the need of mental health services and, as such, early assessment and interventions to limit increasing severity and short- to long-term consequences need to be addressed. Health care professionals need to consider a family-based health care approach for families raising children with disability.

  4. Physical disability contributes to caregiver stress in dementia caregivers.

    PubMed

    Bruce, David G; Paley, Glenys A; Nichols, Pamela; Roberts, David; Underwood, Peter J; Schaper, Frank

    2005-03-01

    Previous findings of studies on the impact of physical illness on caregiver health have been inconsistent. The authors wanted to determine whether physical disability, as determined by the SF-12 survey that provides information on both physical and mental health problems, contributes to caregiver stress. The authors interviewed 91 primary caregivers (aged 38-85 years) of persons with dementia who had been referred by their family physicians for the first time for formal support services or memory evaluation. Caregivers completed the SF-12 version of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey that generates Mental Component Summary (MCS) and Physical Component Summary (PCS) scores and reported on caregiver stress and concurrent medical conditions and medications. Most caregivers reported stress (76.9%), having medical conditions (72.4%), or taking medications (67%). The MCS but not the PCS scores were significantly lower than community norms, indicating an excess of disability due to mental health problems. Nevertheless, 40.7% had PCS scores indicating some degree of physical disability. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, PCS scores but not the presence of medical problems were independently associated with caregiver stress. Chronic disability as assessed by SF-12 PCS scores is independently associated with caregiver stress. These data suggest that caregivers of persons with dementia should be assessed for disabling physical conditions and mental health problems. In addition, reducing the impact of physical disability could ameliorate caregiver stress.

  5. Medical Students' Attitudes towards Health Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Travis A.; Scior, Katrina

    2016-01-01

    Background: People with intellectual disabilities experience serious health inequalities (e.g. they die younger than people without intellectual disabilities). Medical students' attitudes towards health care for this population warrant empirical attention because, as tomorrow's doctors, they will affect the health inequalities that people with…

  6. Role of Health Information Technology (HIT) in disability determinations: when medical records become medical evidence.

    PubMed

    Tulu, Bengisu; Daniels, Susan; Feldman, Sue; Horan, Thomas A

    2008-11-06

    This exploratory study investigated the impact of incomplete medical evidence on the SSA disability determination process and the role of HIT as a solution. We collected qualitative data from nineteen expert-interviews. Findings indicate that HIT can lead to innovative solutions that can significantly improve the determination process.

  7. Antipsychotic Medication Prescription Patterns in Adults with Developmental Disabilities Who Have Experienced Psychiatric Crisis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lunsky, Yona; Elserafi, Jonny

    2012-01-01

    Antipsychotic medication rates are high in adults with developmental disability. This study considered rates of antipsychotic use in 743 adults with developmental disability who had experienced a psychiatric crisis. Nearly half (49%) of these adults were prescribed antipsychotics. Polypharmacy was common with 22% of those prescribed antipsychotics…

  8. Predicting work-related disability and medical cost outcomes: a comparison of injury severity scoring methods.

    PubMed

    Sears, Jeanne M; Blanar, Laura; Bowman, Stephen M

    2014-01-01

    Acute work-related trauma is a leading cause of death and disability among U.S. workers. Occupational health services researchers have described the pressing need to identify valid injury severity measures for purposes such as case-mix adjustment and the construction of appropriate comparison groups in programme evaluation, intervention, quality improvement, and outcome studies. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of several injury severity scores and scoring methods in the context of predicting work-related disability and medical cost outcomes. Washington State Trauma Registry (WTR) records for injuries treated from 1998 to 2008 were linked with workers' compensation claims. Several Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS)-based injury severity measures (ISS, New ISS, maximum AIS) were estimated directly from ICD-9-CM codes using two software packages: (1) ICDMAP-90, and (2) Stata's user-written ICDPIC programme (ICDPIC). ICDMAP-90 and ICDPIC scores were compared with existing WTR scores using the Akaike Information Criterion, amount of variance explained, and estimated effects on outcomes. Competing risks survival analysis was used to evaluate work disability outcomes. Adjusted total medical costs were modelled using linear regression. The linked sample contained 6052 work-related injury events. There was substantial agreement between WTR scores and those estimated by ICDMAP-90 (kappa=0.73), and between WTR scores and those estimated by ICDPIC (kappa=0.68). Work disability and medical costs increased monotonically with injury severity, and injury severity was a significant predictor of work disability and medical cost outcomes in all models. WTR and ICDMAP-90 scores performed better with regard to predicting outcomes than did ICDPIC scores, but effect estimates were similar. Of the three severity measures, maxAIS was usually weakest, except when predicting total permanent disability. Injury severity was significantly associated with work disability

  9. Structured Medication Review to Improve Pharmacotherapy in People with Intellectual Disability and Behavioural Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scheifes, Arlette; Egberts, Toine C. G.; Stolker, Joost Jan; Nijman, Henk. L. I.; Heerdink, Eibert R.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Polypharmacy and chronic drug use are common in people with intellectual disability and behavioural problems, although evidence of effectiveness and safety in this population is lacking. This study examined the effects of a structured medication review and aimed to improve pharmacotherapy in inpatients with intellectual disability.…

  10. Assessing Functional Impairment in Siblings Living With Children With Disability

    PubMed Central

    Havercamp, Susan; Jamieson, Barry; Sahr, Timothy

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to empirically test if siblings of children with disability had higher levels of parent-reported behavioral and emotional functional impairment compared with a peer group of siblings residing with only typically developing children. METHODS: This was a retrospective secondary analysis of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We included only households with at least 2 children to ensure sibling relationships. Two groups of siblings were formed: 245 siblings resided in households with a child with disability and 6564 siblings resided in households with typically developing children. Parents responded to questions from the Columbia Impairment Scale to identify functional impairment in their children. RESULTS: On the basis of parent reports and after adjusting for sibling demographic characteristics and household background, siblings of children with disability were more likely than siblings residing with typically developing children to have problems with interpersonal relationships, psychopathological functioning, functioning at school, and use of leisure time (P < .05). The percentage of siblings of children with disability classified with significant functional impairment was 16.0% at the first measurement period and 24.2% at the second (P < .001). For siblings of typically developing children there was a smaller percentage increase from 9.5% to 10.3% (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Functional impairment is a key indicator for the need of mental health services and, as such, early assessment and interventions to limit increasing severity and short- to long-term consequences need to be addressed. Health care professionals need to consider a family-based health care approach for families raising children with disability. PMID:23897909

  11. The functional IME: A linkage of expertise across the disability continuum.

    PubMed

    Clifton, David W

    2006-01-01

    Disability assessment remains a significant challenge especially in welfare systems like workers' compensation and disability insurance. Many of today's managed care strategies do not impact on the seminal issue of return to gainful employment. Employers, insurers, attorneys and case managers routinely request independent medical examinations (IMEs) as a means of determining degree of disability, functional limitations, work restrictions and "estimated" physical capacities. However, this approach is limited because physicians are not trained in the functional model of disability assessment. IMEs address pathology and impairments which represent a portion of the disability continuum described by the World Health Organization, Nagi, Guccione and others [e.g. pathology-impairment-disability-handicap]. Functional capacity evaluations or FCEs are often performed by physical and occupational therapists who are trained in a function-based model of disability assessment. Unlike an IME physician who completes "Estimated Physical Capacities", therapists measure actual physical functioning. The value of both IMEs and FCEs can be enhanced through a "functional IME" that combines both models; medical-based examination and a function-based disability evaluation. This combination enhances the assessment of the relationship of pathology to impairment and impairment to disability status especially, in musculoskeletal disorders which tend to drive costs in workers' compensation.

  12. Occurrence of Medical Concerns in Psychiatric Outpatients with Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Azimi, Kousha; Modi, Miti; Hurlbut, Janice; Lunsky, Yona

    2016-01-01

    Despite the fact that adults with both intellectual disabilities (ID) and psychiatric disorders are at increased risk for physical health problems, few studies have described their medical concerns specifically. This study reports on the rates of physical health issues and completion of recommended health screenings among 78 adult outpatients with…

  13. Accounting for the Performance of Students With Disabilities on Statewide Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malmgren, Kimber W.; McLaughlin, Margaret J.; Nolet, Victor

    2005-01-01

    The current study investigates school-level factors that affect the performance of students with disabilities on statewide assessments. Data were collected as part of a larger study examining the effects of education policy reform on students with disabilities. Statewide assessment data for students with disabilities from 2 school districts within…

  14. "Being on Both Sides": Canadian Medical Students' Experiences With Disability, the Hidden Curriculum, and Professional Identity Construction.

    PubMed

    Stergiopoulos, Erene; Fernando, Oshan; Martimianakis, Maria Athina

    2018-05-22

    Medical students with disabilities hold firsthand knowledge as healthcare recipients, yet face barriers to disclosure and support. Their experiences provide a unique lens for understanding professional identity construction; therefore, this study explored how disabled medical students experience training as both patients and trainees. The authors conducted qualitative interviews with 10 medical students at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine with self-identified disabilities. They performed textual analysis of documents concerning medical student wellness from 13 Canadian universities, including policies, student services, and student blogs (July 2016 to March 2017). Using principles of critical discourse analysis, the authors coded the interviews and texts to identify operating discourses and core themes, drawing from sociocultural theories of professional identity construction and the hidden curriculum. Two dominant discourses emerged from the interviews and texts, revealing institutionalized notions of the perceived "good student" and "good patient." These roles held contradictory demands, demonstrating how institutions often implicitly and explicitly framed wellness as a means to optimal academic performance. Two additional themes, "identity compartmentalization" and "identity intersection," captured students' experiences navigating identities as patients and trainees. Although students lacked explicit opportunities to express their expertise as patients in the formal curriculum, their experiences in both roles led to improved communication, advocacy, and compassion. Institutional discourses around disability and academic performance hold material implications for curricular content, clinical teaching, and availability of supports in medical school. By repositioning students' experiences with disability as sources of expertise, this study highlights opportunities for teaching compassionate care.

  15. Health disparities among adults with developmental disabilities, adults with other disabilities, and adults not reporting disability in North Carolina.

    PubMed

    Havercamp, Susan M; Scandlin, Donna; Roth, Marcia

    2004-01-01

    The purposes of this study were (1) to identify disparities between adults with developmental disabilities and non-disabled adults in health and medical care, and (2) to compare this pattern of disparities to the pattern of disparities between adults with other disabilities and adults without disabilities. The authors compared data on health status, health risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and utilization of medical care across three groups of adults: No Disability, Disability, and Developmental Disability. Data sources were the 2001 North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the North Carolina National Core Indicators survey. Adults with developmental disabilities were more likely to lead sedentary lifestyles and seven times as likely to report inadequate emotional support, compared with adults without disabilities. Adults with disabilities and developmental disabilities were significantly more likely to report being in fair or poor health than adults without disabilities. Similar rates of tobacco use and overweight/obesity were reported. Adults with developmental disabilities had a similar or greater risk of having four of five chronic health conditions compared with non-disabled adults. Significant medical care utilization disparities were found for breast and cervical cancer screening as well as for oral health care. Adults with developmental disabilities presented a unique risk for inadequate emotional support and low utilization of breast and cervical cancer screenings. Significant disparities in health and medical care utilization were found for adults with developmental disabilities relative to non-disabled adults. The National Core Indicators protocol offers a sound methodology to gather much-needed surveillance information on the health status, health risk behaviors, and medical care utilization of adults with developmental disabilities. Health promotion efforts must be specifically designed for this population.

  16. Mortality of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities from Select US State Disability Service Systems and Medical Claims Data.

    PubMed

    Lauer, Emily; McCallion, Philip

    2015-09-01

    Monitoring population trends including mortality within subgroups such as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and between countries provides crucial information about the population's health and insights into underlying health concerns and the need for and effectiveness of public health efforts. Data from both US state intellectual and developmental disabilities service system administrative data sets and de-identified state Medicaid claims were used to calculate average age at death and crude mortality rates. Average age at death for people in state intellectual and developmental disabilities systems was 50.4-58.7 years and 61.2-63.0 years in Medicaid data, with a crude adult mortality rate of 15.2 per thousand. Age at death remains lower and mortality rates higher for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Improved case finding (e.g. medical claims) could provide more complete mortality patterns for the population with intellectual and developmental disabilities to inform the range of access and receipt of supportive and health-related interventions and preventive care. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Disability care coordination organizations: improving health and function in people with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Palsbo, Susan E; Mastal, Margaret F; O'Donnell, Lolita T

    2006-01-01

    Disability care coordination organizations (DCCOs) combine attributes of the medical home model and community nursing. Teams of nurses and social workers collaborate with the client to arrange disability-competent medical and social services. This article synthesizes observational findings from site visits to approximately half of the DCCOs operating in 2004. DCCOs have 6 core clinical activities: comprehensive assessment; self-directed, person-centered planning; health visit support; centralized medical-social record; community resource engagement; and constant communication. We also identified 3 core business competencies: service coordination, patient education/behavioral modification, and continuous enhancement of disability competency. Each DCCO started as a new company rather than as a product line of an existing business, and each included the target population in the design stage. Most DCCOs contract with state Medicaid agencies under a prepaid capitation arrangement, and some also enroll Medicare beneficiaries. Capitated DCCOs retain cost savings and may be financially stronger than fee-for-service DCCOs. Although studies suggest that DCCOs improve coordination and clinical outcomes while reducing costs, the current evidence has not been peer reviewed.

  18. Medicalising disability? Regulation and practice around fitness assessment of disabled students and professionals in nursing, social work and teaching professions in Great Britain.

    PubMed

    Sin, Chih Hoong

    2009-01-01

    The reliance on medical information and on occupational health (OH) professionals in ascertaining fitness of applicants and registrants within the educational and employment contexts may lead to the medicalisation of disability. The Disability Rights Commission's Formal Investigation into the regulation of three public sector professions of nursing, social work and teaching in Britain sheds light on the nature of regulatory fitness requirements and how these are implemented in practice. The multi-pronged investigation included a review of relevant statutory and regulatory frameworks, formal written and oral evidence submitted by key stakeholder organisations and research into formal and informal fitness assessments within the education and employment contexts. There are varied and vague fitness requirements in all three professions. OH professionals figure prominently in formal and informal decision-making around fitness within education and employment settings, regardless of regulatory prescriptions. There is a multitude of approaches. There are, however, particular issues in the deployment of OH expertise within the employment setting. The determination of fitness should not rely solely on medical information. Blanket fitness requirements that are not contextualized against specific competencies for particular jobs are inappropriate. More collaborative and integrated working is necessary, particularly in exploring how reasonable adjustments may be provided to enable safe and effective practice. The positive spirit of the disability equality duty should be embraced.

  19. Psychiatric diagnoses, medication and risk for disability pension in multiple sclerosis patients; a population-based register study.

    PubMed

    Brenner, Philip; Alexanderson, Kristina; Björkenstam, Charlotte; Hillert, Jan; Jokinen, Jussi; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Tinghög, Petter

    2014-01-01

    Psychiatric comorbidity is common among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The majority of MS patients of working ages are on disability pension. The aims of this study were to chart the prevalences of psychiatric diagnoses and medications among MS patients of working ages, and to investigate their association with the risk for future disability pension. This nationwide, population-based prospective cohort study includes 10,750 MS patients and 5,553,141 non-MS individuals who in 2005 were aged 17-64 years. Psychiatric diagnoses and medications were identified using nationwide registers. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated adjusting for socio-demographics. Furthermore, a survival analysis with five-year follow-up was performed among the 4,571 MS patients not on disability pension in 2005, with psychiatric diagnoses and medication as risk factors, and disability pension as the outcome. Among MS patients, 35% had been prescribed psychiatric medication compared to 10% of non-MS individuals, adjusted OR 3.72 (95% CI 3.57 to 3.88). Ten percent of MS patients had received a psychiatric diagnosis, compared to 5.7% of non-MS individuals, OR 1.82 (95% CI 1.71 to 1.94). Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), were the most commonly prescribed drugs (17%) among MS patients, while depression (4.8%) was the most common psychiatric diagnosis. In the survival analysis, MS patients with any psychiatric diagnosis had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.83 (95% CI 1.53 to 2.18) for disability pension compared to other MS patients. MS patients with any psychiatric drug prescription had a HR for disability pension of 2.09 (95% CI 1.84 to 2.33). Psychiatric diagnoses and medications are common among MS patients and adversely affect risk for disability pension. This highlights the importance of correct diagnosis and management of psychiatric comorbidity, in a clinical as well as in a societal perspective.

  20. Attitudes of medical clerks toward persons with intellectual disabilities.

    PubMed

    Ouellette-Kuntz, Hélène; Burge, Philip; Cleaver, Shaun; Isaacs, Barry; Lunsky, Yona; Jones, Jessica; Hastie, Rianne

    2012-05-01

    To assess the attitudes of upper-year undergraduate medical students (ie, clerks) toward the philosophy of community inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) according to demographic, personal contact, and training variables. Cross-sectional self-administered survey. Clerkship rotations at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont, and the University of Toronto in Ontario in 2006. A total of 258 clerks. Scores on the Community Living Attitudes Scale-Short Form. There were no differences in the Community Living Attitudes Scale-Short Form subscale scores across categories of demographic characteristics, personal contact, or having received didactic training about ID. Clerks who had seen patients with ID during their medical school training had higher mean sheltering subscale scores than those who had not (3.27 vs 3.07, P = .02). Additional analysis revealed that 88.5% of clerks who had seen patients with ID reported seeing 5 or fewer such patients, and that those who rated the quality of their supervision more positively had higher mean scores on the empowerment subscale and lower mean scores on the sheltering subscale. Although specific training has the potential to promote more socially progressive attitudes regarding persons with ID, lower-quality supervision is associated with higher endorsement of items expressing the need to shelter individuals with ID from harm and lower endorsement of items promoting empowerment.

  1. [MEDRISK--an expert system for medical risk assessment].

    PubMed

    Mayer-Ohly, E; Regenauer, A

    1995-10-01

    The Munich Reinsurance Company has developed a rule-based expert system for assessing substandard risk in life, disability and accidental death benefit. It is one of the most comprehensive medical expert systems yet conceived and currently includes entries for over 7500 impairment terms. Based on the most up-to-date insurance medical knowledge MEDRISK allows underwriters, irrespective of their level of experience, to process both simple and highly complex cases. The system which takes account of the interactive effect that can exist between different impairments as well as the influence which occupational factors can exert, always produces consistent and case-specific decisions. The number of impairments and types of insurance included in MEDRISK can be expanded. After tests at Munich Re and at a number of insurance companies, the system ist now ready to be launched in German speaking markets.

  2. 42 CFR 435.330 - Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... disabled in States using more restrictive eligibility requirements for Medicaid than those used under SSI....330 Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive... categorically needy only to those aged, blind, or disabled individuals who meet more restrictive requirements...

  3. 42 CFR 435.330 - Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... disabled in States using more restrictive eligibility requirements for Medicaid than those used under SSI....330 Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive... categorically needy only to those aged, blind, or disabled individuals who meet more restrictive requirements...

  4. 42 CFR 435.330 - Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... disabled in States using more restrictive eligibility requirements for Medicaid than those used under SSI....330 Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive... categorically needy only to those aged, blind, or disabled individuals who meet more restrictive requirements...

  5. 42 CFR 435.330 - Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... disabled in States using more restrictive eligibility requirements for Medicaid than those used under SSI....330 Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive... categorically needy only to those aged, blind, or disabled individuals who meet more restrictive requirements...

  6. 42 CFR 435.330 - Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... disabled in States using more restrictive eligibility requirements for Medicaid than those used under SSI....330 Medically needy coverage of the aged, blind, and disabled in States using more restrictive... categorically needy only to those aged, blind, or disabled individuals who meet more restrictive requirements...

  7. Attitudes towards people with physical or intellectual disabilities among nursing, social work and medical students.

    PubMed

    Kritsotakis, George; Galanis, Petros; Papastefanakis, Emmanouil; Meidani, Flora; Philalithis, Anastas E; Kalokairinou, Athena; Sourtzi, Panayota

    2017-12-01

    To examine and compare undergraduate healthcare students' attitudes towards people with physical or intellectual disabilities in Greece. The experience that people with disabilities have with health care is a complex interaction between their medical condition and the social and physical environment. Attitudes of the nursing and healthcare staff affect the quality of care and people's adaptation to their disability, self-image and rehabilitation outcomes. Descriptive cross-sectional survey. Nursing, Social Work and Medicine students (N = 1007, 79.4% female) attending three universities (Athens, Crete) completed during 2014-2016 two standardised scales regarding physical (ATDP-B) and intellectual disability (CLAS-ID). Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Attitudes towards people with physical disabilities in Greece (ATDP-B scores) were poor with scores just above the mid-point. Medical studies and higher knowledge and work with individuals with physical disabilities signified marginally more positive attitudes. Gender and age displayed no associations with attitudes. Regarding intellectual disability (CLAS-ID scores), nursing students had slightly less positive attitudes in "Similarity" but more positive attitudes in "Sheltering" subscales. Previous work and contact was related to more favourable and higher age to less favourable "Similarity" and "Sheltering" attitudes. Males had higher "Exclusion" scores. Those who knew people with intellectual disabilities had less favourable "Empowerment" attitudes. Knowledge was related to more positive attitudes in all four CLAS-ID subscales. Greek health and social care students showed poor attitudes towards people with physical and intellectual disability. When holding unfavourable attitudes, healthcare professionals become less involved with the people they care for and they do not provide nursing care to the best of their abilities. Undergraduate and continuing education, along with

  8. Assessing work disability for social security benefits: international models for the direct assessment of work capacity.

    PubMed

    Geiger, Ben Baumberg; Garthwaite, Kayleigh; Warren, Jon; Bambra, Clare

    2017-08-25

    It has been argued that social security disability assessments should directly assess claimants' work capacity, rather than relying on proxies such as on functioning. However, there is little academic discussion of how such assessments could be conducted. The article presents an account of different models of direct disability assessments based on case studies of the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, utilising over 150 documents and 40 expert interviews. Three models of direct work disability assessments can be observed: (i) structured assessment, which measures the functional demands of jobs across the national economy and compares these to claimants' functional capacities; (ii) demonstrated assessment, which looks at claimants' actual experiences in the labour market and infers a lack of work capacity from the failure of a concerned rehabilitation attempt; and (iii) expert assessment, based on the judgement of skilled professionals. Direct disability assessment within social security is not just theoretically desirable, but can be implemented in practice. We have shown that there are three distinct ways that this can be done, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Further research is needed to clarify the costs, validity/legitimacy, and consequences of these different models. Implications for rehabilitation It has recently been argued that social security disability assessments should directly assess work capacity rather than simply assessing functioning - but we have no understanding about how this can be done in practice. Based on case studies of nine countries, we show that direct disability assessment can be implemented, and argue that there are three different ways of doing it. These are "demonstrated assessment" (using claimants' experiences in the labour market), "structured assessment" (matching functional requirements to workplace demands), and "expert assessment" (the

  9. Assessment of visual disability using the WHO disability assessment scale (WHO-DAS-II): role of gender.

    PubMed

    Badr, H E; Mourad, H

    2009-10-01

    To study the role of gender in coping with disability in young visually impaired students attending two schools for blindness. The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS II), 36-Item Interviewer Administered translated Arabic version was used. It evaluates six domains of everyday living in the last 30 days. These domains are: understanding and communicating, getting around, self care, getting along with people, household activities and participation in society. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 200 students who represented the target population of the study. Binary logistic regression analysis of the scores of the six domains revealed that in all of the domains except getting along with people and coping with school activities, females significantly faced more difficulties in coping with daily life activities than did their male counterparts. Increasing age significantly increased difficulties in coping with school activities. Genetic causes of blindness were associated with increased difficulties. Females face more difficulties in coping with visual disability. Genetic counselling is needed to decrease the prevalence of visual disability. Girls with blindness need additional inputs to help cope with blindness. Early intervention facilitates dealing with school activities of the visually impaired.

  10. Disparities in Health Care Access and Receipt of Preventive Services by Disability Type: Analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

    PubMed Central

    Horner-Johnson, Willi; Dobbertin, Konrad; Lee, Jae Chul; Andresen, Elena M

    2014-01-01

    Objective To examine differences in access to health care and receipt of clinical preventive services by type of disability among working-age adults with disabilities. Data Source Secondary analysis of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2002 to 2008. Study Design We conducted cross-sectional logistic regression analyses comparing people with different types of disabilities on health insurance status and type; presence of a usual source of health care; delayed or forgone care; and receipt of dental checkups and cancer screening. Data Collection We pooled annualized MEPS data files across years. Our analytic sample consisted of adults (18–64 years) with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities and nonmissing data for all variables of interest. Principal Findings Individuals with hearing impairment had better health care access and receipt than people with other disability types. People with multiple types of limitations were especially likely to have health care access problems and unmet health care needs. Conclusions There are differences in health care access and receipt of preventive care depending on what type of disability people have. More in-depth research is needed to identify specific causes of these disparities and assess interventions to address health care barriers for particular disability groups. PMID:24962662

  11. [Ophthalmological assessment in procedures for disability benefits for the blind : Why medical certificates alone are insufficient].

    PubMed

    von Livonius, B; Pause, H; Ulbig, M

    2016-06-01

    Financial aid for the blind which is awarded based only on medical certificates and results of examinations has in the past resulted in too many false diagnoses; therefore, Bavaria seeks to pay financial aid to the blind only on the basis of a specific ophthalmological assessment according to the standards of the German pension medical ordinance (VersMedV, Versorgungsmedizinische Verordnung). Because these ophthalmological assessments initially contribute to a higher financial burden on the state, longer processing times and inconvenience to the patient, investigations should be undertaken to determine if ophthalmological findings, reports and medical certificates can be a suitable basis for an expert assessment and in how many cases blindness which had been certified by the original examination could be confirmed by a specific ophthalmological assessment. A total of 925 applications for financial assistance to the blind within the catchment area of the Bavarian Center for Family and Social Services (ZBFS, Zentrum Bayern Familie und Soziales) regional center in Upper Bavaria between 2003 and 2008, all of which had been subjected to an assessment by the same practitioner acting as external expert, were statistically analyzed. Of the 357 applicants who had been classified as blind according to the medical certificate and findings, 283 (79 %) were confirmed as being blind after the assessment and in 73 (21 %) blindness could not be confirmed. Of the 262 applicants who were classified as not being blind during the first examination, the diagnosis was confirmed in 192 (73 %) while 70 cases (27 %) were classified as blind. Of the 304 applicants for whom an assessment was not possible by the medical certification, 165 were ultimately classified as blind and 139 as not blind. Out of 32 applicants who were explicitly classified as being blind in the medical certificate, 13 were confirmed as being blind while the remaining 18 were classified in the subsequent

  12. [Work disability in public press professions].

    PubMed

    Akermann, S

    2002-09-01

    In this study more than 1,000 cases of long-term disability among members of the press and media were evaluated. Mental disorders were the main cause of disability in almost every fourth case. In women psychiatric illnesses were even more important. The most common diagnosis was that of a depressive disorder which accounted for more than half of all psychiatric cases. The causes of disability of other insurance systems such as the German social security scheme and the pension and disability plan for the medical profession were compared. Mental illnesses are the leading cause of disability in white collar workers and orthopaedic illnesses, especially disorders of the vertebral column, are the leading cause in blue collar workers, as one might have expected. In females mental disorders are even more common than in men whereas men tend to have more cardiovascular problems than women. In this study also some interesting features regarding disability caused by various illnesses after long-term follow-up were found. This opens unknown perspectives allowing new assessment of diseases and eventually will enable the actuary to price medical diagnoses for disability insurance.

  13. Guidelines for Providing Accommodations Using CASAS Assessment for Learners with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    CASAS - Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (NJ1), 2005

    2005-01-01

    These guidelines address methods for administering Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) assessments using accommodations for learners with documented disabilities. The suggested accommodations for disability categories include provisions for: (1) Accommodations in test administration procedures; and (2) Use of appropriate CASAS…

  14. Disability retirement

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Eck, R. L.

    1975-01-01

    Eligibility for disability retirement is discussed. General guidelines and a few standards are given. Usually the same basic medical principles apply to the evaluation of claims for disability retirement as apply to determining medical suitability for initial employment.

  15. Medication therapy management and complex patients with disability: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Chrischilles, Elizabeth A; Doucette, William; Farris, Karen; Lindgren, Scott; Gryzlak, Brian; Rubenstein, Linda; Youland, Kelly; Wallace, Robert B

    2014-02-01

    Drug therapy problems, adverse drug events (ADEs), and symptom burden are high among adults with disabilities. To compare the effects of a modified medication therapy management (MTM) program within a self-efficacy workshop versus the workshop alone or usual care on symptom burden among adults with activity limitations. Three-group randomized controlled trial among adults (age 40 and older) with self-reported activity limitations in community practice. 8 weekly Living Well With a Disability (LWD) 2-hour workshop sessions with and without a collaborative medication management (CMM) module. mean number of moderate to very severe symptoms from a list of 11 physical and mental symptoms. Process measures: changes in medication regimens and self-reported ADEs. general linear mixed models (continuous outcomes) and generalized estimating equations (categorical outcomes). Participants had high symptom burden, low physical health, and took many medications. There was a significant increase in ADE reporting in the LWD + CMM group relative to the other 2 groups (Study group × Time P = .014), and there were significantly more changes in medication regimens in the LWD + CMM group (P = .013 LWD only vs LWD + CMM). The oldest third of participants had significantly fewer mean symptoms but received more intense CMM. There was no difference between the LWD-only, LWD + CMM, and usual care groups in symptom burden over time. Pharmacist MTM practices and MTM guidelines may need to be modified to affect symptom burden in a population with physical activity limitations.

  16. Antipsychotic Use and Metabolic Monitoring in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities Served in a Medicaid Medical Home

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruiz, Lisa M.; Damron, Mackenzie; Jones, Kyle B.; Weedon, Dean; Carbone, Paul S.; Bakian, Amanda V.; Bilder, Deborah A.

    2016-01-01

    This study describes antipsychotic use and metabolic monitoring rates among individuals with developmental disabilities enrolled in a subspecialty medical home (N = 826). Four hundred ninety-nine participants (60.4%) were taking antipsychotics, which was associated with male gender (p = 0.01), intellectual disability with and without autism…

  17. Swedish social insurance officers' experiences of difficulties in assessing applications for disability pensions--an interview study.

    PubMed

    Ydreborg, Berit; Ekberg, Kerstin; Nilsson, Kerstin

    2007-06-27

    In this study the focus is on social insurance officers judging applications for disability pensions. The number of applications for disability pension increased during the late 1990s, which has resulted in an increasing number of disability pensions in Sweden. A more restrictive attitude towards the clients has however evolved, as societal costs have increased and governmental guidelines now focus on reducing costs. As a consequence, the quantitative and qualitative demands on social insurance officers when handling applications for disability pensions may have increased. The aim of this study was therefore to describe the social insurance officers' experiences of assessing applications for disability pensions after the government's introduction of stricter regulations. Qualitative methodology was employed and a total of ten social insurance officers representing different experiences and ages were chosen. Open-ended interviews were performed with the ten social insurance officers. Data was analysed with inductive content analysis. Three themes could be identified as problematic in the social insurance officers' descriptions of dealing with the applications in order to reach a decision on whether the issue qualified applicants for a disability pension or not: 1. Clients are heterogeneous. 2. Ineffective and time consuming waiting for medical certificates impede the decision process. 3. Perspectives on the issue of work capacity differed among different stakeholders. The backgrounds of the clients differ considerably, leading to variation in the quality and content of applications. Social insurance officers had to make rapid decisions within a limited time frame, based on limited information, mainly on the basis of medical certificates that were often insufficient to judge work capacity. The role as coordinating actor with other stakeholders in the welfare system was perceived as frustrating, since different stakeholders have different goals and demands. The social

  18. 20 CFR 404.1051 - Payments on account of sickness or accident disability, or related medical or hospitalization...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... disability, or related medical or hospitalization expenses. 404.1051 Section 404.1051 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1051 Payments on account of sickness or...

  19. 20 CFR 404.1051 - Payments on account of sickness or accident disability, or related medical or hospitalization...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... disability, or related medical or hospitalization expenses. 404.1051 Section 404.1051 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1051 Payments on account of sickness or...

  20. 20 CFR 404.1051 - Payments on account of sickness or accident disability, or related medical or hospitalization...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... disability, or related medical or hospitalization expenses. 404.1051 Section 404.1051 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1051 Payments on account of sickness or...

  1. 20 CFR 404.1051 - Payments on account of sickness or accident disability, or related medical or hospitalization...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... disability, or related medical or hospitalization expenses. 404.1051 Section 404.1051 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1051 Payments on account of sickness or...

  2. 20 CFR 404.1051 - Payments on account of sickness or accident disability, or related medical or hospitalization...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... disability, or related medical or hospitalization expenses. 404.1051 Section 404.1051 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Wages § 404.1051 Payments on account of sickness or...

  3. Avoiding genetic genocide: understanding good intentions and eugenics in the complex dialogue between the medical and disability communities.

    PubMed

    Miller, Paul Steven; Levine, Rebecca Leah

    2013-02-01

    The relationship between the medical and disability communities is complex and is influenced by historical, social, and cultural factors. Although clinicians, health-care researchers, and people with disabilities all work from the standpoint of the best interest of disabled individuals, the notion of what actually is "best" is often understood quite differently among these constituencies. Eugenics campaigns, legal restrictions on reproductive and other freedoms, and prenatal testing recommendations predicated on the lesser worth of persons with disabilities have all contributed toward the historic trauma experienced by the disability community, particularly with respect to medical genetics. One premise of personalized medicine is that different individuals require different solutions. Disabled persons' experiences are a reminder that these solutions can be best realized by maintaining awareness and sensitivity in a complex ethical and moral terrain. Geneticists should recognize that their research may have implications for those with disabilities; they should recognize the impact of the historical trauma of the eugenics movement, and seek to involve people with disabilities in discussions about policies that affect them. Dialogue can be messy and uncomfortable, but it is the only way to avoid the mistakes of the past and to ensure a more equitable, and healthful, future.

  4. Avoiding genetic genocide: understanding good intentions and eugenics in the complex dialogue between the medical and disability communities

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Paul Steven; Levine, Rebecca Leah

    2013-01-01

    The relationship between the medical and disability communities is complex and is influenced by historical, social, and cultural factors. Although clinicians, health-care researchers, and people with disabilities all work from the standpoint of the best interest of disabled individuals, the notion of what actually is “best” is often understood quite differently among these constituencies. Eugenics campaigns, legal restrictions on reproductive and other freedoms, and prenatal testing recommendations predicated on the lesser worth of persons with disabilities have all contributed toward the historic trauma experienced by the disability community, particularly with respect to medical genetics. One premise of personalized medicine is that different individuals require different solutions. Disabled persons’ experiences are a reminder that these solutions can be best realized by maintaining awareness and sensitivity in a complex ethical and moral terrain. Geneticists should recognize that their research may have implications for those with disabilities; they should recognize the impact of the historical trauma of the eugenics movement, and seek to involve people with disabilities in discussions about policies that affect them. Dialogue can be messy and uncomfortable, but it is the only way to avoid the mistakes of the past and to ensure a more equitable, and healthful, future. PMID:22899092

  5. Self-Report Assessment of Executive Functioning in College Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grieve, Adam; Webne-Behrman, Lisa; Couillou, Ryan; Sieben-Schneider, Jill

    2014-01-01

    This study presents a unique assessment of executive functioning (EF) among postsecondary students with disabilities, with the aim of understanding the extent to which students with different disabilities and in different age groups assess their own difficulties with relevant and educationally-adaptive skills such as planning, initiating, managing…

  6. Medical Assessment of Late Effects of National Socialist Persecution

    PubMed Central

    Grobin, W.

    1965-01-01

    Emotional involvement of the examiner, hostility and mistrust on the part of the examinees and the long interval since the original events comprise some of the problems facing medical assessors of survivors of National Socialist persecution. Experience with over 100 such persons confirmed the high incidence of irreversible and usually disabling disorders, mainly functional and psychiatric—“late damage” as it has been designated in recent reports on this subject. The most common disorders encountered in the assessments of 70 survivors are reviewed. A number of organic diseases such as organic brain damage, active tuberculosis and fractures were revealed only after careful search. Recent findings by psychiatric assessors are reviewed; their plea for greater familiarity with late effects in survivors of National Socialist persecution is echoed, and the need for medical, psychiatric and social support of these unfortunate individuals is emphasized. PMID:14289139

  7. The human rights context for ethical requirements for involving people with intellectual disability in medical research.

    PubMed

    Iacono, T; Carling-Jenkins, R

    2012-11-01

    The history of ethical guidelines addresses protection of human rights in the face of violations. Examples of such violations in research involving people with intellectual disabilities (ID) abound. We explore this history in an effort to understand the apparently stringent criteria for the inclusion of people with ID in research, and differences between medical and other research within a single jurisdiction. The history of the Helsinki Declaration and informed consent within medical research, and high-profile examples of ethical misconduct involving people with ID and other groups are reviewed. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is then examined for its research implications. This background is used to examine a current anomaly within an Australian context for the inclusion of people with ID without decisional capacity in medical versus other types of research. Ethical guidelines have often failed to protect the human rights of people with ID and other vulnerable groups. Contrasting requirements within an Australian jurisdiction for medical and other research would seem to have originated in early deference to medical authority for making decisions on behalf of patients. Stringent ethical requirements are likely to continue to challenge researchers in ID. A human rights perspective provides a framework for engaging both researchers and vulnerable participant groups. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  8. Assessment of Risk Manageability of Intellectually Disabled Sex Offenders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boer, Douglas P.; Tough, Susan; Haaven, James

    2004-01-01

    Background: There are no validated risk assessment tools for intellectually disabled (ID) sex offenders, with the exception of the work of Lindsay et al. ["Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities" (2004) 17: 267] regarding the prediction of risk for aggressive behaviour of ID offenders in residential settings. ID sex offenders…

  9. The association between psychotic experiences and disability: results from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

    PubMed Central

    Navarro-Mateu, Fernando; Alonso, Jordi; Lim, Carmen C. W.; Saha, Sukanta; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Al-Hamzawi, Ali; Andrade, Laura H.; Bromet, Evelyn J.; Bruffaerts, Ronny; Chatterji, Somnath; Degenhardt, Louisa; de Girolamo, Giovanni; de Jonge, Peter; Fayyad, John; Florescu, Silvia; Gureje, Oye; Haro, Josep M.; Hu, Chiyi; Karam, Elie G.; Kovess-Masfety, Viviane; Lee, Sing; Medina-Mora, Maria E.; Ojagbemi, Akin; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Posada-Villa, Jose; Scott, Kate M.; Stagnaro, Juan Carlos; Kendler, Kenneth S.; Kessler, Ronald C.; McGrath, John J.

    2017-01-01

    Objective While psychotic experiences (PEs) are known to be associated with a range of mental and general medical disorders, little is known about the association between PEs and measures of disability. We aimed to investigate this question using the World Mental Health surveys. Method Lifetime occurrences of 6 types of PEs were assessed along with 21 mental disorders and 14 general medical conditions. Disability was assessed with a modified version of the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between PEs and high disability scores (top quartile) with various adjustments. Results Respondents with PEs were more likely to have top quartile scores on global disability than respondents without PEs (19.1% vs. 7.5%; χ2 = 190.1, p<.001) as well as greater likelihood of cognitive, social, and role impairment. Relationships persisted in each adjusted model. A significant dose-response relationship was also found for the PE type measures with most of these outcomes. Conclusions Psychotic experiences are associated with disability measures with a dose response relationship. These results are consistent with the view that PEs are associated with disability regardless of the presence of comorbid mental or general medical disorders. PMID:28542726

  10. The association between psychotic experiences and disability: results from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys.

    PubMed

    Navarro-Mateu, F; Alonso, J; Lim, C C W; Saha, S; Aguilar-Gaxiola, S; Al-Hamzawi, A; Andrade, L H; Bromet, E J; Bruffaerts, R; Chatterji, S; Degenhardt, L; de Girolamo, G; de Jonge, P; Fayyad, J; Florescu, S; Gureje, O; Haro, J M; Hu, C; Karam, E G; Kovess-Masfety, V; Lee, S; Medina-Mora, M E; Ojagbemi, A; Pennell, B-E; Piazza, M; Posada-Villa, J; Scott, K M; Stagnaro, J C; Xavier, M; Kendler, K S; Kessler, R C; McGrath, J J

    2017-07-01

    While psychotic experiences (PEs) are known to be associated with a range of mental and general medical disorders, little is known about the association between PEs and measures of disability. We aimed to investigate this question using the World Mental Health surveys. Lifetime occurrences of six types of PEs were assessed along with 21 mental disorders and 14 general medical conditions. Disability was assessed with a modified version of the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between PEs and high disability scores (top quartile) with various adjustments. Respondents with PEs were more likely to have top quartile scores on global disability than respondents without PEs (19.1% vs. 7.5%; χ 2  = 190.1, P < 0.001) as well as greater likelihood of cognitive, social, and role impairment. Relationships persisted in each adjusted model. A significant dose-response relationship was also found for the PE type measures with most of these outcomes. Psychotic experiences are associated with disability measures with a dose-response relationship. These results are consistent with the view that PEs are associated with disability regardless of the presence of comorbid mental or general medical disorders. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Assessment of Foot Shape in Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Wolan-Nieroda, Andżelina; Guzik, Agnieszka; Bazarnik-Mucha, Katarzyna; Rachwał, Maciej; Drzał-Grabiec, Justyna; Szeliga, Ewa; Walicka-Cupryś, Katarzyna

    2018-04-11

    BACKGROUND Available publications provide little evidence pertaining to assessment of foot shape in children with intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to assess the parameters of foot shape in children and adolescents with intellectual disability and to evaluate the relationship between the degree of disability and these parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study involved 90 individuals aged 7-15 years, including 45 subjects with mild and moderate levels of intellectual disability (study group) and 45 peers with normal intellectual development (control group). Each participant was subjected to photogrammetric assessment of foot shape based on the projection moire effect. RESULTS Analysis of the relationship between the disability level and the assessed parameters showed that the length of the right (p=0.006) and left (p=0.004) foot, as well as Wejsflog's rate for the right (p<0.001) and left (p<0.001) foot, were significantly higher among children with mild disability, whereas GAMMA angle of the right (p=0.028) and left (p=0.006) foot was significantly higher among children with moderate disability. CONCLUSIONS The findings show a significant relationship between the degree of disability and the assessed foot parameters. Significant differences between the subjects with intellectual disability and the control group were identified in the basic parameters defining foot structure.

  12. Longitudinal Prescribing Patterns for Psychoactive Medications in Community-Based Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Utilization of Pharmacy Records

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lott, I. T.; McGregor, M.; Engelman, L.; Touchette, P.; Tournay, A.; Sandman, C.; Fernandez, G.; Plon, L.; Walsh, D.

    2004-01-01

    Little is known about longitudinal prescribing practices for psychoactive medications for individuals with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (IDDD) who are living in community settings. Computerized pharmacy records were accessed for 2344 community-based individuals with IDDD for whom a total of 3421 prescriptions were…

  13. Functional Capacity Evaluation & Disability

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Joseph J

    2007-01-01

    Function, Impairment, and Disability are words in which many physicians have little interest. Most physicians are trained to deal with structure and physiology and not function and disability. The purpose of this article is to address some of the common questions that many physicians have with the use of functional capacity evaluation and disability and also to provide a unifying model that can explain the medical and societal variables in predicting disability. We will first define the functional capacity evaluation (FCE) and explore the different types available as well as their uses. We will review several studies exploring the validity and reliability of the FCE on healthy and chronic pain patients. We will examine the few studies that look into whether an FCE is predictive of return to work and whether an FCE is predictive of disability. In the second half of this article, we will focus on the Assessment of Disability from the origins of the United States Social Security Administration to a bold new concept, the World Health Organization's International Classification of Function, Disability and Health. PMID:17907444

  14. An Approach to Meeting the Needs of Medical Students with Learning Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walters, Janice A.; Croen, Lila G.

    1993-01-01

    A study at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Yeshiva University, New York) has identified students from each medical class with previously unidentified learning disabilities. In three case studies, the importance of early identification and support is illustrated. In each case, dramatic improvement occurred with student awareness and…

  15. Medical Service Utilization among Youth with School-Identified Disabilities in Residential Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambert, Matthew C.; Trout, Alexandra L.; Nelson, Timothy D.; Epstein, Michael H.; W. Thompson, Ronald

    2016-01-01

    Background: Behavioral, social, emotional, and educational risks among children and youth with school identified disabilities served in residential care have been well documented. However, the health care needs and medical service utilization of this high-risk population are less well known. Given the risks associated with children with…

  16. Assessing Faculty Perspectives about Teaching and Working with Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Becker, Sandra; Palladino, John

    2016-01-01

    This study presents a unique assessment of faculty perspectives about teaching and working with students with disabilities against the backdrop of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A randomized sample of 127 faculty from a large Midwest comprehensive university completed the…

  17. Determinants of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women with Intellectual Disabilities: Evidence from Medical Records

    PubMed Central

    Swaine, Jamie G.; Son, Esther; Luken, Karen

    2013-01-01

    Objective We examined receipt of cervical cancer screening and determinants of screening for women with intellectual disabilities in one Southeastern state. Methods Using medical records data from 2006 through 2010 for community-dwelling women with intellectual disabilities who were 18–65 years of age (n=163), we employed descriptive and bivariate statistics and a multivariate regression model to examine receipt of cervical cancer screening and the determinants of cervical cancer screening across women's sociodemographic and health-care provider characteristics. Results Of women 18–65 years of age with intellectual disabilities, 55% received a Papanicolaou (Pap) test during 2008–2010, markedly below the Healthy People 2020 targets or rates of Pap test receipt of women without intellectual disabilities. Women with intellectual disabilities who lived in residential facilities, those who lived in rural communities, and those who had an obstetrician/gynecologist had higher rates of receipt of care than other women with intellectual disabilities. Conclusions Assertive measures are required to improve the receipt of cervical cancer screening among women with intellectual disabilities. Such measures could include education of women with intellectual disabilities, as well as their paid and family caregivers, and incentives for health-care providers who achieve screening targets. PMID:24179263

  18. Development and validation of the Learning Disabilities Needs Assessment Tool (LDNAT), a HoNOS-based needs assessment tool for use with people with intellectual disability.

    PubMed

    Painter, J; Trevithick, L; Hastings, R P; Ingham, B; Roy, A

    2016-12-01

    In meeting the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) who access health services, a brief, holistic assessment of need is useful. This study outlines the development and testing of the Learning Disabilities Needs Assessment Tool (LDNAT), a tool intended for this purpose. An existing mental health (MH) tool was extended by a multidisciplinary group of ID practitioners. Additional scales were drafted to capture needs across six ID treatment domains that the group identified. LDNAT ratings were analysed for the following: item redundancy, relevance, construct validity and internal consistency (n = 1692); test-retest reliability (n = 27); and concurrent validity (n = 160). All LDNAT scales were deemed clinically relevant with little redundancy apparent. Principal component analysis indicated three components (developmental needs, challenging behaviour, MH and well-being). Internal consistency was good (Cronbach alpha 0.80). Individual item test-retest reliability was substantial-near perfect for 20 scales and slight-fair for three scales. Overall reliability was near perfect (intra-class correlation = 0.91). There were significant associations with five of six condition-specific measures, i.e. the Waisman Activities of Daily Living Scale (general ability/disability), Threshold Assessment Grid (risk), Behaviour Problems Inventory for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities-Short Form (challenging behaviour) Social Communication Questionnaire (autism) and a bespoke physical health questionnaire. Additionally, the statistically significant correlations between these tools and the LDNAT components made sense clinically. There were no statistically significant correlations with the Psychiatric Assessment Schedules for Adults with Developmental Disabilities (a measure of MH symptoms in people with ID). The LDNAT had clinically utility when rating the needs of people with ID prior to condition-specific assessment(s). Analyses of internal

  19. Diagnosing a Learning Disability in a Hearing-Impaired Child.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plapinger, Donald; Sikora, Darryn

    1990-01-01

    This paper presents a case study that used an interdisciplinary diagnostic approach to determine whether a hearing-impaired nine-year-old child had a learning disability and to determine the type of disability. The assessment included medical examination, gross and fine motor skills, psychological functioning, mental processing and achievement,…

  20. The relationship of disability and employment for veterans from the 2010 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).

    PubMed

    Smith, Diane L

    2015-06-05

    Veterans with disabilities, especially those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) have difficulty obtaining and maintaining competitive employment. To determine if there are significant differences in employment between veterans with and without disability, between veterans with a disability and nonveterans with a disability, and to investigate the association of veteran status and disability with employment. Chi square analyses were conducted on data obtained from the 2010 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to determine if significant differences in employment occurred between veterans with disabilities, veterans without disabilities and nonveterans with disabilities. Multivariate regression analyses were used to determine how veteran status and disability are associated with employment. Significant differences in employment were found between veterans with and without a disability; however, no significant differences existed in employment between veterans and nonveterans with a disability. Multivariate analysis showed that veteran status (aOR=1.80), having any disability (aOR=7.29), social disability (aOR=3.47) or a cognitive disability (aOR=3.16) were associated with not being employed. Veterans with disabilities are more likely not to be employed than veteran populations without disabilities. Veterans; however have unique disabilities, different than nonveterans with disabilities, that need to be addressed, such as social and cognitive disabilities resulting from TBI and PTSD. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of employment programs and policies designed to address the unique issues faced by veterans with disabilities.

  1. Assessment of Foot Shape in Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability: A Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    Wolan-Nieroda, Andżelina; Bazarnik-Mucha, Katarzyna; Rachwał, Maciej; Drzał-Grabiec, Justyna; Szeliga, Ewa; Walicka-Cupryś, Katarzyna

    2018-01-01

    Background Available publications provide little evidence pertaining to assessment of foot shape in children with intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to assess the parameters of foot shape in children and adolescents with intellectual disability and to evaluate the relationship between the degree of disability and these parameters. Material/Methods The study involved 90 individuals aged 7–15 years, including 45 subjects with mild and moderate levels of intellectual disability (study group) and 45 peers with normal intellectual development (control group). Each participant was subjected to photogrammetric assessment of foot shape based on the projection moire effect. Results Analysis of the relationship between the disability level and the assessed parameters showed that the length of the right (p=0.006) and left (p=0.004) foot, as well as Wejsflog’s rate for the right (p<0.001) and left (p<0.001) foot, were significantly higher among children with mild disability, whereas GAMMA angle of the right (p=0.028) and left (p=0.006) foot was significantly higher among children with moderate disability. Conclusions The findings show a significant relationship between the degree of disability and the assessed foot parameters. Significant differences between the subjects with intellectual disability and the control group were identified in the basic parameters defining foot structure. PMID:29636442

  2. Work disability negotiations: supervisors' view of work disability and collaboration with occupational health services.

    PubMed

    Lappalainen, Liisa; Liira, Juha; Lamminpää, Anne; Rokkanen, Tanja

    2018-03-28

    To introduce the Finnish practice of collaboration aiming to enhance work participation, to ask supervisors about its reasons and usefulness, to study supervisors' needs when they face work disability, and to compare the experiences of supervisors whose profiles differ. An online questionnaire based on the Finnish practice of collaboration between supervisor and occupational health services (OHS) went to supervisors in six public and private organizations. A total of 254 supervisors responded, of whom, 133 (52%) had collaborated in work disability negotiations, representing a wide variety with differing professional profiles. In their role of managing work disability, supervisors appeared to benefit from three factors: an explicit company disability management (DM) policy, supervisors' training in DM, and collaboration with OHS. Reasons for work disability negotiations were long or repeated sick-leaves and reduced work performance. Expectations for occupational health consultations focused on finding vocational solutions and on obtaining information. Supervisors assessed the outcomes of collaboration as both vocational and medical. Supervisors with differing professional profiles prioritized slightly different aspects in collaboration. Collaboration with OHS is an important option for supervisors to enhance work modifications and the work participation of employees with work disability. Implications for Rehabilitation Work disability negotiation between supervisor, employee, and occupational health services (OHS) is an effective method to enhance work participation. Collaboration with occupational health can advance work modifications and also lead to medical procedures to improve work performance. Supervisor training, companies' explicit disability management policy, and collaboration with OHSs all advance employee's work participation. Collaboration with OHSs may serve as training for supervisors in their responsibility to support work participation.

  3. Cross-Country Differences in the Additive Effects of Socioeconomics, Health Behaviors and Medical Comorbidities on Disability among Older Adults with Heart Disease.

    PubMed

    Assari, Shervin

    2015-01-01

    Patients with heart disease experience limited activities of daily living (ADL). This is a cross-country comparison of the additive effects of Socioeconomics, health behaviors, and the number of medical comorbidities on disability among patients with heart disease. The current study used a cross-sectional design. Data came from the Research on Early Life and Aging Trends and Effects (RELATE). The current analysis utilized data on elderly individuals (age ≥60 y) from 13 countries. The outcome was any ADL limitation (i.e. bathing, dressing, using toilet, transferring, lifting heavy things, shopping, and eating meals). Socioeconomics (i.e. age, gender, education, and income), health behaviors (i.e. exercise, smoking, and drinking), and number of chronic medical conditions (i.e. hypertension, respiratory, arthritis, stroke, and diabetes) were entered into country-specific logistic regressions, considering at least one limitation in ADL as the main outcome. Number of comorbid medical conditions and age were positively associated with disability in 85% of the countries. Physical activity and drinking were linked to disability in 54%and 31% of countries, respectively. Higher education and income were associated with lower disability in 31% and 23% of the countries, respectively. Female gender was associated with higher disability only in 15% of the countries. Smoking was not associated with disability, while the effects of socioeconomics, drinking, exercise, and medical comorbidities were controlled. Determinants of disability depend on the country; accordingly, locally designed health promotion interventions may be superior to the universal interventions for patients with heart disease. Medical comorbidities, however, should be universally diagnosed and treated.

  4. Judging without criteria? Sickness certification in Dutch disability schemes.

    PubMed

    Meershoek, Agnes; Krumeich, Anja; Vos, Rein

    2007-05-01

    The gate-keeping function that physicians perform in determining clients' physical and mental incapacities is widely assumed to be the main reason for the rising numbers of disabled people. The sharp rise in the number of disabled has led many to claim that the disability benefits schemes are untenable. In order to regain public control and to make disabled eligibility procedures more transparent guidelines have been introduced in which medical evaluations are conceptualised as formal rational decisions. It is, however, questionable whether such measures are helpful in achieving their stated aims. This paper is based on ethnographic research on the ways physicians evaluate the eligibility of clients for disability benefits. It argues that assessing incapacity involves much more than formal rational decision-making. Doctors' reasoning is contextual and deliberative in character, and thus their assessment of a client's incapacity is less a technical matter than a normative one. Instead of generating transparency, guidelines based on formal rationality make the complex deliberations on which such judgments are based invisible, because they deny the normative dimension of medical expert decision-making. Therefore, different measures have to be developed that allow this normative dimension to be articulated, since insight into this normative dimension is a necessary pre-condition to be able to criticise disability judgments at all.

  5. Technology in the Assessment of Learning Disability.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bigler, Erin D.; Lajiness-O'Neill, Renee; Howes, Nancy-Louise

    1998-01-01

    Reviews recent neuroradiologic and brain imaging techniques in the assessment of learning disability. Technologies reviewed include computerized tomography; magnetic resonance imaging; electrophysiological and metabolic imaging; computerized electroencepholographic studies of evoked potentials, event-related potentials, spectral analysis, and…

  6. Work Ability Index predicts application for disability pension after work-related medical rehabilitation for chronic back pain.

    PubMed

    Bethge, Matthias; Gutenbrunner, Christoph; Neuderth, Silke

    2013-11-01

    To determine whether the Work Ability Index (WAI), a short 7-item self-report questionnaire addressing issues of perceived disability, impairment, and expectations for resuming work, predicts application for disability pension, recommendations for further treatment, and other adverse work-related criteria in patients with chronic back pain after rehabilitation. Cohort study with 3-month follow-up. Seven inpatient rehabilitation centers. Patients (N=294; 168 women; mean age, 49.9y) with chronic back pain. The WAI was completed at the beginning of rehabilitation. All patients were treated according to the German rehabilitation guidelines for chronic back pain and work-related medical rehabilitation. Application for disability pension, as assessed by a postal questionnaire 3 months after discharge. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the association between the WAI at baseline and subsequent application for disability pension revealed an area under the curve of .80 (95% confidence interval [CI], .62-.97). Youden index was highest when the WAI cutoff value was ≤20 points (sensitivity, 72.7%; specificity, 82.2%; total correct classification, 81.7%). After adjusting for age and sex, persons with a baseline WAI score of ≤20 points had 15.6 times (95% CI, 3.6-68.2) higher odds of subsequent application for disability pension, 4.9 times (95% CI, 1.5-16.8) higher odds of unemployment, and 6 times (95% CI, 2.4-15.2) higher odds of long-term sick leave at follow-up. The WAI could help rehabilitation professionals identify patients with back pain with a high risk of a subsequent application for disability pension. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Psychoactive Medication and Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eaton, Marie; And Others

    1977-01-01

    A seven-year-old emotionally disturbed boy with some features of the hyperkinetic syndrome was placed on a double-blind placebo control program to assess the effects of psychoactive medications (Ritalin and Dexedrine) on academic and social behaviors. (Author)

  8. An Assessment of the Needs of Alaska Residents Who Are Disabled.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanna, Virgene; Kruse, Jack

    A telephone survey of 4,364 randomly selected households in Alaska aimed at assessing the needs of disabled persons who were not institutionalized. In households that where found to have a disabled member, 514 interviews were conducted with the disabled person or a representative. The survey provided information on: (1) an estimated 22,220 persons…

  9. 6,220 institutionalised people with intellectual disability referred for visual assessment between 1993 and 2003: overview and trends.

    PubMed

    van Isterdael, C E D; Stilma, J S; Bezemer, P D; Tijmes, N T

    2006-10-01

    To summarise the results of visual performance tests and other data of institutionalised people with intellectual disability referred to a visual advisory centre (VAC) between 1993 and 2003, and to determine trends in these data. A retrospective medical record review was undertaken of 6,220 consecutive people examined ophthalmologically according to a standard protocol by one VAC that specialised in visual assessment and treatment of people with intellectual disability, between 1993 and 2003. chi2 test for linear trend was used and linear regression coefficients were calculated. The proportion of people aged > or =50 years increased from 19.3% to 34.2% between 1995 and 2003 (p<0.001); the combined figure of severe or profound intellectual disability decreased from 80.0% to 52.6% (p<0.001); the proportion of mobile people increased from 52.1% to 98.0% (p<0.001); the combined proportion of people with visual impairment or blindness decreased from 70.9% to 22.9% (p<0.001), and that of people with visual disorders decreased from 89.6% to 75.3% (p<0.001). Causes of intellectual disability were identified in 58.4% people; 20.8% had Down's syndrome. Many ocular diagnoses were found, indicating the need for ophthalmological monitoring. Specialised centres are helpful, because assessment and treatment of people with intellectual disability is complicated and time consuming. Protocols for efficient referral will have to be developed. A major task lies ahead to improve the treatment rates of refractive errors, cataract and strabismus, and to find specific causes of intellectual disability.

  10. The Mental Disability Military Assessment Tool: A Reliable Tool for Determining Disability in Veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

    PubMed

    Fokkens, Andrea S; Groothoff, Johan W; van der Klink, Jac J L; Popping, Roel; Stewart, Roy E; van de Ven, Lex; Brouwer, Sandra; Tuinstra, Jolanda

    2015-09-01

    An assessment tool was developed to assess disability in veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a military mission. The objective of this study was to determine the reliability, intra-rater and inter-rater variation of the Mental Disability Military (MDM) assessment tool. Twenty-four assessment interviews of veterans with an insurance physician were videotaped. Each videotaped interview was assessed by a group of five independent raters on limitations of the veterans using the MDM assessment tool. After 2 months the raters repeated this procedure. Next the intra-rater and inter-rater variation was assessed with an adjusted version of AG09 computing weighted percentage agreement. The results of this study showed that both the intra-rater variation and inter-rater variation on the ten subcategories of the MDM assessment tool were small, with an agreement of 84-100% within raters and 93-100% between raters. The MDM assessment tool proves to be a reliable instrument to measure PTSD limitations in functioning in Dutch military veterans who apply for disability compensation. Further research is needed to assess the validity of this instrument.

  11. 14 CFR 382.23 - May carriers require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false May carriers require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate? 382.23 Section 382.23 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE... BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL Nondiscrimination and Access to Services and Information § 382.23 May...

  12. 14 CFR 382.23 - May carriers require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false May carriers require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate? 382.23 Section 382.23 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE... BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL Nondiscrimination and Access to Services and Information § 382.23 May...

  13. The 2% Transition: Supporting Access to State Assessments for Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jamgochian, Elisa M.; Ketterlin-Geller, Leanne R.

    2015-01-01

    Most students with disabilities participate in state assessments with or without accommodations [based on each student's Individualized Education Program (IEP)]. A small number of students with the most severe or profound intellectual disabilities participate in an alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). Until…

  14. Universally Designed Assessments for ELLs with Disabilities: What We've Learned So Far

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnstone, Christopher J.; Anderson, Michael E.; Thompson, Sandra J.

    2006-01-01

    English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities are an emerging population in the U.S. and therefore command special attention in assessment systems. Research has demonstrated that "universal design of assessment" approaches are effective in helping to make assessments more accessible for ELLs with disabilities. Special education…

  15. 2008-09 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities. Technical Report 59

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thurlow, Martha L.; Bremer, Chris; Albus, Deb

    2011-01-01

    This is the thirteenth annual report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that analyzes public reporting practices of assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) required states to disaggregate performance data at the state and district…

  16. Cross-Country Differences in the Additive Effects of Socioeconomics, Health Behaviors and Medical Comorbidities on Disability among Older Adults with Heart Disease

    PubMed Central

    Assari, Shervin

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Background: Patients with heart disease experience limited activities of daily living (ADL). This is a cross-country comparison of the additive effects of Socioeconomics, health behaviors, and the number of medical comorbidities on disability among patients with heart disease. Methods: The current study used a cross-sectional design. Data came from the Research on Early Life and Aging Trends and Effects (RELATE). The current analysis utilized data on elderly individuals (age ≥60 y) from 13 countries. The outcome was any ADL limitation (i.e. bathing, dressing, using toilet, transferring, lifting heavy things, shopping, and eating meals). Socioeconomics (i.e. age, gender, education, and income), health behaviors (i.e. exercise, smoking, and drinking), and number of chronic medical conditions (i.e. hypertension, respiratory, arthritis, stroke, and diabetes) were entered into country-specific logistic regressions, considering at least one limitation in ADL as the main outcome. Results: Number of comorbid medical conditions and age were positively associated with disability in 85% of the countries. Physical activity and drinking were linked to disability in 54%and 31% of countries, respectively. Higher education and income were associated with lower disability in 31% and 23% of the countries, respectively. Female gender was associated with higher disability only in 15% of the countries. Smoking was not associated with disability, while the effects of socioeconomics, drinking, exercise, and medical comorbidities were controlled. Conclusion: Determinants of disability depend on the country; accordingly, locally designed health promotion interventions may be superior to the universal interventions for patients with heart disease. Medical comorbidities, however, should be universally diagnosed and treated. PMID:26157460

  17. Why We Need Reliable, Valid, and Appropriate Learning Disability Assessments: The Perspective of a Postsecondary Disability Service Provider

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolforth, Joan

    2012-01-01

    This paper discusses issues regarding the validity and reliability of psychoeducational assessments provided to Disability Services Offices at Canadian Universities. Several vignettes illustrate some current issues and the potential consequences when university students are given less than thorough disability evaluations and ascribed diagnoses.…

  18. Virtual reality, disability and rehabilitation.

    PubMed

    Wilson, P N; Foreman, N; Stanton, D

    1997-06-01

    Virtual reality, or virtual environment computer technology, generates simulated objects and events with which people can interact. Existing and potential applications for this technology in the field of disability and rehabilitation are discussed. The main benefits identified for disabled people are that they can engage in a range of activities in a simulator relatively free from the limitations imposed by their disability, and they can do so in safety. Evidence that the knowledge and skills acquired by disabled individuals in simulated environments can transfer to the real world is presented. In particular, spatial information and life skills learned in a virtual environment have been shown to transfer to the real world. Applications for visually impaired people are discussed, and the potential for medical interventions and the assessment and treatment of neurological damage are considered. Finally some current limitations of the technology, and ethical concerns in relation to disability, are discussed.

  19. Development of a Preschool Developmental Assessment Scale for Assessment of Developmental Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Cynthia; Mak, Rose; Lau, Vanessa; Cheung, Jasmine; Lam, Catherine

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this paper was to describe the development of the cognitive domain of the Preschool Developmental Assessment Scale (PDAS) for assessment of preschool children with developmental disabilities. The initial version of the cognitive domain consisted of 87 items. They were administered to 324 preschool children, including 240 children from…

  20. Learning from Physicians with Disabilities and Their Patients.

    PubMed

    DeLisa, Joel A; Lindenthal, Jacob Jay

    2016-10-01

    Although progress has been made in diversifying medical school admissions and faculty, this has not extended to physicians with physical disabilities. To improve our understanding of medical students and physicians with physical and sensory disabilities, the authors propose systematically gathering information on the needs and experiences of four groups: physicians who had disabilities before beginning practice, physicians whose disabilities were incurred during their medical careers, physicians drawn from those two groups, and patients of physicians with disabilities. It is hoped these data would be used by counselors, administrators, and admissions committees in advising medical school applicants with disabilities and in revising institutional policies with a view to increasing matriculation and graduation rates of medical students with disabilities. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  1. Medical Discrimination against Children with Disabilities. A Report of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Commission on Civil Rights, Washington, DC.

    This report, prepared pursuant to Public Law 98-183 (Child Abuse Amendments of 1984), examines the nature and extent of the practice of withholding medical treatment or nourishment from infants born with disabilities and makes recommendations to remedy deficiencies in existing law. Evidence suggests that decisions to withhold medically indicated…

  2. Public transit, obesity, and medical costs: assessing the magnitudes.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Ryan D

    2008-01-01

    This paper assesses the potential benefits of increased walking and reduced obesity associated with taking public transit in terms of dollars of medical costs saved and disability avoided. I conduct a new analysis of a nationally representative U.S. transportation survey to gauge the net increase in walking associated with public transit usage. I translate minutes spent walking into energy expenditures and reductions in obesity prevalence, estimating the present value of costs and disability that may be avoided. Taking public transit is associated with walking 8.3 more minutes per day on average, or an additional 25.7-39.0 kcal. Hill et al. [Hill, J.O., Wyatt, H.R., Reed, G.W., Peters, J.C., 2003. Obesity and the environment: Where do we go from here? Science 299 (5608), 853-855] estimate that an increase in net expenditure of 100 kcal/day can stop the increase in obesity in 90% of the population. Additional walking associated with public transit could save $5500 per person in present value by reducing obesity-related medical costs. Savings in quality-adjusted life years could be even higher. While no silver bullet, walking associated with public transit can have a substantial impact on obesity, costs, and well-being. Further research is warranted on the net impact of transit usage on all behaviors, including caloric intake and other types of exercise, and on whether policies can promote transit usage at acceptable cost.

  3. Parental Perceptions of Family Centered Care in Medical Homes of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.

    PubMed

    Zajicek-Farber, Michaela L; Lotrecchiano, Gaetano R; Long, Toby M; Farber, Jon Matthew

    2015-08-01

    Life course theory sets the framework for strong inclusion of family centered care (FCC) in quality medical homes of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (CNDD). The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of families with their experiences of FCC in medical homes for CNDD. Using a structured questionnaire, the Family-Centered Care Self-Assessment Tool developed by Family Voices, this study surveyed 122 parents of CNDD in a large urban area during 2010-2012. Data collected information on FCC in the provision of primary health care services for CNDD and focused on family-provider partnerships, care setting practices and policies, and community services. Frequency analysis classified participants' responses as strengths in the "most of the time" range, and weaknesses in the "never" range. Only 31 % of parents were satisfied with the primary health care their CNDD received. Based on an accepted definition of medical home services, 16 % of parents reported their CNDD had most aspects of a medical home, 64 % had some, and 20 % had none. Strengths in FCC were primarily evident in the family-provider partnership and care settings when focused on meeting the medical care needs of the child. Weaknesses in FCC were noted in meeting the needs of families, coordination, follow-up, and support with community resources. Improvements in key pediatric health care strategies for CNDD are recommended. CNDD and their families have multifaceted needs that require strong partnerships among parents, providers, and communities. Quality medical homes must include FCC and valued partnerships with diverse families and community-based providers.

  4. 76 FR 44086 - Agency Information Collection (Report of Medical Examination for Disability Evaluation) Activity...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-22

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS [OMB Control No. 2900-0052] Agency Information Collection (Report of Medical Examination for Disability Evaluation) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below...

  5. [The morbidity of population temporary disability in the Russian Federation].

    PubMed

    Shchepin, V O

    2012-01-01

    The article presents the results of calculation and analysis of structure and rate of temporary disability morbidity in the Russian Federation in 2007-2010. The quality assessment of the indicators of temporary disability morbidity is given. The financial volumes of work losses and costs of medical care and disease social insurance are established. The significant gender differences in rate and temporary disability duration are demonstrated. The issues demanding a specific approach during the development of activities targeted to prevention and decrease of temporary disability morbidity are discussed.

  6. Stereotyping of medical disability claimants' communication behaviour by physicians: towards more focused education for social insurance physicians.

    PubMed

    van Rijssen, H J; Schellart, A J M; Berkhof, M; Anema, J R; van der Beek, Aj

    2010-11-03

    Physicians who hold medical disability assessment interviews (social insurance physicians) are probably influenced by stereotypes of claimants, especially because they have limited time available and they have to make complicated decisions. Because little is known about the influences of stereotyping on assessment interviews, the objectives of this paper were to qualitatively investigate: (1) the content of stereotypes used to classify claimants with regard to the way in which they communicate; (2) the origins of such stereotypes; (3) the advantages and disadvantages of stereotyping in assessment interviews; and (4) how social insurance physicians minimise the undesirable influences of negative stereotyping. Data were collected during three focus group meetings with social insurance physicians who hold medical disability assessment interviews with sick-listed employees (i.e. claimants). The participants also completed a questionnaire about demographic characteristics. The data were qualitatively analysed in Atlas.ti in four steps, according to the grounded theory and the principle of constant comparison. A total of 22 social insurance physicians participated. Based on their responses, a claimant's communication was classified with regard to the degree of respect and acceptance in the physician-claimant relationship, and the degree of dominance. Most of the social insurance physicians reported that they classify claimants in general groups, and use these classifications to adapt their own communication behaviour. Moreover, the social insurance physicians revealed that their stereotypes originate from information in the claimants' files and first impressions. The main advantages of stereotyping were that this provides a framework for the assessment interview, it can save time, and it is interesting to check whether the stereotype is correct. Disadvantages of stereotyping were that the stereotypes often prove incorrect, they do not give the complete picture, and the

  7. Stereotyping of medical disability claimants' communication behaviour by physicians: towards more focused education for social insurance physicians

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Physicians who hold medical disability assessment interviews (social insurance physicians) are probably influenced by stereotypes of claimants, especially because they have limited time available and they have to make complicated decisions. Because little is known about the influences of stereotyping on assessment interviews, the objectives of this paper were to qualitatively investigate: (1) the content of stereotypes used to classify claimants with regard to the way in which they communicate; (2) the origins of such stereotypes; (3) the advantages and disadvantages of stereotyping in assessment interviews; and (4) how social insurance physicians minimise the undesirable influences of negative stereotyping. Methods Data were collected during three focus group meetings with social insurance physicians who hold medical disability assessment interviews with sick-listed employees (i.e. claimants). The participants also completed a questionnaire about demographic characteristics. The data were qualitatively analysed in Atlas.ti in four steps, according to the grounded theory and the principle of constant comparison. Results A total of 22 social insurance physicians participated. Based on their responses, a claimant's communication was classified with regard to the degree of respect and acceptance in the physician-claimant relationship, and the degree of dominance. Most of the social insurance physicians reported that they classify claimants in general groups, and use these classifications to adapt their own communication behaviour. Moreover, the social insurance physicians revealed that their stereotypes originate from information in the claimants' files and first impressions. The main advantages of stereotyping were that this provides a framework for the assessment interview, it can save time, and it is interesting to check whether the stereotype is correct. Disadvantages of stereotyping were that the stereotypes often prove incorrect, they do not give the

  8. [Application of WAIS-RC short forms and adult intelligence disability scale in mental impairment assessment].

    PubMed

    Pang, Yan-Xia; Zhang, Jian; Yang, Cheng-Long; Cang, Yong; Wang, Xue-Ling

    2011-06-01

    Study on the application of WAIS-RC short forms and adult intelligence disability scale in mental impairment assessment. Mental impairment assessment cases between July 2009 and March 2011 in judicial appraisal institute of Taizhou University were collected. Assessment results obtained with the WAIS-RC short forms and adult intelligence disability scale were compared with the experts assessing conclusions and analyzed using SPSS 11.5 software. Assessment results with the two scales did not fully comply with the expert's conclusions, with reliability coefficient were 0.785 and 0.940 respectively, correlation coefficient were 0.850 and 0.922 respectively. The intelligence assessment was influenced by many factors. When the appraised individuals had nerve dysfunction and mild intelligence disability or mental disorders, the two scales should be used together. When the appraised individuals had moderate intelligence disability or mental disorders, adult intelligence disability scale had advantage.

  9. Disabled children and their families in Ukraine: health and mental health issues for families caring for their disabled child at home.

    PubMed

    Bridge, Gillian

    2004-01-01

    In the Eastern European countries included in the communist system of the USSR, parents of disabled children were encouraged to commit their disabled child to institutional care. There were strict legal regulations excluding them from schools. Medical assessments were used for care decisions. Nevertheless many parents decided to care for their disabled child at home within the family. Ukraine became an independent country in 1991, when communism was replaced by liberal democracy within a free market system. Western solutions have been sought for many social problems existing, but 'hidden,' under the old regime. For more of the parents of disabled children, this has meant embracing ideas of caring for their disabled children in the community, and providing for their social, educational, and medical needs, which have previously been denied. The issue of disability is a serious one for Ukraine where the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl in 1986 caused extensive radiation poisoning. This almost certainly led to an increase in the number of disabled children being born and an increase in the incidence of various forms of cancer. This paper is based on a series of observation visits to some of the many self-help groups established by parents, usually mothers, for their disabled children. It draws attention to the emotional stress experienced both by parents and their disabled children in the process of attempting to come to terms with the disabling conditions, and the denial of the normal rights of childhood resulting from prejudice, poor resources, ignorance, and restrictive legislation. Attempts have been made to identify the possible role and tasks of professional social workers within this context. International comparisons show that many parents and their children do not benefit from the medical model of disability, and that serious consequences include the development of depressive illness among those who find that little help is available from public services.

  10. The importance of social characteristics of communities for the medically based disability pension.

    PubMed

    Krokstad, Steinar; Magnus, Per; Skrondal, Anders; Westin, Steinar

    2004-12-01

    The aim of this study was to look for any possible contextual effect of deprivation at municipality level on the risk of being granted the medically based disability pension, controlled for compositional effects due to spatial concentration of people with a high risk of disability. The material consists of the residentiary part of a total Norwegian county population aged 20-54 years without disability pension at baseline, n=40,083. This study was performed as a 10-year follow-up study. The relative risk of being granted a disability pension was estimated by logistic regression analyses as odds ratios (OR) between people living in different municipalities according to a municipality deprivation index at three levels, adjusted for individual factors. The OR of disability pension was 1.36 (1.22, 1.51) for people residing in intermediate deprived municipalities and 1.48 (1.31, 1.67) for people residing in the most deprived municipalities compared to the most affluent municipalities, adjusted for gender and age. After adjustment for individual risk factors the OR was 1.26 (1.12, 1.41) and 1.18 (1.04, 1.35) respectively. Analyses stratified by gender showed that the increased risk of receiving a disability pension for men in the most deprived municipalities was explained by individual factors alone. Relative municipality deprivation seems to account for an increase in the incidence of disability pension. This effect contributes to marginalization of people living in less affluent areas out of employment and thus to widening socioeconomic inequalities in the population.

  11. Accessible medical equipment for patients with disabilities in primary care clinics: why is it lacking?

    PubMed

    Pharr, Jennifer

    2013-04-01

    Previous research has identified inaccessible medical equipment as a barrier to health care services encountered by people with disabilities. However, no research has been conducted to understand why medical practices lack accessible equipment. The purpose of this study was to examine practice administrators' knowledge of accessible medical equipment and cost of accessible medical equipment to understand why medical practices lack such equipment. Hypotheses were: 1) Practice administrators lacked knowledge about accessible medical equipment and 2) The cost of accessible medical equipment was too great compared to standard equipment for the clinic. This study was a mixed methods survey of primary care practice administrators. The sixty-three participates were members of a medical management organization. Data were collected between December 20, 2011 and January 17, 2012. Proportions, Guttman scalogram, and Spearman's Rho correlation analyses were utilized. For this sample, less than half of the administrators knew that accessible equipment existed and a fourth knew what accessible equipment existed. There was a significant (p < 0.01), positive correlation between knowledge of accessible equipment and pieces of accessible equipment in the clinics. Because less than half of the administrators had ever considered purchasing accessible equipment, it was inconclusive if cost of accessible equipment was too great. Practice administrators' lack of knowledge of accessible medical equipment emphasizes the need not only for more education about the availability of accessible equipment but also about the importance of accessible equipment for their patients with disabilities and for physicians who provide them care. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Disability related to COPD tool (DIRECT): towards an assessment of COPD-related disability in routine practice

    PubMed Central

    Aguilaniu, B; Gonzalez-Bermejo, J; Regnault, A; Barbosa, C Dias; Arnould, B; Mueser, M; Granet, G; Bonnefoy, M; Similowski, T

    2011-01-01

    Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a worldwide public health concern. It is also a major source of disability that is often overlooked, depriving patients of effective treatments. This study describes the development and validation of a questionnaire specifically assessing COPD-related disability. Methods The DIsability RElated to COPD Tool (DIRECT) was developed according to reference methods, including literature review, patient and clinician interviews and test in a pilot study. A 12-item questionnaire was included for finalization and validation in an observational cross-sectional study conducted by 60 French pulmonologists, who recruited 275 COPD patients of stage II, III and IV according to the GOLD classification. Rasch modeling was conducted and psychometric properties were assessed (internal consistency reliability; concurrent and clinical validity). Results The DIRECT score was built from the 10 items retained in the Rasch model. Their internal consistency reliability was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.95). The score was highly correlated with the Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire Activity score (r = 0.83) and the London Handicap Scale (r = −0.70), a generic disability measure. It was highly statistically significantly associated to four clinical parameters (P < 0.001): GOLD classification, BODE index, FEV1 and 6-minute walk distance. Conclusion DIRECT is a promising tool that could help enhance the management of COPD patients by integrating an evaluation of the COPD-related disability into daily practice. PMID:21760726

  13. Medical Conditions and Healthcare Utilization among Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Living in Group Homes in New York City

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levy, Joel M.; Botuck, Shelly; Damiani, Marco R.; Levy, Philip H.; Dern, Thomas A.; Freeman, Stephen E.

    2006-01-01

    The shift in living situations for adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (IDDD) from family homes to group homes has raised questions about their healthcare needs and access to appropriate healthcare services. This study was undertaken to describe the disability characteristics and medical conditions in a sample of adults…

  14. The Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Adults with Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Hounsome, J; Whittington, R; Brown, A; Greenhill, B; McGuire, J

    2018-01-01

    While structured professional judgement approaches to assessing and managing the risk of violence have been extensively examined in mental health/forensic settings, the application of the findings to people with an intellectual disability is less extensively researched and reviewed. This review aimed to assess whether risk assessment tools have adequate predictive validity for violence in adults with an intellectual disability. Standard systematic review methodology was used to identify and synthesize appropriate studies. A total of 14 studies were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies assessed the predictive validity of 18 different risk assessment tools, mainly in forensic settings. All studies concluded that the tools assessed were successful in predicting violence. Studies were generally of a high quality. There is good quality evidence that risk assessment tools are valid for people with intellectual disability who offend but further research is required to validate tools for use with people with intellectual disability who offend. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Impact of Medicare on the Use of Medical Services by Disabled Beneficiaries, 1972-1974

    PubMed Central

    Deacon, Ronald W.

    1979-01-01

    The extension of Medicare coverage in 1973 to disabled persons receiving cash benefits under the Social Security Act provided an opportunity to examine the impact of health insurance coverage on utilization and expenses for Part B services. Data on medical services used both before and after coverage, collected through the Current Medicare Survey, were analyzed. Results indicate that access to care (as measured by the number of persons using services) increased slightly, while the rate of use did not. The large increase in the number of persons eligible for Medicare reflected the large increase in the number of cash beneficiaries. Significant increases also were found in the amount charged for medical services. The absence of large increases in access and service use may be attributed, in part, to the already existing source of third party payment available to disabled cash beneficiaries in 1972, before Medicare coverage. PMID:10316939

  16. Receipt of mammography among women with intellectual disabilities: medical record data indicate substantial disparities for African American women.

    PubMed

    Parish, Susan L; Swaine, Jamie G; Son, Esther; Luken, Karen

    2013-01-01

    Little information exists on the receipt of mammography by African American women with intellectual disabilities. Given the high rates of mortality from breast cancer among African American women and low screening rates among women with intellectual disabilities, it is important to understand the health screening behavior of this population. We compared rates of mammography receipt among African American and White women with intellectual disabilities (n = 92) living in community settings in one Southeastern state in the United States. Data were collected from women's medical records or abstraction forms obtained from medical practices. Multivariate logistic regressions were modeled for receipt of mammography in one year, one of two years, or both study years (2008- 2009). Covariates included the women's age, living arrangement, severity of impairment, and urban/rural residence location. In 2009, 29% of African American women and 59% of White women in the sample received mammograms. Similar disparities were found for receipt of mammography in either 2008 or 2009 and both 2008 and 2009. These disparities persisted after inclusion of model covariates. White women with intellectual disabilities received mammograms at adjusted rates that were nearly three to five times higher than African American women. African American women with intellectual disabilities receive mammography at significantly lower rates than White women with intellectual disabilities. Assertive measures to improve the screening rates for African American women with intellectual disabilities are urgently needed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Assessing visual function in children with complex disabilities: the Bradford visual function box.

    PubMed

    Pilling, Rachel F; Outhwaite, Louise; Bruce, Alison

    2016-08-01

    Assessment of children with complex and severe learning disabilities is challenging and the children may not respond to the monochrome stimuli of traditional tests. The International Association of Scientific Studies on Intellectual Disability recommends that visual function assessment in poorly or non-cooperative children should be undertaken in an objective manner. We have developed a functional visual assessment tool to assess vision in children with complex and multiple disabilities. The Bradford visual function box (BVFB) comprises a selection of items (small toys) of different size and colour, which are presented to the child and the response observed. The aim of this study is to establish its intertester validity in children with severe learning disability. The visual function of 22 children with severe learning disability was assessed using the BVFB. The children were assessed by experienced practitioners on two separate occasions. The assessors were unaware of each other's findings. In 15/22 of the children, no difference was found in the results of the two assessors. The test was shown to have a good intertester agreement, weighted κ=0.768. The results of this clinical study show that the BVFB is a reliable tool for assessing the visual function in children with severe learning disability in whom other tests fail to elicit a response. The need for a tool which is quick to administer and portable has previously been highlighted. The BVFB offers an option for children for whom other formal tests are unsuccessful in eliciting a response. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  18. Medical Expenditures Attributable to Cerebral Palsy and Intellectual Disability among Medicaid-Enrolled Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kancherla, Vijaya; Amendah, Djesika D.; Grosse, Scott D.; Yeargin-Allsopp, Marshalyn; Van Naarden Braun, Kim

    2012-01-01

    This study estimated medical expenditures attributable to cerebral palsy (CP) among children enrolled in Medicaid, stratified by the presence of co-occurring intellectual disability (ID), relative to children without CP or ID. The MarketScan[R] Medicaid Multi-State database was used to identify children with CP for 2003-2005 by using the…

  19. Effects of a comprehensive health assessment programme for Australian adults with intellectual disability: a cluster randomized trial.

    PubMed

    Lennox, Nicholas; Bain, Christopher; Rey-Conde, Therese; Purdie, David; Bush, Robert; Pandeya, Nirmala

    2007-02-01

    People with intellectual disability constitute approximately 2% of the population. They die prematurely, and often have a number of unrecognized or poorly managed medical conditions as well as inadequate health promotion and disease prevention. A cluster randomized controlled trial with matched pairs was carried out. The participants were adults with intellectual disability (n = 453 in 34 clusters). The intervention was a health assessment programme to enhance interactions between the adult with intellectual disability, their carer and their general practitioner (GP). It prompted the systematic gathering of a health history and, subsequently, access to a GP for a guided health review and development of a health action plan. It also provided information about the health of adults with intellectual disability. Follow-up was for 1 year post intervention, with outcomes extracted from GPs' clinical records. Increased health promotion, disease prevention and case-finding activity was found in the intervention group. Compared with the control group there was a 6.6-fold increase in detection of vision impairment (95% confidence interval 1.9-40); a 30-fold increase in hearing testing (4.0-230); an increase in immunization updates [tetanus/diphtheria a 9-fold increase (4.2-19)], and improvements in women's health screening [Papanicolau smears were eight times more common (1.8-35)]. The intervention increased detection of new disease by 1.6 times (0.9-2.8). The Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP) produced a substantial increase in GPs' attention to the health needs of adults with intellectual disability with concomitantly more disease detection. The presumption that these will yield longer-term health benefits, while suggestive, remains unexamined.

  20. Accessible Reading Assessments for Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abedi, Jamal; Bayley, Robert; Ewers, Nancy; Mundhenk, Kimberly; Leon, Seth; Kao, Jenny; Herman, Joan

    2012-01-01

    Assessments developed and field tested for the mainstream student population may not be accessible for students with disabilities (SWDs) as a result of the impact of extraneous variables, including cognitive features, such as depth of knowledge required, grammatical and lexical complexity, lexical density, and textual/visual features. This study…

  1. Swedish social insurance officers' experiences of difficulties in assessing applications for disability pensions – an interview study

    PubMed Central

    Ydreborg, Berit; Ekberg, Kerstin; Nilsson, Kerstin

    2007-01-01

    Background In this study the focus is on social insurance officers judging applications for disability pensions. The number of applications for disability pension increased during the late 1990s, which has resulted in an increasing number of disability pensions in Sweden. A more restrictive attitude towards the clients has however evolved, as societal costs have increased and governmental guidelines now focus on reducing costs. As a consequence, the quantitative and qualitative demands on social insurance officers when handling applications for disability pensions may have increased. The aim of this study was therefore to describe the social insurance officers' experiences of assessing applications for disability pensions after the government's introduction of stricter regulations. Methods Qualitative methodology was employed and a total of ten social insurance officers representing different experiences and ages were chosen. Open-ended interviews were performed with the ten social insurance officers. Data was analysed with inductive content analysis. Results Three themes could be identified as problematic in the social insurance officers' descriptions of dealing with the applications in order to reach a decision on whether the issue qualified applicants for a disability pension or not: 1. Clients are heterogeneous. 2. Ineffective and time consuming waiting for medical certificates impede the decision process. 3. Perspectives on the issue of work capacity differed among different stakeholders. The backgrounds of the clients differ considerably, leading to variation in the quality and content of applications. Social insurance officers had to make rapid decisions within a limited time frame, based on limited information, mainly on the basis of medical certificates that were often insufficient to judge work capacity. The role as coordinating actor with other stakeholders in the welfare system was perceived as frustrating, since different stakeholders have different

  2. User experience network. Erroneous downstream occlusion alarms may disable Smiths Medical CADD-Solis infusion pumps.

    PubMed

    2010-10-01

    Due to an issue in manufacturing, downstream occlusion (DSO) sensors in some Smiths Medical CADD-Solis infusion pumps may drift out of calibration, potentially resulting in erroneous alarms that disable the units. Hospitals experiencing the problem should return affected units to Smiths Medical for recalibration (free of charge) and should consider testing all their CADD-Solis pumps during routine maintenance to ensure that they alarm appropriately for downstream occlusions.

  3. Discovery of previously undetected intellectual disability by psychological assessment: a study of consecutively referred child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

    PubMed

    Pogge, David L; Stokes, John; Buccolo, Martin L; Pappalardo, Stephen; Harvey, Philip D

    2014-07-01

    Intellectual disability is associated with an increased risk of behavioral disturbances and also complicates their treatment. Despite increases in the sophistication of medical detection of early risk for intellectual disability, there is remarkably little data about the detection of intellectual disability in cases referred for psychiatric treatment. In this study, we used a 10-year sample of 23,629 consecutive child and adolescent admissions (ages between 6 and 17) to inpatient psychiatric treatment. Eleven percent (n=2621) of these cases were referred for psychological assessment and were examined with a general measure of intellectual functioning (i.e., WISC-IV). Of these cases, 16% had Full Scale IQs below 70. Of the cases whose therapists then referred them for formal assessment of their adaptive functioning (i.e., ABAS-II) 81% were found to have composite scores below 70 as well. Only one of the cases whose Full Scale IQ was less than 70 had a referral diagnosis of intellectual disability. Cases with previously undetected intellectual disability were found to be significantly more likely to have a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder and less likely to have a diagnosis of mood disorder than cases with IQs over 70. Disruptive behavior disorder diagnoses did not differ as a function of intellectual performance. These data suggest a high rate of undetected intellectual disability in cases with a psychiatric condition serious enough to require hospitalization and this raises the possibility that many such cases may be misdiagnosed, the basis of their problems may be misconceptualized, and they may be receiving treatments that do not take into account their intellectual level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Agreement in Quality of Life Assessment between Adolescents with Intellectual Disability and Their Parents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Golubovic, Spela; Skrbic, Renata

    2013-01-01

    Intellectual disability affects different aspects of functioning and quality of life, as well as the ability to independently assess the quality of life itself. The paper examines the agreement in the quality of life assessments made by adolescents with intellectual disability and their parents compared with assessments made by adolescents without…

  5. Facing Learning Disabilities in the Adult Years. Understanding Dyslexia, ADHD, Assessment, Intervention, and Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shapiro, Joan; Rich, Rebecca

    This text provides information on learning disabilities in adults and offers practical ways to compensate. Chapters address: (1) definitions of learning disability; (2) etiology of learning disabilities; (3) our cognitive or thinking systems; (4) different assessment settings and some of the tests used to diagnose a learning disability; (5)…

  6. Developing a uniformed assessment tool to evaluate care service needs for disabled persons in Japan.

    PubMed

    Takei, Teiji; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Nakatani, Hiroki

    2008-05-01

    Until recently, the care services for disabled persons have been under rigid control by public sectors in terms of provision and funding in Japan. A reform was introduced in 2003 that brought a rapid increase of utilization of services and serious shortage of financial resources. Under these circumstances, the "Services and Supports for Persons with Disabilities Act" was enacted in 2005, requiring that the care service provision process should be transparent, fair and standardized. The purpose of this study is to develop an objective tool for assessing the need for disability care. In the present study we evaluate 1423 cases of patients receiving care services in 60 municipalities, including all three categories of disabilities (physical, intellectual and mental). Using the data of the total 106 items, we conducted factor analysis and regression analysis to develop an assessment tool for people with disabilities. The data revealed that instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) played an essential role in assessing disability levels. We have developed the uniformed assessment tool that has been utilized to guide the types and quantity of care services throughout Japan.

  7. Challenging behavior and related factors in people with intellectual disability living in residential care centers in Israel.

    PubMed

    Sinai, Amanda; Tenenbaum, Ariel; Aspler, Shoshana; Lotan, Meir; Morad, Mohammed; Merrick, Joav

    2013-01-01

    Adults with intellectual disabilities have higher rates of mental ill-health and problem behaviors than the general population. In this study, we present data on trends in challenging behavior in residential care centers in Israel from 1998 to 2008 and further data on trends in employment of psychiatrists from 1998 to 2009 and psychotropic medication use from 1998 to 2008. Data was collected from annual questionnaires sent out to all residential care centers in Israel, from the Office of the Medical Director, Division for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services. Rates of challenging behaviors in people with intellectual disabilities living in residential care centers in Israel continues to rise. Alongside this, trends in regular psychotropic medication use also continues to increase. Consideration of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors in the assessment and management of people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviors is important. This is best conducted using a multidisciplinary approach, which may include psychiatric assessment. Non-pharmacological interventions should always be considered either alongside, or instead of medication.

  8. Challenging Behavior and Related Factors in People with Intellectual Disability Living in Residential Care Centers in Israel

    PubMed Central

    Sinai, Amanda; Tenenbaum, Ariel; Aspler, Shoshana; Lotan, Meir; Morad, Mohammed; Merrick, Joav

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Adults with intellectual disabilities have higher rates of mental ill-health and problem behaviors than the general population. Method: In this study, we present data on trends in challenging behavior in residential care centers in Israel from 1998 to 2008 and further data on trends in employment of psychiatrists from 1998 to 2009 and psychotropic medication use from 1998 to 2008. Data was collected from annual questionnaires sent out to all residential care centers in Israel, from the Office of the Medical Director, Division for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services. Results: Rates of challenging behaviors in people with intellectual disabilities living in residential care centers in Israel continues to rise. Alongside this, trends in regular psychotropic medication use also continues to increase. Conclusion: Consideration of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors in the assessment and management of people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviors is important. This is best conducted using a multidisciplinary approach, which may include psychiatric assessment. Non-pharmacological interventions should always be considered either alongside, or instead of medication. PMID:24350182

  9. Reliability and Validity of the Greek Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Oikonomidi, Theodora; Vikelis, Michail; Artemiadis, Artemios; Chrousos, George P; Darviri, Christina

    2018-03-01

    The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for migraine-related disability. Such a tool is needed to quantify migraine-related disability in the Greek population. This validation study aims to assess the test-retest reliability, internal consistency, item discriminant and convergent validity of the Greek translation of the MIDAS. Adults diagnosed with migraine completed the MIDAS Questionnaire on two occasions 3 weeks apart to assess reliability, and completed the RAND-36 to assess validity. Participants (n = 152) had a median MIDAS score of 24 and mostly severe disability (58% were grade IV). The test-retest reliability analysis (N = 59) revealed excellent reliability for the total score. Internal consistency was α = 0.71 for initial and α = 0.82 for retest completion. For item discriminant validity, the correlations between each question and the total score were significant, with high correlations for questions 2-5 (range 0.67 ≤ r ≤ 0.79; p < 0.01). For convergent validity, there was significant negative correlation between the total score and all RAND-36 subscales except for 'emotional wellbeing'. The negative correlation indicates that patients with a lower degree of disability according to their MIDAS score tended to have better wellbeing. Psychometric properties are comparable with those of other published validation studies of the MIDAS and the original. Findings on question 1 show that missing work/school days may be closely related with increased affect issues. The Greek version of the MIDAS Questionnaire has good reliability and validity. This study allowed for cross-cultural comparability of research findings.

  10. The Impact of Cognitive Assessment on the Identity of People with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Terence; Smith, Hilary; Burns, Jan

    2014-01-01

    Researchers and clinicians have hypothesised that cognitive assessments have the power to influence the self-identity of people with learning disabilities. This research aimed to explore the experience of a sample of people who had been given a cognitive assessment by a psychologist based in a team for people with learning disabilities. Five…

  11. Health care expenditures among working-age adults with physical disabilities: variations by disability spans.

    PubMed

    Pumkam, Chaiporn; Probst, Janice C; Bennett, Kevin J; Hardin, James; Xirasagar, Sudha

    2013-10-01

    Data on health care costs for working-age adults with physical disabilities are sparse and the dynamic nature of disability is not captured. To assess the effect of 3 types of disability status (persistent disability, temporary disability, and no disability) on health care expenditures, out-of-pocket (OOP) spending, and financial burden. Data from Medical Expenditure Panel Survey panel 12 (2007-2008) were used. Respondents were classified into 3 groups. Medians of average annual expenditures, OOP expenditures, and financial ratios were weighted. The package R was used for quantile regression analyses. Fifteen percent of the working-age population reported persistent disabilities and 7% had temporary disabilities. The persistent disability group had the greatest unadjusted annual medians for total expenditures ($4234), OOP expenses ($591), and financial burden ratios (1.59), followed by the temporary disability group ($1612, $388, 0.71 respectively). The persistent disability group paid approximately 15% of total health care expenditures out-of-pocket, while the temporary disability group and the no disability group each paid 22% out-of-pocket. After adjusting for other factors, quantile regression shows that the persistent disability group had significantly higher total expenditures, OOP expenses, and financial burden ratios (coefficients 1664, 156, 0.58 respectively) relative to the no disability group at the 50th percentile. Results for the temporary disability group show a similar trend except for OOP expenses. People who have disabling conditions for a longer period have better financial protection against OOP health care expenses but face greater financial burdens because of their higher out-of-pocket expenditures and their socioeconomic disadvantages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Implementing disability evaluation and welfare services based on the framework of the international classification of functioning, disability and health: experiences in Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Before 2007, the disability evaluation was based on the medical model in Taiwan. According to the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act, from 2012 the assessment of a person’s eligibility for disability benefits has to be determined based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework nationwide. The purposes of this study were to: 1) design the evaluation tools for disability eligibility system based on the ICF/ICF-Children and Youth; 2) compare the differences of grades of disability between the old and new evaluation systems; 3) analyse the outcome of the new disability evaluation system. Methods To develop evaluation tools and procedure for disability determination, we formed an implementation taskforce, including 199 professional experts, and conducted a small-scale field trial to examine the feasibility of evaluation tools in Phase I. To refine the evaluation tools and process and to compare the difference of the grades of disability between new and old systems, 7,329 persons with disabilities were randomly recruited in a national population-based study in Phase II. To implement the new system smoothly and understand the impact of the new system, the collaboration mechanism was established and data of 168,052 persons who applied for the disability benefits was extracted from the information system and analysed in Phase III. Results The measures of the 43 categories for body function/structure components, the Functioning Scale of Disability Evaluation System for activities/participation components, and the needs assessment have been developed and used in the field after several revisions. In Phase II, there was 49.7% agreement of disability grades between the old and new systems. In Phase III, 110,667 persons with a disability received their welfare services through the new system. Among them, 77% received basic social welfare support, 89% financial support, 24% allowance for assistive

  13. Assessing Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities on Academic Content

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Jessica; Behuniak, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Federal and state policies require all students with significant cognitive disabilities to participate in state assessments and be included in measures of adequate yearly progress. Although these alternate assessments of grade-level content based on alternate achievement standards have been in place for several years, little is known about the…

  14. Assessment Policy and Practices: Test Accommodations for Students without Disabilities?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Pei-Ying

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated accommodations for students without disabilities in order to fill critical gaps in both knowledge and practices in fields of special education and educational assessments. In Ontario, students at different grade levels were assessed by the provincial assessments developed by the Education Quality and Accountability Office…

  15. Improving Assessment of Work Related Mental Health Function Using the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB).

    PubMed

    Marfeo, Elizabeth E; Ni, Pengsheng; McDonough, Christine; Peterik, Kara; Marino, Molly; Meterko, Mark; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Chan, Leighton; Brandt, Diane; Jette, Alan M

    2018-03-01

    Purpose To improve the mental health component of the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for the US Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability determination process. Specifically our goal was to expand the WD-FAB scales of mood & emotions, resilience, social interactions, and behavioral control to improve the depth and breadth of the current scales and expand the content coverage to include aspects of cognition & communication function. Methods Data were collected from a random, stratified sample of 1695 claimants applying for the SSA work disability benefits, and a general population sample of 2025 working age adults. 169 new items were developed to replenish the WD-FAB scales and analyzed using factor analysis and item response theory (IRT) analysis to construct unidimensional scales. We conducted computer adaptive test (CAT) simulations to examine the psychometric properties of the WD-FAB. Results Analyses supported the inclusion of four mental health subdomains: Cognition & Communication (68 items), Self-Regulation (34 items), Resilience & Sociability (29 items) and Mood & Emotions (34 items). All scales yielded acceptable psychometric properties. Conclusions IRT methods were effective in expanding the WD-FAB to assess mental health function. The WD-FAB has the potential to enhance work disability assessment both within the context of the SSA disability programs as well as other clinical and vocational rehabilitation settings.

  16. Literature and disability: the medical interface in Borges and Beckett.

    PubMed

    Novillo-Corvalán, Patricia

    2011-06-01

    Samuel Beckett and Jorge Luis Borges have presented 20th century literature with a distinctive gallery of solitary figures who suffer from a series of physiological ailments: invalidism, decrepitude, infirmity and blindness, as well as neurological conditions such as amnesia and autism spectrum disorders. Beckett and Borges were concerned with the dynamics between illness and creativity, the literary representation of physical and mental disabilities, the processes of remembering and forgetting, and the inevitability of death. This article explores the depiction of physically and mentally disabled characters in Borges' Funes the Memorious (1942)--a story about an Uruguayan gaucho who has been left paralysed after a fall from a horse which simultaneously endowed him with an infallible memory and perception--and Beckett's Trilogy: Molloy (1951), Malone Dies (1951) and The Unnamable (1953). It examines the prodigious memory of Funes and the forgetful minds of Molloy and Malone with reference to influential neuropsychological studies such as Alexander Luria's twofold exploration of memory and forgetfulness in The Mind of a Mnemonist (1968) and The Man with a Shattered World (1972). The article demonstrates that in contrast to Beckett's amnesiacs and Luria's brain-damaged patient, who are able to transcend their circumstances through cathartic writing, Borges' and Luria's mnemonic prodigies fail to achieve anything significant with their unlimited memories and remain imprisoned within their cognitive disabilities. It reveals that medical discourses can provide invaluable insights and lead to a deeper understanding of the minds and bodily afflictions of literary characters.

  17. Attractiveness, diagnostic ambiguity, and disability cues impact perceptions of women with pain.

    PubMed

    LaChapelle, Diane L; Lavoie, Susan; Higgins, Nancy C; Hadjistavropoulos, Thomas

    2014-05-01

    This experimental study investigated how physical attractiveness, disability cue, and diagnostic ambiguity stereotypes impact perceptions of a patient's pain/disability and personality. After viewing photographs of women pictured with or without a cane, accompanied by descriptions of the women's diagnosis (fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis), 147 university students rated the women's pain/disability and personality. Analyses revealed that more attractive women received lower ratings on pain/disability and higher ratings (more positive) on personality. Moreover, those pictured with a disability cue got higher ratings on both pain/disability and personality, and those with medical evidence of pathology (less ambiguity) got higher ratings on pain/disability and lower ratings on personality. Examination of the 3 stereotypes in a single study enabled an evaluation of their interactions. An Attractiveness × Disability Cue × Diagnostic Ambiguity interaction for ratings of pain/disability revealed that the presence of both medical evidence and a disability cue were needed to override the strong "beautiful is healthy" stereotype. Significant 2-way interactions for ratings of personality indicated that the impact of the disability stereotype tends to be overshadowed by the attractiveness stereotype. The results indicate that these stereotypes have a large effect on perceptions of women with chronic pain and that attractiveness, a contextual variable unrelated to the pain experience, exerts an even stronger effect when there is less objective information available. This could have clinical ramifications for assessment and treatment of patients with chronic pain, which often occurs in the absence of "objective" medical evidence or any external cues of disability. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  18. Associations between self-assessed masticatory disability and health of community-residing elderly people.

    PubMed

    Nakanishi, N; Hino, Y; Ida, O; Fukuda, H; Shinsho, F; Tatara, K

    1999-10-01

    To examine the relationship between the self-assessed masticatory disability and the health of community-residing older people. Of 1473 randomly selected people aged 65 years and older living in Settsu, Osaka Prefecture, in October 1992, data on general health status, history of health management, psychosocial conditions, and dental conditions were obtained from 1405 people by interviews made during home visits. Follow-up for 54 months was completed for 1306 subjects (93.0%; 1072 living, 234 deceased). Being over 75 years of age, having poor general health and poor dental status, not using dental health checks, not using general health checks, not participating in social activities, not feeling that life is worth living (no "ikigai"), and feeling anxious about the future were univariately and significantly associated with self-assessed masticatory disability. Logistic regression analyses indicated that being older than 75 years, having poor general health and poor dental status, not using dental health checks, and not participating in social activities were independently associated with self-assessed masticatory disability. The Cox proportional hazards model showed that being male, over 75 years of age, and in poor general health, as well as not using general health checks, and not participating in social activities were independently associated with mortality. Self-assessed masticatory disability was univariately and significantly related to mortality, but by itself was not a significant risk factor for mortality, because of the potential influence of other variables. Certain health and psychosocial factors are closely associated with self-assessed masticatory disability among older people. Further investigations are needed to determine whether masticatory disability is a significant risk factor for mortality.

  19. Assessment and treatment of learning disabilities in Portugal.

    PubMed

    da Fonseca, V

    1996-03-01

    This article is one in our Special International Perspectives on Learning Disabilities series. The author attempts to present the actual contextual picture of the learning disabilities (LD) field in Portugal, where the school failure rate in public schools is approximately 37% and 29% in primary and secondary systems, respectively. The need for a clear educational and legislative definition of LD is advanced, as well as some expectations for that national problem. A critical analysis of the assessment and treatment models is given, as well as some suggestions for and challenges to the role of schools and personnel training centers. Research priorities also are taken into account.

  20. Functioning and Disability Analysis of Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury by Using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0

    PubMed Central

    Kuo, Chia-Ying; Liou, Tsan-Hon; Chang, Kwang-Hwa; Chi, Wen-Chou; Escorpizo, Reuben; Yen, Chia-Feng; Liao, Hua-Fang; Chiou, Hung-Yi; Chiu, Wen-Ta; Tsai, Jo-Ting

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to compare traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and spinal cord injuries (SCI) patients’ function and disability by using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0); and to clarify the factors that contribute to disability. We analyzed data available between September 2012 and August 2013 from Taiwan’s national disability registry which is based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework. Of the 2664 cases selected for the study, 1316 pertained to TBI and 1348 to SCI. A larger percentage of patients with TBI compared with those with SCI exhibited poor cognition, self-care, relationships, life activities, and participation in society (all p < 0.001). Age, sex, injury type, socioeconomic status, place of residence, and severity of impairment were determined as factors that independently contribute to disability (all p < 0.05). The WHODAS 2.0 is a generic assessment instrument which is appropriate for assessing the complex and multifaceted disability associated with TBI and SCI. Further studies are needed to validate the WHODAS 2.0 for TBI and SCI from a multidisciplinary perspective. PMID:25874682

  1. Where are persons with intellectual disabilities in medical research? A survey of published clinical trials.

    PubMed

    Feldman, M A; Bosett, J; Collet, C; Burnham-Riosa, P

    2014-09-01

    Persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) are exposed to the same medical interventions as everyone else. Given the unique health profiles of many persons with ID, it cannot be assumed that they will react to medical treatments the same as persons without ID. It is not clear if medical clinical trials routinely include persons with ID. The purpose of this research survey was to examine the inclusion of persons with ID in medical research trials, and to determine whether accommodations and/or study modifications could have been made to promote greater inclusion in medical research. Three hundred randomised control and clinical trials published between 2007 and 2011 in the six highest impact medical journals were randomly selected. Each study was reviewed for inclusion of persons with ID, and possible accommodations that could have been put in place without compromising research integrity. Corresponding authors received a follow-up survey to determine whether persons with ID were included, but were not mentioned in the article. Only 6 (2%) of 300 randomly chosen studies clearly included persons with ID. Over 90% of studies were designed in ways that would automatically exclude persons with ID from participating. The author survey revealed three additional studies including persons with ID. Most persons with ID could have participated in at least 70% of the studies with simple accommodations and/or minor procedural modifications. The findings highlight the exclusion of persons with ID in medical research. Efforts are needed to increase inclusion through research policy initiatives and education. © 2013 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Comparison of a video-based assessment and a multiple stimulus assessment to identify preferred jobs for individuals with significant intellectual disabilities.

    PubMed

    Horrocks, Erin L; Morgan, Robert L

    2009-01-01

    The authors compare two methods of identifying job preferences for individuals with significant intellectual disabilities. Three individuals with intellectual disabilities between the ages of 19 and 21 participated in a video-based preference assessment and a multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) assessment. Stimulus preference assessment procedures typically involve giving participants access to the selected stimuli to increase the probability that participants will associate the selected choice with the actual stimuli. Although individuals did not have access to the selected stimuli in the video-based assessment, results indicated that both assessments identified the same highest preference job for all participants. Results are discussed in terms of using a video-based assessment to accurately identify job preferences for individuals with developmental disabilities.

  3. Relationship between self-assessed masticatory disability and 9-year mortality in a cohort of community-residing elderly people.

    PubMed

    Nakanishi, Noriyuki; Fukuda, Hideki; Takatorige, Toshio; Tatara, Kozo

    2005-01-01

    To examine the relationship between self-assessed masticatory disability and mortality. Prospective. Community based. Total of 1,405 randomly selected people aged 65 and older living in Settsu, Osaka Prefecture, in October 1992. Data on health status as indicated by disability scores, history of health management, self-assessed masticatory ability, and psychosocial conditions were collected by means of interviews during home visits at the time of enrollment. Nine-year follow-up was completed for 1,245 (88.6%; 398 deceased and 847 alive). Self-assessed masticatory disability was significantly associated with being 75 and older, having overall disability, not using dental health checks or general health checks, not participating in social activities, not feeling that life is worth living (no ikigai), and finding relationships with people difficult. As for the association between self-assessed masticatory disability and mortality, the estimated survival rate for those with self-assessed masticatory disability was lower than that for those without for each group stratified by sex and age (65-74 and >or=75), and the equality of survival curves according to self-assessed masticatory disability was significant for each group. After controlling for potential predictors of mortality, self-assessed masticatory disability remained as a significant predictor of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio=1.63, 95% confidence interval=1.30-2.03, P<.001). These results indicate that self-assessed masticatory disability may be associated with a greater risk of mortality in community-residing elderly people.

  4. Assessment of prison life of persons with disability in Ghana.

    PubMed

    Dogbe, Joslin; Owusu-Dabo, Ellis; Edusei, Anthony; Plange-Rhule, Gyikua; Addofoh, Nicholas; Baffour-Awuah, Sandra; Sarfo-Kantanka, Osei; Hammond, Charles; Owusu, Michael

    2016-08-08

    Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are a unique group that are often overlooked in many developing countries due to systemic weaknesses, lack of political commitment and inadequate support from government and non-governmental agencies. The population of these individuals is however steadily on the increase and currently corresponds to 15 % of the world population. Although much data exist on lifestyle and conditions of prisoners with disabilities in the western world, scanty information is available in Africa. In Ghana, there is insufficient data on the occurrence and social characteristics of prisoners with disabilities. The purpose of this current study was therefore to identify the occurrence, types and causes of disabilities among prisoners serving sentences in Ghanaian prisons. This study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted in the Male and Female Regional Prisons in Kumasi, Sunyani and the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, from November to December 2011. PWDs were selected by prisons officers and interviewed using structured questionnaires on variables such as socio-demographic characteristics, causes of disabilities and accessibility to recreational facilities. Ethical approval was obtained from the security services and the Committee of Human Research Publications and Ethics (CHRPE) of the School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). We screened 6114 records of prisoners of which 1852 (30.3 %) were from the Kumasi Central Prisons, 3483 (57 %) from the Nsawam Medium Security and 779 (12.8 %) from the Sunyani Central Prisons. A total of 99 PWDs were identified with the commonest disability being physical, followed by visual, hearing, speech, mental and albinism. Most of the disabilities were caused by trauma (68.8 %) followed by infection (16.7 %), and drug related mental disabilities (6.3 %). Fifty (50.5 %) out of the 99 PWDs were not provided with assistive devices although they admitted the need

  5. Reading fluency: implications for the assessment of children with reading disabilities.

    PubMed

    Meisinger, Elizabeth B; Bloom, Juliana S; Hynd, George W

    2010-06-01

    The current investigation explored the diagnostic utility of reading fluency measures in the identification of children with reading disabilities. Participants were 50 children referred to a university-based clinic because of suspected reading problems and/or a prior diagnosis of dyslexia, where children completed a battery of standardized intellectual, reading achievement, and processing measures. Within this clinical sample, a group of children were identified that exhibited specific deficits in their reading fluency skills with concurrent deficits in rapid naming speed and reading comprehension. This group of children would not have been identified as having a reading disability according to assessment of single word reading skills alone, suggesting that it is essential to assess reading fluency in addition to word reading because failure to do so may result in the under-identification of children with reading disabilities.

  6. Conforming a Voluntary Medical Leave of Absence Policy to Recent Interpretations of Disability Law

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meilman, Philip W.

    2016-01-01

    In 2011, Georgetown University worked to revise its medical leave of absence (MLOA) policy to be in conformity with evolving standards and interpretations of disability law as it pertains to university students. The article describes the new policy, which was reviewed and approved by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.…

  7. Teaching about Disability in Psychology: An Analysis of Disability Curricula in U.S. Undergraduate Psychology Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosa, Nicole M.; Bogart, Kathleen R.; Bonnett, Amy K.; Estill, Mariah C.; Colton, Cassandra E.

    2016-01-01

    Historically, psychology education about disability focused narrowly on psychiatric and cognitive disabilities. Furthermore, disability tends to be viewed from the medical model, rather than the social model endorsed by disability scholars, which describes disability as primarily socially constructed. Course offerings for the psychology…

  8. Ethical and Legal Issues Associated with Using Response-to-Intervention to Assess Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, Matthew K.; Jacob, Susan; Wagner, Angela R.

    2008-01-01

    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 allows schools to use a child's response to research-based intervention (RTI) as a part of procedures to identify students with learning disabilities. This paper considers whether RTI-based assessment models meet ethical and legal standards for acceptable assessment practices.…

  9. Sexual Risk Assessment for People with Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Embregts, P.; van den Bogaard, K.; Hendriks, L.; Heestermans, M.; Schuitemaker, M.; van Wouwe, H.

    2010-01-01

    Given that sexually offensive behavior on the part of people with intellectual disabilities has been identified as a significant problem, we developed a risk assessment questionnaire, that takes not only various static and dynamic factors into account but also environmental risk variables. Psychologists and staff members completed this Risk…

  10. Enacting Disability: How Can Science and Technology Studies Inform Disability Studies?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Galis, Vasilis

    2011-01-01

    This paper aims to discuss how science and technology studies (STS) can inform disability studies and challenge dominant approaches, such as the medical and the social models, in the ordering and representation of disability. Disability studies and STS have followed somewhat parallel paths in the history of ideas. From a positivist approach to…

  11. The Documentation of Health Problems in Relation to Prescribed Medication in People with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Heide, D. C.; van der Putten, A. A. J.; van den Berg, P. B.; Taxis, K.; Vlaskamp, C.

    2009-01-01

    Background: Persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) suffer from a wide range of health problems and use a wide range of different drugs. This study investigated for frequently used medication whether there was a health problem documented in the medical notes for the drug prescribed. Method: Persons with PIMD with an…

  12. Disability Studies in Education: The Need for a Plurality of Perspectives on Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baglieri, Susan; Valle, Jan W.; Connor, David J.; Gallagher, Deborah J.

    2011-01-01

    This article asserts that the field of special education, historically founded on conceptions of disability originating within scientific, psychological, and medical frameworks, will benefit from acknowledging broader understandings of disability. Although well intended, traditional understandings of disability in special education have…

  13. Frames of Reference for the Assessment of Learning Disabilities: New Views on Measurement Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lyon, G. Reid, Ed.

    This book offers 27 papers addressing critical issues in the assessment of students with all kinds of learning disabilities. Papers have the following titles and authors: "Critical Issues in the Measurement of Learning Disabilities" (G. Reid Lyon); "A Matrix of Decision Points in the Measurement of Learning Disabilities" (Barbara K. Keogh);…

  14. Opportunities to learn from medical incidents: a review of published reports from the Health and Disability Commissioner.

    PubMed

    Temelkovski, Sara; Callaghan, Kathleen

    2010-05-14

    To analyse recent published information about the Health and Disability Commissioner's investigations in the context of The New Zealand Medical Council's Domains of Competence and investigate possible relationships. Retrospective review of 100 recent Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) investigations published online (all cases reviewed regardless of the Commissioner's 'verdict'), involving at least one medical practitioner. Breaches and issues raised were categorised according to the Domains of Competence set by the Medical Council of New Zealand. The most common area of competence identified in the HDC investigations was that of Medical Expert, in 92.9% of cases. The second was Communication, identified in 48.7% of cases. Many cases included more than one Domain of Competence, with an average of 1.8 domains per investigation. Further characteristics of the cases were examined and a number of medical practitioner, patient, setting and timing statistics are also presented. This study finds medical expertise and communication skills to be the key areas of a medical practitioner's role that public complaints address. Beyond this, the limited data available through the Commissioner's published reports make it difficult to draw conclusions which might assist with the improvement of medical practice in New Zealand. We therefore conclude that the data available is useful only at a case-by-case level. More extensive use of published information about incidents involving medical practitioners will have to await changes to provide for the systematic reporting of a much higher proportion of incident investigations. Given New Zealand's current environment for dealing with medical complaints, this may require changes beyond the area of consumer complaint investigations considered here.

  15. Aggressive challenging behaviour and intellectual disability.

    PubMed

    Benson, Betsey A; Brooks, Whitney T

    2008-09-01

    The aim of this article is to review reports of aggressive challenging behaviour in individuals with intellectual disability from September 2006 to March 2008. Studies continued to demonstrate the prevalence and significance of aggressive challenging behaviour in persons with intellectual disability. Over half of the population engages in some form of aggression, but only a small number is responsible for frequent or severe acts. A publication that identified aggression profiles offered a promising new approach. Aggressive behaviour in adults often has multiple functions. The most frequently studied interventions were either behavioural or somatic. Parents learned skills to effectively intervene with their aggressive preschool child. Reviews of medication efficacy studies concluded that there was insufficient evidence to recommend a single medication. Psychiatrists agreed that medication should not be the first treatment option. In one study, a class of medication was found to reduce aggression, but not aggression with self-injury, or self-injury alone. Research on aggressive challenging behaviour requires assessment instruments that address the topography and severity of aggression. Identifying aggression types may clarify mixed results of previous research and improve treatment effectiveness. Greater access to effective, nonmedication treatments is needed.

  16. No More Excuses: New Research on Assessing Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sireci, Stephen G.

    2009-01-01

    The articles in this special issue of the "Journal of Applied Testing Technology" represent significant steps forward in the area of evaluating the validity of methods for assessing the educational achievement of students with disabilities. The studies address some of the most difficult student groups to assess--students with learning…

  17. Reliability and validity of the Japanese Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Iigaya, Miho; Sakai, Fumihiko; Kolodner, Kenneth B; Lipton, Richard B; Stewart, Walter F

    2003-04-01

    This study was designed to assess the test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and validity of a Japanese translation of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire in a sample of Japanese patients with headache. Previous studies have demonstrated that the English-language version of the MIDAS Questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of migraine-related disability. Any translations of the MIDAS Questionnaire must also be assessed for reliability and validity. Study participants were recruited from the patient population attending either the Neurology Department of Kitasato University or an affiliated clinic. Participants were eligible for study entry if they had 6 or more primary headaches per year. For reliability testing, participants completed the MIDAS Questionnaire on 2 occasions, exactly 2 weeks apart. To assess validity, patients were also invited to participate in a 90-day daily diary study. Composite measures from the 90-day diaries were compared to equivalent MIDAS measures (ie, 5 questions on headache-related disability and 1 question each on average pain intensity and headache frequency in the last 3 months) and to the total MIDAS score obtained from a third MIDAS Questionnaire completed at the end of this 90-day period. One hundred one patients between the ages of 21 and 77 years were recruited (81 women and 20 men). Ninety-nine patients (80 women and 19 men) participated in the diary study. At baseline, 46.5% of patients were MIDAS grade I or II (minimal, mild, or infrequent disability), 22.2% were MIDAS grade III (moderate disability), and 31.3% were MIDAS grade IV (severe disability). Test-retest Spearman correlations for the 5 disability questions and the questions on average pain intensity and headache frequency ranged from 0.59 to 0.80 (P<.0001). The test-retest Spearman correlation coefficient for the total MIDAS score was 0.83 (P<.0001). The degree to which individual MIDAS questions correlated with

  18. A Methodology for Assessing the Functions of Emerging Speech in Children with Developmental Disabilities

    PubMed Central

    2005-01-01

    An approach based on Skinner's (1957) theory of verbal behavior has been developed to understand and teach elementary communication skills to children with autism and developmental disabilities (Sundberg & Partington, 1998). However, few studies have directly examined the characteristics of emerging language in children with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an assessment for identifying the elementary functions of vocal speech in children. Participants were 4 children with developmental disabilities, aged 6 years to 12 years, who exhibited at least one distinguishable vocal response (word or phrase) frequently in the natural environment. The assessment focused on three verbal operants delineated by Skinner (mand, tact, and intraverbal). One or more functions were identified for at least one vocal response of each child. Results suggested that this assessment would be useful for (a) evaluating Skinner's theory, (b) guiding decisions about language training for individual children, and (c) studying the nature of expressive language development in children with developmental disabilities. PMID:16270841

  19. A methodology for assessing the functions of emerging speech in children with developmental disabilities.

    PubMed

    Lerman, Dorothea C; Parten, Mandy; Addison, Laura R; Vorndran, Christina M; Volkert, Valerie M; Kodak, Tiffany

    2005-01-01

    An approach based on Skinner's (1957) theory of verbal behavior has been developed to understand and teach elementary communication skills to children with autism and developmental disabilities (Sundberg & Partington, 1998). However, few studies have directly examined the characteristics of emerging language in children with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an assessment for identifying the elementary functions of vocal speech in children. Participants were 4 children with developmental disabilities, aged 6 years to 12 years, who exhibited at least one distinguishable vocal response (word or phrase) frequently in the natural environment. The assessment focused on three verbal operants delineated by Skinner (mand, tact, and intraverbal). One or more functions were identified for at least one vocal response of each child. Results suggested that this assessment would be useful for (a) evaluating Skinner's theory, (b) guiding decisions about language training for individual children, and (c) studying the nature of expressive language development in children with developmental disabilities.

  20. The Effects of Training on the Ability of Adults with an Intellectual Disability to Give Informed Consent to Medication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferguson, L.; Murphy, G. H.

    2014-01-01

    Background: This study had two aims: to investigate the capacity of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) to make decisions about their medications, and to evaluate whether the provision of training (information) sessions on medications would increase their capacity. Method: Twenty-eight adults (18 male and 10 female), with a mild to…

  1. Voices of disability on the radio.

    PubMed

    O'Malley, Mary Pat

    2008-01-01

    While much commentary exists in relation to the portrayal of disabled people in the media, very little research examines the talk itself in any detail. This paper examines the how people with communication disabilities and disabled people are dealt with in the talk of a radio programme about disability. To show how the voices of disabled people, and in particular people with communication difficulties, are dealt with on a radio programme titled For and About People with Disability (http://www.rte.ie). Analysis of 15 episodes of an Irish radio programme for and about people with disability called Outside the Box to identify frames governing the discourse. Three frames are identified: radio programme frame; presenter frame; and interview frame. Communication disability never appears as a topic in the radio programme frame. In the presenter and interview frames the presenter foregrounds medical aspects of experiences, asks questions that only seek factual information, and fails to respond to subjective aspects of disabled people's experiences. Analysis of the interviewees' responses show how they hold the floor and introduce subjective accounts of living with disability. Frame analysis reveals how disability (including communication disability) is dealt with in the talk of a radio programme for and about people with disability. There is an overemphasis on medical aspects of disability and a view of disability as a primarily physical phenomenon is broadcast. In spite of mainly medical/factual questions, interviewees manage to include rich accounts of their experience. People with communication disability are not included, possibly due to issues of intelligibility or lack of awareness. Speech and language therapists have a valuable role to play in terms of 'learning to listen' and 'helping to tell'.

  2. Disability and health-related rehabilitation in international disaster relief

    PubMed Central

    Reinhardt, Jan D.; Li, Jianan; Gosney, James; Rathore, Farooq A.; Haig, Andrew J.; Marx, Michael; Delisa, Joel A.

    2011-01-01

    Background Natural disasters result in significant numbers of disabling impairments. Paradoxically, however, the traditional health system response to natural disasters largely neglects health-related rehabilitation as a strategic intervention. Objectives To examine the role of health-related rehabilitation in natural disaster relief along three lines of inquiry: (1) epidemiology of injury and disability, (2) impact on health and rehabilitation systems, and (3) the assessment and measurement of disability. Design Qualitative literature review and secondary data analysis. Results Absolute numbers of injuries as well as injury to death ratios in natural disasters have increased significantly over the last 40 years. Major impairments requiring health-related rehabilitation include amputations, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries (SCI), and long bone fractures. Studies show that persons with pre-existing disabilities are more likely to die in a natural disaster. Lack of health-related rehabilitation in natural disaster relief may result in additional burdening of the health system capacity, exacerbating baseline weak rehabilitation and health system infrastructure. Little scientific evidence on the effectiveness of health-related rehabilitation interventions following natural disaster exists, however. Although systematic assessment and measurement of disability after a natural disaster is currently lacking, new approaches have been suggested. Conclusion Health-related rehabilitation potentially results in decreased morbidity due to disabling injuries sustained during a natural disaster and is, therefore, an essential component of the medical response by the host and international communities. Significant systematic challenges to effective delivery of rehabilitation interventions during disaster include a lack of trained responders as well as a lack of medical recordkeeping, data collection, and established outcome measures. Additional development of health

  3. Driving evaluation methods for able-bodied persons and individuals with lower extremity disabilities: a review of assessment modalities

    PubMed Central

    Greve, Julia Maria D'Andréa; Santos, Luciana; Alonso, Angelica Castilho; Tate, Denise G

    2015-01-01

    Assessing the driving abilities of individuals with disabilities is often a very challenging task because each medical condition is accompanied by physical impairments and because relative individual functional performance may vary depending on personal characteristics. We identified existing driving evaluation modalities for able-bodied and lower extremity-impaired subjects (spinal cord injury patients and amputees) and evaluated the potential relationships between driving performance and the motor component of driving. An extensive scoping review of the literature was conducted to identify driving assessment tools that are currently used for able-bodied individuals and for those with spinal cord injury or lower extremity amputation. The literature search focused on the assessment of the motor component of driving. References were electronically obtained via Medline from the PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases. This article compares the current assessments of driving performance for those with lower extremity impairments with the assessments used for able-bodied persons. Very few articles were found concerning “Lower Extremity Disabilities,” thus confirming the need for further studies that can provide evidence and guidance for such assessments in the future. Little is known about the motor component of driving and its association with the other driving domains, such as vision and cognition. The available research demonstrates the need for a more evidenced-based understanding of how to best evaluate persons with lower extremity impairment. PMID:26375567

  4. The Relationship among Side Effects Associated with Anti-Epileptic Medications in Those with Intellectual Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sipes, Megan; Matson, Johnny L.; Belva, Brian; Turygin, Nicole; Kozlowski, Alison M.; Horovitz, Max

    2011-01-01

    Seizures are fairly common in those with intellectual disabilities. In order to treat these seizures, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are often used and in many cases are effective. However, these medications often create a variety of associated side effects. In order to monitor these side effects, measures such as the SEIZES-B have been used. While…

  5. 75 FR 62676 - Disability Determinations by State Agency Disability Examiners

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-13

    ... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 20 CFR Parts 404 and 416 [Docket No. SSA-2008-0041] RIN 0960-AG87 Disability Determinations by State Agency Disability Examiners AGENCY: Social Security Administration. ACTION... and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act) without the approval of a State agency medical or...

  6. Paralympic Athletes and "Knowing Disability"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzgerald, Hayley

    2012-01-01

    This article explores non-disabled young people's understandings of Paralympic athletes and the disability sports they play. The article examines how society has come to know disability by discussing medical and social model views of disability. The conceptual tools offered by Pierre Bourdieu are utilised as a means of understanding the nature and…

  7. The medical reshaping of disabled bodies as a response to stigma and a route to normality

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Disabled people are said to experience stigma because their embodied presence in the world does not fit with how others interact and use their bodies to be social participants. In response they can turn to medical procedures, such as surgery or physiotherapy, in order to reshape their bodies to more closely approximate norms of social interaction and embodiment. This paper explores how medicine plays a role in attempts to be recognised by others as normal and acceptable by minimising disability. It will do so via a focus on disabled young people, in order to explore how their emerging identities and aspirations for the future influence how they think about their bodies, what normality means and their participation in multiple activities that work on their bodies. The paper draws from an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) project that used a range of qualitative research methods with a group of disabled young people. The project explored ways in which participants actively worked on their bodies to be more normal and examined the disciplinary and agency dynamics involved in this work. PMID:28167617

  8. 10 CFR 712.36 - Medical assessment process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Medical assessment process. 712.36 Section 712.36 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HUMAN RELIABILITY PROGRAM Medical Standards § 712.36 Medical assessment process. (a) The Designated Physician, under the supervision of the SOMD, is responsible for the medical assessment of HRP...

  9. 10 CFR 712.36 - Medical assessment process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Medical assessment process. 712.36 Section 712.36 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HUMAN RELIABILITY PROGRAM Medical Standards § 712.36 Medical assessment process. (a) The Designated Physician, under the supervision of the SOMD, is responsible for the medical assessment of HRP...

  10. Generalizability Theory Applied to Reading Assessments for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tindal, Gerald; Yovanoff, Paul; Geller, Josh P.

    2010-01-01

    Students with significant disabilities must participate in large-scale assessments, often using an alternate assessment judged against alternate achievement standards. The development and administration of this type of assessment must necessarily balance meaningful participation with accurate measurement. In this study, generalizability theory is…

  11. DrivAbility: teaching medical aspects of driving.

    PubMed

    Gibson, Jeremy; Whiteman, Liz

    2012-06-01

    Teaching medical aspects of fitness to drive (FTD) is currently inconsistent across UK medical schools, with almost one-third of UK medical schools offering no tuition on medical aspects of FTD. It is, therefore, not surprising to find that medical students and doctors tend to lack confidence regarding the medical aspects of FTD and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) medical standards. In response to this inconsistency we developed an innovative new learning module to teach our medical students the importance of giving appropriate advice to patients about driving, the role of the DVLA regarding medical aspects of FTD, how to recognise when patients should be referred to a driving assessment centre and what adaptations are available to allow patients with physical disabilities to drive safely. As far as we are aware Derby is the first centre in the world to incorporate the practical experience of driving adapted vehicles (at a driving assessment centre) into the undergraduate medical curriculum as an aid to teaching medical aspects of FTD. This practical learning module has proven popular with the students. Driving these adapted vehicles has allowed our students to appreciate some of the practical difficulties disabled drivers experience when learning new driving techniques. However, as only 18 driving assessment centres exist within the UK, an exact replication of this learning module will be limited elsewhere. Nevertheless, we would encourage other medical schools to evaluate the local resources that could enhance the delivery of their undergraduate curricula. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

  12. University education for the physically disabled

    PubMed Central

    Gunn, Alexander D. G.

    1977-01-01

    Two per thousand of the student population are physically handicapped. The facilities for the care of physically disabled students were surveyed at the 34 universities that have full-time medical officers and primary medical teams. It was found that communication before arrival about special medical and nursing needs of the student is insufficient, that there is inadequate liaison within the universities between the admissions office and the medical unit, and a lack of published statements by the universities about the admission of the physically disabled. In contrast, the facilities available for the handicapped student are considerable, the academic success rate high, the range of serious disability being successfully coped with is extensive, and there is a need for more encouragement in the community for the physically disabled to undertake, where intellectually capable, a university education. ImagesFigure 1.Figure 2.Figure 3. PMID:140240

  13. Medication Use among Australian Adults with Intellectual Disability in Primary Healthcare Settings: A Cross-Sectional Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doan, Tan N.; Lennox, Nicholas G.; Taylor-Gomez, Miriam; Ware, Robert S.

    2013-01-01

    Background: There is concern about widespread medication use by people with intellectual disability (ID), especially psychotropic and anticonvulsant agents. However, there is sparse information on prescribing patterns in Australia. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2000 and 2002 among adults with ID who live in the community…

  14. Assessment of Functional Caregiving in Homes with a Child with an Intellectual Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bezruczko, Nikolaus; Chen, Shu-Pi C.; Gulley, S. Beverly; Maher, Joan M.; Lawton, Cathrine S.

    2011-01-01

    The authors report on the nature of assessing functional caregiving (FC) via three studies, conducted by a university-public preschool collaboration that was designed to measure mothers' confidence to care for children with intellectual disabilities in their homes. Caregiving of children with intellectual disabilities was conceptualized in terms…

  15. Hypertension, Hyperglycemia, and Hyperlipemia among Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Pei-Ying; Lin, Lan-Ping; Lin, Jin-Ding

    2010-01-01

    The present paper aims to assess the hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia prevalence of adolescents with intellectual disabilities, and to recognize the health disparities between the study participants and the general population. This study conducted a cross-sectional medical chart analysis of 856 students who participated in school…

  16. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities on State English Language Proficiency Assessments: A Review of 2011 State Policies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christensen, Laurene L.; Albus, Debra A.; Liu, Kristin K.; Thurlow, Martha L.; Kincaid, Aleksis

    2013-01-01

    English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities are required to participate in all state and district assessments similar to their peers without disabilities. This includes assessments used for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I accountability purposes for demonstrating proficiency in academic content, assessments used…

  17. Injuries among US adults with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Brophy, Megan; Zhang, Xiaofei; Xiang, Huiyun

    2008-05-01

    Injury prevention among individuals with disabilities is understudied. We compared the patterns of medically treated injuries among US adults with and without disabilities for clues to prevention. We used nationally representative data from the 2004-2005 National Health Interview Survey to compare medically attended injuries within the past 3 months among noninstitutionalized adults in the United States with no disabilities, moderate disabilities, and severe disabilities. The association between disability and injuries was examined in logistic regression analysis, taking into account sociodemographic factors. The 3-month cumulative incidence of injuries was 2.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2%-2.4%) among adults with no disabilities, 3.8% (3.4%-4.2%) among adults with moderate disabilities, and 5.6% (4.9%-6.3%) among adults with severe disabilities. Falls were the leading mechanism of injury regardless of disability status, and were even more common in the severely or moderately disabled adults (68% and 47% respectively, compared with 28% among those without disabilities). The setting of the injury also differed with disability status. For the severely disabled, 57% (CI = 52%-62%) of injury episodes occurred at home, compared with only 32% (28%-37%) for the moderately disabled and 23% (21%-25%) for adults with no disabilities. Adults with disabilities are at an increased risk for injury. Programs specifically directed toward injury prevention may benefit adults with disabilities.

  18. Investigating Access to Educational Assessment for Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woods, Kevin; Parkinson, Gill; Lewis, Sarah

    2010-01-01

    Many countries have established systems for identifying, and providing for, the range of students with disabilities during their formal educational assessments. Most systems include the provision of variously termed "special access arrangements" (SAAs), such as the provision of extra time or practical assistance with some aspect of an…

  19. Childhood disability in Malawi: a population based assessment using the key informant method.

    PubMed

    Tataryn, Myroslava; Polack, Sarah; Chokotho, Linda; Mulwafu, Wakisa; Kayange, Petros; Banks, Lena Morgon; Noe, Christiane; Lavy, Chris; Kuper, Hannah

    2017-11-28

    Epidemiological data on childhood disability are lacking in Low and Middle Income countries (LMICs) such as Malawi, hampering effective service planning and advocacy. The Key Informant Method (KIM) is an innovative, cost-effective method for generating population data on the prevalence and causes of impairment in children. The aim of this study was to use the Key Informant Method to estimate the prevalence of moderate/severe, hearing, vision and physical impairments, intellectual impairments and epilepsy in children in two districts in Malawi and to estimate the associated need for rehabilitation and other services. Five hundred key informants (KIs) were trained to identify children in their communities who may have the impairment types included in this study. Identified children were invited to attend a screening camp where they underwent assessment by medical professionals for moderate/severe hearing, vision and physical impairments, intellectual impairments and epilepsy. Approximately 15,000 children were identified by KIs as potentially having an impairment of whom 7220 (48%) attended a screening camp. The estimated prevalence of impairments/epilepsy was 17.3/1000 children (95% CI: 16.9-17.7). Physical impairment (39%) was the commonest impairment type followed by hearing impairment (27%), intellectual impairment (26%), epilepsy (22%) and vision impairment (4%). Approximately 2100 children per million population could benefit from physiotherapy and occupational therapy and 300 per million are in need of a wheelchair. An estimated 1800 children per million population have hearing impairment caused by conditions that could be prevented or treated through basic primary ear care. Corneal opacity was the leading cause of vision impairment. Only 50% of children with suspected epilepsy were receiving medication. The majority (73%) of children were attending school, but attendance varied by impairment type and was lowest among children with multiple impairments (38

  20. Speech perception in medico-legal assessment of hearing disabilities.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Ellen Raben; Juhl, Peter Møller; Wetke, Randi; Andersen, Ture Dammann

    2016-10-01

    Examination of Danish data for medico-legal compensations regarding hearing disabilities. The study purposes are: (1) to investigate whether discrimination scores (DSs) relate to patients' subjective experience of their hearing and communication ability (the latter referring to audio-visual perception), (2) to compare DSs from different discrimination tests (auditory/audio-visual perception and without/with noise), and (3) to relate different handicap measures in the scaling used for compensation purposes in Denmark. Data from a 15 year period (1999-2014) were collected and analysed. The data set includes 466 patients, from which 50 were omitted due to suspicion of having exaggerated their hearing disabilities. The DSs relate well to the patients' subjective experience of their speech perception ability. By comparing DSs for different test setups it was found that adding noise entails a relatively more difficult listening condition than removing visual cues. The hearing and communication handicap degrees were found to agree, whereas the measured handicap degrees tended to be higher than the self-assessed handicap degrees. The DSs can be used to assess patients' hearing and communication abilities. The difference in the obtained handicap degrees emphasizes the importance of collecting self-assessed as well as measured handicap degrees.

  1. Empowerment of disability benefit claimants through an interactive website: design of a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Samoocha, David; Bruinvels, David J; Anema, Johannes R; Steenbeek, Romy; van der Beek, Allard J

    2009-05-10

    Individuals claiming a disability benefit after long-term sickness absence, have to undergo medical disability assessments. These assessments, often carried out by specialized physicians, can be complicated by wrong expectations or defensive attitudes of disability benefit claimants. It is hypothesized that empowerment of these claimants will enhance the physician-patient relationship by shifting claimants from a passive role to a more active and constructive role during disability assessments. Furthermore, empowerment of claimants may lead to a more realistic expectation and acceptance of the assessment outcome among claimants and may lead to a more accurate assessment by the physician. In a two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT), 230 claimants will be randomized to either the intervention or control group. For the intervention group, an interactive website was designed http://www.wiagesprek.nl using an Intervention Mapping procedure. This website was tested during a pilot study among 51 claimants. The final version of the website consists of five interactive modules, in which claimants will be prepared and empowered step-by-step, prior to their upcoming disability assessment. Other website components are a forum, a personal health record, a personal diary, and information on disability assessment procedures, return to work, and coping with disease and work disability. Subjects from the control group will be directed to a website with commonly available information only. Approximately two weeks prior to their disability assessment, disability claimants will be recruited through the Dutch Workers Insurance Authority (UWV). Outcomes will be assessed at five occasions: directly after recruitment (baseline), prior to disability assessment, directly after disability assessment as well as 6 and 16 weeks after the assessment. The study's primary outcome is empowerment, measured with the Vrijbaan questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include claimants' satisfaction

  2. Steps to Designing Authentic Assessments for Students with Disabilities in Music Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    VanWeelden, Kimberly; Heath-Reynolds, Julia

    2017-01-01

    Classroom assessments are an opportunity to monitor student learning and in turn inform instructional decisions. Assessments also provide opportunities for students to participate in authentic music-making experiences. Using classroom music-making experiences as assessments may be particularly suitable for students with disabilities. Due to the…

  3. Review of disability weight studies: comparison of methodological choices and values

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Introduction The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) is widely used to assess the burden of different health problems and risk factors. The disability weight, a value anchored between 0 (perfect health) and 1 (equivalent to death), is necessary to estimate the disability component (years lived with disability, YLDs) of the DALY. After publication of the ground-breaking Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 1996, alternative sets of disability weights have been developed over the past 16 years, each using different approaches with regards to the panel, health state description, and valuation methods. The objective of this study was to review all studies that developed disability weights and to critically assess the methodological design choices (health state and time description, panel composition, and valuation method). Furthermore, disability weights of eight specific conditions were compared. Methods Disability weights studies (1990¿2012) in international peer-reviewed journals and grey literature were identified with main inclusion criteria being that the study assessed DALY disability weights for several conditions or a specific group of illnesses. Studies were collated by design and methods and evaluation of results. Results Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria of our review. There is considerable variation in methods used to derive disability weights, although most studies used a disease-specific description of the health state, a panel that consisted of medical experts, and nonpreference-based valuation method to assess the values for the majority of the disability weights. Comparisons of disability weights across 15 specific disease and injury groups showed that the subdivision of a disease into separate health states (stages) differed markedly across studies. Additionally, weights for similar health states differed, particularly in the case of mild diseases, for which the disability weight differed by a factor of two or more. Conclusions In terms of

  4. Health-related quality of life, employment and disability in patients with Sjogren's syndrome.

    PubMed

    Meijer, Jiska M; Meiners, Petra M; Huddleston Slater, James J R; Spijkervet, Fred K L; Kallenberg, Cees G M; Vissink, Arjan; Bootsma, Hendrika

    2009-09-01

    To compare health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), employment and disability of primary and secondary SS (pSS and sSS, respectively) patients with the general Dutch population. HR-QOL, employment and disability were assessed in SS patients regularly attending the University Medical Center Groningen (n = 235). HR-QOL, employment and disability were evaluated with the Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36) and an employment and disability questionnaire. Results were compared with Dutch population data (matched for sex and age). Demographical and clinical data associated with HR-QOL, employment and disability were assessed. Response rate was 83%. SS patients scored lower on HR-QOL than the general Dutch population. sSS patients scored lower on physical functioning, bodily pain and general health than pSS patients. Predictors for reduced HR-QOL were fatigue, tendomyalgia, articular involvement, use of artificial saliva, use of anti-depressants, comorbidity, male sex and eligibility for disability compensation (DC). Employment was lower and DC rates were higher in SS patients compared with the Dutch population. SS has a large impact on HR-QOL, employment and disability.

  5. Shared Agency and Collaboration between the Family and Professionals in Medical Rehabilitation of Children with Severe Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarvikoski, Aila; Martin, Marjatta; Autti-Ramo, Ilona; Harkapaa, Kristiina

    2013-01-01

    Implementation of medical rehabilitation for children with severe disabilities, arranged by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, is based on collaboration of the family with several professionals and organizations providing the necessary services. Therefore, it sets special challenges for service provision. Parents' experiences of shared…

  6. Pain Management in Intellectually Disabled Children: Assessment, Treatment, and Translational Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valkenburg, Abraham J.; van Dijk, Monique; de Klein, Annelies; van den Anker, Johannes N.; Tibboel, Dick

    2010-01-01

    The primary focus of pain research in intellectually disabled individuals is still on pain assessment. Several observational pain assessment scales are available, each with its own characteristics, its own target group and its own validated use. Observational studies report differences in the treatment of intra- and postoperative pain of…

  7. Depression and disability: comparisons with common physical conditions in the Ibadan study of aging.

    PubMed

    Gureje, Oye; Ademola, Adedotun; Olley, Benjamin O

    2008-11-01

    To compare the effects of depression and chronic physical conditions on disability in elderly persons. Yoruba-speaking areas of Nigeria. Interviews. PATICIPANTS: Community-dwelling persons aged 65 and older. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a representative sample of community-dwelling persons aged 65 and older (N=2,152) in the Yoruba-speaking areas of Nigeria (representing approximately 22% of the national population). Major depressive disorder (MDD) was assessed using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Chronic pain and medical disorders were assessed using self-report. Disorder-specific disability was evaluated using the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). MDD was highly comorbid with each of the medical conditions (odds ratio range 1.3-2.0). A higher proportion of persons with MDD (47.2%) were rated severely disabled globally than those with arthritis (20.6%), chronic spinal pain (24.2%), or high blood pressure (25.0%). Subjects with MDD were also more likely to be severely disabled in three of the four domains of the SDS. In pair-wise comparisons, persons with MDD had significantly higher levels of disability than those with any of the disorders, with differences in mean scores ranging between -3.74 and -27.50. To reduce the public health burden of depression, its prevention and treatment require more clinical and research attention than currently given by developing countries.

  8. Health problems and disability in long-term sickness absence: ICF coding of medical certificates.

    PubMed

    Morgell, Roland; Backlund, Lars G; Arrelöv, Britt; Strender, Lars-Erik; Nilsson, Gunnar H

    2011-11-11

    The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and to explore the distribution, including gender differences, of health problems and disabilities as reflected in long-term sickness absence certificates. A total of 433 patients with long sick-listing periods, 267 women and 166 men, were included in the study. All certificates exceeding 28 days of sick-listing sent to the local office of the Swedish Social Insurance Administration of a municipality in the Stockholm area were collected during four weeks in 2004-2005. ICD-10 medical diagnosis codes in the certificates were retrieved and free text information on disabilities in body function, body structure or activity and participation were coded according to ICF short version. In 89.8% of the certificates there were descriptions of disabilities that readily could be classified according to ICF. In a reliability test 123/131 (94%) items of randomly chosen free text information were identically classified by two of the authors. On average 2.4 disability categories (range 0-9) were found per patient; the most frequent were 'Sensation of pain' (35.1% of the patients), 'Emotional functions' (34.1%), 'Energy and drive functions' (22.4%), and 'Sleep functions' (16.9%). The dominating ICD-10 diagnostic groups were 'Mental and behavioural disorders' (34.4%) and 'Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue' (32.8%). 'Reaction to severe stress and adjustment disorders' (14.7%), and 'Depressive episode' (11.5%) were the most frequent diagnostic codes. Disabilities in mental functions and activity/participation were more commonly described among women, while disabilities related to the musculoskeletal system were more frequent among men. Both ICD-10 diagnoses and ICF categories were dominated by mental and musculoskeletal health problems, but there seems to be gender differences, and ICF classification as a complement to ICD-10

  9. Retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions as predictors of prospectively assessed sickness absence and disability pension among older workers.

    PubMed

    Sundstrup, Emil; Hansen, Åse Marie; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Poulsen, Otto Melchior; Clausen, Thomas; Rugulies, Reiner; Møller, Anne; Andersen, Lars L

    2018-01-17

    The aim was to explore the association between retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions during working life and prospectively assessed risk of sickness absence and disability pension among older workers. The prospective risk of register-based long-term sickness absence (LTSA) and disability pension was estimated from exposure to 12 different psychosocial work characteristics during working life among 5076 older workers from the CAMB cohort (Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank). Analyses were censored for competing events and adjusted for age, gender, physical work environment, lifestyle, education, and prior LTSA. LTSA was predicted by high levels of cognitive demands (HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.10-1.56)), high levels of emotional demands (HR 1.26 (95% CI 1.07-1.48)), low levels of influence at work (HR 1.30 (95% CI 1.03-1.64)), and high levels of role conflicts (HR 1.34 (95% CI 1.09-1.65)). Disability pension was predicted by low levels of influence at work (HR 2.73 (95% CI 1.49-5.00)) and low levels of recognition from management (HR 2.04 (95% CI 1.14-3.67)). This exploratory study found that retrospectively assessed high cognitive demands, high and medium emotional demands, low influence at work, low recognition from management, medium role clarity, and high role conflicts predicted LTSA and/or disability pension.

  10. Use of a medication passport in a disabled child seen across many care settings

    PubMed Central

    Jubraj, Barry; Blair, Mitchel

    2015-01-01

    Written information for patients about their medicines has demonstrable benefits for their understanding and adherence. In the UK, no single, complete record of medications for individual patients can be guaranteed. Therefore, patients and carers are often relied on to recall the complete medication list, which can be a challenge given multiple and potentially stressful appointments. Wide-ranging feedback suggests that a medication ‘passport’ developed by the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care North West London (NIHR CLAHRC NWL) has benefited elderly patients, who often attend many appointments where the current medication list may not be available. We describe the use of this passport (known as ‘My Medication Passport’—MMP) in a child with multiple disabilities. The practical advantages are explored, including the potential for a paediatric version to facilitate discussions around the administration of medicines. MMP is an early example of a useful tool to help children and young people, parents and carers to manage medicines more effectively. PMID:25716039

  11. Use of a medication passport in a disabled child seen across many care settings.

    PubMed

    Jubraj, Barry; Blair, Mitchel

    2015-02-25

    Written information for patients about their medicines has demonstrable benefits for their understanding and adherence. In the UK, no single, complete record of medications for individual patients can be guaranteed. Therefore, patients and carers are often relied on to recall the complete medication list, which can be a challenge given multiple and potentially stressful appointments. Wide-ranging feedback suggests that a medication 'passport' developed by the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care North West London (NIHR CLAHRC NWL) has benefited elderly patients, who often attend many appointments where the current medication list may not be available. We describe the use of this passport (known as 'My Medication Passport'--MMP) in a child with multiple disabilities. The practical advantages are explored, including the potential for a paediatric version to facilitate discussions around the administration of medicines. MMP is an early example of a useful tool to help children and young people, parents and carers to manage medicines more effectively. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

  12. The predictive power of physical function assessed by questionnaire and physical performance measures for subsequent disability.

    PubMed

    Hoshi, Masayuki; Hozawa, Atsushi; Kuriyama, Shinichi; Nakaya, Naoki; Ohmori-Matsuda, Kaori; Sone, Toshimasa; Kakizaki, Masako; Niu, Kaijun; Fujita, Kazuki; Ueki, Shouzoh; Haga, Hiroshi; Nagatomi, Ryoichi; Tsuji, Ichiro

    2012-08-01

    To compare the predictive power of physical function assessed by questionnaire and physical performance measures for subsequent disability in community-dwelling elderly persons. Prospective cohort study. Participants were 813 aged 70 years and older, elderly Japanese residing in the community, included in the Tsurugaya Project, who were not disabled at the baseline in 2003. Physical function was assessed by the questionnaire of "Motor Fitness Scale". Physical performance measures consisted of maximum walking velocity, timed up and go test (TUG), leg extension power, and functional reach test. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve for disability was used to compare screening accuracy between Motor Fitness Scale and physical performance measures. Incident disability, defined as certification for long-term care insurance, was used as the endpoint. We observed 135 cases of incident disability during follow-up. The third or fourth quartile for each measure was associated with a significantly increased risk of disability in comparison with the highest quartile. The AUC was 0.70, 0.72, 0.70, 0.68, 0.69 and 0.74, for Motor Fitness Scale, maxi- mum walking velocity, TUG, leg extension power, functional reach test, and total performance score, respectively. The predictive power of physical function assessed by the Motor Fitness Scale was equivalent to that assessed by physical performance measures. Since Motor Fitness Scale can evaluate physical function safely and simply in comparison with physical performance tests, it would be a practical tool for screening persons at high risk of disability.

  13. Modeling the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II using non-parametric item response models.

    PubMed

    Galindo-Garre, Francisca; Hidalgo, María Dolores; Guilera, Georgina; Pino, Oscar; Rojo, J Emilio; Gómez-Benito, Juana

    2015-03-01

    The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHO-DAS II) is a multidimensional instrument developed for measuring disability. It comprises six domains (getting around, self-care, getting along with others, life activities and participation in society). The main purpose of this paper is the evaluation of the psychometric properties for each domain of the WHO-DAS II with parametric and non-parametric Item Response Theory (IRT) models. A secondary objective is to assess whether the WHO-DAS II items within each domain form a hierarchy of invariantly ordered severity indicators of disability. A sample of 352 patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder is used in this study. The 36 items WHO-DAS II was administered during the consultation. Partial Credit and Mokken scale models are used to study the psychometric properties of the questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the WHO-DAS II scale are satisfactory for all the domains. However, we identify a few items that do not discriminate satisfactorily between different levels of disability and cannot be invariantly ordered in the scale. In conclusion the WHO-DAS II can be used to assess overall disability in patients with schizophrenia, but some domains are too general to assess functionality in these patients because they contain items that are not applicable to this pathology. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Assessment of Needs of Adults with Developmental Disabilities in Skilled Nursing and Intermediate Care Facilities in Illinois.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uehara, Edwina S.; And Others

    1991-01-01

    This study evaluated 2,815 adults with developmental disabilities in 328 Illinois intermediate care and skilled nursing facilities. Only 10 percent were determined to be appropriately placed in medical settings; 27 percent were enrolled in day training programs; and many individuals recommended for alternative residential settings had medical and…

  15. Two-year comprehensive medical management of degenerative lumbar spine disease (lumbar spondylolisthesis, stenosis, or disc herniation): a value analysis of cost, pain, disability, and quality of life: clinical article.

    PubMed

    Parker, Scott L; Godil, Saniya S; Mendenhall, Stephen K; Zuckerman, Scott L; Shau, David N; McGirt, Matthew J

    2014-08-01

    Current health care reform calls for a reduction of procedures and treatments that are less effective, more costly, and of little value (high cost/low quality). The authors assessed the 2-year cost and effectiveness of comprehensive medical management for lumbar spondylolisthesis, stenosis, and herniation by utilizing a prospective single-center multidisciplinary spine center registry in a real-world practice setting. Analysis was performed on a prospective longitudinal quality of life spine registry. Patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis (n = 50), stenosis (n = 50), and disc herniation (n = 50) who had symptoms persisting after 6 weeks of medical management and who were eligible for surgical treatment were entered into a prospective registry after deciding on nonsurgical treatment. In all cases, comprehensive medical management included spinal steroid injections, physical therapy, muscle relaxants, antiinflammatory medication, and narcotic oral agents. Two-year patient-reported outcomes, back-related medical resource utilization, and occupational work-day losses were prospectively collected and used to calculate Medicare fee-based direct and indirect costs from the payer and societal perspectives. The maximum health gain associated with medical management was defined as the improvement in pain, disability, and quality of life experienced after 2 years of medical treatment or at the time a patient decided to cross over to surgery. The maximum health gain in back pain, leg pain, disability, quality of life, depression, and general health state did not achieve statistical significance by 2 years of medical management, except for pain and disability in patients with disc herniation and back pain in patients with lumbar stenosis. Eighteen patients (36%) with spondylolisthesis, 11 (22%) with stenosis, and 17 (34%) with disc herniation eventually required surgical management due to lack of improvement. The 2-year improvement did not achieve a minimum clinically

  16. Assessment of accessible facilities for disabled passenger movement in aerodrome terminals in Klang Valley

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramli, M. Z.; Hasnol., J. N. E.; Hamid, N. B.; Ismail, N.; Zawawi, M. H.; Zainal, M. Z.

    2017-09-01

    The effectiveness of accessibility in public transport has prompted a great deal of weakness and confines many disabled from moving around unreservedly. As far as the built-up environment is concerned, it is important that it should be barrier-free and adapted to fulfill the needs of all people equally. The consideration of equal accessibility to outdoor environments is still lacking. These cause the problems with poor accessibility, the disabled people face more challenges and difficulties while travelling and using the public transport. Therefore, the aim of the study is to evaluate the performance of accessible facilities for disabled movement in aerodrome terminals in Klang Valley. An assessment rating was developed from an established guideline to assess the disabled facilities provided in the Aerodrome Terminal 1 and Aerodrome Terminal 2 by using manual observation and measurement technique. Based on the results obtained, the facility for disabled people in both aerodrome terminals are moderate. Aerodrome Terminal 1 is averagely 63.46% while for Aerodrome Terminal 2 is 67.31%. Results demonstrated that effort is needed by the respective agencies and there was a demand on re-designing the current facility, so that disabled people will not face any difficulty while traveling through public transport stations or terminals.

  17. Disability in patients with Menière's disease following the use of two different treatment modalities: betahistine and intratympanic gentamicin.

    PubMed

    Enrique-Gonzaleza, A; Sánchez-Ferrándiz, N; Pérez-Fernández, N

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the level of residual disability and handicap in patients with Menière's disease (MD) that were free of new vertigo spells 2 years after having been administered treatment with either oral medication or with intratympanic gentamcin. University hospital. Tertiary medical center. 40 patients with MD were included in this study, of which 20 were treated with oral medication (betahistine) and 20 with intratympanic gentamicin; intratympanic gentamicin was for patients considered failures for the oral medication treatment. All of them are free of new vertigo in the 16-24 month period after beginning the treatment. They were matched by age and disease duration. Disability and handicap were assessed with conventional questionnaires at the time of inclusion and 2 years after beginning oral medication or ended the intratympanic gentamicin treatment. According to the treatment two groups were created: oral medication treatment and intratympanic gentamicin treatment. The amount of disability before treatment was higher in patients treated with intratympanic gentamicin than in those under oral medication; However, after treatment when no more vertigo spells takes place, this disability is significantly reduced and becomes similar for both groups of patients. In patients treated with oral medication the items reflecting the intensity of vertigo spell, the impact of vertigo in daily activities, the perception of quality of life and level of somatization do not show a significant reduction. The number or frequency of vertigo spells are very relevant for the process of disability and handicap of patients with MD when that is low or when oral medication is sufficient to eliminate vertigo spells. However when that number is high and the only possibility to arrest those vertigo spells is the use of intratympanic gentamicin, fear of vertigo must be considered as an associated problem for the patient.

  18. Assessment of the Self-Determination of Spanish Students with Intellectual Disabilities and other Educational Needs

    PubMed Central

    Gomez-Vela, Maria; Verdugo, Miguel Angel; Gonzalez Gil, Francisca; Corbella, Marta Badia; Wehmeyer, Michael L.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the self-determination of Spanish high school students with Intellectual Disability and other Special Educational Needs (SEN). A total of 371 students between 11 and 17 years of age participated in the study. Of these, 46.4% (n=171) presented SEN, specifically learning disabilities (n=97; 26.2%), borderline and intellectual disability with higher IQ scores (n=43; 11.6%) and mild intellectual disability (n=32; 8.6%). The remaining students without SEN made up the control group. The assessment was carried out using a translated and validated Spanish version of The Arc’s Self-Determination Scale (Wehmeyer, 1995). This measure had appropriate psychometric properties. Students with SEN obtained significantly lower scores than their peers without SEN. However, no differences were found in relation to the type of SEN or, more specifically, in relation to the presence of intellectual disability. The educational implications of the results are discussed. PMID:25057433

  19. Prevalence of Chronic Disabling Noncancer Pain and Associated Demographic and Medical Variables: A Cross-Sectional Survey in the General German Population.

    PubMed

    Häuser, Winfried; Schmutzer, Gabriele; Hilbert, Anja; Brähler, Elmar; Henningsen, Peter

    2015-10-01

    In population surveys, up to 30% of participants reported chronic pain. Reports of chronic pain do not necessarily imply disability associated with pain. We assessed the prevalence of chronic disabling noncancer pain and associated demographic and medical variables in a sample of the general German population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 4360 people aged 14 years and above, who were representative of the German population. Measures were obtained for demographic variables, presence of chronic pain (based on the definition of the International Association for the Study of Pain), chronic pain stages (based on a chronic pain grade questionnaire), and disease load (based on the self-reported comorbidity questionnaire). Responses were received from 2508 people. The prevalence of chronic pain was 28.3% (95% [confidence interval] CI, 26.5%-30.1%). In all, 7.3% (95% CI, 5.9%-8.7%) of participants met the criteria of chronic disabling noncancer pain. Chronic disabling noncancer pain was associated with age above 65 years (odds ratios [OR]=4.81 [95% CI, 1.57-14.79]), low family income (OR=2.54 [95% CI, 1.36-4.74]), obesity (OR=3.58 [95% CI, 2.21-5.79]), heart disease (OR=2.23 [95% CI, 3.69-11.40]), stomach disease (OR=4.24 [95% CI, 2.12-8.49]), and rheumatic disease (OR=3.67 [95% CI, 2.16-6.23]) when compared with no chronic pain. Chronic disabling noncancer pain was associated with low family income (OR=2.29 [95% CI, 1.23-4.27]), obesity (OR=2.14 [95% CI, 1.30-3.52]), and depression (OR=3.26 [95% CI, 1.90-5.66]) when compared with chronic nondisabling noncancer pain. Prevalence rates of chronic disabling pain in the general population rather than prevalence rates of chronic pain might provide evidence in support of pain specialist care. The association of chronic disabling noncancer pain with mental disorders highlights the need for psychosocial services in chronic pain management.

  20. Unmet need for disability-related health care services and employment status among adults with disabilities in the Massachusetts Medicaid program.

    PubMed

    Henry, Alexis D; Long-Bellil, Linda; Zhang, Jianying; Himmelstein, Jay

    2011-10-01

    The employment rate among adults with disabilities is significantly lower than that among adults without disabilities. Ensuring access to rehabilitative and other health care services may help to address health-related barriers to employment for working-age people with disabilities. This study examined the relationship of unmet need for 6 disability-related health care services to current employment status among working-age adults with disabilities enrolled in the Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth Standard) program. Study participants included 436 MassHealth Standard members aged 19 to 64 who responded to the 2005/2006 MassHealth Employment and Disability Survey. Variables included members' demographic characteristics; Medicaid health plan and Medicare enrollment; members' self-report of potentially disabling conditions and current health status; access to health care as well as need and unmet need for 6 specific disability-related health care services (medications, mental health services, substance abuse services, medical supplies, durable medical equipment, personal assistance services); and current employment status. Fifteen percent of members reported currently working. Logistic regression analysis showed that (controlling for demographics, disability, health status, and other factors) members with greater unmet need were significantly less likely to be working (odds ratio = 0.58; 95% confidence interval = 0.33 to 0.99). Members' experience of unmet need was significantly greater for physical health services (supplies, durable medical equipment, personal assistance services) than for behavioral health services (mental health and substance abuse services) or medications. Working members generally rated services as important to work. Approximately 10% to 22% of nonworking members thought they would be able to work if needs were met. Meeting unmet needs for disability-related health care services may result in modest increases in employment among certain working

  1. The Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB): Feasibility and Psychometric Properties

    PubMed Central

    Meterko, Mark; Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; McDonough, Christine M.; Jette, Alan M.; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Brandt, Diane E.; Chan, Leighton

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To assess the feasibility and psychometric properties of eight scales covering two domains of the newly developed Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB): physical function (PF) and behavioral health (BH) function. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Community. Participants Adults unable to work due to a physical (n=497) or mental (n=476) disability. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measures Each disability group responded to a survey consisting of the relevant WD-FAB scales and existing measures of established validity. The WD-FAB scales were evaluated with regard to data quality (score distribution; percent “I don’t know” responses), efficiency of administration (number of items required to achieve reliability criterion; time required to complete the scale) by computerized adaptive testing (CAT), and measurement accuracy as tested by person fit. Construct validity was assessed by examining both convergent and discriminant correlations between the WD-FAB scales and scores on same-domain and cross-domain established measures. Results Data quality was good and CAT efficiency was high across both WD-FAB domains. Measurement accuracy was very good for the PF scales; BH scales demonstrated more variability. Construct validity correlations, both convergent and divergent, between all WD-FAB scales and established measures were in the expected direction and range of magnitude. Conclusions The data quality, CAT efficacy, person fit and construct validity of the WD-FAB scales were well supported and suggest that the WD-FAB could be used to assess physical and behavioral health function related to work disability. Variation in scale performance suggests the need for future work on item replenishment and refinement, particularly regarding the Self-Efficacy scale. PMID:25528263

  2. 78 FR 12130 - Social Security Ruling, SSR 13-3p; Appeal of an Initial Medical Disability Cessation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-21

    ... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION [Docket No. SSA-2011-0106] Social Security Ruling, SSR 13-3p; Appeal of an Initial Medical Disability Cessation Determination or Decision AGENCY: Social Security Administration. ACTION: Notice of Social Security Ruling (SSR). SUMMARY: We are giving notice of SSR 13-3p. This...

  3. Assessing the needs of caregivers of children with disabilities in Penang, Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Tan, Seok Hong

    2017-03-01

    Disability in a child not only affects the child but also presents socioeconomic and psychological impacts to the child's family. This study aims to describe the service needs of caregivers of children with disabilities in the state of Penang, Malaysia, and to determine the child and family characteristics predisposing to having more caregiver needs. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February and June 2013 among caregivers of children aged 0-12 years with disabilities registered with the Penang Department of Social Welfare. Caregivers completed a self-administered mailed questionnaire containing a 20-item Caregiver Needs Scale (CNS). Each item in the CNS was rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 'help not at all needed' to 'help extremely needed'. A total of 273 surveys were available for analysis (response rate 34.0%). The CNS contained four domains. The 'Help getting Information and Services for child' domain had the highest mean score (3.61, 95% CI: 3.46, 3.77) followed by 'Help with Finances' (3.29, 95% CI: 3.13, 3.45) and 'Help Coping with child' (3.11, 95% CI: 2.97, 3.25), while the 'Help getting Childcare' domain had the lowest mean score (2.30, 95% CI: 2.13, 2.47). Multivariate regression analysis identified caregivers of younger children and with more severe disability as having more caregiver needs in all domains. Besides that, caregivers of children with learning disability needed more help getting information and help with coping. Caregivers of children with learning and multiple disabilities needed more help getting childcare compared to children with other disability. Caregivers of Indian ethnicity, who had less than a tertiary education and who themselves had medical problems needed more help with finances. The findings on caregiver needs in this study can help inform planning of family support services for children with disabilities in Penang, Malaysia. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. 10 CFR 712.36 - Medical assessment process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Medical assessment process. 712.36 Section 712.36 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HUMAN RELIABILITY PROGRAM Medical Standards § 712.36 Medical assessment process. (a) The... the SOMD must integrate the medical evaluations, psychological evaluations, psychiatric evaluations...

  5. 20 CFR 220.180 - Determining continuation or cessation of disability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... exceptions to medical improvement may be considered at any point in this process; (f) If medical improvement... Activity or Medical Improvement § 220.180 Determining continuation or cessation of disability. Evaluation... the annuitant's impairment(s) is not medically disabling, has there been medical improvement as...

  6. Resource utilization and disability outcome assessment of combat casualties from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

    PubMed

    Masini, Brendan D; Waterman, Scott M; Wenke, Joseph C; Owens, Brett D; Hsu, Joseph R; Ficke, James R

    2009-04-01

    Injuries are common during combat operations. The high costs of extremity injuries both in resource utilization and disability are well known in the civilian sector. We hypothesized that, similarly, combat-related extremity injuries, when compared with other injures from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, require the largest percentage of medical resources, account for the greatest number of disabled soldiers, and have greater costs of disability benefits. Descriptive epidemiologic study and cost analysis. The Department of Defense Medical Metrics (M2) database was queried for the hospital admissions and billing data of a previously published cohort of soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan between October 2001 and January 2005 and identified from the Joint Theater Trauma Registry. The US Army Physical Disability Administration database was also queried for Physical Evaluation Board outcomes for these soldiers, allowing calculation of disability benefit cost. Primary body region injured was assigned using billing records that gave a primary diagnosis International Classification of Diseases Ninth Edition code, which was corroborated with Joint Theater Trauma Registry injury mechanisms and descriptions for accuracy. A total of 1333 soldiers had complete admission data and were included from 1566 battle injuries not returned to duty of 3102 total casualties. Extremity-injured patients had the longest average inpatient stay at 10.7 days, accounting for 65% of the $65.3-million total inpatient resource utilization, 64% of the 464 patients found "unfit for duty," and 64% of the $170-million total projected disability benefit costs. Extrapolation of data yields total disability costs for this conflict, approaching $2 billion. Combat-related extremity injuries require the greatest utilization of resources for inpatient treatment in the initial postinjury period, cause the greatest number of disabled soldiers, and have the greatest projected disability

  7. Terri Schiavo: A Disability Rights Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Mary

    2006-01-01

    The author argues that Terri Schiavo was a "person with a disability" who faced disability discrimination, a view that is consistent with national disability rights groups. The author notes that Schiavo was not "terminally ill" and that feeding tubes should not be considered "medical equipment." The belief that people with severe disabilities want…

  8. Impact of Alternate Assessment on Curricula for Students with Severe Disabilities: Purpose Driven or Process Driven?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowrey, K. Alisa; Drasgow, Erik; Renzaglia, Adelle; Chezan, Laura

    2007-01-01

    In this article, the authors highlight the impact of alternate assessment on curriculum content for students with severe disabilities. Alternate assessment is a requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 to ensure that students with the most significant…

  9. Racial and ethnic disparities in stroke outcomes: a scoping review of post-stroke disability assessment tools.

    PubMed

    Burns, Suzanne Perea; White, Brandi M; Magwood, Gayenell; Ellis, Charles; Logan, Ayaba; Jones Buie, Joy N; Adams, Robert J

    2018-03-23

    To identify how post-stroke disability outcomes are assessed in studies that examine racial/ethnic disparities and to map the identified assessment content to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) across the time course of stroke recovery. We conducted a scoping review of the literature. Articles published between January 2001 and July 2017 were identified through Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We identified 1791 articles through database and hand-searching strategies. Of the articles, 194 met inclusion criteria for full-text review, and 41 met inclusion criteria for study inclusion. The included studies used a variety of outcome measures encompassing domains within the ICF: body functions, activities, participation, and contextual factors across the time course of stroke recovery. We discovered disproportionate representation among racial/ethnic groups in the post-stroke disability disparities literature. A wide variety of assessments are used to examine disparities in post-stroke disability across the time course of stroke recovery. Several studies have identified disparities through a variety of assessments; however, substantial problems abound from the assessments used including inconsistent use of assessments, lacking evidence on the validity of assessments among racial/ethnic groups, and inadequate representation among all racial/ethnic populations comprising the US. Implications for Rehabilitation An enhanced understanding of racial/ethnic disparities in post-stroke disability outcomes is inherently important among rehabilitation practitioners who frequently engage with racial/ethnic minority populations across the time course of stroke recovery. Clinicians should carefully consider the psychometric properties of assessment tools to counter potential racial bias. Clinicians should be aware that many assessments used in stroke rehabilitation lack cultural

  10. Emergency Medical Services Providers' Perspective of End-of-Life Decision Making for People with Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGinley, Jacqueline; Waldrop, Deborah P.; Clemency, Brian

    2017-01-01

    Background: Emergency medical services (EMS) providers are often called to rapidly determine and act upon patients' wishes for end-of-life care. People with intellectual disabilities are living increasingly longer with complex conditions leading to international calls for person-centred advance care planning. Yet, best estimates suggest that very…

  11. Lessons Learned about Assessment from Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in College and Career Ready Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazarus, Sheryl S.; Heritage, Margaret

    2016-01-01

    The new large-scale assessments rolled out by consortia and states are designed to measure student achievement of rigorous college- and career-ready (CCR) standards. Recent surveys of teachers in several states indicate that students with disabilities adjusted well to the new assessments, and liked many of their features, but that there also are…

  12. [Occupational disability in epilepsy. The assessment criteria].

    PubMed

    Vicente-Herrero, M T; Terradillos García, M J; Capdevila García, L; Ramírez Iñiguez de la Torre, M V; López-González, Á A; Aguilar Jiménez, E

    2016-03-01

    Epilepsy is a chronic disease cursing with recurrent and paroxysmal crises due to anomalies in the electrical activity of brain, and is controllable in most of the patients by using antiepileptic drugs, in single or combination therapy. Probably one of the most complex aspects of epilepsy is the assessment of disability for work of the affected person. For this purpose, multiple factors need to be taken into account for homogeneous decision-making, and according to criteria of approval and within the principle of equity inherent in the granting of Social Security disability benefits. This requires the cooperation of all professionals involved in the different specialties, with reports using common criteria and taking into account the disease itself, as well as the effects of the prescribed treatments, the effects of which can contribute to the limitations in the performance of certain professions of risk. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  13. Communication-based assessment of developmental age for young children with developmental disabilities.

    PubMed

    DeVeney, Shari L; Hoffman, Lesa; Cress, Cynthia J

    2012-06-01

    In this study, the authors compared a multiple-domain strategy for assessing developmental age of young children with developmental disabilities who were at risk for long-term reliance on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) with a communication-based strategy composed of receptive language and communication indices that may be less affected by physically challenging tasks than traditional developmental age scores. Participants were 42 children (age 9-27 months) with developmental disabilities and who were at risk for long-term reliance on AAC. Children were assessed longitudinally in their homes at 3 occasions over 18 months using multiple-domain and communication-based measures. Confirmatory factor analysis examined dimensionality across the measures, and age-equivalence scores under each strategy were compared, where possible. The communication-based latent factor of developmental age demonstrated good reliability and was almost perfectly correlated with the multiple-domain latent factor. However, the mean age-equivalence score of the communication-based assessment significantly exceeded that of the multiple-domain assessment by 5.3 months across ages. Clinicians working with young children with developmental disabilities should consider a communication-based approach as an alternative developmental age assessment strategy for characterizing children's capabilities, identifying challenges, and developing interventions. A communication-based developmental age estimation is sufficiently reliable and may result in more valid inferences about developmental age for children whose developmental or cognitive age scores may otherwise be limited by their physical capabilities.

  14. Weaving together peer assessment, audios and medical vignettes in teaching medical terms.

    PubMed

    Allibaih, Mohammad; Khan, Lateef M

    2015-12-06

    The current study aims at exploring the possibility of aligning peer assessment, audiovisuals, and medical case-report extracts (vignettes) in medical terminology teaching. In addition, the study wishes to highlight the effectiveness of audio materials and medical history vignettes in preventing medical students' comprehension, listening, writing, and pronunciation errors. The study also aims at reflecting the medical students' attitudes towards the teaching and learning process. The study involved 161 medical students who received an intensive medical terminology course through audio and medical history extracts. Peer assessment and formative assessment platforms were applied through fake quizzes in a pre- and post-test manner. An 18-item survey was distributed amongst students to investigate their attitudes and feedback towards the teaching and learning process. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using the SPSS software. The students did better in the posttests than on the pretests for both the quizzes of audios and medical vignettes showing a t-test of -12.09 and -13.60 respectively. Moreover, out of the 133 students, 120 students (90.22%) responded to the survey questions. The students gave positive attitudes towards the application of audios and vignettes in the teaching and learning of medical terminology and towards the learning process. The current study revealed that the teaching and learning of medical terminology have more room for the application of advanced technologies, effective assessment platforms, and active learning strategies in higher education. It also highlights that students are capable of carrying more responsibilities of assessment, feedback, and e-learning.

  15. Weaving together peer assessment, audios and medical vignettes in teaching medical terms

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Lateef M.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives The current study aims at exploring the possibility of aligning peer assessment, audiovisuals, and medical case-report extracts (vignettes) in medical terminology teaching. In addition, the study wishes to highlight the effectiveness of audio materials and medical history vignettes in preventing medical students' comprehension, listening, writing, and pronunciation errors. The study also aims at reflecting the medical students' attitudes towards the teaching and learning process. Methods The study involved 161 medical students who received an intensive medical terminology course through audio and medical history extracts. Peer assessment and formative assessment platforms were applied through fake quizzes in a pre- and post-test manner. An 18-item survey was distributed amongst students to investigate their attitudes and feedback towards the teaching and learning process. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using the SPSS software. Results The students did better in the posttests than on the pretests for both the quizzes of audios and medical vignettes showing a t-test of -12.09 and -13.60 respectively. Moreover, out of the 133 students, 120 students (90.22%) responded to the survey questions. The students gave positive attitudes towards the application of audios and vignettes in the teaching and learning of medical terminology and towards the learning process. Conclusions The current study revealed that the teaching and learning of medical terminology have more room for the application of advanced technologies, effective assessment platforms, and active learning strategies in higher education. It also highlights that students are capable of carrying more responsibilities of assessment, feedback, and e-learning. PMID:26637986

  16. Communication Services and Supports for Individuals With Severe Disabilities: Guidance for Assessment and Intervention.

    PubMed

    Brady, Nancy C; Bruce, Susan; Goldman, Amy; Erickson, Karen; Mineo, Beth; Ogletree, Bill T; Paul, Diane; Romski, Mary Ann; Sevcik, Rose; Siegel, Ellin; Schoonover, Judith; Snell, Marti; Sylvester, Lorraine; Wilkinson, Krista

    2016-03-01

    The National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of People With Severe Disabilities (NJC) reviewed literature regarding practices for people with severe disabilities in order to update guidance provided in documents originally published in 1992. Changes in laws, definitions, and policies that affect communication attainments by persons with severe disabilities are presented, along with guidance regarding assessment and intervention practices. A revised version of the Communication Bill of Rights, a powerful document that describes the communication rights of all individuals, including those with severe disabilities is included in this article. The information contained within this article is intended to be used by professionals, family members, and individuals with severe disabilities to inform and advocate for effective communication services and opportunities.

  17. Communication Services and Supports for Individuals with Severe Disabilities: Guidance for Assessment and Intervention

    PubMed Central

    Brady, Nancy C.; Bruce, Susan; Goldman, Amy; Erickson, Karen; Mineo, Beth; Ogletree, Bill T.; Paul, Diane; Romski, Mary Ann; Sevcik, Rose; Siegel, Ellin; Schoonover, Judith; Snell, Marti; Sylvester, Lorraine; Wilkinson, Krista

    2015-01-01

    The National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of People with Severe Disabilities (NJC) reviewed literature regarding practices for people with severe disabilities in order to update guidance provided in documents originally published in 1992. Changes in laws, definitions, and policies that affect communication attainments by persons with severe disabilities are presented, along with guidance regarding assessment and intervention practices. A revised version of the Communication Bill of Rights, a powerful document that describes the communication rights of all individuals, including those with severe disabilities is included in this article. The information contained within this article is intended to be used by professionals, family members, and individuals with severe disabilities to inform and advocate for effective communication services and opportunities. PMID:26914467

  18. Failure of physicians to recognize functional disability in ambulatory patients.

    PubMed

    Calkins, D R; Rubenstein, L V; Cleary, P D; Davies, A R; Jette, A M; Fink, A; Kosecoff, J; Young, R T; Brook, R H; Delbanco, T L

    1991-03-15

    To assess the ability of internists to identify functional disabilities reported by their patients. Comparison of responses by physicians and a random sample of their patients to a 12-item questionnaire about physical and social function. A hospital-based internal medicine group practice in Boston, Massachusetts, and selected office-based internal medicine practices in Los Angeles, California. Five staff physicians, three general internal medicine fellows, and 34 internal medicine residents in the hospital-based practice and 178 of their patients. Seventy-six physicians in the office-based practices and 230 of their patients. Physicians underestimated or failed to recognize 66% of disabilities reported by patients. Patient-reported disabilities were underestimated or unrecognized more often in the hospital-based practice than in the office-based practices (75% compared with 60%, P less than 0.05). Physicians overstated functional impairment in 21% of paired responses in which patients reported no disability. Physicians often underestimate or fail to recognize functional disabilities that are reported by their patients. They overstate functional impairment to a lesser degree. Because these discrepancies may adversely affect patient care and well-being, medical educators and clinicians should pay more attention to the assessment of patient function.

  19. The Use of Psychotropic Medication for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Behaviours That Challenge in the Context of a Community Multidisciplinary Team Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niven, Abigail; Goodey, Rebecca; Webb, Alison; Shankar, Rohit

    2018-01-01

    Background: The use of psychotropic medication to manage challenging behaviours of people with intellectual disabilities is a contentious issue which NHS England has now focused on. This paper looks to evaluate this within the multidisciplinary context. Method: Records of clients (n = 106) open to a Community Intellectual Disabilities team for…

  20. The Physician and Teacher as Team: Assessing the Effects of Medication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scranton, Thomas R.; And Others

    1978-01-01

    To determine the effects of medication on the classroom learning of learning disabled children, five educationally relevant tasks were administered by the teacher to two 8-year-old boys receiving continuous Ritalin dosages interspersed with Ritalin or placebo dosaged on a random basis. (Author)

  1. Replications and Extensions in Arousal Assessment for Sex Offenders with Developmental Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reyes, Jorge R.; Vollmer, Timothy R.; Hall, Astrid

    2011-01-01

    Three adult male sex offenders with developmental disabilities participated in phallometric assessments that involved repeated measures of arousal when exposed to various stimuli. Arousal assessment outcomes were similar to those obtained by Reyes et al. (2006). Additional data-analysis methods provided further information about sexual…

  2. Assessment of Deviant Arousal in Adult Male Sex Offenders with Developmental Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reyes, Jorge R.; Vollmer, Timothy R.; Sloman, Kimberly N.; Hall, Astrid; Reed, Robert; Jansen, Greg; Carr, Sam; Jackson, Kevin; Stoutimore, Michael

    2006-01-01

    Ten individuals, residing in a treatment facility specializing in the rehabilitation of sex offenders with developmental disabilities, participated in an arousal assessment involving the use of the penile plethysmograph. The arousal assessments involved measuring change in penile circumference to various categories of stimuli both appropriate…

  3. Intellectual disability in cerebral palsy: a population-based retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Reid, Susan M; Meehan, Elaine M; Arnup, Sarah J; Reddihough, Dinah S

    2018-07-01

    A population-based observational study design was used to describe the epidemiology of intellectual disability in cerebral palsy (CP) in terms of clinical and neuroimaging associations, and to report the impact of intellectual disability on utilization of health services and length of survival. Population CP registry data were used to retrospectively assess the frequency of intellectual disability and strength of associations between intellectual disability and mobility, epilepsy, vision, hearing, communication, and neuroimaging patterns (n=1141). Data linkage was undertaken to assess usage of hospital inpatient and emergency department services. Survival analysis was performed in a 30-year birth cohort (n=3248). Intellectual disability, present in 45% of the cohort, was associated with non-ambulation (47% vs 8%), later walking (mean 2y 7mo vs 1y 9mo), hypotonic (8% vs 1%) or dyskinetic (9% vs 5%) CP, a quadriplegic pattern of motor impairment (42% vs 5%), epilepsy (52% vs 12%), more emergency and multi-day hospital admissions, and reduced 35-year survival (96% vs 71%). Grey matter injuries (13% vs 6%), malformations (18% vs 6%), and miscellaneous neuroimaging patterns (12% vs 4%) were more common in people with intellectual disability. Intellectual disability adds substantially to the overall medical complexity in CP and may increase health and mortality disparities. Cerebral maldevelopments and grey matter injuries are associated with higher intellectual disability rates. Health care is more 'crisis-driven' and 'reactive' in children with co-occurring intellectual disability. Length of survival is reduced in individuals with CP and co-occurring intellectual disability. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

  4. [From disability to the adunatos: some thoughts on disability and somatoform pain disorder].

    PubMed

    Delli Noci, C; Barras, V; Stiefel, F

    2013-02-13

    Disability, especially if related to a psychiatric disorder, such as somatoform pain disorder, is characterized by medical, psychological, relational, social and societal, as well as financial and political aspects. This manuscript, part of a PhD thesis which reflects on a possible dialogue between an ancient text and the modern conceptualization of disability, tries to address the phenomenological, historical and political dimensions of disability.

  5. 'Working is out of the question': a qualitative text analysis of medical certificates of disability.

    PubMed

    Aarseth, Guri; Natvig, Bård; Engebretsen, Eivind; Lie, Anne Kveim

    2017-04-20

    Medical certificates influence the distribution of economic benefits in welfare states; however, the qualitative aspects of these texts remain largely unexplored. The present study is the first systematic investigation done of these texts. Our aim was to investigate how GPs select and mediate information about their patients' health and how they support their conclusions about illness, functioning and fitness for work in medical certificates. We performed a textual analysis of thirty-three medical certificates produced by general practitioners (GP) in Norway at the request of the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV).The certificates were subjected to critical reading using the combined analytic methods of narratology and linguistics. Some of the medical information was unclear, ambiguous, and possibly misleading. Evaluations of functioning related to illness were scarce or absent, regardless of diagnosis, and, hence, the basis of working incapacity was unclear. Voices in the text frequently conflated, obscuring the source of speaker. In some documents, the expert's subtle use of language implied doubts about the claimant's credibility, but explicit advocacy also occurred. GPs show little insight into their patients' working lives, but rather than express uncertainty and incompetence, they may resort to making too absolute and too general statements about patients' working capacity, and fail to report thorough assessments. A number of the texts in our material may not function as sufficient or reliable sources for making decisions regarding social benefits. Certificates as these may be deficient for several reasons, and textual incompetence may be one of them. Physicians in Norway receive no systematic training in professional writing. High-quality medical certificates, we believe, might be economical in the long term: it might increase the efficiency with which NAV processes cases and save costs by eliminating the need for unnecessary and expensive

  6. Moving towards an understanding of disability in older US stroke survivors

    PubMed Central

    Brenner, Allison B.; Burke, James F.; Skolarus, Lesli E.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives We test a comprehensive model of disability in older stroke survivors, and determine the relative contribution of neighborhood, economic, psychological and medical factors to disability. Methods The sample consisted of 728 stroke survivors from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), who were 65 years and older living in community settings or residential care. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test relationships between neighborhood, socioeconomic, psychological and medical factors and disability. Results Economic and medical context were associated with disability directly and indirectly through physical impairment. Neighborhood context was associated with disability, but was only marginally statistically significant (p=0.05). The effect of economic and neighborhood factors was small compared to that of medical factors. Discussion Neighborhood and economic factors account for a portion of the variance in disability among older stroke survivors beyond that of medical factors. PMID:27605555

  7. Including Students with Disabilities in Common Non-Summative Assessments. NCEO Brief. Number 6

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Center on Educational Outcomes, 2012

    2012-01-01

    Inclusive large-scale assessments have become the norm in states across the U.S. Participation rates of students with disabilities in these assessments have increased dramatically since the mid-1990s. As consortia of states move toward the development and implementation of assessment systems that include both non-summative assessments and…

  8. Bad Bedfellows: Disability Sex Rights and Viagra

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wentzell, Emily

    2006-01-01

    The disability rights movement grounds material critiques of the treatment of people with disabilities in a social constructionist perspective, locating disability in the social rather than physical realm, and demedicalizing the concept of disability. However, this conceptualization is threatened by the medicalization of non-normative erections as…

  9. Prevalence of- and risk factors for work disability in Dutch patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

    PubMed

    Spekhorst, Lieke M; Oldenburg, Bas; van Bodegraven, Ad A; de Jong, Dirk J; Imhann, Floris; van der Meulen-de Jong, Andrea E; Pierik, Marieke J; van der Woude, Janneke C; Dijkstra, Gerard; D'Haens, Geert; Löwenberg, Mark; Weersma, Rinse K; Festen, Eleonora A M

    2017-12-14

    To determine the prevalence of work disability in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and to assess risk factors associated with work disability. For this retrospective cohort study, we retrieved clinical data from the Dutch IBD Biobank on July 2014, containing electronic patient records of 3388 IBD patients treated in the eight University Medical Centers in the Netherlands. Prevalence of work disability was assessed in 2794 IBD patients and compared with the general Dutch population. Multivariate analyses were performed for work disability (sick leave, partial and full disability) and long-term full work disability (> 80% work disability for > 2 years). Prevalence of work disability was higher in Crohn's disease (CD) (29%) and ulcerative colitis (UC) (19%) patients compared to the general Dutch population (7%). In all IBD patients, female sex, a lower education level, and extra-intestinal manifestations, were associated with work disability. In CD patients, an age > 40 years at diagnosis, disease duration > 15 years, smoking, surgical interventions, and anti-TNFα use were associated with work disability. In UC patients, an age > 55 years, and immunomodulator use were associated with work disability. In CD patients, a lower education level (OR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.02-2.58), and in UC patients, disease complications (OR = 3.39, 95%CI: 1.09-10.58) were associated with long-term full work disability. The prevalence of work disability in IBD patients is higher than in the general Dutch population. Early assessment of risk factors for work disability is necessary, as work disability is substantial among IBD patients.

  10. Empowerment of disability benefit claimants through an interactive website: design of a randomized controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background Individuals claiming a disability benefit after long-term sickness absence, have to undergo medical disability assessments. These assessments, often carried out by specialized physicians, can be complicated by wrong expectations or defensive attitudes of disability benefit claimants. It is hypothesized that empowerment of these claimants will enhance the physician-patient relationship by shifting claimants from a passive role to a more active and constructive role during disability assessments. Furthermore, empowerment of claimants may lead to a more realistic expectation and acceptance of the assessment outcome among claimants and may lead to a more accurate assessment by the physician. Methods/Design In a two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT), 230 claimants will be randomized to either the intervention or control group. For the intervention group, an interactive website was designed http://www.wiagesprek.nl using an Intervention Mapping procedure. This website was tested during a pilot study among 51 claimants. The final version of the website consists of five interactive modules, in which claimants will be prepared and empowered step-by-step, prior to their upcoming disability assessment. Other website components are a forum, a personal health record, a personal diary, and information on disability assessment procedures, return to work, and coping with disease and work disability. Subjects from the control group will be directed to a website with commonly available information only. Approximately two weeks prior to their disability assessment, disability claimants will be recruited through the Dutch Workers Insurance Authority (UWV). Outcomes will be assessed at five occasions: directly after recruitment (baseline), prior to disability assessment, directly after disability assessment as well as 6 and 16 weeks after the assessment. The study's primary outcome is empowerment, measured with the Vrijbaan questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include

  11. Issues in the Medication Management Process in People Who Have Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Study of the Caregivers' Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Erickson, Steven R.; Salgado, Teresa M.; Tian, Xi

    2016-01-01

    People who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often rely on caregivers to assist in the medication management process. The aim of this study was to learn from caregivers, who are either family or support staff, what major issues arise throughout the process of managing medication and how these might be addressed. Problems…

  12. Disabling Outcomes After Peripheral Vascular Catheter Insertion in a Newborn Patient: A Case of Medical Liability?

    PubMed Central

    Bolcato, Matteo; Russo, Marianna; Donadello, Damiano; Rodriguez, Daniele; Aprile, Anna

    2017-01-01

    Patient: Female, newborn Final Diagnosis: Loss of falange of the hand Symptoms: Manual disability • Pain Medication: Ampicilline Clinical Procedure: Insert vascular catheter Specialty: Forenscic Medicine Objective: Rare disease Background: The positioning of peripheral venous catheters (PVC) is an invasive procedure commonly performed in pediatrics hospital wards to obtain vascular access for the administration of fluids, medications and other intravenous (IV) therapies. Many studies exist about management of peripheral venous access in adults. On the contrary, scientific evidence on the management of this procedure in children and newborns, especially regarding the optimal duration of infusion and the possible related side effects, is still poor. To minimize the risk of phlebitis, the guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest the replacement of the catheter every 72–96 hours in adult patients, while in pediatric patients the catheter can remain in place for the entire duration of the IV therapy, unless complications arise. Case Report: In the presented case, after the positioning of a PVC in a newborn, no clear signs/symptoms of phlebitis were registered before the sixth day and, despite the immediate removal of the catheter, the thrombotic process, secondary to phlebitis, was already occurring, causing serious and permanent disabling outcomes, susceptible to legal medical evaluation and financial compensation. Conclusions: The knowledge of this case is particularly interesting to clinicians working in the field of neonatal care and to clinical risk management services inside hospital structures, since similar cases may be the source of requests for extremely high financial compensations due to medical liability. PMID:29056746

  13. Disability impact and coping in mothers of children with intellectual disabilities and multiple disabilities.

    PubMed

    Kishore, M Thomas

    2011-12-01

    Understanding the disability impact on parenting and caregiving is important for intervention. The present study was designed to understand the differences in perceived disability impact and related coping in mothers having children with intellectual disabilities alone compared to those having children with intellectual disabilities and additional disabilities. Accordingly, 30 mothers of children with intellectual disabilities and 30 mothers of children with intellectual and additional disabilities were assessed for disability impact and coping. Group differences for disability impact were present in specific domains but not overall. Despite variations in coping pattern, both positive and negative coping strategies were observed in both groups. The results may imply that the impact of intellectual disability is so pervasive that except in certain domains mothers may not perceive the further impact of additional disabilities. Positive coping does not rule out negative coping strategies. These findings have specific relevance to service delivery in a cultural context.

  14. Pick One! Conducting Preference Assessments with Students with Significant Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cannella-Malone, Helen I.; Sabielny, Linsey M.; Jimenez, Eliseo D.; Miller, Megan M.

    2013-01-01

    Research has demonstrated that people with significant intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities can indicate clear preferences through methodologically rigorous assessments. Once preferred items have been identified, they can be used to reinforce new behaviors, which can assist in the development of a meaningful learning experience.…

  15. Pica in Persons with Developmental Disabilities: Characteristics, Diagnosis, and Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matson, Johnny L.; Belva, Brian; Hattier, Megan A.; Matson, Michael L.

    2011-01-01

    Pica is a very serious and often life threatening problem which occurs largely in persons with developmental disabilities. The topic has received sporadic attention from researchers for several decades. This paper reviews definitions, diagnostic implications, causes, prevalence, and assessment methods that have been described in the research…

  16. Career Assessment and Planning Strategies for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roessler, Richard T.; Hennessey, Mary L.; Hogan, Ebony M.; Savickas, Suzanne

    2009-01-01

    Career assessment and planning services that enable students with disabilities to make successful transitions from higher education to careers are an important component often missing in the postsecondary educational experience. Comprehensive services in this regard involve students in considering how to incorporate their preferences, assets, and…

  17. The Effectiveness of Mood Stabilizers and Antiepileptic Medication for the Management of Behaviour Problems in Adults with Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deb, S.; Chaplin, R.; Sohanpal, S.; Unwin, G.; Soni, R.; Lenotre, L.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Psychotropic medications are used to manage behaviour problems in adults with intellectual disability (ID). One group of psychotropic medication are mood stabilizers such as lithium and some antiepileptic drugs. Method: A comprehensive systematic review was performed to determine the evidence base for the effectiveness of mood…

  18. The role of personality, disability and physical activity in the development of medication-overuse headache: a prospective observational study.

    PubMed

    Mose, Louise S; Pedersen, Susanne S; Debrabant, Birgit; Jensen, Rigmor H; Gram, Bibi

    2018-05-25

    Factors associated with development of medication-overuse headache (MOH) in migraine patients are not fully understood, but with respect to prevention, the ability to predict the onset of MOH is clinically important. The aims were to examine if personality characteristics, disability and physical activity level are associated with the onset of MOH in a group of migraine patients and explore to which extend these factors combined can predict the onset of MOH. The study was a single-center prospective observational study of migraine patients. At inclusion, all patients completed questionnaires evaluating 1) personality (NEO Five-Factor Inventory), 2) disability (Migraine Disability Assessment), and 3) physical activity level (Physical Activity Scale 2.1). Diagnostic codes from patients' electronic health records confirmed if they had developed MOH during the study period of 20 months. Analyses of associations were performed and to identify which of the variables predict onset MOH, a multivariable least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression model was fitted to predict presence or absence of MOH. Out of 131 participants, 12 % (n=16) developed MOH. Migraine disability score (OR=1.02, 95 % CI: 1.00 to 1.04), intensity of headache (OR=1.49, 95 % CI: 1.03 to 2.15) and headache frequency (OR=1.02, 95 % CI: 1.00 to 1.04) were associated with the onset of MOH adjusting for age and gender. To identify which of the variables predict onset MOH, we used a LASSO regression model, and evaluating the predictive performance of the LASSO-mode (containing the predictors MIDAS score, MIDAS-intensity and -frequency, neuroticism score, time with moderate physical activity, educational level, hours of sleep daily and number of contacts to the headache clinic) in terms of area under the curve (AUC) was weak (apparent AUC=0.62, 95% CI: 0.41-0.82). Disability, headache intensity and frequency were associated with the onset of MOH whereas personality and the

  19. Prevalence and socio-demographic characteristics of disability in older adults in China: Findings from China Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Study.

    PubMed

    Ma, Lina; Li, Zhenzhen; Tang, Zhe; Sun, Fei; Diao, Lijun; Li, Jian; He, Yao; Dong, Birong; Li, Yun

    2017-11-01

    Disability affects older adults' quality of life. This study aimed to examine the socio-demographic characteristics of disability in older adults in China. Data was obtained from the China Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Study (CCGAS). The sample comprised 6864 people aged 60 years and above from seven provinces in China. A door-to-door survey was conducted by formally trained interviewers using a unified questionnaire. Disability was assessed with physical health assessment comprising activities of daily living (ADL), and independent activities of daily living (IADL). For the purpose of this study, we analyzed only disability and some socio-demographic dimensions. The rates were standardized based on China's Sixth National Census population distribution. The disability rate in older adults was 7.0%. The disability rate was significantly higher in women than men, significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas, and higher in northern China than southern China. Urban disability rates ranged from 5.7% to 1.2%. The differences were statistically significant, with Beijing having the highest and Shanghai the lowest disability rates. Disability increased with age. In China, the disability rate in older adults is 7.0%, and increases with age. The disability rate is significantly higher in women, rural area, and northern China. This is the first study to report the epidemiology of disability in older adults in China in recent years and indicates the need for further epidemiological data on disability in China to facilitate long-term care and care policy formulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. [Guidelines for the sociomedical assessment of performance in patients suffering from chronic non-malignant diseases of the liver and the bile ducts--for the Medical Assessment Services of the German Pension Fund].

    PubMed

    Horn, S; Irle, H; Knorr, I; Pottins, I; Rohwetter, M; Schuhknecht, P; Timner, K; Becker, E

    2009-06-01

    The following guidelines were developed for the medical assessment services of the German pension fund. Starting from day-to-day practice, criteria and attributes to guide decisions for a systematisation of the sociomedical assessment of performance in diseases of the liver and the bile ducts were compiled. The guidelines aim at standardising the sociomedical assessment of performance and help to make the decision-making process more transparent, e. g., for the assessment of applications for decreased earning capacity benefits. The guidelines summarise the typical manifestations of diseases of the liver and the bile ducts and describe the necessary medical information for the sociomedical assessment of performance. Relevant assessment criteria for the medical history, clinical examination, and for diagnostic tests are illustrated. The assessment of the individual's capacity is outlined, taking occupational factors into account. Following the determination of dysfunctions, the remaining abilities and disabilities, respectively, are deduced and compared with occupational demands. Finally, inferences are drawn regarding the occupational capacity of the individual. The guidelines followed from an extended procedure to attain a wide consensus in the setting of the German Pension Fund and an upgraded evidence base.

  1. The Americans with Disabilities Act and Family and Medical Leave Act: Legal Requirements, Negotiations and Policy Considerations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Juengart, Laurie S.

    The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are two major pieces of social legislation that impact private and public employers, including school districts. Public school employers must have thorough awareness of the legal requirements of both laws and must analyze the ways in which those requirements…

  2. Instruments used to assess functional limitations in workers applying for disability benefit: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Spanjer, Jerry; Groothoff, Johan W; Brouwer, Sandra

    2011-01-01

    To systematically review the quality of the psychometric properties of instruments for assessing functional limitations in workers applying for disability benefit. Electronic searches of Medline, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO were performed to identify studies focusing on the psychometric properties of instruments used to assess functional limitations in workers' compensation claimants. Two independent reviewers applied the inclusion criteria to select relevant articles and then evaluated the psychometric qualities of the instruments found. Of the 712 articles that were identified, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria, reporting on four instruments: the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), the Isernhagen Work System (IWS) and the Multiperspective Multidimensional Pain Assessment Protocol (MMPAP). The questionnaires (RMDQ and PSFS) did not focus specifically on the work situation and measured three to eight functional limitations. The psychometric qualities of the IWS were poor to moderate. For the MMPAP, only predictive validity was measured. The instruments assessed a range varying between 3 and 34 physical functional limitations. No instruments were found for assessing mental limitations in workers' compensation claimants. Studies on four instruments specifically focusing on assessing physical functional limitations in workers applying for disability benefit were found. All four instruments have limitations regarding their psychometric qualities or contents. Since the RMDQ has the best demonstrated psychometric qualities and takes little time to complete it, we recommend the RMDQ for clinicians in rehabilitation. For the assessment of functional limitations in workers applying for disability benefit a combination of questionnaires, performance tests or interviews together with the judgment by physicians looks the most promising.

  3. A White Paper on the medical and social needs of people with epilepsy and intellectual disability: the Task Force on Intellectual Disabilities and Epilepsy of the International League Against Epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Kerr, Mike; Linehan, Christine; Thompson, Rose; Mula, Marco; Gil-Nagal, Antonio; Zuberi, Sameer M; Glynn, Mike

    2014-12-01

    This White Paper builds on the publication of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) report "Listening for a change-medical and social needs of people with intellectual disability who have epilepsy" (Listening for a change the medical and social needs of people with epilepsy and intellectual disability, ILAE, 2013). The Paper presents an overview of the recommendations of the report, which aim to improve the health and social care of this important population of people with epilepsy worldwide. Actions in four domains are indicated: (1) the development of standards and initiatives that would enhance diagnosis, pathways to investigation, and treatment; (2) the development of guidelines for treatment, specifically best practice in the management of antiepileptic drugs including rescue medication; (3) the development of standards for primary care, multidisciplinary teamwork, and clinical consultations, with emphasis on the need to enhance communication and improve access to information; and (4) the enhancement of links among different stakeholders including medical services, educational establishments, employment services, organizations providing opportunities for social engagement, and family members. The breadth of needs of this population is a challenge to the epilepsy world, spanning all the professional groupings, care providers, and the research modalities in epilepsy. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2014 International League Against Epilepsy.

  4. The medical reshaping of disabled bodies as a response to stigma and a route to normality.

    PubMed

    McLaughlin, Janice

    2017-12-01

    Disabled people are said to experience stigma because their embodied presence in the world does not fit with how others interact and use their bodies to be social participants. In response they can turn to medical procedures, such as surgery or physiotherapy, in order to reshape their bodies to more closely approximate norms of social interaction and embodiment. This paper explores how medicine plays a role in attempts to be recognised by others as normal and acceptable by minimising disability. It will do so via a focus on disabled young people, in order to explore how their emerging identities and aspirations for the future influence how they think about their bodies, what normality means and their participation in multiple activities that work on their bodies. The paper draws from an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) project that used a range of qualitative research methods with a group of disabled young people. The project explored ways in which participants actively worked on their bodies to be more normal and examined the disciplinary and agency dynamics involved in this work. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  5. Relationship of quality of life with disability grade in obsessive compulsive disorder and dysthymic disorder.

    PubMed

    Roopesh Gopal, Nv; Sudarshan, Cy; Kumar, S Ganesh

    2014-09-01

    There is paucity of information on the relationship of quality of life (QOL) in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and dysthymic disorder (DD) with disability grade in India. To assess the relation of QOL with disability level in OCD and DD. This hospital based study was conducted in a medical institution in Davanagere, Karnataka, India. Data was collected by using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV Text Revision (DSM IV TR) criteria, WHO QOL BREF and IDEAS. Relationship between disability grade and QOL was assessed by independent sample t test. Mild disabled OCD patients had a significantly better QOL in the Q1 domain i.e. perception on quality of life as compared to moderately disabled patients (P < 0.05), while in other domains of QOL, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). But, QOL score in physical domain showed significant difference across disability grades (56.00, SD = 6.89; 48.50, SD = 12.28) in DD, but not in other domains. Perception of QOL is better in those with mild disability in OCD, but in DD, physical domain of QOL score is more in mild disability compared to moderate disability.

  6. Perceived images of disability: the reflections of two undergraduate medical students in a university in South Africa on life in a wheelchair.

    PubMed

    Amosun, Seyi L; Volmink, Lauren; Rosin, Rainer

    2005-08-19

    The purpose of this manuscript is to document the experiences of two undergraduate medical students at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, who registered for a 4-week special study module titled "Images of Disability", as part of the medical training programme. The objective of the module was to foster the development of positive attitudes toward persons with physical disability through role-playing. The special study module required that the students assumed they had mobility impairments and were physically confined to wheelchairs. The students were required to document their personal experiences of life in a wheelchair for five consecutive working days. The students had to deal with their perceptions of the attitudes of individuals they interacted with, which resulted in feeling of inferiority and lowered self-esteem. The students also identified obstacles in the environment which hindered integration. The students reported significant positive changes in their attitudes towards persons with disabilities.

  7. Medical assessment in athletes.

    PubMed

    Pruna, Ricard; Lizarraga, Antonia; Domínguez, David

    2018-04-13

    Practicing sports at a professional level requires the body to be in good health. The fact of carrying out a continuous and high intensity physical activity in the presence of pathological conditions and/or a maladaptation of the body can be detrimental to the athletes' health and, therefore, to their performance. Many of the problems that arise in the sports field could be prevented with a periodic and well-structured medical assessment. In this review, we describe the protocol of the medical service of a high-level sports club for the assessment of its professional athletes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  8. Students with Psychiatric Disabilities on Campus: Examining Predictors of Enrollment with Disability Support Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collins, Mary Elizabeth; Mowbray, Carol T.

    2008-01-01

    Because of advances in psychotropic medications, psychiatric rehabilitation methods, the implementation of civil rights legislation, and empowerment movement of consumers with psychiatric disabilities, students with mental illnesses are increasingly able to access and complete higher education. Disability services offices on college campuses can…

  9. [Functioning and disability: the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)].

    PubMed

    Fernández-López, Juan Antonio; Fernández-Fidalgo, María; Geoffrey, Reed; Stucki, Gerold; Cieza, Alarcos

    2009-01-01

    The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) has provided a new foundation for our understanding of health, functioning, and disability. It covers most of the health and health-related domains that make up the human experience, and the most environmental factors that influence that experience of functioning and disability. With the exhaustive ICF, patients' functioning -including its components body functions and structures and activities and participation-, becomes a central perspective in medicine. To implement the ICF in medicine and other fields, practical tools (= ICF Core Sets) have been developed. They are selected sets of categories out of the whole classification which serve as minimal standards for the assessment and reporting of functioning and health for clinical studies and clinical encounters (Brief ICF Core Set) or as standards for multiprofessional comprehensive assessment (Comprehensive ICF Core Set). Different from generic and condition-specific health-status measures, the ICF Core Sets include important body functions and structures and contextual factors. The use of the ICF Core Sets provides an important step towards improved communications between healthcare providers and professionals, and will enable patients and their families to understand and communicate with health professionals about their functioning and treatment goals. Specific applications include multi- and interdisciplinary assessment in clinical settings and in legal expert evaluations and use in disease or functioning-management programs. The ICF has also a potential as a conceptual framework to clarify an interrelated universe of health-related concepts which can be elucidated based on the ICF and therefore will be an ideal tool for teaching students in all medical fields and may open doors to multi-professional learning.

  10. 2010-11 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities. Technical Report 68

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Albus, Deb; Thurlow, Martha

    2013-01-01

    This is the fourteenth report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that analyzes public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. This report includes information about both the 50 regular states and the 11 unique states (American Samoa, Bureau of Indian Education,…

  11. Greek Young Adults with Specific Learning Disabilities Seeking Learning Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonti, Eleni; Bampalou, Christina E.; Kouimtzi, Eleni M.; Kyritsis, Zacharias

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the reasons why Greek young adults with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) seek learning assessments. The study sample consisted of 106 adults meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for SLD. Data were collected through self-report records (clinical interview) of adults…

  12. Teaching, learning and assessment of medical ethics at the UK medical schools.

    PubMed

    Brooks, Lucy; Bell, Dominic

    2017-09-01

    To evaluate the UK undergraduate medical ethics curricula against the Institute of Medical Ethics (IME) recommendations; to identify barriers to teaching and assessment of medical ethics and to evaluate perceptions of ethics faculties on the preparation of tomorrow's doctors for clinical practice. Questionnaire survey of the UK medical schools enquiring about content, structure and location of ethics teaching and learning; teaching and learning processes; assessment; influences over institutional approach to ethics education; barriers to teaching and assessment; perception of student engagement and perception of student preparation for clinical practice. The lead for medical ethics at each medical school was invited to participate (n=33). Completed responses were received from 11/33 schools (33%). 73% (n=8) teach all IME recommended topics within their programme. 64% (n=7) do not include ethics in clinical placement learning objectives. The most frequently cited barrier to teaching was lack of time (64%, n=7), and to assessment was lack of time and suitability of assessments (27%, n=3). All faculty felt students were prepared for clinical practice. IME recommendations are not followed in all cases, and ethics teaching is not universally well integrated into clinical placement. Barriers to assessment lead to inadequacies in this area, and there are few consequences for failing ethics assessments. As such, tomorrow's patients will be treated by doctors who are inadequately prepared for ethical decision making in clinical practice; this needs to be addressed by ethics leads with support from medical school authorities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  13. Use of Medication for the Management of Behavior Problems among Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: A Clinicians' Consensus Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Unwin, Gemma Louise; Deb, Shoumitro

    2008-01-01

    Current prescribing preferences among relevant experts regarding the use of psychotropic medication for the management of behavior problems in adults with intellectual disabilities in the absence of a diagnosed psychiatric illness was defined. We used a questionnaire design to synthesize the preferences of a large group, namely, clinical…

  14. Can self-reported disability assessment behaviour of insurance physicians be explained? Applying the ASE model

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Very little is known about the attitudes and views that might underlie and explain the variation in occupational disability assessment behaviour between insurance physicians. In an earlier study we presented an adjusted ASE model (Attitude, Social norm, Self-efficacy) to identify the determinants of the disability assessment behaviour among insurance physicians. The research question of this study is how Attitude, Social norm, Self-efficacy and Intention shape the behaviour that insurance physicians themselves report with regard to the process (Behaviour: process) and content of the assessment (Behaviour: assessment) while taking account of Knowledge and Barriers. Methods This study was based on 231 questionnaires filled in by insurance physicians, resulting into 48 scales and dimension scores. The number of variables was reduced by a separate estimation of each of the theoretical ASE constructs as a latent variable in a measurement model. The saved factor scores of these latent variables were treated as observed variables when we estimated a path model with Lisrel to confirm the ASE model. We estimated latent ASE constructs for most of the assigned scales and dimensions. All could be described and interpreted. We used these constructs to build a path model that showed a good fit. Results Contrary to our initial expectations, we did not find direct effects for Attitude on Intention and for Intention on self reported assessment behaviour in the model. This may well have been due to the operationalization of the concept of 'Intention'. We did, however, find that Attitude had a positive direct effect on Behaviour: process and Behaviour: Assessment and that Intention had a negative direct effect on Behaviour: process. Conclusion A path model pointed to the existence of relationships between Attitude on the one hand and self-reported behaviour by insurance physicians with regard to process and content of occupational disability assessments on the other hand

  15. Disability: a welfarist approach

    PubMed Central

    Savulescu, Julian; Kahane, Guy

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we offer a new account of disability. According to our account, some state of a person's biology or psychology is a disability if that state makes it more likely that a person's life will get worse, in terms of his or her own wellbeing, in a given set of social and environmental circumstances. Unlike the medical model of disability, our welfarist approach does not tie disability to deviation from normal species’ functioning, nor does it understand disability in essentialist terms. Like the social model of disability, the welfarist approach sees disability as a harmful state that results from the interaction between a person's biology and psychology and his or her surrounding environment. However, unlike the social model, it denies that the harm associated with disability is entirely due to social prejudice or injustice. In this paper, we outline and clarify the welfarist approach, answer common objections and illustrate its usefulness in addressing a range of difficult ethical questions involving disability. PMID:22140353

  16. Disability evaluation in arthritis patients.

    PubMed

    Luck, J V; Beardmore, T D; Kaufman, R

    1987-08-01

    During the working years, rheumatic conditions are the foremost cause of disability in the United States. Disability evaluation for Social Security applicants and Workers' Compensation patients is commonplace in orthopedic practices. Yet, formal education in this aspect of patient care is rare both during and after residency. Because of a lack of understanding and sophistication the physician who knows the patient better than any other evaluator often play a minor role in the determination of disability. Disability Evaluation Under Social Security--A Handbook for Physicians lists the medical criteria necessary for qualification. Severely disabled arthritis patients will not always fit into these various categories and may have to be considered under the rule of medical equivalency. Workers' Compensation statutes vary somewhat from state to state but generally include disability criteria. Familiarity with these criteria and the process involved will allow the orthopedist to communicate more meaningfully with administrators and will reduce much of the frustration and some of the cost inherent in this system. When subjective complaint (illness) is in excess of apparent organic pathology (disease), team evaluation under the direction of the treating physician will help sort out the dilemma and develop a treatment plan. One hopes that this will bring the illness more in line with the disease, and thus reduce the disability.

  17. Model of Intellectual Disability and the Relationship of Attitudes Towards the Sexuality of Persons with an Intellectual Disability.

    PubMed

    Parchomiuk, Monika

    2013-06-01

    The following article discusses the relationship between the model of intellectual disability and the attitudes towards sexuality of people with disabilities. This correlation has been verified during the author's own research conducted on students of several medical faculties such as nursing, public health, emergency medical services and physiotherapy. Tools of the author's design have been used in the research. Likert-type scale "Perspective of intellectual disability" has been used to determine the model of disability seen from the medical (individual) or social perspective. To examine the attitudes towards sexuality two tools of the author's own design have been used: a Likert-type scale "The essence of sexuality in persons with an intellectual disability" which has been used to analyze the cognitive aspect of the attitudes, and a semantic differential with notions concerning physical and psychosocial aspects of sexuality including the affective-evaluative aspect. As expected, significant correlations have been found between the model and the attitudes both in the cognitive and the affective-evaluative aspect. Higher scores for the individual model correlated with: (a) lover scores for most aspects of sexuality of people with intellectual disability, (b) perceiving them as asexual, (c) biological determinism in the sexual sphere. The social model concurred with positive values given to sexuality of people with intellectual disability and its normalization in the sphere of its determinants and symptoms.

  18. A Psychiatric Primer for Programs Serving People with Developmental Disabilities. Monograph #101.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dal Pozzo, Earlene; Bernstein, Gail S.

    Intended for personnel in programs serving persons with developmental disabilities, the booklet provides basic information about the major psychiatric disorders and their treatment. Five sections cover: the major disorders; medications--uses and problems; assessment; cooordination of services; and psychiatric emergencies. Major disorders such as…

  19. A Follow-Up Study of Mortality, Health Conditions and Associated Disabilities of People with Intellectual Disabilities in a Swedish County

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gustavson, K.-H.; Umb-Carlsson, O.; Sonnander, K.

    2005-01-01

    Background: In the planning of services and health care for individuals with intellectual disability (ID), information is needed on the special requirements for habilitation and medical service and associated disabilities. Material and Methods: An unselected consecutive series of 82 adult persons with ID was studied. The medical examination…

  20. Targeted Transition Assessment Leading to Job Placement for Young Adults with Disabilities in Rural Areas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, Robert L.; Openshaw, Kristi P.

    2011-01-01

    In rural areas, transition planning for young adults with disabilities presents considerable challenges, including linkage to employment upon completion of special education services. Two assessment programs, described in this article, work in concert to assist transition teachers and youth with disabilities in rural areas and include: (a)…

  1. The Relationship between Learning Disabilities and Homelessness in Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Markos, Patricia A.; Strawser, Sherri

    2004-01-01

    This article describes the relationship between learning disabilities (LD) and homelessness. Research describing the connection between disabilities and homelessness has focused on individuals presenting with disabilities such as mental illness, physical disabilities, medical disabilities, or substance abuse. At this time, the presence of LD in…

  2. Prevention of disability in children: elevating the role of environment.

    PubMed

    Rauch, Stephen A; Lanphear, Bruce P

    2012-01-01

    Much public attention and many resources are focused on medical research to identify risk factors and mitigate symptoms of disability for individual children. But this focus will inevitably fail to prevent disabilities. Stephen Rauch and Bruce Lanphear argue for a broader focus on environmental influences that put entire populations at risk. They argue that identifying and eliminating or controlling environmental risk factors that incrementally increase the prevalence of disability is the key to preventing many disorders. Rauch and Lanphear examine emerging evidence that many disabilities of childhood have their roots in the environment--from toxins in air, water, and soil, to the stressors of poverty, to marketing practices that encourage unhealthy choices or discourage healthy ones. They review research on well-known environmental causes of disability, such as exposures to lead, cigarette smoke, and industrial air pollution. They point to new evidence suggesting that chemicals found in commonly used plastics may have subtle but serious effects on child development, and that many disabilities spring from the complex interplay of environmental risk factors and genetic susceptibility. Rauch and Lanphear make a case for turning our attention to societal or population-level interventions that would rely less on medical and genetic technology and more on policies and regulations that would reduce children's exposure to ubiquitous environmental risks. Examples include required testing of new chemicals for developmental toxicity before they are put on the market; zoning regulations that separate residential communities from industrial areas; and restrictions on advertising of unhealthy products, such as tobacco, alcohol, and junk foods, to children. Rauch and Lanphear outline and assess the effectiveness of interventions that could be adopted, and suggest what a healthy modern community might look like. Such interventions, they acknowledge, are likely to be highly

  3. Pharmacological interventions for challenging behaviour in children with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    McQuire, Cheryl; Hassiotis, Angela; Harrison, Bronwyn; Pilling, Stephen

    2015-11-26

    Psychotropic medications are frequently used to treat challenging behaviour in children with intellectual disabilities, despite a lack of evidence for their efficacy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of pharmacological interventions for challenging behaviour among children with intellectual disabilities. Electronic databases were searched and supplemented with a hand search of reference lists and trial registries. Randomised controlled trials of pharmacological interventions for challenging behaviour among children with intellectual disabilities were included. Data were analysed using meta-analysis or described narratively if meta-analysis was not possible. For quality assessment, the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach were used. Fourteen studies including 912 participants met inclusion criteria. Antipsychotic medication reduced challenging behaviour among children with intellectual disabilities in the short-term (SMD = -1.09, p < 0.001 for risperidone; SMD = -0.64, p <0.001 for aripiprazole). However, there were significant side-effects including elevated prolactin levels (SMD = 3.22, p < 0.001) and weight gain (SMD = 0.82, p < 0.001). Evidence was inconclusive regarding the effectiveness of anticonvulsants and antioxidants for reducing challenging behaviour. The quality of all evidence was low and there were no long term follow up studies. Antipsychotic medications appear to be effective for reducing challenging behaviour in the short-term among children with intellectual disabilities, but they carry a risk of significant side effects. Findings from this review must be interpreted with caution as studies were typically of low quality and most outcomes were based on a small number of studies. Further long-term, high-quality research is needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of psychotropic

  4. Prevalence of psychotropic medication use and association with challenging behaviour in adults with an intellectual disability. A total population study.

    PubMed

    Bowring, D L; Totsika, V; Hastings, R P; Toogood, S; McMahon, M

    2017-06-01

    There is a high prevalence of psychotropic medication use in adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID), often in the absence of psychiatric disorder, also associated with challenging behaviour. Previous research has focused on specific sample frames or data from primary care providers. There is also a lack of consistency in the definition of challenging behaviour used. We adopted a total population sampling method. Medication data on 265 adults with ID were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system. The Behaviour Problems Inventory - short form classified challenging behaviours. We examined the association between challenging behaviour and the use of psychotropic medication, and whether any association would still be present after accounting for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. 70.57% of adults with ID were prescribed at least one class of any medication (mean per person =2.62; range 0-14). Psychotropic medications were used by 37.73% of participants with antipsychotics the commonest type used by 21.89% of individuals. Polypharmacy and high dosages were common. Generalised Linear Models indicated significant associations between psychotropic medication and the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis, challenging behaviour, older age and type of residence. Male gender was additionally associated with antipsychotic medication. The use of a total population sample identified via multiple routes is less likely to overestimate prevalence rates of medication use. Current challenging behaviour was a predictor of medication use after controlling for other variables. Data indicate that there may be differences in prescribing patterns associated with different topographies of challenging behaviours. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Developing the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0

    PubMed Central

    Chatterji, Somnath; Kostanjsek, Nenad; Rehm, Jürgen; Kennedy, Cille; Epping-Jordan, Joanne; Saxena, Shekhar; von Korff, Michael; Pull, Charles

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Objective To describe the development of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) for measuring functioning and disability in accordance with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. WHODAS 2.0 is a standard metric for ensuring scientific comparability across different populations. Methods A series of studies was carried out globally. Over 65 000 respondents drawn from the general population and from specific patient populations were interviewed by trained interviewers who applied the WHODAS 2.0 (with 36 items in its full version and 12 items in a shortened version). Findings The WHODAS 2.0 was found to have high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, α: 0.86), a stable factor structure; high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.98); good concurrent validity in patient classification when compared with other recognized disability measurement instruments; conformity to Rasch scaling properties across populations, and good responsiveness (i.e. sensitivity to change). Effect sizes ranged from 0.44 to 1.38 for different health interventions targeting various health conditions. Conclusion The WHODAS 2.0 meets the need for a robust instrument that can be easily administered to measure the impact of health conditions, monitor the effectiveness of interventions and estimate the burden of both mental and physical disorders across different populations. PMID:21076562

  6. Usability of World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule in chronic traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Tarvonen-Schröder, Sinikka; Tenovuo, Olli; Kaljonen, Anne; Laimi, Katri

    2018-06-15

    To investigate functioning measured with the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) in patients with mild, moderate and severe traumatic brain injury, and to compare patients' experiences with assessments made by their significant others and by consultant neurologists. A total of 112 consecutive patients with traumatic brain injury (29 mild, 43 moderate, 40 severe) and their significant others completed a 12-item WHODAS 2.0 survey. A neurologist assessed functioning with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health minimal generic set. The total patient and proxy WHODAS 2.0 sum score was rated as severe, and impairments in household tasks, learning, community life, emotional functions, concentrating, dealing with strangers, maintaining friendships, and working ability as around moderate in all 3 severity groups. In standing, walking, washing, and dressing oneself the reported impairments increased from mild in mild traumatic brain injury to moderate in severe traumatic brain injury. A neurologist rated the overall functioning, working ability, and motor activities most impaired in severe traumatic brain injury, while there were no between-group differences in energy and drive functions and emotional functions. Patients with chronic traumatic brain injury perceive a diversity of significant difficulties in activities and participation irrespective of the severity of the injury. We recommend assessing disability in traumatic brain injury with the short and understandable WHODAS 2.0 scale, when planning client-oriented services.

  7. Learning from lives together: medical and social work students' experiences of learning from people with disabilities in the community.

    PubMed

    Anderson, E S; Smith, R; Thorpe, L N

    2010-05-01

    The study aims to evaluate an interprofessional community-based learning event, focussing on disability. The learning opportunity was based on the Leicester Model of Interprofessional Education, organised around the experiences and perceptions of service users and their carers. Programme participants were drawn from medicine and social work education in Leicester, UK, bringing together diverse traditions in the care of people with disabilities. Small student groups (3-4 students) worked from one of the eight community rehabilitation hospitals through a programme of contact with people with disabilities in hospital, at home or in other community settings. The evaluation, in March 2005, used a mixed methods approach, incorporating questionnaire surveys, focus group interviews with students and feedback from service users. Responses were collated and analysed using quantitative and qualitative measures. Fifty social work and 100 medical students completed the first combined delivery of the module. The findings indicated that the merging of social work and medical perspectives appear to create some tensions, although overall the student experience was found to be beneficial. Service users (16 responses) valued the process. They were not concerned at the prospect of meeting a number of students at home or elsewhere and were pleased to think of themselves as educators. Problems and obstacles still anticipated include changing the mindset of clinicians and practising social workers to enable them to support students from each other's disciplines in practice learning. The generally positive outcomes highlight that disability focussed joint learning offers a meaningful platform for interprofessional education in a practice environment.

  8. Quality Assessment of Medical Apps that Target Medication-Related Problems.

    PubMed

    Loy, John Shiguang; Ali, Eskinder Eshetu; Yap, Kevin Yi-Lwern

    2016-10-01

    The advent of smartphones has enabled a plethora of medical apps for disease management. As of 2012, there are 40,000 health care-related mobile apps available in the market. Since most of these medical apps do not go through any stringent quality assessment, there is a risk of consumers being misinformed or misled by unreliable information. In this regard, apps that target medication-related problems (MRPs) are not an exception. There is little information on what constitutes quality in apps that target MRPs and how good the existing apps are. To develop a quality assessment tool for evaluating apps that target MRPs and assess the quality of such apps available in the major mobile app stores (iTunes and Google Play). The top 100 free and paid apps in the medical categories of iTunes and Google Play stores (total of 400 apps) were screened for inclusion in the final analysis. English language apps that targeted MRPs were downloaded on test devices to evaluate their quality. Apps intended for clinicians, patients, or both were eligible for evaluation. The quality assessment tool consisted of 4 sections (appropriateness, reliability, usability, privacy), which determined the overall quality of the apps. Apps that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were classified based on the presence of any 1 or more of the 5 features considered important for apps targeting MRPs (monitoring, interaction checker, dose calculator, medication information, medication record). Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney tests were used for analysis. Final analysis was based on 59 apps that fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. Apps with interaction checker (66.9%) and monitoring features (54.8%) had the highest and lowest overall qualities. Paid apps generally scored higher for usability than free apps (P = 0.006) but lower for privacy (P = 0.003). Half of the interaction checker apps were unable to detect interactions with herbal medications. Blood pressure and heart rate monitoring apps

  9. Assessment of Interpersonal Risk (AIR) in Adults with Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviour--Piloting a New Risk Assessment Tool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Martin; McCue, Michael

    2013-01-01

    A new risk assessment tool, "Assessment of Interpersonal Risk" (AIR), was piloted and evaluated to measure risk factors and compatibility between individuals living in an assessment and treatment unit in one NHS area. The adults with learning disabilities in this unit had severe and enduring mental health problems and/or behaviour that is severely…

  10. Graduation Policies for Students with Disabilities Who Participate in States' General Assessments. Synthesis Report 98

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thurlow, Martha L.; Albus, Debra A.; Lazarus, Sheryl S.

    2015-01-01

    Graduation requirements and diploma options for students with disabilities who participate in the general assessment has been a topic of interest for many years. The recent push for all students, including those with disabilities, to leave school ready for college and career has heightened the importance of understanding what states are requiring…

  11. Relationship of Quality of Life with Disability Grade in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Roopesh Gopal, NV; Sudarshan, CY; Kumar, S Ganesh

    2014-01-01

    Background: There is paucity of information on the relationship of quality of life (QOL) in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and dysthymic disorder (DD) with disability grade in India. Aim: To assess the relation of QOL with disability level in OCD and DD. Materials and Methods: This hospital based study was conducted in a medical institution in Davanagere, Karnataka, India. Data was collected by using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV Text Revision (DSM IV TR) criteria, WHO QOL BREF and IDEAS. Relationship between disability grade and QOL was assessed by independent sample t test. Results: Mild disabled OCD patients had a significantly better QOL in the Q1 domain i.e. perception on quality of life as compared to moderately disabled patients (P < 0.05), while in other domains of QOL, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). But, QOL score in physical domain showed significant difference across disability grades (56.00, SD = 6.89; 48.50, SD = 12.28) in DD, but not in other domains. Conclusion: Perception of QOL is better in those with mild disability in OCD, but in DD, physical domain of QOL score is more in mild disability compared to moderate disability. PMID:25191009

  12. The Effectiveness of Antidepressant Medication in the Management of Behaviour Problems in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sohanpal, S. K.; Deb, S.; Thomas, C.; Soni, R.; Lenotre, L.; Unwin, G.

    2007-01-01

    Background: A comprehensive systematic review was performed to establish the current evidence base regarding the effectiveness of antidepressant medication for the management of behaviour problems in adults with intellectual disabilities. Method: An electronic search of PsycInfo, Embase, Medline and Cinahl databases was conducted spanning the time…

  13. Should Actuarial Risk Assessments Be Used with Sex Offenders Who Are Intellectually Disabled?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Andrew J. R.; Tough, Susan

    2004-01-01

    Background: Objective actuarial assessments are critical for making risk decisions, determining the necessary level of supervision and intensity of treatment ( Andrews & Bonta 2003). This paper reviews the history of organized risk assessment and discusses some issues in current attitudes towards sexual offenders with intellectual disabilities.…

  14. School-Based Functional Assessments for Children with Physical Disabilities in Grades K-12

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Richard W.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop three school-based assessments and determine the content validity for each assessment. The School Activities and Participation Analysis-Elementary (SAPA-E) measures functional movement performance in children with physical disability attending the elementary school, and the School Activities and…

  15. Health and Social Care Practitioners' Experiences of Assessing Mental Capacity in a Community Learning Disability Team

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ratcliff, Daniel; Chapman, Melanie

    2016-01-01

    Background: The study explored experiences of health and social care practitioners within a community learning disability team in undertaking mental capacity assessments with people with learning disabilities. Materials and Methods: Eight practitioners were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Results: The information gained was…

  16. Health spending among working-age immigrants with disabilities compared to those born in the US.

    PubMed

    Tarraf, Wassim; Mahmoudi, Elham; Dillaway, Heather E; González, Hector M

    2016-07-01

    Immigrants have disparate access to health care. Disabilities can amplify their health care burdens. Examine how US- and foreign-born working-age adults with disabilities differ in their health care spending patterns. Medical Expenditures Panel Survey yearly-consolidated files (2000-2010) on working-age adults (18-64 years) with disabilities. We used three operational definitions of disability: physical, cognitive, and sensory. We examined annual total, outpatient/office-based, prescription medication, inpatient, and emergency department (ED) health expenditures. We tested bivariate logistic and linear regression models to, respectively, assess unadjusted group differences in the propensity to spend and average expenditures. Second, we used multivariable two-part models to estimate and test per-capita expenditures adjusted for predisposing, enabling, health need and behavior indicators. Adjusted for age and sex differences, US-born respondents with physical, cognitive, sensory spent on average $2977, $3312, and $2355 more in total compared to their foreign-born counterparts (P < 0.01). US-born spending was also higher across the four types of health care expenditures considered. Adjusting for the behavioral model factors, especially predisposing and enabling indicators, substantially reduced nativity differences in overall, outpatient/office-based and medication spending but not in inpatient and ED expenditures. Working-age immigrants with disabilities have lower levels of health care use and expenditures compared to their US-born counterparts. Affordable Care Act provisions aimed at increasing access to insurance and primary care can potentially align the consumption patterns of US- and foreign-born disabled working-age adults. More work is needed to understand the pathways leading to differences in hospital and prescription medication care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Health Spending Among Working-Age Immigrants With Disabilities Compared To Those Born In The US

    PubMed Central

    Tarraf, Wassim; Mahmoudi, Elham; Dillaway, Heather E; Gonzalez, Hector M.

    2016-01-01

    Background Immigrants have disparate access to healthcare. Disabilities can amplify their healthcare burdens. Objective/Hypothesis Examine how US- and foreign-born working-age adults with disabilities differ in their healthcare spending patterns. Methods Medical Expenditures Panel Survey yearly-consolidated files (2000-2010) on working-age adults (18-64 years) with disabilities. We used three operational definitions of disability: physical, cognitive, and sensory. We examined annual total, outpatient/office-based, prescription medication, inpatient, and emergency department (ED) health expenditures. We tested bivariate logistic and linear regression models to, respectively, assess unadjusted group differences in the propensity to spend and average expenditures. Second, we used multivariable two-part models to estimate and test per-capita expenditures adjusted for predisposing, enabling, health need and behavior indicators. Results Adjusted for age and sex differences, US-born respondents with physical, cognitive, sensory spent on average $2,977, $3,312, and $2,355 more in total compared to their foreign-born counterparts (P<0.01). US-born spending was also higher across the four types of healthcare expenditures considered. Adjusting for the behavioral model factors, especially predisposing and enabling indicators, substantially reduced nativity differences in overall, outpatient/office-based and medication spending but not in inpatient and ED expenditures. Conclusions Working-age immigrants with disabilities have lower levels of healthcare use and expenditures compared to their US-born counterparts. Affordable Care Act provisions aimed at increasing access to insurance and primary care can potentially align the consumption patterns of US- and foreign-born disabled working-age adults. More work is needed to understand the pathways leading to differences in hospital and prescription medication care. PMID:26917103

  18. Minnesota's Comprehensive Assessments: 1998 and 1999 Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities. State Assessment Series, Minnesota Report 32.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walz, Lynn; Thompson, Sandra; Thurlow, Martha; Spicuzza, Richard

    This report focuses on the participation and performance of students with disabilities on the initial administration of Minnesota's Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs). The MCAs are criterion-referenced tests used for district accountability purposes and as tools for making decisions about curriculum and instruction. Assessments in mathematics and…

  19. Assessing health and rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities in Cameroon and India.

    PubMed

    Mactaggart, Islay; Kuper, Hannah; Murthy, G V S; Sagar, Jayanthi; Oye, Joseph; Polack, Sarah

    2016-09-01

    To assess the association between disability and serious health problems, and the access and uptake of health and rehabilitation services in Cameroon and India. We undertook a population-based case-control study, nested within a survey in Fundong Health District, North West Cameroon (August-October 2013) and in Mahbubnagar District, Telangana State, India (February-April 2014). Disability was defined as the presence of self-reported difficulties in functioning or clinical impairments. One control without disability was selected per case, matched by age, gender and cluster. Information was collected using structured questionnaires on: socioeconomic status, health, access to health services and rehabilitation. Cases with disability were significantly more likely to report a serious health problem in the last year compared to controls in both India (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 2.1-4.8) and Cameroon (OR = 1.9, 1.4-2.7). The vast majority of people sought care when seriously ill, and this did not vary between cases and controls. Awareness and use of rehabilitation services was extremely low in both Cameroon and India. Further focus is needed to improve awareness of rehabilitation services among people with disabilities in India and Cameroon to ensure that their rights are fulfilled and to achieve the goal of Universal Health Coverage. Implications for Rehabilitation People with and without disabilities equally seek health care in India and Cameroon. However, people with disabilities experience more frequent serious health problems than people without. Extremely few people with disabilities were aware of rehabilitation services despite their existence in the study settings.

  20. Clinical Decision Making and Preference Assessment for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virués-Ortega, Javier; Pritchard, Kristen; Grant, Robin L.; North, Sebastian; Hurtado-Parrado, Camilo; Lee, May S. H.; Temple, Bev; Julio, Flavia; Yu, C. T.

    2014-01-01

    Individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities are able to reliably express their likes and dislikes through direct preference assessment. Preferred items tend to function as rewards and can therefore be used to facilitate the acquisition of new skills and promote task engagement. A number of preference assessment methods are…

  1. Workplace Discrimination and the Perception of Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Draper, William R.; Reid, Christine A.; McMahon, Brian T.

    2011-01-01

    This article documents the employment discrimination experienced by Americans "regarded as" disabled (but not medically verified as such), using the Integrated Mission System of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Claimants who were perceived as disabled, as contrasted with those with documented disabilities, were more likely…

  2. Assessing Character Strengths in Youth with Intellectual Disability: Reliability and Factorial Validity of the VIA-Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shogren, Karrie A.; Shaw, Leslie A.; Raley, Sheida K.; Wehmeyer, Michael L.; Niemiec, Ryan M.; Adkins, Megan

    2018-01-01

    This article reports the results of an examination of the endorsement, reliability, and factorial validity of the VIA--Youth and assessment of character strengths and virtues developed for the general population in youth with and without intellectual disability. Findings suggest that, generally, youth with intellectual disability endorsed…

  3. Models of Disability in Children's Pretend Play: Measurement of Cognitive Representations and Affective Expression Using the Affect in Play Scale.

    PubMed

    Federici, Stefano; Meloni, Fabio; Catarinella, Antonio; Mazzeschi, Claudia

    2017-01-01

    Play is a natural mode of children's expression and constitutes a fundamental aspect of their life. Cognitive, affective, and social aspects can be assessed through play, considered as a "window" to observe a child's functioning. According to Russ's model, cognitive and affective components and their reciprocal connections can be assessed through the Affect in Play Scale (APS). The aim of the present study was to investigate children's representations of the three main models of disability (medical, social, and biopsychosocial) and how these models affected cognitive and affective components of children's play. Sixty-three children, aged 6-10 years, were assessed by means of the APS. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two APS task orders: the standard APS task followed by the modified APS task (including a wheelchair toy), or vice versa. The standard and modified APS sessions were coded according to the APS system. The modified APS sessions were also coded for the model of disability expressed by children. A one-way ANOVA conducted on the APS affective and cognitive indexes revealed an effect of condition on the affective components of play and no effect on cognitive components and variety of affect as assessed by the APS. In addition, when children are involved in pretend play from which concepts of disability emerge, these concepts are almost exclusively related to the medical model of disability. Results suggested implications for intervention with children in educational contexts that aim to teach children about disability.

  4. Exploring participatory behaviour of disability benefit claimants from an insurance physician's perspective.

    PubMed

    Sjobbema, Christiaan; van der Mei, Sijrike; Cornelius, Bert; van der Klink, Jac; Brouwer, Sandra

    2018-08-01

    -to-work (RTW) process, insurance physicians (IPs) assess participatory behaviour according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, including medical, personal, and environmental factors. Some aspects within the concept of participatory behaviour extend beyond the boundaries of the domain where IPs operate because opinions in society on personal and societal responsibility influence participatory behaviour.

  5. The Source for Learning Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Currie, Paula S.; Wadlington, Elizabeth M.

    This book is designed to help clinicians and teachers work more effectively with people with learning disabilities and their families. Chapter 1 provides an overview of learning disabilities. It presents commonly accepted medical and educational definitions, prevalence figures, and possible etiological explanations for various disorders. Chapter 2…

  6. 76 FR 64429 - Advisory Committee on Prosthetics and Special-Disabilities Programs; Notice of Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-18

    ... research services available to the Committee. Additionally, the Committee will discuss future agenda topics... state-of-the art prosthetics and the associated rehabilitation research, development, and evaluation of... will be briefed by the Chief Disability and Medical Assessment Officer; Physical Therapy Program...

  7. Assessment of Leisure Preferences for Students with Severe Developmental Disabilities and Communication Difficulties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kreiner, Janice; Flexer, Robert

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and to evaluate the Preferences for Leisure Attributes (PLA) Assessment, a forced-choice computer software program for students with severe disabilities and communication difficulties. In order to determine content validity of the PLA Assessment, four experts in related fields assigned critical attributes…

  8. Impact of physician empathy on migraine disability and migraineur compliance.

    PubMed

    Attar, Hatim S; Chandramani, Srinath

    2012-08-01

    We aim to establish the role that perceived physician empathy plays in determining migraineurs' outcomes and compliance with migraine management plans. We checked for associations between perceived physician empathy and clinical outcomes as well as compliance with management plans. 63 migraineurs were enrolled between July and September 2011. Questionnaire administered at the time of inclusion into the study included self-assessment of disability due to migraine (Migraine Disability Assessment Test) followed by migraineurs' assessment of physician empathy (Consultation and Relational Empathy Measure). Three months later, a telephonic questionnaire ascertained changes in disability due to migraine and compliance with migraine treatment. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel 2010 and analyzed using SPSS 17. Pearson's correlation was employed to analyze the significance of relationship between variables. P-value of less than 0.05 has been considered statistically significant. Statistically significant positive Pearson's correlations are seen between perceived empathy and decrease in migraine disability and symptoms over three months (P < 0.05). Significant positive relationships are also seen between perceived empathy and compliance with diet/meal timings, exercising, de-stressing/sleep pattern modification and medications (P < 0.05). Self-reported compliance is significantly correlated with improved patient outcomes (P < 0.05). Substantial positive associations are found between perceived physician empathy and migraineurs' outcomes and compliance with management plans. This emphasizes the importance of empathy in migraineur-physician communication.

  9. The Effect of an Intervention Aimed at Reducing Errors when Administering Medication through Enteral Feeding Tubes in an Institution for Individuals with Intellectual Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Idzinga, J. C.; de Jong, A. L.; van den Bemt, P. M. L. A.

    2009-01-01

    Background: Previous studies, both in hospitals and in institutions for clients with an intellectual disability (ID), have shown that medication errors at the administration stage are frequent, especially when medication has to be administered through an enteral feeding tube. In hospitals a specially designed intervention programme has proven to…

  10. Behavioral and Psychiatric Differences in Medication Side Effects in Adults with Severe Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matson, Johnny L.; Fodstad, Jill C.; Rivet, Tessa T.; Rojahn, Johannes

    2009-01-01

    Participants were 109 adults with severe intellectual disabilities and long histories of psychotropic drug use. Side effect profiles were examined in the context of types of mental health disorders observed using the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-Revised (DASH-II) and the Behavior Problems Inventory-Revised (BPI-01). The best…

  11. Risk assessment analysis of the future technical unit dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of motor disabilities.

    PubMed

    Grelier, S; Thetio, M; Quentin, V; Achache, V; Sanchez, N; Leroux, V; Durand, E; Pequignot, R

    2011-03-01

    The National Hospital of Saint Maurice (HNSM) for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation aims at strengthening its position as a pivot rehabilitation and physical therapy center. The opening in 2011 of a new unit for the evaluation and treatment of motor disabilities meets this objective. This project includes several parts: clinical, financial, architectural, organizational, applied clinical research as well as dealing with medical equipments and information system. This study focuses on the risk assessment of this future technical unit. This study was conducted by a group of professionals working for the hospital. It started with the design of a functional model to better comprehend the system to be analyzed. Risk assessment consists in confronting this functional model to a list of dangers in order to determine the vulnerable areas of the system. Then the team designed some scenarios to identify the causes, securities barriers and consequences in order to rank the risks. The analysis targeted various dangers, e.g. political, strategic, financial, economical, marketing, clinical and operational. The team identified more than 70 risky scenarios. For 75% of them the criticality level was deemed initially tolerable and under control or unacceptable. The implementation of an action plan for reducing the level of risks before opening this technical unit brought the system down to an acceptable level at 66%. A year prior to opening this technical unit for the evaluation and treatment of motor disabilities, conducting this preliminary risk assessment, with its exhaustive and rigorous methodology, enabled the concerned professionals to work together around an action plan for reducing the risks. 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Assessing Residential Segregation among Medicaid Recipients with Psychiatric Disability in Philadelphia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Metraux, Stephen; Caplan, Joel M.; Klugman, Dutch; Hadley, Trevor R.

    2007-01-01

    This study assesses the extent of residential segregation among 15,246 people diagnosed with psychiatric disabilities and receiving Medicaid (MA) in Philadelphia, and an identically sized group of MA recipients serving as matched controls. Results indicate that overall levels of residential segregation among this group were modest at their most…

  13. "Measuring up"? Assessment and Students with Disabilities in the Modern University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bessant, Judith

    2012-01-01

    In this article, I ask how university students with disabilities negotiate with staff arrangements for alternative assessment practices. I draw on three case studies using a personal pronoun perspective to challenge the conventional view that educational policy and teaching practice are forms of rational action. I demonstrate how the lives of…

  14. The Utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment as a Mental Capacity Assessment Tool for Patients with a Learning Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edge, Daniel; Oyefeso, Adenekan; Evans, Carys; Evans, Amber

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To determine the psychometric properties of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in patients with a learning disability and examine it's utility for conducting mental capacity assessment. Method: This study was a cross-sectional, instrument validation study in an inpatient hospital setting, located in the East of England. The sample…

  15. [The burden of disability in Cameroon].

    PubMed

    Foti, Calogero; Albensi, Caterina; Giordani, Laura; Azeufack Ngueko, Yannick; Sanou Sobze, Martin; Colizzi, Vittorio

    2017-01-01

    Rehabilitation services for disabled persons are lacking in countries with limited economic resources. Reliable and objective data are needed to plan for their implementation and to determine the burden of disability in these countries. A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in June 2013 among people living in Dschang Health District, in the West region of Cameroon, to collect information about socio-demographic aspects of physically disabled subjects and health determinants of disabilities. Data was collected using a standard questionnaire in French. In total, 159 physically disabled subjects were enrolled in the study. Mean age was 36 years [± SD 17.26], 55.9% of subjects were female, and 33.8% had a low educational-level. The most frequently reported disabilities were orthopaedic problems (mainly fractures) [45.8%], infectious diseases [29.1%]), and neurological disabilities (mainly hemiplegia [33.3%], hemiparesis [23.8%], and monoplegia [23.8%]). The main causes of disability were trauma due to traffic accidents (17.8%) and inappropriate medical interventions (14.5%). Disability was related to age and 50% of participants experienced social discrimination. Disabled subjects with low-incomes (from 50.000 to 200.000 XAF) were required to pay for rehabilitative care (XAF 10.000 to 100.000), and up to 83% had appealed for improved quality of Rehabilitation Medicine. Although Law n. 83/013 for the protection of persons with disabilities in Cameroon dates back to 1983, the results of this study show that disabled people, and children in particular, are still marginalized, vulnerable and have little chance of recovery. Therefore, there is a clear need to improve the quality and availability of rehabilitative care services , with programmatic interventions that ensure implementation of existing laws, improve access to rehabilitative services, provide disabled persons with the necessary specialty medical products, and eliminate barriers to their social

  16. Engendering a conducive environment for university students with physical disabilities: assessing availability of assistive facilities in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Ijadunola, Macellina Y; Ojo, Temitope O; Akintan, Florence O; Adeyemo, Ayoade O; Afolayan, Ademola S; Akanji, Olakunle G

    2018-03-12

    This study assessed awareness and availability of assistive facilities in a Nigerian public university. Study was conducted in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife Nigeria using a mixed methods approach. Fifty two students with disability (SWD) were interviewed with a semistructured, self-administered questionnaire. A checklist was used to assess assistive facilities on campus while in-depth interviews (IDI) were conducted with university officials, to assess their perspectives about the availability and use of assistive facilities in the university. Almost three-thirds (57.7%) of SWD were male while more than two-thirds were aged between 21 and 30 years. About seven in 10 (71.1%) respondents, had mobility impairment, while two-fifth had visual impairment (40.8%) and a few had hearing impairment. Only the university's administrative building had a functioning elevator. Slightly more than half (54.5%) of the lecture theatres have public address systems, while only two have special entrances and exits with ramps for SWD. Almost all respondents were unaware of facilities that aid learning (96.2%) and facilities for library use (90.4%). University officials were aware of assistive facilities for SWD but do not know the actual number of SWD. Assistive facilities for SWD on campus are limited. More assistive facilities need to be provided alongside increased awareness about these facilities and a disability register should be open for students on campus. Assistive facilities to aid learning and make SWD more comfortable are required. Implications for Rehabilitation Universities should have an official policy on students with disabilities and implement it, such a policy should address special considerations for disabled students, such as having an updated register for students with disability, having examination questions in large fonts for students with visual disabilities, giving them extra time for examinations and providing special counselling services for

  17. [Evolution of worker's health in the social security medical examination in Brazil].

    PubMed

    Pinto Júnior, Afrânio Gomes; Braga, Ana Maria Cheble Bahia; Roselli-Cruz, Amadeu

    2012-10-01

    In order to analyze the practice of the social security medical examination starting from the introduction of the worker's health paradigms, data was gathered on the granting of social security disability benefits to assess worker illness based on notification of work-related accidents in the cement industries of Rio de Janeiro. From 2007 to 2009 there was only one notification, which involved a worker handling toxic waste instead of the energy matrix. However, the analysis revealed sources and mechanisms of illness overlooked in the social security medical examination, which is still focused on the one-cause-only logic of occupational medicine. To achieve the worker's health paradigms, changes are required to alter the way of conducting the social security medical examination, by re-establishing partnerships, training human resources, adopting epidemiological indicators, as well as setting and assessing social security goals that transcend the mere granting of disability benefits.

  18. Violence risk assessment as a medical intervention: ethical tensions

    PubMed Central

    Roychowdhury, Ashimesh; Adshead, Gwen

    2014-01-01

    Risk assessment differs from other medical interventions in that the welfare of the patient is not the immediate object of the intervention. However, improving the risk assessment process may reduce the chance of risk assessment itself being unjust. We explore the ethical arguments in relation to risk assessment as a medical intervention, drawing analogies, where applicable, with ethical arguments raised by general medical investigations. The article concludes by supporting the structured professional judgement approach as a method of risk assessment that is most consistent with the respect for principles of medical ethics. Recommendations are made for the future direction of risk assessment indicated by ethical theory. PMID:25237503

  19. Reflective Impressions of a Precepted Clinical Experience Caring for People with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karl, Renee; McGuigan, Denise; Withiam-Leitch, Matthew L.; Akl, Elie A.; Symons, Andrew B.

    2013-01-01

    There is evidence that early and frequent encounters with people with disabilities can improve medical students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes about disability. As part of a 4-year integrated curriculum in caring for patients with disabilities, third-year medical students ("n" ?=? 144) in a Family Medicine clerkship participated…

  20. Disability Discourse: Overview and Critiques of the Medical and Social Models

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haegele, Justin Anthony; Hodge, Samuel

    2016-01-01

    Over time, the meaning of disability has been understood in a variety of ways. The way in which disability is understood is important because the language people use to describe individuals with disabilities influences their expectations and interactions with them. For physical education teachers, philosophical orientation in regard to disability…

  1. Perspectives on the Meaning of "Disability".

    PubMed

    Francis, Leslie; Silvers, Anita

    2016-10-01

    The meaning of "disability" has shifted with changes in public policy. Half a century ago, Congress was convinced that narrow determinations of disability are easy for physicians to make. But with the advent of universal civil rights protection against disability discrimination in the US, deciding whether particular individuals are disabled became increasingly contentious, until Congress intervened. What should now be addressed in each case is not whether the functionally compromised person is severely disabled enough to exercise a right, but whether mitigating interventions and reasonable accommodations can together achieve equitable access for that person. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  2. GPs’ opinions of health assessment instruments for people with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    Bakker-van Gijssel, Esther J; Hartman, Tim C olde; Lucassen, Peter LBJ; van den Driessen Mareeuw, Francine; Dees, Marianne K; Assendelft, Willem JJ; van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk, Henny MJ

    2017-01-01

    Background GPs provide health care to people with intellectual disabilities (ID). People with ID find it difficult to express themselves concerning health-related matters. Applying health assessments is an effective method to reveal health needs, and can play a role in prevention and health promotion. Aim The aim of this qualitative study was to explore GPs’ considerations about applying a health assessment for people with ID. Design and setting This focus group study was conducted among a selection of Dutch GPs. Method An interview guide was developed. All discussions were audiorecorded and transcribed. Analysis was performed using the framework analysis approach. Two researchers independently applied open coding and identified a thematic framework. This framework and the summaries of views per theme were discussed in the research team. Results After four focus groups, with 23 GPs, saturation was reached. Three main themes evolved: health assessments in relation to GPs’ responsibility; the usefulness and necessity of health assessments; and barriers to using health assessments on people with ID. A health assessment instrument for people with ID can help GPs to focus on certain issues that are not so common in the general population. GPs are motivated to use such a tool if it is scientifically tested, and results in significant health gains. However, GPs identify barriers at the level of GP, patient, and organisation. Conclusion Most GPs in the focus groups consider providing medical care to people with ID their responsibility and indicate that a health assessment instrument could be a valuable tool. In order to deliver good care, they need education and support. Many barriers need to be overcome before a health assessment instrument can be implemented. PMID:27993898

  3. Predictors of disability retirement.

    PubMed

    Krause, N; Lynch, J; Kaplan, G A; Cohen, R D; Goldberg, D E; Salonen, J T

    1997-12-01

    Disability retirement may increase as the work force ages, but there is little information on factors associated with retirement because of disability. This is the first prospective population-based study of predictors of disability retirement including information on workplace, socioeconomic, behavioral, and health-related factors. The subjects were 1038 Finnish men who were enrolled in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, who were 42, 48, 54, or 60 years of age at the beginning of the study, and who participated in a 4-year follow-up medical examination. Various job characteristics predicted disability retirement. Heavy work, work in uncomfortable positions, long workhours, noise at work, physical job strain, musculoskeletal strain, repetitive or continuous muscle strain, mental job strain, and job dissatisfaction were all significantly associated with the incidence of disability retirement. The ability to communicate with fellow workers and social support from supervisors tended to reduce the risk of disability retirement. The relationships persisted after control for socioeconomic factors, prevalent disease, and health behavior, which were also associated with disability retirement. The strong associations found between workplace factors and the incidence of disability retirement link the problem of disability retirement to the problem of poor work conditions.

  4. Issues in the Medication Management Process in People Who Have Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Study of the Caregivers' Perspective.

    PubMed

    Erickson, Steven R; Salgado, Teresa M; Tan, Xi

    2016-12-01

    People who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often rely on caregivers to assist in the medication management process. The aim of this study was to learn from caregivers, who are either family or support staff, what major issues arise throughout the process of managing medication and how these might be addressed. Problems identified by caregivers include (a) prescribers understanding of insurance and agency policies regarding medication utilization; (b) lack of continuity of care and accuracy of the medication record as well as clinical records; (c) poor communication among patients, caregivers, and clinicians; (d) patient willingness to take medication; (e) caregiver understanding and training of medication-related topics; and (f) the health system being unprepared to work with people who have IDD.

  5. Development and Psychometric Properties of an Assessment for Persons with Intellectual Disability--The InterRAI ID

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Lynn; Hirdes, John P.; Fries, Brant E.; Smith, Trevor F.

    2007-01-01

    This paper describes the development of the interRAI-Intellectual Disability (interRAI ID), a comprehensive instrument that assesses all key domains of interest to service providers relative to a person with an intellectual disability (ID). The authors report on the reliability and validity of embedded scales for cognition, self-care, aggression,…

  6. Disability disclosure and workplace accommodations among youth with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Lindsay, Sally; Cagliostro, Elaine; Leck, Joanne; Shen, Winny; Stinson, Jennifer

    2018-03-20

    Many youths with disabilities find it challenging to disclose their medical condition and request workplace accommodations. Our objective was to explore when and how young people with disabilities disclose their condition and request workplace accommodations. We conducted 17 in-depth interviews (11 females, six males) with youth with disabilities aged 15-34 (mean age 26). We analyzed our data using an interpretive, qualitative, and thematic approach. Our results showed the timing of when youth disclosed their disability to their employer depended on disability type and severity, comfort level, type of job, and industry. Youth's strategies and reasons for disclosure included advocating for their needs, being knowledgeable about workplace rights, and accommodation solutions. Facilitators for disclosure included job preparation, self-confidence, and self-advocacy skills, and having an inclusive work environment. Challenges to disability disclosure included the fear of stigma and discrimination, lack of employer's knowledge about disability and accommodations, negative past experiences of disclosing, and not disclosing on your own terms. Our findings highlight that youth encounter several challenges and barriers to disclosing their condition and requesting workplace accommodations. The timing and process for disclosing is complex and further work is needed to help support youth with disclosing their condition. Implications for rehabilitation Clinicians, educators, and employers should emphasize the importance of mentoring and leadership programs to give youth the confidence and self-advocacy skills needed to disclose and ask for accommodations in the workplace. Clinicians should advocate for the inclusion of youth with disabilities in the workforce and educate employers on the importance of doing so. Youth with disabilities need more opportunities for employment training and particularly how to disclose their disability and request workplace accommodations.

  7. Oral health care utilization in children with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Leroy, Roos; Declerck, Dominique

    2013-11-01

    The objectives of this report were to survey the utilization of oral health care in children and adolescents with disabilities over a 7-year period and to compare these data with the utilization pattern of their peers without disabilities. For most countries, these data have not been published in the international literature so far. The cohort used was the Permanent Sample of Socially Insured Persons, an anonymous representative sample of Belgian residents. The database comprised prospective data on oral and general health care utilization and sociodemographic variables collected from 2002 up to 2008. Data were available from 326 children and adolescents with and 53,589 without disabilities. Dental attendance rates were low in both subgroups: only 50 % had a dental visit in four or more of the seven observation years. Emergency oral and medical care was recorded significantly more often in children with disabilities whereas radiographs, restorations, and orthodontic assessments and treatments more frequently in children without disabilities. The present study demonstrated that dental attendance rates in both subgroups were low and that in those who attended, preventive oral health care was only infrequently attested. Further research is needed to elucidate whether the lower number of radiographs and restorations and the higher number of emergency visits observed in the subgroup with disabilities reflect unmet oral treatment needs. Objective data on health care utilization are essential to enable governments and stakeholders to devise appropriate care and to optimize access to care for persons with disabilities.

  8. Sleep and Cognitive Functioning in Children with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buckhalt, Joseph A.

    2013-01-01

    Sleep disorders and sleep of insufficient duration and quality have been associated with impaired cognitive functioning in typically developing children and in children with a wide array of disabilities and medical conditions. Among children with disabilities, those with intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism…

  9. 20 CFR 404.1505 - Basic definition of disability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to... disabled worker, or child's insurance benefits based on disability before age 22 or, with respect to.... (b) There are different rules for determining disability for individuals who are statutorily blind...

  10. 20 CFR 404.1505 - Basic definition of disability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to... disabled worker, or child's insurance benefits based on disability before age 22 or, with respect to.... (b) There are different rules for determining disability for individuals who are statutorily blind...

  11. 20 CFR 404.1505 - Basic definition of disability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to... disabled worker, or child's insurance benefits based on disability before age 22 or, with respect to.... (b) There are different rules for determining disability for individuals who are statutorily blind...

  12. REPLICATIONS AND EXTENSIONS IN AROUSAL ASSESSMENT FOR SEX OFFENDERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

    PubMed Central

    Reyes, Jorge R; Vollmer, Timothy R; Hall, Astrid

    2011-01-01

    Three adult male sex offenders with developmental disabilities participated in phallometric assessments that involved repeated measures of arousal when exposed to various stimuli. Arousal assessment outcomes were similar to those obtained by Reyes et al. (2006). Additional data-analysis methods provided further information about sexual preferences, thus replicating and extending previous research. The results provide preliminary data for establishing a preference gradient by age. Implications for the use of repeated measures and preference gradients in arousal assessments are discussed. PMID:21709795

  13. (dis)Ability and Music Education: Paralympian Patrick Anderson and the Experience of Disability in Music

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Adam Patrick

    2017-01-01

    What does it mean to experience disability in music? Based on interviews with Patrick Anderson--arguably the greatest wheelchair basketball player of all time--this article presents insights into the complexities of the experience of disability in sports and music. Contrasted with music education's tendency to adhere to a medicalized model of…

  14. The Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery and the WAIS-R in Assessment of Adults with Specific Learning Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Katz, Lynda; Goldstein, Gerald

    1993-01-01

    Compared intellectual (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale for Adults-Revised) and neuropsychological (Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery) assessment as valid methods of identifying learning disabilities in adults. Findings from 155 subjects revealed that both instruments were able to distinguish adults with and without learning disabilities.…

  15. Modified Sainsbury tool: an initial risk assessment tool for primary care mental health and learning disability services.

    PubMed

    Stein, W

    2005-10-01

    Risk assessments by health and social care professionals must encompass risk of suicide, of harm to others, and of neglect. The UK's National Confidential Inquiry into Homicide and Suicide paints a picture of failure to predict suicides and homicides, failure to identify opportunities for prevention and a failure to manage these opportunities. Assessing risk at 'first contact' with the mental health service assumes a special place in this regard. The initial opportunity to be alerted to, and thus to influence, risk, usually falls to the general psychiatric service (as opposed to forensic specialists) or to a joint health and local authority community mental health team. The Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Directorate of Renfrewshire & Inverclyde Primary Care NHS Trust, Scotland, determined to standardize their approach to risk assessment and selected a modified version of the Sainsbury Risk Assessment Tool. A year-long pilot revealed general support for its service-wide introduction but also some misgivings to address, including: (i) rejection of the tool by some medical staff; (ii) concerns about limited training; and (iii) a perceived failure on the part of the management to properly resource its use. The tool has the potential to fit well with the computer-networked needs assessment system used in joint-working with partner local authorities to allocate care resources.

  16. [Assessment in Medical Education].

    PubMed

    Ramírez, Martha Delgado; Gómez-Restrepo, Carlos

    2012-01-01

    The assessment of medical education is fundamental for proper feedback and evaulation of students. The overall purpose of the evaluation is numerically and formatively revised. The suggested evaluation processes is described taking into account the Miller competence pyramid as a tool for designing evaluations and concepts of validity and reproducibility in assessments. The utility of student and the teacher is also raised. The issue of assessment should leave the knowledge parameters that are usually used. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  17. Transferring Young People with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities from Pediatric to Adult Medical Care: Parents' Experiences and Recommendations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bindels-de Heus, Karen G. C. B.; van Staa, AnneLoes; van Vliet, Ingeborg; Ewals, Frans V. P. M.; Hilberink, Sander R.

    2013-01-01

    Many children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) now reach adulthood. The aim of this study was to elicit parents' experiences with the transfer from pediatric to adult medical care. A convenience sample of 131 Dutch parents of young people with PIMD (16--26 years) completed a web-based questionnaire. Twenty-two percent of…

  18. Visualising Disability in the Past

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Devlieger, Patrick; Grosvenor, Ian; Simon, Frank; Van Hove, Geert; Vanobbergen, Bruno

    2008-01-01

    In recent years there has been a growth in interdisciplinary work which has argued that disability is not an isolated, individual medical pathology but instead a key defining social category like "race", class and gender. Seen in this way disability provides researchers with another analytic tool for exploring the nature of power. Running almost…

  19. Disability in U. S. Medical Education: Disparities, Programmes and Future Directions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santoro, Jonathan D.; Yedla, Manisha; Lazzareschi, Daniel V.; Whitgob, Emily E.

    2017-01-01

    As of 2010, 19% of the US population lives with a disability, and with the average lifespan of persons with disability increasing, this number is expected to rise. This has prompted the identification of a need for disability-based education by the US Institute of Medicine, the Surgeon General of the United States, the Association of American…

  20. Verifiability of diagnostic categories and work ability in the context of disability pension award: A survey on "gatekeeping" among general practitioners in Norway

    PubMed Central

    Overland, Rein; Overland, Simon; Johansen, Kristian Nyborg; Mykletun, Arnstein

    2008-01-01

    Background Disability benefits exist to redeem social and financial consequences of reduced work ability from medical conditions. Physicians are responsible for identifying the medical grounds for benefit claims. The aim of this study was to explore physicians' views on verifiability of medical conditions and related work ability in this context. Methods Information on verifiability of diagnostic categories and work ability was obtained from a survey among a representative sample of general practitioners (GPs) in Norway (n = 500, 25.2% response rate). Verifiability was defined as to what extent the assessment is based on objective criteria versus on information from the patient. We enquired about the diagnostic categories used in official statistics on main disability benefit causes in Norway and elsewhere. Results On a scale from 0 (low verifiability) to 5 (high verifiability), the mean level of verifiability across all diagnostic categories was 3.7 (SD = 0.42). Degree of verifiability varied much between diagnostic categories, and was low in e.g. unspecified rheumatism/myalgia and dorsopathies, and high in neoplasms and congenital malformations, deformation and chromosomal abnormalities. Verifiability of work ability was reported to be more problematic than that of diagnostic categories. The diagnostic categories rated as the least verifiable, are also the most common in disability pension awards. Conclusion Verifiability of both diagnostic categories and work ability in disability assessments are reported to be moderate by GPs. We suggest that the low verifiability of diagnostic categories and related work ability assessments in the majority of disability pension awards is important in explaining why GPs find the gatekeeping-function problematic. PMID:18439251

  1. Disability studies and health care curriculum: the great divide.

    PubMed

    Hubbard, Sandra

    2004-01-01

    Models or paradigms of disability are used to guide health care professionals' perceptions so that they can serve people with disabilities, enhance their futures, and facilitate the resources they need. Health care curricula, which in essence train students to make such decisions, are influenced by these models. The medical model, which locates disability within the individual, assumes the individual with a disability is a victim who must be cured or made more normal. The functional-limitation paradigm expands on the medical model, focusing on the interaction of physical or mental limitations with social and environmental factors. The economic model, based on the concept of employability, emphasizes a health-related inability (or limited ability) to work rather than physical functioning of the individual. The sociopolitical model views disability as a policy and civil rights issue. Health care professionals face a dilemma as the disability rights movement demands a shift in social power from the paternalistic view of the medical model to the autonomist view of the sociopolitical model. The question is asked if curricula are preparing our future health care professionals to distinguish how to view each situation and each individual through the lens of the appropriate model.

  2. Patient clusters in acute, work-related back pain based on patterns of disability risk factors.

    PubMed

    Shaw, William S; Pransky, Glenn; Patterson, William; Linton, Steven J; Winters, Thomas

    2007-02-01

    To identify subgroups of patients with work-related back pain based on disability risk factors. Patients with work-related back pain (N = 528) completed a 16-item questionnaire of potential disability risk factors before their initial medical evaluation. Outcomes of pain, functional limitation, and work disability were assessed 1 and 3 months later. A K-Means cluster analysis of 5 disability risk factors (pain, depressed mood, fear avoidant beliefs, work inflexibility, and poor expectations for recovery) resulted in 4 sub-groups: low risk (n = 182); emotional distress (n = 103); severe pain/fear avoidant (n = 102); and concerns about job accommodation (n = 141). Pain and disability outcomes at follow-up were superior in the low-risk group and poorest in the severe pain/fear avoidant group. Patients with acute back pain can be discriminated into subgroups depending on whether disability is related to pain beliefs, emotional distress, or workplace concerns.

  3. Investigation of raising burden of children with autism, physical disability and mental disability in China.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Nina; Yang, Li; Yu, Yang; Hou, Jiaxun; Li, Jia; Li, Yuanyuan; Liu, Hairong; Zhang, Ying; Jiao, Zhengang

    2011-01-01

    The family economic burden of raising autistic children, physical disabled children and mental disabled children were evaluated in China. 227 parents of children with autism, children with physical disability, children with mental disability and normal children were interviewed for children's costs, family income and economic assistance, etc. The medical cost and caring cost of disabled children were significantly more than those of normal children, and the education cost, clothes cost and amusement cost of disabled children were significantly less than those of normal children. Family income was only predicted by parents' education level. Families of disabled children received more economic assistance than families of normal children except families of autistic children. More children the family had, less economic assistance the family acquired. Compared with normal children, the raising burden of children with disabilities were as follows: children with autism (19582.4 RMB per year), children with physical disability (16410.1 RMB per year), children with mental disability (6391.0 RMB per year). Families of autistic children, physical disabled children and mental disabled children have heavier raising burden than families of normal children, they need more help from many aspects. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Preparing health professionals to provide care to individuals with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Holder, Matt; Waldman, H Barry; Hood, Henry

    2009-06-01

    To review the perceptions of dental/medical educators and their students in the United States on the adequacy of didactic and clinical preparation to provide service for individuals with disabilities. An e-mailed questionnaire with follow-up was sent to 198 deans of dental/medical schools, 1,628 directors of residency programs in nine medical/dental residency programs, 427 medical students in 12 medical schools, and 368 health related organizations, facilities and programs. More than half (58%) of the responding deans of reported that a curriculum for patients with disabilities was not a high priority at their school. A majority (61%) of deans of medical schools, and 47% of the deans of dental schools, reported that their graduates were competent to treat patients with disabilities. However, majorities of dental/medical school seniors and graduates expressed inadequate competency in the care of these patients. A majority of the directors of medical/dental residencies indicated a need for additional training for their residents. There is need for increased didactic and clinical preparation of dental/medical school graduates in the care of individuals with special health needs. The interest expressed by health profession educators in an effort to develop appropriate curriculum modules provides an opportunity to prepare new graduates for the care of an increasing population of individuals with disabilities.

  5. Risk Assessment and Risk Management in Offenders with Intellectual Disabilities: Are We There Yet?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pouls, Claudia; Jeandarme, Inge

    2015-01-01

    Research on risk assessment and risk management in offenders with intellectual disabilities (OIDs), although far behind compared to the mainstream offender literature, is now expanding. The current review provides an overview of the predictive value of risk assessment and treatment outcome monitoring tools developed for both mainstream forensic…

  6. Validation of Personal Digital Photography to Assess Dietary Quality among People with Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elinder, L. S.; Brunosson, A.; Bergstrom, H.; Hagstromer, M.; Patterson, E.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Dietary assessment is a challenge in general, and specifically in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). This study aimed to evaluate personal digital photography as a method of assessing different aspects of dietary quality in this target group. Method: Eighteen adults with ID were recruited from community residences and…

  7. Limb amputation and other disability desires as a medical condition.

    PubMed

    Brugger, Peter; Christen, Markus; Jellestad, Lena; Hänggi, Jürgen

    2016-12-01

    Some people have a profound dissatisfaction with what is considered an able-bodied state by most others. These individuals desire to be disabled, by conventional standards. In this Review, we integrate research findings about the desire for a major limb amputation or paralysis (xenomelia). Neuropsychological and neuroimaging explorations of xenomelia show functional and structural abnormalities in predominantly right hemisphere cortical circuits of higher-order bodily representation, including affective and sexual aspects of corporeal awareness. These neural underpinnings of xenomelia do not necessarily imply a neurological cause, and a full understanding of the condition requires consideration of the interface between neural and social contributions to the bodily self and the concept of disability. Irrespective of cause, disability desires are accompanied by a disabling bodily dysphoria, in many respects similar to gender dysphoria, and we suggest that they should be considered a mental disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Improving medication practices for persons with intellectual and developmental disability: Educating direct support staff using simulation, debriefing, and reflection.

    PubMed

    Auberry, Kathy; Wills, Katherine; Shaver, Carrie

    2017-01-01

    Direct support professionals (DSPs) are increasingly active in medication administration for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, thus supplementing nursing and family caretakers. Providing workplace training for DSPs is often the duty of nursing personnel. This article presents empirical data and design suggestions for including simulations, debriefing, and written reflective practice during in-service training for DSPs in order to improve DSPs' skills and confidence related to medication administration. Quantitative study results demonstrate that DSPs acknowledge that their skill level and confidence rose significantly after hands-on simulations. The skill-level effect was statistically significant for general medication management -4.5 ( p < 0.001) and gastrointestinal medication management -4.4 ( p < 0.001). Qualitative findings show a deep desire by DSPs to not just be "pill poppers" but to understand the medical processes, causalities, and consequences of their medication administration. On the basis of our results, the authors make recommendations regarding how to combine DSP workplace simulations and debriefing with written reflective practice in DSP continuing education.

  9. Study of Exclusion and Assessibility of Students with Disabilities in the 1994 Trial State Assessment (TSA) of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stancavage, Fran; And Others

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a survey of national trends in educational achievement, is attempting to expand its inclusion of students with disabilities or limitations that have previously caused them to be excluded from the assessment. The study described was a precursor to the 1996 changes in NAEP inclusion procedures.…

  10. Issues and Concerns of Assessment for English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pichardo, Blanca

    2014-01-01

    Limited research has been accomplished within the past few years regarding issues and concerns of assessment for English Language Learners (ELL) with Learning Disabilities (LD). The increasing number of this unique population throughout schools has raised many concerns for professionals in education. English Language Learners with Learning…

  11. A Multi-Centre Audit of the Use of Medication for the Management of Behavioural Problems in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Unwin, Gemma L.; Deb, Shoumitro

    2008-01-01

    The aim was to investigate prescribing practices surrounding the use of medication for the management of behavioural problems in adults with intellectual disabilities with reference to a national guideline development project. A case note review methodology was employed to explore adherence to the audit criteria that were derived from the…

  12. 20 CFR 404.1505 - Basic definition of disability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to... disability, or disability insurance benefits as a disabled worker, or child's insurance benefits based on... for individuals who are statutorily blind. We discuss these in §§ 404.1581 through 404.1587. There are...

  13. 20 CFR 404.1505 - Basic definition of disability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to... disability, or disability insurance benefits as a disabled worker, or child's insurance benefits based on... for individuals who are statutorily blind. We discuss these in §§ 404.1581 through 404.1587. There are...

  14. The Effect of Disability Insurance on Health Investment: Evidence from the Veterans Benefits Administration's Disability Compensation Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singleton, Perry

    2009-01-01

    I examine whether individuals respond to monetary incentives to detect latent medical conditions. The effect is identified by a policy that deemed diabetes associated with herbicide exposure a compensable disability under the Veterans Benefits Administration's Disability Compensation program. Since a diagnosis is a requisite for benefit…

  15. Increasing Compliance in Students with Intellectual Disabilities Using Functional Behavioral Assessment and Self-Monitoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wadsworth, Jamie P.; Hansen, Blake D.; Wills, Sarah B.

    2015-01-01

    Noncompliance in three elementary age students with intellectual disabilities was assessed using functional behavioral assessments. Escape was identified as the primary function of the behavior in all three students, and access to tangible items was identified in one of the students as a secondary function. Teacher-monitoring and self-monitoring…

  16. [The essentials of workplace analysis for examining occupational disability claims].

    PubMed

    Wachholz, St

    2015-12-01

    The insurance branch that covers the risk of occupational disability ranks among the most important private entities for offering security as far as the limitation or loss of one's ability to work is concerned. The financial risk of the insurer, the existential concerns and expectations of the claimant, as well as the legal framework and the need for a careful interdisciplinary evaluation, necessitate a professional review and assessment of the facts conducted with a sense of both responsibility and sensitivity. Carefully deliberated and sustainable decisions benefit both insurers and the insured. In order to achieve this, an opinion is required in many--and especially the more complex--cases from an external medical expert, which in turn can only be plausible and conclusive when based on a comprehensive review of the claimant's working environment and its particular (and often unique) requirements. This article is intended to increase the reader's understanding of the coherencies of workplace analysis and medical assessments, as required by insurance law and legislation. In addition, the article delivers valuable clues and guidance, both for medical experts and claims managers at insurance companies. Primarily, the claimant's occupation, as conceived in the terms and conditions of the insurance companies, is explained. The reader is then introduced to the various criteria to be considered when a claimant has several jobs at the same time, is self-employed, could be transferred to another job, is simply unable to commute to the workplace, or is prevented from working due to legal restrictions related to an illness. The article goes on to address the crucial aspect of how the degree of disability is to be measured under different circumstances, namely using the quantitative and the qualitative approach. As a reliable method for obtaining the essential data regarding the claimant's specific working conditions, which are required by both the medical expert and the

  17. Rapid assessment of disability in the Philippines: understanding prevalence, well-being, and access to the community for people with disabilities to inform the W-DARE project.

    PubMed

    Marella, Manjula; Devine, Alexandra; Armecin, Graeme Ferdinand; Zayas, Jerome; Marco, Ma Jesusa; Vaughan, Cathy

    2016-01-01

    International recognition that people with disabilities were excluded from the Millennium Development Goals has led to better inclusion of people with disabilities in the recently agreed Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs) 2015-2030. Given the current global agenda for disability inclusion, it is crucial to increase the understanding of the situation of people with disabilities in the Philippines. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of disability and compare the well-being and access to the community between people with and without disabilities. A population-based survey was undertaken in District 2 of Quezon City and in Ligao City. 60 clusters of 50 people aged 18 years and older were selected with probability proportion to size sampling from both locations. The Rapid Assessment of Disability (RAD) survey was used to identify people with disabilities based on their responses to activity limitations. The levels of well-being and access to the community for people with disabilities were compared with controls matched by age, gender, and cluster. Information on barriers to accessing the community was also collected. The prevalence of disability was 6.8 (95 % CI: 5.9, 7.9) and 13.6 % (95 % CI: 11.4, 16.2) in Quezon City and Ligao City respectively. Psychological distress was the most commonly reported condition in both locations, although it was often reported with a co-morbid condition related to sensory, physical, cognitive, and communication difficulties. The prevalence of disability was associated with age and no schooling, but not associated with poverty. People with disabilities had significantly lower well-being scores and reduced access to health services, work, rehabilitation, education, government social welfare, and disaster management than people without disability. Having a disability and negative family attitudes were reported as barriers for people with disabilities participating in work, community meetings, religious

  18. EVALUATING DISABILITY OVER DISCRETE PERIODS OF TIME

    PubMed Central

    Gill, Thomas M.; Gahbauer, Evelyne A.

    2009-01-01

    Background To advance the field of disability assessment, additional developmental work is needed. The objective of this study was to determine the potential value of participant recall when evaluating disability over discrete periods of time. Methods We studied 491 residents of greater New Haven, Connecticut who were aged 76 years or older. Participants completed a comprehensive assessment that included several new questions on disability in four essential activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, transferring, and walking). Participants were also assessed for disability in the same activities during monthly telephone interviews before and after the comprehensive assessment. Chronic disability was defined as a new disability that was present for at least three consecutive months. Results We found that up to half of the incident disability episodes, which would otherwise have been missed, can be ascertained if participants are asked to recall whether they have had disability “at any time” since the prior assessment; that these disability episodes, which are ascertained by participant recall, confer high risk for the subsequent development of chronic disability, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.5 (95% confidence interval: 1.1, 5.8); and that participant recall for the absence of disability becomes increasingly inaccurate as the duration of the assessment interval increases, with 2.2%, 6.0%, 6.9% and 9.1% of participants having inaccurate recall at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Conclusions Our results demonstrate both the promise and limitations of participant recall and suggest that additional strategies are needed to more completely and accurately ascertain the occurrence of disability among older persons. PMID:18559633

  19. Diabetes among Adults with Cognitive Limitations Compared to Individuals with No Cognitive Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reichard, Amanda; Stolzle, Hayley

    2011-01-01

    Using a retrospective analysis of data from the 2006 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS), we assessed the health status of working-age adults with cognitive limitations in comparison to adults with no disability (unweighted N = 27,116; weighted N = 240,343,457). Adults with cognitive limitations had a significantly higher prevalence of…

  20. Unpacking intoxication, racialising disability.

    PubMed

    Chen, Mel Y

    2015-06-01

    This article examines concepts whose strictly medical applications have only partly informed their widespread use and suggests that demonstrably shared logics motivate our thinking across domains in the interest of a politically just engagement. It considers exchanges between the culturally complex concepts of 'toxicity' and 'intoxication', assessing the racialised conditions of their animation in several geopolitically--and quite radically--distinct scenarios. First, the article sets the framework through considering the racial implications of impairment and disability language of 'non-toxic' finance capital in the contemporary US financial crisis. Shifting material foci from 'illiquid financial bodies' to opiates while insisting that neither is 'more' metaphorically toxic than the other, the article turns to address the role of opium and temporality in the interanimations of race and disability in two sites of 19th-century British empire: Langdon Down's clinic for idiocy, and China's retort on opium to Queen Victoria. The article concludes with a provocation that suggests yet another crossing of borders, that between researcher and researched: 'intoxicated method' is a hypothetical mode of approach that refuses idealised research positions by 'critically disabling' the idealised cognitive and conceptual lens of analysis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  1. Including Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disability in National Assessment: Comparison of Three Country Case Studies through an Inclusive Assessment Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Douglas, Graeme; McLinden, Mike; Robertson, Christopher; Travers, Joseph; Smith, Emma

    2016-01-01

    The assessment of educational progress and outcomes of pupils is important to all concerned with education. This includes testing which is undertaken for accountability and award bearing purposes. This article examines how students with special educational needs and disability (SEND) are included in assessment. An "inclusive assessment"…

  2. Mathematics Assessment Accommodations: Implications of Differential Boost for Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindstrom, Jennifer H.

    2010-01-01

    The inclusion of students with learning disabilities (LD) in assessment is deemed critical to improve the quality of educational opportunities for these students and to provide meaningful and useful information about student performance. Mandated inclusion and accountability for progress raise many interesting questions regarding how to fairly,…

  3. Communication-Based Assessment of Developmental Age for Young Children with Developmental Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeVeney, Shari L.; Hoffman, Lesa; Cress, Cynthia J.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: In this study, the authors compared a multiple-domain strategy for assessing developmental age of young children with developmental disabilities who were at risk for long-term reliance on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) with a communication-based strategy composed of receptive language and communication indices that may…

  4. Disability reconsidered: the paradox of physical therapy.

    PubMed

    Roush, Susan E; Sharby, Nancy

    2011-12-01

    The purposes of this perspective article are: (1) to explore models of disability from the perspective of the academic discipline of disability studies (DS), (2) to consider the paradox of improving functional capacities while valuing disability as diversity, (3) to identify how physical therapy's use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) disablement model intersects with various disability models, and (4) to apply this broader understanding of disability to physical therapist practice, education, and research. The DS literature has been critical of rehabilitation professionals, particularly targeting the medical model of disability. In contrast, advocates for a social model of disability recognize disability as diversity. It is paradoxical for physical therapy to simultaneously work to ameliorate disability while celebrating it as diversity. The ICF biopsychosocial disablement model offers a mechanism to practice within this paradox and suggests that it is no longer sufficient to conceptualize disability as a purely individual matter that requires attention in isolation from the impact of the larger society.

  5. Models of Intellectual Disability: Towards a Perspective of (Poss)ability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mckenzie, J. A.

    2013-01-01

    Background: The social and medical models of disability configure the relationship between disability and impairment differently. Neither of these models has provided a comprehensive theoretical or practical basis for talking about intellectual disability (ID). Models that emphasise the interactive nature of disability appear to be more promising.…

  6. Learning Disabilities/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Test Accommodations in Professional Licensing under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Latham, Patricia H.; Latham, Peter S.

    1998-01-01

    Reviews court decisions regarding the documentation of disabilities and accommodations for individuals with learning disabilities and/or attention-deficit disorders taking licensing examinations from the National Board of Medical Examiners and the State Bar Examiners. Professional schools and licensing authorities are urged to work toward…

  7. Psychometric Properties of the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS) for Behavior Problems: An Independent Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsakanikos, Elias; Underwood, Lisa; Sturmey, Peter; Bouras, Nick; McCarthy, Jane

    2011-01-01

    The present study employed the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS) to assess problem behaviors in a large sample of adults with ID (N = 568) and evaluate the psychometric properties of this instrument. Although the DAS problem behaviors were found to be internally consistent (Cronbach's [alpha] = 0.87), item analysis revealed one weak item…

  8. Assessing Children for the Presence of a Disability. Resources You Can Use. NICHCY Bibliography. 2nd Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gutierrez, Mary Kate, Comp.

    This resource list is intended to provide school systems with information on assessment of school-aged children for the presence of a disability. The 104 references are broken down into the following categories: general assessment information; assessment tools; critiques of assessment tools; curriculum-based assessment; assessments of different…

  9. Medical Readers' Theater: Relevance to Geriatrics Medical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shapiro, Johanna; Cho, Beverly

    2011-01-01

    Medical Readers' Theater (MRT) is an innovative and simple way of helping medical students to reflect on difficult-to-discuss topics in geriatrics medical education, such as aging stereotypes, disability and loss of independence, sexuality, assisted living, relationships with adult children, and end-of-life issues. The authors describe a required…

  10. Qualitative profiles of disability.

    PubMed

    Annicchiarico, Roberta; Gibert, Karina; Cortés, Ulises; Campana, Fabio; Caltagirone, Carlo

    2004-01-01

    This study identified profiles of functional disability (FD) paralleled by increasing levels of disability. We assessed 96 subjects using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS II). Clustering Based on Rules (ClBR) (a hybrid technique of Statistics and Artificial Intelligence) was used in the analysis. Four groups of subjects with different profiles of FD were ordered according to an increasing degree of disability: "Low," self-dependent subjects with no physical or emotional problems; "Intermediate I," subjects with low or moderate physical and emotional disability, with high perception of disability; "Intermediate II," subjects with moderate or severe disability concerning only physical problems related to self-dependency, without emotional problems; and "High," subjects with the highest degree of disability, both physical and emotional. The order of the four classes is paralleled by a significant difference (<0.001) in the WHODAS II standardized global score. In this paper, a new ontology for the knowledge of FD, based on the use of ClBR, is proposed. The definition of four classes, qualitatively different and with an increasing degree of FD, helps to appropriately place each patient in a group of individuals with a similar profile of disability and to propose standardized treatments for these groups.

  11. Pain Assessment and Management in Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oberlander, Tim F.

    2001-01-01

    This article reviews the nature and source of pain in young children with disabilities, challenges facing the clinician, and approaches for assessing and managing pain in infants and young children with significant neurologic impairments. The need for continued research to improve professional awareness and establish practice guidelines is urged.…

  12. Clinical Reasoning in the Assessment and Intervention Planning for a Reading Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sotelo-Dynega, Marlene

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with insight into the clinical reasoning process involved in the assessment and intervention planning for a child with a reading disability. A Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theoretical/neuropsychological approach shall serve as the foundational theoretical framework for this case study, and…

  13. Aligning Assessment and Instruction with State Standards for Children with Significant Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parrish, Polly R.; Stodden, Robert A.

    2009-01-01

    This article presents a classroom teacher's perspective on one of the important requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) legislation and aligned language found in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004)--that of aligning assessment and instructional practices with state academic content standard…

  14. Assessing the Social Skills and Problem Behaviors of Adolescents With Severe Disabilities Enrolled in General Education Classes.

    PubMed

    Lyons, Gregory L; Huber, Heartley B; Carter, Erik W; Chen, Rui; Asmus, Jennifer M

    2016-07-01

    Although enhancing the social competence of students with severe disabilities has long remained a prominent focus of school-based intervention efforts, relatively little attention has focused on identifying the most critical social and behavioral needs of students during high school. We examined the social skills and problem behaviors of 137 adolescents with severe disabilities from the vantage point of both special educators and parents. We sought to identify areas of potential intervention need, explore factors associated with social skill and problem behavior ratings, and examine the extent to which teachers and parents converged in their assessments of these needs. Our findings indicate teachers and parents of high school students with severe disabilities rated social skills as considerably below average and problem behaviors as above average. In addition, lower social skills ratings were evident for students with greater support needs, lower levels of overall adaptive behavior, and a special education label of autism. We found moderate consistency in the degree to which teachers and parents aligned in their assessments of both social skills and problem behavior. We offer recommendations for assessment and intervention focused on strengthening the social competence of adolescents with severe disabilities within secondary school classrooms, as well as promising avenues for future research.

  15. The Integrated Medical Model: A Risk Assessment and Decision Support Tool for Space Flight Medical Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kerstman, Eric; Minard, Charles; Saile, Lynn; deCarvalho, Mary Freire; Myers, Jerry; Walton, Marlei; Butler, Douglas; Iyengar, Sriram; Johnson-Throop, Kathy; Baumann, David

    2009-01-01

    The Integrated Medical Model (IMM) is a decision support tool that is useful to mission planners and medical system designers in assessing risks and designing medical systems for space flight missions. The IMM provides an evidence based approach for optimizing medical resources and minimizing risks within space flight operational constraints. The mathematical relationships among mission and crew profiles, medical condition incidence data, in-flight medical resources, potential crew functional impairments, and clinical end-states are established to determine probable mission outcomes. Stochastic computational methods are used to forecast probability distributions of crew health and medical resource utilization, as well as estimates of medical evacuation and loss of crew life. The IMM has been used in support of the International Space Station (ISS) medical kit redesign, the medical component of the ISS Probabilistic Risk Assessment, and the development of the Constellation Medical Conditions List. The IMM also will be used to refine medical requirements for the Constellation program. The IMM outputs for ISS and Constellation design reference missions will be presented to demonstrate the potential of the IMM in assessing risks, planning missions, and designing medical systems. The implementation of the IMM verification and validation plan will be reviewed. Additional planned capabilities of the IMM, including optimization techniques and the inclusion of a mission timeline, will be discussed. Given the space flight constraints of mass, volume, and crew medical training, the IMM is a valuable risk assessment and decision support tool for medical system design and mission planning.

  16. Assessment of Cognitive Ability of Students with Severe and Low-Incidence Disabilities--Part 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crepeau-Hobson, Franci; Vujeva, Hana

    2012-01-01

    The assessment of cognitive ability in students with the most severe disabilities presents a challenge to the clinicians who are charged with this task. This article is the second of a two-part series that summarizes what is currently known about effective assessment of the cognitive ability of students with significant impairments in order to…

  17. Disability Among Veterans: Analysis of the National Survey of Veterans (1997-2001).

    PubMed

    Gerber, Lynn H; Weinstein, Ali A; Frankenfeld, Cara L; Huynh, Minh

    2016-03-01

    This manuscript assesses whether the Veterans Administration Rating System (VADR) correlates with self-reported activities of daily living (ADL) used in the National Survey of Veterans and likelihood of employment. Veterans' disability benefits are determined based on a single-index standardized rating scheme, measured at time of discharge. The primary aim of this study was to assess how this single-index rating of disability for veterans compares to multidimensional measures of disability (ADL and instrumental activities of daily living [IADL]). The relationship between disability ratings and labor market outcomes such as job search behavior and the likelihood of being employed was assessed. Successful labor market reintegration requires both physical/mental well-being, we examined the extent that VADR can capture the relationship between job market behavior and measures of mental/physical health. Kernel regression estimates were obtained of the likelihood of working/looking for work. Mean numbers of IADL and ADL difficulties and medical conditions were positively associated with VADR (p-trend < 0.001). An inverse relationship was observed with VADR and predicted probability of working (p-trend < 0.001). The combination of >4 ADL/IADL deficits and mental health diagnosis increased the likelihood of not working. The probability of not working correlated with VADR when VADR was greater than 40%. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  18. The Australian Medical Schools Assessment Collaboration: benchmarking the preclinical performance of medical students.

    PubMed

    O'Mara, Deborah A; Canny, Ben J; Rothnie, Imogene P; Wilson, Ian G; Barnard, John; Davies, Llewelyn

    2015-02-02

    To report the level of participation of medical schools in the Australian Medical Schools Assessment Collaboration (AMSAC); and to measure differences in student performance related to medical school characteristics and implementation methods. Retrospective analysis of data using the Rasch statistical model to correct for missing data and variability in item difficulty. Linear model analysis of variance was used to assess differences in student performance. 6401 preclinical students from 13 medical schools that participated in AMSAC from 2011 to 2013. Rasch estimates of preclinical basic and clinical science knowledge. Representation of Australian medical schools and students in AMSAC more than doubled between 2009 and 2013. In 2013 it included 12 of 19 medical schools and 68% of medical students. Graduate-entry students scored higher than students entering straight from school. Students at large schools scored higher than students at small schools. Although the significance level was high (P < 0.001), the main effect sizes were small (4.5% and 2.3%, respectively). The time allowed per multiple choice question was not significantly associated with student performance. The effect on performance of multiple assessments compared with the test items as part of a single end-of-year examination was negligible. The variables investigated explain only 12% of the total variation in student performance. An increasing number of medical schools are participating in AMSAC to monitor student performance in preclinical sciences against an external benchmark. Medical school characteristics account for only a small part of overall variation in student performance. Student performance was not affected by the different methods of administering test items.

  19. Assessment and Documentation Considerations for Postsecondary Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindstrom, Jennifer H.; Lindstrom, Will

    2011-01-01

    In order to gain access to accommodations and services at colleges and universities, students with learning disabilities must provide documentation of their disabilities, and as students with learning disabilities access higher education at increasing rates, the need for documentation of their disabilities and its impact becomes even more…

  20. Employment and Disability: Evidence From the 1996 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey

    PubMed Central

    Findley, Patricia A.; Sambamoorthi, Usha

    2007-01-01

    The relationship between employment and disability has gained national attention, as the ability to maintain employment is inconsistent among those with limitations. This cross-sectional study of employment among individuals (N = 1691, age 21–62 years) with self-reported limitations in the 1996 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey seeks to identify predictors of employment despite physical and/or cognitive limitations. Two predictive models of employment including 10 variables are explored; 1 included insurance (χ2 = 3856.85, p ≤ 0.00) and the other removed the insurance variable (χ2 = 280.21, p ≤ 0.00). Individuals with limitations who are employed are more likely to have a college-level education, have better physical and mental health perceptions and have private insurance. This analysis demonstrates that people do work despite reported activity, functional or sensory limitations and that socioeconomic factors are crucial in why someone is able to attain employment. PMID:15055500

  1. The trajectories of overall disability in the first 5 years after moderate and severe traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Forslund, Marit V; Roe, Cecilie; Perrin, Paul B; Sigurdardottir, Solrun; Lu, Juan; Berntsen, Svein; Andelic, Nada

    2017-01-01

    To assess longitudinal trajectories of overall disability after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to examine whether those trajectories could be predicted by socio-demographic and injury characteristics. Demographics and injury characteristics of 105 individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI were extracted from medical records. At the 1-, 2-, and 5-year follow-ups, TBI-related disability was assessed by the GOSE. A hierarchical linear model (HLM) was used to examine functional outcomes up to 5 years following injury and whether those outcomes could be predicted by: time, gender, age, relationship, education, employment pre-injury, occupation, GCS, cause of injury, length of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), CT findings and injury severity score, as well as the interactions between each of these predictors and time. Higher GOSE trajectories (lower disability) were predicted by younger age at injury and shorter PTA, as well as by the interaction terms of time*PTA and time*employment. Those who had been employed at injury decreased in disability over time, while those who had been unemployed increased in disability. The study results support the view that individual factors generally outweigh injury-related factors as predictors of disability after TBI, except for PTA.

  2. All-Data Approach to Assessing Financial Capability in People with Psychiatric Disabilities

    PubMed Central

    Lazar, Christina M.; Black, Anne C.; McMahon, Thomas J.; Rosenheck, Robert A.; Ries, Richard; Ames, Donna; Rosen, Marc I.

    2015-01-01

    The goal of this project was to develop an evidence-based method to assess the ability of disabled persons to manage federal disability payments. This paper describes the development of the FISCAL (Financial Incapability Structured Clinical Assessment done Longitudinally) measure of financial capability. The FISCAL was developed by an iterative process of literature review, pilot testing, and expert consultation. Independent assessors used the FISCAL to rate the financial capability of 118 participants (57% female, 57% Caucasian) who: received Social Security disability payments, had recently been treated in acute care facilities for psychiatric disorders, and who did not have representative payees or conservators. Altogether, 48% of participants were determined financially incapable by the FISCAL, of whom 60% were incapable due to unmet basic needs, 91% were incapable due to spending that harmed them (e.g. on illicit drugs or alcohol), 56% were incapable due to both unmet needs and harmful spending, and 5% were incapable due to contextual factors. As expected, incapable individuals scored higher on a measure of money mismanagement (p < .001) compared to capable individuals. Inter-rater reliability for FISCAL capability determinations was very good (Kappa = .77) and inter-rater agreement was 89%. In this population the FISCAL had construct validity; ratings demonstrated good reliability and correlated with a related measure. Potentially, the FISCAL can be used to validate other measures of capability and to help understand how people on limited incomes manage their funds. PMID:26146947

  3. All-data approach to assessing financial capability in people with psychiatric disabilities.

    PubMed

    Lazar, Christina M; Black, Anne C; McMahon, Thomas J; Rosenheck, Robert A; Ries, Richard; Ames, Donna; Rosen, Marc I

    2016-04-01

    The goal of this project was to develop an evidence-based method to assess the ability of disabled persons to manage federal disability payments. This article describes the development of the Financial Incapability Structured Clinical Assessment done Longitudinally (FISCAL) measure of financial capability. The FISCAL was developed by an iterative process of literature review, pilot testing, and expert consultation. Independent assessors used the FISCAL to rate the financial capability of 118 participants (57% female, 58% Caucasian) who received Social Security disability payments, had recently been treated in acute care facilities for psychiatric disorders, and who did not have representative payees or conservators. Altogether, 48% of participants were determined financially incapable by the FISCAL, of whom 60% were incapable because of unmet basic needs, 91% were incapable because of spending that harmed them (e.g., on illicit drugs or alcohol), 56% were incapable because of both unmet needs and harmful spending, and 5% were incapable because of contextual factors. As expected, incapable individuals scored higher on a measure of money mismanagement (p < .001) compared with capable individuals. Interrater reliability for FISCAL capability determinations was very good (κ = .77) and interrater agreement was 89%. In this population, the FISCAL had construct validity; ratings demonstrated good reliability and correlated with a related measure. Potentially, the FISCAL can be used to validate other measures of capability and to help understand how people on limited incomes manage their funds. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved.

  4. Validating Dynamic Assessment of Triadic Gaze for Young Children with Severe Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olswang, Lesley B.; Feuerstein, Julie L.; Pinder, Gay Lloyd; Dowden, Patricia

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This research investigated the use of a dynamic assessment (DA) to identify differences among young children with severe disabilities, which would predict progress in learning behaviors indicating coordinated joint attention (CJA). Method: Six children 10-24 months of age were enrolled in a 16-week treatment for behaviors indicating CJA,…

  5. Access to Medicare-funded annual comprehensive health assessments for rural people with intellectual disability.

    PubMed

    Burton, Heather; Walters, Lucie

    2013-01-01

    People with intellectual disability (ID) comprise 2-3% of the Australian population. They mostly rely on their GP for primary health care. In rural areas where there are issues with health workforce shortages, there is a risk that people with ID may not get timely access to primary care or may not be aware of the range of healthcare services available to support them. Internationally, research has shown that regular health assessments are beneficial for people with ID. Annual comprehensive health assessments (ACHAs) have been shown to result in increased detection of medical conditions and could assist in reducing the gap in mortality between people with ID and the broader population. In Australia, people with ID have been eligible to access ACHAs under Medicare since 2007. These provide for a regular review of the person's physical, psychological and social functioning. This study explored the extent to which rural people with ID were accessing these ACHAs, and factors which affected their access to ACHAs. In this qualitative study in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 participants including people with ID, carers/support workers and rural doctors. Interviews were then coded and analysed for themes. Seven themes were identified: (1) healthcare barriers in rural areas; (2) cohesion of rural communities; (3) the way rural doctors practice; (4) lack of knowledge/understanding; (5) venturing into new territory; (6) the role of the practice nurse; and (7) the health communication triangle. Despite the well-known problems of lack of services and distance to specialists in rural Australia, there are compensatory factors which were perceived as improving the wellbeing of people with ID, such as increased social cohesion and community connectedness. More education is needed to ensure that the rationale for ACHAs for people with ID is understood and that doctors feel confident to use them. The number of Medicare reforms implemented in a relatively short period

  6. The Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adult with Developmental Disability (PAS-ADD) Checklist: Reliability and Validity of French Version

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gerber, F.; Carminati, G. Galli

    2013-01-01

    Background: The lack of psychometric measures of psychopathology especially in intellectual disabilities (ID) population was addressed by creation of the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adult with Developmental Disability (PAS-ADD-10) in Moss et?al. This schedule is a structured interview designed for professionals in psychopathology. The…

  7. Organizational and operational capabilities of specialist centres for children with psychomotor disability in Abidjan.

    PubMed

    Alloh, D; Nandjui, B; Bombo, J; Manou, B; Twoolys, A; Alloukou, R; Ake, N; Konate-Konan, E; Pillah, L; Coulibaly, A

    2009-06-01

    To describe the organizational and operational capabilities of specialized centres for children with psychomotor disability in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. This descriptive study was carried out from February to May, 2006 at the various specialized centres for children with psychomotor disability that exist in the district of Abidjan. The procedure comprised a clinical description of the disabled children admitted to these centres and an assessment of the centres' organization and operational capabilities. Six specialist centres for children with psychomotor disability were identified, namely the Infant Guidance Centre, the Awakening and Stimulation Centre for disabled Children, the "Sainte-Magdeleine" Centre, the Medical and Training Institute, the "Page Blanche" institute and the "Colombes Notre Dame de la Paix" Centre. Among the children, 97.15% were day patients, 66.37% were mentally challenged, 30.96% had psychomotor impairment and 2.66% had motor impairments. The level of organization varied but the centres nevertheless had operational administrative, medical and paramedical staff, despite the absence of certain specialties. However, the lack of personnel, equipment and infrastructure is hindering the delivery of adequate services to the children. In Abidjan District, reception centres for children with psychomotor impairments are essentially privately run. Organizational and operational performances were suboptimal, with a low carer-to-patient ratio. Reinforcement of the centres' operational capabilities appears to be necessary.

  8. Therapeutic home adaptations for older adults with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Unwin, Brian K; Andrews, Christopher M; Andrews, Patrick M; Hanson, Janice L

    2009-11-01

    Family physicians commonly care for older patients with disabilities. Many of these patients need help maintaining a therapeutic home environment to preserve their comfort and independence. Patients often have little time to decide how to address the limitations of newly-acquired disabilities. Physicians can provide patients with general recommendations in home modification after careful history and assessment. Universal design features, such as one-story living, no-step entries, and wide hallways and doors, are key adaptations for patients with physical disabilities. Home adaptations for patients with dementia include general safety measures such as grab bars and door alarms, and securing potentially hazardous items, such as cleaning supplies and medications. Improved lighting and color contrast, enlarged print materials, and vision aids can assist patients with limited vision. Patients with hearing impairments may benefit from interventions that provide supplemental visual and vibratory cues and alarms. Although funding sources are available, home modification is often a nonreimbursed expense. However, sufficient home modifications may allow the patient and caregivers to safely remain in the home without transitioning to a long-term care facility.

  9. Medical devices early assessment methods: systematic literature review.

    PubMed

    Markiewicz, Katarzyna; van Til, Janine A; IJzerman, Maarten J

    2014-04-01

    The aim of this study was to get an overview of current theory and practice in early assessments of medical devices, and to identify aims and uses of early assessment methods used in practice. A systematic literature review was conducted in September 2013, using computerized databases (PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus), and references list search. Selected articles were categorized based on their type, objective, and main target audience. The methods used in the application studies were extracted and mapped throughout the early stages of development and for their particular aims. Of 1,961 articles identified, eighty-three studies passed the inclusion criteria, and thirty were included by searching reference lists. There were thirty-one theoretical papers, and eighty-two application papers included. Most studies investigated potential applications/possible improvement of medical devices, developed early assessment framework or included stakeholder perspective in early development stages. Among multiple qualitative and quantitative methods identified, only few were used more than once. The methods aim to inform strategic considerations (e.g., literature review), economic evaluation (e.g., cost-effectiveness analysis), and clinical effectiveness (e.g., clinical trials). Medical devices were often in the prototype product development stage, and the results were usually aimed at informing manufacturers. This study showed converging aims yet widely diverging methods for early assessment during medical device development. For early assessment to become an integral part of activities in the development of medical devices, methods need to be clarified and standardized, and the aims and value of assessment itself must be demonstrated to the main stakeholders for assuring effective and efficient medical device development.

  10. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in vocational rehabilitation and disability assessment in Slovenia: state of law and users' perspective.

    PubMed

    Ptyushkin, Pavel; Vidmar, Gaj; Burger, Helena; Marinček, Crt; Escorpizo, Reuben

    2011-01-01

    This study illustrates the use of the ICF in vocational rehabilitation and disability assessment in Slovenia. A review of the Slovenian law about vocational rehabilitation was performed. A survey was developed and group and individual interviews were conducted with professionals involved in vocational rehabilitation who use the ICF. The vast majority of the respondents believe that ICF helps to create a common language for multidisciplinary communication. The main advantages of the ICF identified by the respondents are that it provides a holistic view of the person, assesses complexities of functioning, provides a unified language and offers a quick and easy insight into functioning. The disadvantages of ICF are complicated terminology and subjectivity of the assessor. A difficulty encountered by the users is that by law, only body functions of the ICF are assessed. Additional qualitative analysis of the users' understanding of ICF and its purpose revealed heterogeneity. Significant differences between public and private organisations were found. ICF is a promising tool for use in vocational rehabilitation and disability assessment in Slovenia. A major challenge is the lack of interface between ICF and policies on vocational rehabilitation in Slovenia.

  11. Determining the Leisure Needs of People Having Disabilities: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Needs Assessment Survey Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peniston, Lorraine C.

    This needs assessment survey attempted to determine if community recreation programs, including school-based and college-based programs, are meeting the needs of citizens with disabilities living on the Northern Mariana Islands. The survey polled 35 people with disabilities about the effectiveness of community recreation programs and services and…

  12. Australian General Practitioner Uptake of a Remunerated Medicare Health Assessment for People with Intellectual Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koritsas, Stella; Iacono, Teresa; Davis, Robert

    2012-01-01

    In 2007 the Australian Commonwealth Government announced the Medicare Health Assessment for People with an Intellectual Disability as part of the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program (Department of Health and Ageing, 2008). The annual health assessment is a structured framework for general practitioners (GPs), which enables an annual comprehensive…

  13. Grey matter changes associated with medication-overuse headache: correlations with disease related disability and anxiety.

    PubMed

    Riederer, Franz; Marti, Marvin; Luechinger, Roger; Lanzenberger, Rupert; von Meyenburg, Jan; Gantenbein, Andreas R; Pirrotta, Roberto; Gaul, Charly; Kollias, Spyridon; Sándor, Peter S

    2012-10-01

    Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is associated with psychiatric comorbidities. Neurobiological similarities to substance dependence have been suggested. This study investigated grey matter changes, focussing on pain and reward systems. Using voxel-based morphometry, structural MRIs were compared between 29 patients with both, MOH and migraine, according to International Headache Society criteria, and healthy controls. The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) score was used. Anxiety and depression were screened for with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and confirmed by a psychiatrist, using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Nineteen patients (66%) had a present or past psychiatric disorder, mainly affective (N = 11) and anxiety disorders (N = 8). In all patients a significant increase of grey matter volume (GMV) was found in the periaqueductal grey matter of the midbrain, which correlated positively with the MIDAS and the HADS-anxiety subscale. A GMV increase was found bilaterally in the thalamus, and the ventral striatum. A significant GMV decrease was detected in frontal regions including orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, the left and right insula, and the precuneus. These findings are consistent with dysfunction of antinociceptive systems in MOH, which is influenced by anxiety. Dysfunction of the reward system may be a neurobiological basis for dependence in a subgroup of MOH patients.

  14. Comparison of arousal and preference assessment outcomes for sex offenders with intellectual disabilities.

    PubMed

    Reyes, Jorge R; Vollmer, Timothy R; Hall, Astrid

    2017-01-01

    We compared outcomes of arousal and preference assessments for five adult male alleged sexual offenders with intellectual disabilities. Arousal assessments involved the use of the penile plethysmograph to measure changes in penile circumference to both deviant (males and females under the age of 18) and nondeviant (males and females over the age of 18) video clips. Paired-stimulus preference assessments were arranged to present still images from the video clips used in the arousal assessments. Results showed correspondence between the assessments for four out of the five participants. Implications are discussed for the use of preference assessment methodology as a less intrusive assessment approach for sexual offender assessments. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  15. Utilisation of cancer screening services by disabled women in Chile

    PubMed Central

    Rotarou, Elena S.

    2017-01-01

    Background Research has shown that women with disabilities face additional challenges in accessing and using healthcare services compared to non-disabled women. However, relatively little is known about the utilisation of cancer screening services for women with disabilities. This study addresses this gap by examining the utilisation of the Papanicolaou test and mammography for disabled women in Chile. Methods We used cross-sectional data, taken from a 2015 nationally-representative survey. Initially, we employed logistic regressions to test for differences in utilisation rates for the Papanicolaou test (66,281 observations) and the mammogram (35,294 observations) between disabled and non-disabled women. Next, logistic regressions were used to investigate the demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors affecting utilisation rates for cancer screening services for disabled women (sample sizes: 5,823 observations for the Papanicolaou test and 5,731 observations for the mammogram). Results Disabled women were less likely to undergo screening tests than non-disabled women. For the Papanicolaou test and mammography, the multivariable regression models showed that living in rural areas, having higher education, being affiliated with a private health insurance company, giving a good health self-assessment score, and being under medical treatment for other illnesses were associated with higher utilisation rates. On the other hand, being single, inactive with regard to employment, and having a better income were linked with lower utilisation. While utilisation rates for both disabled and non-disabled women have increased since 2006, the utilisation disparity has slightly increased. Conclusions This study shows the influence of various factors in the utilisation rates of preventive cancer screening services for disabled women. To develop effective initiatives targeting inequalities in the utilisation of cancer screening tests, it is important to move beyond an

  16. Utilisation of cancer screening services by disabled women in Chile.

    PubMed

    Sakellariou, Dikaios; Rotarou, Elena S

    2017-01-01

    Research has shown that women with disabilities face additional challenges in accessing and using healthcare services compared to non-disabled women. However, relatively little is known about the utilisation of cancer screening services for women with disabilities. This study addresses this gap by examining the utilisation of the Papanicolaou test and mammography for disabled women in Chile. We used cross-sectional data, taken from a 2015 nationally-representative survey. Initially, we employed logistic regressions to test for differences in utilisation rates for the Papanicolaou test (66,281 observations) and the mammogram (35,294 observations) between disabled and non-disabled women. Next, logistic regressions were used to investigate the demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors affecting utilisation rates for cancer screening services for disabled women (sample sizes: 5,823 observations for the Papanicolaou test and 5,731 observations for the mammogram). Disabled women were less likely to undergo screening tests than non-disabled women. For the Papanicolaou test and mammography, the multivariable regression models showed that living in rural areas, having higher education, being affiliated with a private health insurance company, giving a good health self-assessment score, and being under medical treatment for other illnesses were associated with higher utilisation rates. On the other hand, being single, inactive with regard to employment, and having a better income were linked with lower utilisation. While utilisation rates for both disabled and non-disabled women have increased since 2006, the utilisation disparity has slightly increased. This study shows the influence of various factors in the utilisation rates of preventive cancer screening services for disabled women. To develop effective initiatives targeting inequalities in the utilisation of cancer screening tests, it is important to move beyond an exclusively single-disease approach and

  17. Disability associated with obesity, dynapenia and dynapenic-obesity in Chinese older adults.

    PubMed

    Yang, Ming; Ding, Xiang; Luo, Li; Hao, Qiukui; Dong, Birong

    2014-02-01

    Whether the combination of obesity and low muscle strength (dynapenic-obesity) would cause greater impairment of the activities of daily living (ADL)/instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) than obesity alone and low muscle strength alone (dynapenia) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to reveal the possible independent and additive effects of dynapenia and obesity on ADL/IADL disability in an older Chinese population. A cross-sectional study, including 616 community-dwelling older adults, was conducted in China from 2010 to 2012. Based on the World Health Organization Asian Criteria of Obesity and handgrip strength tertiles, 4 independent groups were identified as follows: nondynapenia/nonobesity, dynapenia alone, obesity alone, and dynapenic-obesity. The Katz Index of Independence in ADL was used to assess ADL disability, whereas 6 IADL items of the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) multidimensional functional assessment questionnaire were used to assess IADL disability. The prevalence of ADL and IADL disability was 21.1% and 28.9% in the dynapenic-obesity group, 15.5% and 22.6% in the dynapenia alone group, 13.1% and 19.6% in the obesity alone group, and 11.9% and 12.9% in the nondynapenia/nonobesity group, respectively. After adjusting for the covariates, in comparison with the dynapenic-obesity group, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for ADL disability were 0.36 (0.13-0.73) in the nondynapenia/nonobesity group, 0.51 (0.20-0.78) in the dynapenia-alone group, and 0.40 (0.11-0.61) in the obesity-alone group. The corresponding data for IADL disability were 0.55 (0.20-0.93), 0.82 (0.39-0.98), and 0.61 (0.30-0.91), respectively. Dynapenia, obesity, and dynapenic-obesity were associated with an increased risk of ADL/IADL disability. Dynapenic-obesity was associated with a greater risk of ADL/IADL disability in comparison with dynapenia or obesity alone. Copyright © 2014 American Medical Directors Association, Inc

  18. Content validation using an expert panel: assessment process for assistive technology adopted by farmers with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Mathew, S N; Field, W E; French, B F

    2011-07-01

    This article reports the use of an expert panel to perform content validation of an experimental assessment process for the safety of assistive technology (AT) adopted by farmers with disabilities. The validation process was conducted by a panel of six experts experienced in the subject matter, i.e., design, use, and assessment of AT for farmers with disabilities. The exercise included an evaluation session and two focus group sessions. The evaluation session consisted of using the assessment process under consideration by the panel to evaluate a set of nine ATs fabricated by a farmer on his farm site. The expert panel also participated in the focus group sessions conducted immediately before and after the evaluation session. The resulting data were analyzed using discursive analysis, and the results were incorporated into the final assessment process. The method and the results are presented with recommendations for the use of expert panels in research projects and validation of assessment tools.

  19. International telemedicine consultations for neurodevelopmental disabilities.

    PubMed

    Pearl, Phillip L; Sable, Craig; Evans, Sarah; Knight, Joseph; Cunningham, Parker; Lotrecchiano, Gaetano R; Gropman, Andrea; Stuart, Sheela; Glass, Penny; Conway, Anne; Ramadan, Issam; Paiva, Tania; Batshaw, Mark L; Packer, Roger J

    2014-06-01

    A telemedicine program was developed between the Children's National Medical Center (CNMC) in Washington, DC, and the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Foundation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A needs assessment and a curriculum of on-site training conferences were devised preparatory to an ongoing telemedicine consultation program for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in the underserved eastern region of the UAE. Weekly telemedicine consultations are provided by a multidisciplinary faculty. Patients are presented in the UAE with their therapists and families. Real-time (video over Internet protocol; average connection, 768 kilobits/s) telemedicine conferences are held weekly following previews of medical records. A full consultation report follows each telemedicine session. Between February 29, 2012 and June 26, 2013, 48 weekly 1-h live interactive telemedicine consultations were conducted on 48 patients (28 males, 20 females; age range, 8 months-22 years; median age, 5.4 years). The primary diagnoses were cerebral palsy, neurogenetic disorders, autism, neuromuscular disorders, congenital anomalies, global developmental delay, systemic disease, and epilepsy. Common comorbidities were cognitive impairment, communication disorders, and behavioral disorders. Specific recommendations included imaging and DNA studies, antiseizure management, spasticity management including botulinum toxin protocols, and specific therapy modalities including taping techniques, customized body vests, and speech/language and behavioral therapy. Improved outcomes reported were in clinician satisfaction, achievement of therapy goals for patients, and requests for ongoing sessions. Weekly telemedicine sessions coupled with triannual training conferences were successfully implemented in a clinical program dedicated to patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities by the Center for Neuroscience at CNMC and the UAE government. International consultations in neurodevelopmental

  20. Functional assessment in vocational rehabilitation: a systematic approach to diagnosis and goal setting.

    PubMed

    Crewe, N M; Athelstan, G T

    1981-07-01

    The Functional Assessment Inventory (FAI) has been developed for diagnostic use in vocational rehabilitation. This study involved field testing and initial validation of the Inventory as a diagnostic tool. Thirty vocational rehabilitation counselors administered the Inventory to 351 clients. Factor analysis identified 8 scales: Cognitive Function, Motor Function, Personality and Behavior. Vocational Qualifications, Medical Condition, Vision, Hearing, and Economic Disincentives. Content and concurrent validity of the Inventory were assessed by comparing the scores of clients grounded by medical diagnosis and by relating scores to counselors' judgments of severity of disability and employability. Clients with various primary disabilities appeared to differ from one another on the factor scales and on individual items in predictable ways. Total Functional Limitations scores were highly correlated with counselors' ratings of severity of disability and employability.

  1. Recognizing Physical Disability as a Social Problem.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blake, Charles

    Physical disability is an enormous psychosocio-economic-medical problem that affects over 24 million Americans. Public policy endorses a multi-disciplinary approach in analyzing this issue. Legislation has broadened the meaning of physical disability to include persons with mental and emotional disorders. Some of the costs associated with physical…

  2. Work Injury Risk Among Young People With Learning Disabilities and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Canada

    PubMed Central

    Pole, Jason D.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives. We sought to gain a better understanding of the relationship between learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and risk of occupational injury among young workers. Methods. We assessed 15- to 24-year-old workers (n = 14 379) from cycle 2.1 of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). We gathered data on demographic characteristics, work-related factors, and presence of learning disabilities or ADHD. We conducted a multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess occurrences of medically attended work injuries. Results. There was an 89% adjusted increase in work injury risk among workers with self-reported dyslexia (a type of learning disability) relative to workers reporting no learning disabilities, although this result did not meet traditional statistical significance criteria. Being out of school, either with or without a high school diploma, was associated with a significantly increased risk of work injury, even after control for a number of demographic and work-related variables. Conclusions. Our findings underscore the notion that individual differences salient in the education system (e.g., learning disabilities, school dropout) need to be integrated into conceptual models of injury risk among young workers. PMID:19542044

  3. Time allocation of disabled individuals.

    PubMed

    Pagán, Ricardo

    2013-05-01

    Although some studies have analysed the disability phenomenon and its effect on, for example, labour force participation, wages, job satisfaction, or the use of disability pension, the empirical evidence on how disability steals time (e.g. hours of work) from individuals is very scarce. This article examines how disabled individuals allocate their time to daily activities as compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Using time diary information from the Spanish Time Use Survey (last quarter of 2002 and the first three quarters of 2003), we estimate the determinants of time (minutes per day) spent on four aggregate categories (market work, household production, tertiary activities and leisure) for a sample of 27,687 non-disabled and 5250 disabled individuals and decompose the observed time differential by using the Oaxaca-Blinder methodology. The results show that disabled individuals devote less time to market work (especially females), and more time to household production (e.g. cooking, cleaning, child care), tertiary activities (e.g., sleeping, personal care, medical treatment) and leisure activities. We also find a significant effect of age on the time spent on daily activities and important differences by gender and disability status. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that disability steals time, and reiterate the fact that more public policies are needed to balance working life and health concerns among disabled individuals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Hearing disability and communication handicap for compensation purposes based on self-assessment and audiometric testing.

    PubMed

    Salomon, G; Parving, A

    1985-01-01

    It is reasoned that for compensation or epidemiological studies an evaluation of hearing disability and the concomitant handicap must include the ability to perceive visual cues. A scaling procedure for hearing- and audiovisual communication handicap is presented. The procedure deviates in two ways from previous handicap assessments: (1) It is based on individual self-assessment of semantic speech perception but can be implemented by means of professional audiological test procedures. (2) The system does not make use of pure-tone auditory thresholds as a predominant audiological principle, but is based on speech perception. The interrelationship between auditory and audiovisual handicap is evaluated. A total score including audio- and audiovisual perception handicap is proposed and a suggestion for disability percentages is presented.

  5. 20 CFR 718.204 - Total disability and disability causation defined; criteria for determining total disability and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... prevented the miner: (i) From performing his or her usual coal mine work; and (ii) From engaging in gainful... pneumoconiosis and has been shown by the medical evidence to be suffering from cor pulmonale with right-sided... that the miner suffers or suffered from a totally disabling respiratory or pulmonary impairment as...

  6. Disability-Friendly University Environments: Conducting a Climate Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stodden, Robert A.; Brown, Steven E.; Roberts, Kelly

    2011-01-01

    What constitutes a supportive environment for all students with disabilities in postsecondary settings? After more than ten years of collecting data focused on the provision of educational supports to students with disabilities in postsecondary education, the authors have discovered numerous intervening variables that contribute to a supportive…

  7. Psychological predictors for health-related quality of life and disability in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

    PubMed

    Mewes, Ricarda; Rief, Winfried; Kenn, Klaus; Ried, Jens; Stenzel, Nikola

    2016-01-01

    Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit low physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQL) and high susceptibility to disability. We investigated the influence of psychological factors on HRQL and disability in COPD individuals recruited from the general population. In line with Leventhal's common sense model, we expected psychological factors to be associated with HRQL and disability even after controlling for medical status. Individuals with COPD (n = 502; 59.7 years old; GOLD grades were I: 3%, II: 17%, III: 34%, IV: 46%) were assessed through an online survey administered via COPD patient organisations in Germany. Individuals filled in the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), COPD Assessment Test, Patient Health Questionnaire (modules: GAD-2, PHQ-15, PHQ-9), Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, a questionnaire that assesses causal illness attributions, and the internal illness-related locus of control scale of the 'KKG questionnaire for the assessment of control beliefs about illness and health'. Multiple linear regressions were calculated. The investigated factors explained high variances (disability = 56%, physical HRQL = 28%, mental HRQL = 63%, p ≤ .001). Better mental health, more optimistic illness perceptions, attribution to psychological causes, and stronger internal locus of control were associated with lower disability and better HRQL. Comorbid somatic symptoms contributed to high disability and low quality of life. Psychological factors, such as illness perception, attribution and internal locus of control, were associated with disability and HRQL. These factors should be considered when designing treatments for individuals with COPD, and adequate interventions should be provided to enhance illness understanding and self-management skills.

  8. Assessment of Integration of Disability Content into Social Work Education.

    PubMed

    Ogden, Lydia; McAllister, Carolyn; Neely-Barnes, Susan

    2017-01-01

    Three hundred members of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) responded to a survey regarding the inclusion of disability content in social work courses and supports needed to increase disability content. Although respondents generally agreed that disability content is important in social work education, its inclusion is inconsistent, with most frequent inclusion in courses on diversity and least frequent inclusion in courses on research. Respondents identified barriers to increasing disability content, including lack of resources for teaching, lack of relevant faculty expertise, and an overcrowded curriculum. Strategies and resources for infusing disability content into social work education are discussed.

  9. [Stress fractures in disabled athletes' preparation for the paralympic games in Athens, 2004: an assessment].

    PubMed

    Laboute, E; Druvert, J C; Pailler, D; Piera, J-B

    2008-03-01

    To identify stress fracture frequency and the associated risk factors in disabled female athletes preparing the Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004. The study is focused on four athletes (including one with a vision impairment) among the 31 women selected to participate in the Paralympic Games. The medical records of selected athletes not having been able to participate in the Games due to a stress fracture were analyzed. One case of stress fracture to the first metatarsal was reported of one below-knee amputee and an additional case to the second metatarsal of one hemiplegic athlete. Two of three athletes with physical disability were unable to participate in the Games because of stress fracture occurring during the preparatory phase. Among four athletes selected to take part in the Paralympic Games. If morphological predispositions are inherent to the sportswomen, the main favouring factor to be retained is their running asymmetry. Training programmes must therefore take this characteristic into account and must not offer heavy-load repetitive exercise (such as endurance or jogging) at the expense of technique. Over-intense training exposes the disabled athlete to this type of pathology and is likely to affect his chances of competing.

  10. Improving School Nurse Pain Assessment Practices for Students With Intellectual Disability.

    PubMed

    Quinn, Brenna L; Smolinski, Megan

    2017-01-01

    School nurses are afforded minimal resources related to assessing pain in students with intellectual disability (ID) and have called for continuing education. The purpose of this study was to measure the effectiveness of an education program regarding best practices for assessing pain in students with ID. Educational sessions were presented to 248 school nurses. Pre-, post-, and follow-up surveys measured (1) difficulty school nurses face when assessing pain, (2) knowledge and use of pain assessment methods, and (3) intent to change and actual changes to professional practices. Participants experienced less difficulty assessing pain following the educational program. Almost all participants intended to change pain assessment practices, but large caseloads limited new practice adoption. Policy makers must consider population size and acuity when determining school nurse staffing. Trainings and other resources should be made available to school nurses in order to make pain assessments for students with ID more thorough and efficient.

  11. Knowledge that people with intellectual disabilities have of their inhaled asthma medications: messages for pharmacists.

    PubMed

    Davis, Sharon R; Durvasula, Seeta; Merhi, Diana; Young, Paul M; Traini, Daniela; Bosnic Anticevich, Sinthia Z

    2016-02-01

    Fifteen percent of Australians with intellectual disability (ID) are reported to have asthma. People with ID are at risk of poor health knowledge due to deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning, but their medication knowledge has largely been ignored in research to date. To explore the level of understanding of asthma medication use of people with ID who self-administer their inhaled medications, in order to inform future educational support. Setting The research was conducted in NSW, Australia, at the participants' homes, the point of health care access, or the offices of relevant support organisations. In this qualitative study face-to-face interviews were conducted with people with ID using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Main outcome Identification of barriers to asthma medication self-management by people with ID. Seventeen people with ID who self-administer their asthma medications were interviewed. Factors influencing their asthma medication knowledge and use included understanding of their illness and the need for medication; aspects of self-management and autonomy versus dependence. This sample of people with ID had a good understanding of the importance of using their inhaled asthma medications, as well as asthma triggers, and the difference between use of preventer and reliever medications. Both enablers and barriers to asthma medication self-management were identified in the domains of managing attacks, adherence, knowledge of side effects and sources of information on correct use of inhalers. The level of autonomy for medication use varied, with motivation to self-manage asthma influenced by the level of support that was practically available to individual participants. This research investigated aspects of asthma medication self-management of people with ID. Based on the barriers identified, pharmacists should promote use of spacers and written asthma action plans as well

  12. Assessment and diffusion of medical innovations in France: an overview.

    PubMed

    Dubromel, Amélie; Geffroy, Loïc; Aulagner, Gilles; Dussart, Claude

    2018-01-01

    Background: In France, a significant part of health expenditure is publicly funding. This put a heavy burden on society. In an economic context requiring tight control of public spending, it seems relevant to control the diffusion of medical innovations. That is why health technology assessment is subject to an increasing interest at national level for management and approval decisions. This article provides an overview of the assessment and diffusion of medical innovation in France. Method: The data are extracted from French authorities or organisations websites and documents and from French legislative texts. In addition, regarding discussion, a search in MEDLINE database was carried out. Results: An overview of the assessment and diffusion of medical innovation in France is given by presenting the different types of medical innovations according to French health system definition (I); introducing French authorities participating to health technology assessment and describe assessment procedures of medical innovations (II); and giving details about market access process of innovative health product in France (III). Key opportunities and challenges of medical innovation assessment and diffusion in France are discussed at the end of this article. Conclusion: In France, medical innovation is considered as a crucial component for quality of care and performance of healthcare system. The aim of health technology assessment is to promote a secure and timely access to innovation for patients. Nevertheless, it appears necessary to improve regulatory mechanisms.

  13. Assessing college-level learning difficulties and "at riskness" for learning disabilities and ADHD: development and validation of the learning difficulties assessment.

    PubMed

    Kane, Steven T; Walker, John H; Schmidt, George R

    2011-01-01

    This article describes the development and validation of the Learning Difficulties Assessment (LDA), a normed and web-based survey that assesses perceived difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, listening, concentration, memory, organizational skills, sense of control, and anxiety in college students. The LDA is designed to (a) map individual learning strengths and weaknesses, (b) provide users with a comparative sense of their academic skills, (c) integrate research in user-interface design to assist those with reading and learning challenges, and (d) identify individuals who may be at risk for learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and who should thus be further assessed. Data from a large-scale 5-year study describing the instrument's validity as a screening tool for learning disabilities and ADHD are presented. This article also describes unique characteristics of the LDA including its user-interface design, normative characteristics, and use as a no-cost screening tool for identifying college students at risk for learning disorders and ADHD.

  14. The Impact of Medical/Behavioral Support Needs on the Supports Needed by Adolescents with Intellectual Disability to Participate in Community Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seo, Hyojeong; Shogren, Karrie A.; Wehmeyer, Michael L.; Little, Todd D.; Palmer, Susan B.

    2017-01-01

    As adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) transition to adulthood, there is a need to plan for effective community-based supports that address the post-school life. There is also a need to plan for the impact of factors (e.g., medical/behavioral support needs) on supports needed for community participation. Data from the "Supports…

  15. Integration of a Psychiatric Service in a Long-Term Charitable Facility for People with Intellectual Disabilities: A 5-Year Medication Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruggerini, Ciro; Guaraldi, Gian Paolo; Russo, Angela; Neviani, Vittoria; Castagnini, Augusto

    2004-01-01

    Since the implementation of a psychiatric service in a long-term facility for people with intellectual disability, the usage of psychotropic and anti-convulsant drugs has been surveyed over the 5-year period 1994-1999. At that time, although the overall prevalence rate of residents on medication was not declining significantly, a decrease in…

  16. Mental Health Assessment and Intervention for People with Complex Communication Needs Associated with Developmental Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Di Marco, Mark; Iacono, Teresa

    2007-01-01

    This paper addresses the issues of assessment and psychological interventions of mental health in people with complex communication needs of people with intellectual disability and/or cerebral palsy. The literature indicates that research data have been lacking in this area, with a dearth of appropriate assessment tools and information on how to…

  17. Observing the onset of disability in older adults.

    PubMed

    Reynolds, Sandra L; Silverstein, Merril

    2003-11-01

    One of the greatest threats to the ability of older adults to live independently is the onset of disability in activities adults perform in their daily lives, such as dressing, eating, toileting, managing one's money, preparing meals and so on. This article examines the onset of disability in older adult Americans using three waves of the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) survey (1993, 1995, 1998; n=4228). We use medical/demographic factors (arthritis, heart disease, diabetes; age, gender, race/ethnicity, wealth), baseline characteristics (affect, cognition, health behaviors, medical insurance), and time-varying covariates (changes in chronic conditions and baseline characteristics) to predict the onset of activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) disability, individually and in the aggregate, over time. We find the onset of ADL and IADL disability is a complex process, suggesting important roles for medical, demographic, social, psychological, and behavioral triggers, specifically negative affect, higher body weight, and by the lack of vigorous exercise. We also find that individual ADL and IADL impairments are predicted by a variety of different factors, suggesting that summary measures of disability may be masking a wealth of potentially useful interventions. In general, public health efforts in the area of controlling obesity and treating depressive symptoms should be supported.

  18. Learning Disabilities: A Neurobiological Perspective in Humans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonnet, Kenneth A.

    1989-01-01

    The mechanisms of both language-based and non-language-based learning disabilities are presented within the framework of central nervous system development and the compromises to that development that arise from genetic, hormonal, antibody, medication, and postnatal compromises. Also reviewed is the need for a taxonomy of learning disabilities.…

  19. 20 CFR 416.1019 - Quick disability determination process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Quick disability determination process. 416.1019 Section 416.1019 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME... disagreement between the disability examiner and the medical or psychological consultant, the State agency will...

  20. Use of a structured functional evaluation process for independent medical evaluations of claimants presenting with disabling mental illness: rationale and design for a multi-center reliability study.

    PubMed

    Bachmann, Monica; de Boer, Wout; Schandelmaier, Stefan; Leibold, Andrea; Marelli, Renato; Jeger, Joerg; Hoffmann-Richter, Ulrike; Mager, Ralph; Schaad, Heinz; Zumbrunn, Thomas; Vogel, Nicole; Bänziger, Oskar; Busse, Jason W; Fischer, Katrin; Kunz, Regina

    2016-07-29

    Work capacity evaluations by independent medical experts are widely used to inform insurers whether injured or ill workers are capable of engaging in competitive employment. In many countries, evaluation processes lack a clearly structured approach, standardized instruments, and an explicit focus on claimants' functional abilities. Evaluation of subjective complaints, such as mental illness, present additional challenges in the determination of work capacity. We have therefore developed a process for functional evaluation of claimants with mental disorders which complements usual psychiatric evaluation. Here we report the design of a study to measure the reliability of our approach in determining work capacity among patients with mental illness applying for disability benefits. We will conduct a multi-center reliability study, in which 20 psychiatrists trained in our functional evaluation process will assess 30 claimants presenting with mental illness for eligibility to receive disability benefits [Reliability of Functional Evaluation in Psychiatry, RELY-study]. The functional evaluation process entails a five-step structured interview and a reporting instrument (Instrument of Functional Assessment in Psychiatry [IFAP]) to document the severity of work-related functional limitations. We will videotape all evaluations which will be viewed by three psychiatrists who will independently rate claimants' functional limitations. Our primary outcome measure is the evaluation of claimant's work capacity as a percentage (0 to 100 %), and our secondary outcomes are the 12 mental functions and 13 functional capacities assessed by the IFAP-instrument. Inter-rater reliability of four psychiatric experts will be explored using multilevel models to estimate the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Additional analyses include subgroups according to mental disorder, the typicality of claimants, and claimant perceived fairness of the assessment process. We hypothesize that a

  1. Perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity for children with disability: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Shields, Nora; Synnot, Anneliese Jane; Barr, Megan

    2012-11-01

    The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity among children with disability. 10 electronic databases were searched from the earliest time available to September 2010 to identify relevant articles. Articles were included if they examined the barriers or facilitators to physical activity for children with disability and were written in English. Articles were excluded if they included children with an acute, transient or chronic medical condition, examined sedentary leisure activities, or societal participation in general. Two reviewers independently assessed the search yields, extracted the data and assessed trial quality. Data were analysed descriptively. 14 articles met the inclusion criteria. Barriers included lack of knowledge and skills, the child's preferences, fear, parental behaviour, negative attitudes to disability, inadequate facilities, lack of transport, programmes and staff capacity, and cost. Facilitators included the child's desire to be active, practising skills, involvement of peers, family support, accessible facilities, proximity of location, better opportunities, skilled staff and information. Personal, social, environmental, and policy and programme-related barriers and facilitators influence the amount of activity children with disability undertake. The barriers to physical activity have been studied more comprehensively than the facilitators.

  2. A Framework for Understanding Young Children with Severe Multiple Disabilities: The van Dijk Approach to Assessment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Catherine; van Dijk, Jan; McDonnell, Andrea P.; Thompson, Kristina

    2002-01-01

    This article describes a framework for assessing young children with severe multiple disabilities. The assessment is child-led and examines underlying processes of learning, including biobehavioral state, orienting response, learning channels, approach-withdrawal, memory, interactions, communication, and problem solving. Case studies and a sample…

  3. Work reintegration and cardiovascular disease: medical and rehabilitation influences.

    PubMed

    O'Hagan, F T; Coutu, M F; Thomas, S G; Mertens, D J

    2012-06-01

    Research into work reintegration following cardiovascular disease onset is limited in its clinical and individual focus. There is no research examining worker experience in context during the return to work process. Qualitative case study method informed by applied ethnography. Worker experience was assessed through longitudinal in-depth interviews with 12 workers returning to work following disabling cardiac illness. Workplace context (Canadian auto manufacturing plant) was assessed through site visits and meetings with stakeholders including occupational health personnel. Data was analyzed using constant comparison and progressive coding. Twelve men (43-63 years) participated in the study. Results revealed that unyielding production demands and performance monitoring pushed worker capacities and caused "insidious stress". Medical reassurance was important in the workers' decisions to return to work and stay on the job but medical restrictions were viewed as having limited relevance owing to limited understanding of work demands. Medical sanction was important for transient absence from the workplace as well as permanent disability. Cardiac rehabilitation programs were beneficial for lifestyle modification and building exercise capacity, but had limited benefit on work reintegration. Occupational health provided monitoring and support during work reintegration. Medical reassurance can be an important influence on worker representations of disease threat. Medical advice as it pertained to work activities was less valued as it lacked considerations of work conditions. Cardiac rehabilitation lacked intensity and relevance to work demands. Occupational health was reassuring for workers and played an important role in developing return to work plans.

  4. Disability in Fibromyalgia Associates with Symptom Severity and Occupation Characteristics.

    PubMed

    Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Ste-Marie, Peter A; Rampakakis, Emmanouil; Sampalis, John S; Shir, Yoram

    2016-05-01

    It is intuitive that disability caused by illness should be reflected in illness severity. Because disability rates for fibromyalgia (FM) are high in the developed world, we have examined disease and work characteristics for patients with FM who were working, unemployed, or receiving disability payments for disability as a result of FM. Of the 248 participants in a tertiary care cohort study of patients with FM, 90 were employed, 81 were not employed and not receiving disability payments, and 77 were not working and currently receiving disability payments awarded for disability caused by FM. Demographic, occupation, and disease characteristics were compared among the groups. The prevalence of disability caused by FM was 30.8%. There were no demographic differences among the working, unemployed, or disabled patients. With the exception of measures for anxiety and depression, all measurements for disease severity differed significantly among the groups, with greater severity reported for the disabled group, which used more medications and participated less in physical activity. Disabled patients were more likely previously employed in manual professions or the service industry, whereas employed patients were more commonly working in non-manual jobs that included clerical, managerial, or professional occupations (p = 0.005). The one-third rate of disability for this Canadian cohort of patients with FM is in line with other reports from the western world. Associations of disability compensation were observed for subjective report of symptom severity, increased use of medications, and previous employment in more physically demanding jobs.

  5. The physician as disability advisor for patients with musculoskeletal complaints.

    PubMed

    Rainville, James; Pransky, Glenn; Indahl, Aage; Mayer, Eric K

    2005-11-15

    Literature review. To review the literature about the performance of physicians as mediators of temporary and permanent disability for patients with chronic musculoskeletal complaints. To assess specifically the nature and variance of recommendations from physicians, factors influencing physician performance, and efforts to influence physician behavior in this area. While caring for patients with musculoskeletal injuries, physicians are often asked to recommend appropriate levels of activity and work. These recommendations have significant consequences for patients' general health, employment, and financial well-being. Medical literature search. Physician recommendations limiting activity and work after injury are highly variable, often reflecting their own pain attitudes and beliefs. Patients' desires strongly predict disability recommendations (i.e., physicians often acquiesce to patients' requests). Other influences include jurisdiction, employer, insurer, and medical system factors. The most successful efforts to influence physician recommendations have used mass communication to influence public attitudes, while reinforcing the current standard of practice for physicians. Physician recommendations for work and activity have important health and financial implications. Systemic, multidimensional approaches are necessary to improve performance.

  6. Considering the culture of disability in cultural competence education.

    PubMed

    Eddey, Gary E; Robey, Kenneth L

    2005-07-01

    Cultural competence extends beyond understanding those values, beliefs, and needs that are associated with patients' age or gender or with their racial, ethnic, or religious backgrounds. People hold many simultaneous cultural associations, and each have implications for the care process. The "culture of disability" is a pan-ethnic culture for which a set of physician competencies are required to ensure appropriate, culturally sensitive care to persons with congenital or acquired disabilities. Such competencies include communicating with patients who have deficits in verbal communication and avoidance of infantilizing speech; understanding the values and needs of persons with disabilities; the ability to encourage self-advocacy skills of patients and families; acknowledging the core values of disability culture including the emphasis on interdependence rather than independence; and feeling comfortable with patients with complex disabilities. Medical schools have developed programs to increase students' exposure to persons with disabilities and it is suggested that such programs are most effective when they are the result of collaboration with community-based facilities or organizations that serve persons with disabilities in the natural environment. Combining lecture-based instruction and structured experiences with the opportunity for students to interact with patients in their natural environments may facilitate development of competencies with respect to patients with disabilities. The culture of disability should be included as one of the many cultures addressed in cultural competence initiatives in medical school and residency curricula.

  7. Depression, disability and somatic diseases among elderly.

    PubMed

    Verhaak, P F M; Dekker, J H; de Waal, M W M; van Marwijk, H W J; Comijs, H C

    2014-01-01

    Depression among older adults is associated with both disability and somatic disease. We aimed to further understand this complicated relationship and to study the possible modifying effect of increasing age. Cross sectional survey. Outpatient and inpatient clinics of regional facilities for mental health care and primary care. Elderly people, 60 years and older, 378 persons meeting DSM-IV criteria for a depressive disorder and 132 non-depressed comparisons. Depression diagnoses were assessed with the CIDI version 2.1. Disability was assessed with the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS). Social-demographic information and somatic diseases were assessed by self-report measurements. Disability, in general and on all its subscales, was strongly related to depression. Presence of somatic disease did not contribute independently to variance in depression. The relationship was stronger for people of 60-69 years old than for those older than 70 years. Important aspects of disability that contributed to depression were disability in participation, self-care and social activities. Results are based on cross sectional data. No inferences about causal relationships can be drawn. Disability, especially disability regarding participation, self-care, or social activities is strongly related to late-life depression. Somatic diseases in itself are less of a risk for depression, except that somatic diseases are related to disability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Changes for the new AMA Guides to impairment ratings, 6th Edition: implications and applications for physician disability evaluations.

    PubMed

    Rondinelli, Robert D

    2009-07-01

    U.S. Disability Systems share a common procedural approach to the determination of disability for purposes of compensation. The structural and anatomical consequences of the injury or disease are defined and measured according to medical impairment, which is used to estimate the individual's loss in terms of their capacity to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and, presumptively, their losses in terms of vocational and non-vocational pursuits and quality of life. The physician is traditionally empowered to rate the severity of impairment in terms of a percentage loss to the "whole person" and according to criteria specific to each disability system. Often, the impairment percentage so derived, then is directly translated into a monetary sum for purposes of compensating these losses. The AMA periodically publishes and updates a physician impairment rating guide (the AMA Guides). The 6th Edition, published in 2008, incorporates the definitions and terminology of the ICF and provides a simple means of assessment of ADLs as part of the rating process. It also has shifted the ratings criteria towards a diagnosis-based approach, ostensibly to improve inter-rater consistency and reliability. Further work is needed to refine and validate ADL-based functional assessment tools applicable to medical impairment ratings, and to demonstrate the levels of consistency and reliability of the new rating method. Of equal importance, operational standardization across systems is also needed to enable common criteria and metrics to be developed and applied when determining the non-medical aspects of disability according to vocational and non-vocational pursuits and quality of life. Impairment ratings cannot be optimally designed to serve as the singular determinant of, nor be held solely accountable for, the disability awards.

  9. Determinants of Prescription Drug Use by Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yen, Chia-Feng; Lin, Jin-Ding; Loh, Ching-Hui; Shi, Leiyu; Hsu, Shang-Wei

    2009-01-01

    Direct family caregivers of population-based adolescents with intellectual disabilities in Taiwan were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the use of prescribed medication and its relationship with health-related behaviors, medical care and preventive health utilization of people with intellectual disabilities. Cross-sectional data on 1419…

  10. Inter-rater agreement in evaluation of disability: systematic review of reproducibility studies.

    PubMed

    Barth, Jürgen; de Boer, Wout E L; Busse, Jason W; Hoving, Jan L; Kedzia, Sarah; Couban, Rachel; Fischer, Katrin; von Allmen, David Y; Spanjer, Jerry; Kunz, Regina

    2017-01-25

     To explore agreement among healthcare professionals assessing eligibility for work disability benefits.  Systematic review and narrative synthesis of reproducibility studies.  Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO searched up to 16 March 2016, without language restrictions, and review of bibliographies of included studies.  Observational studies investigating reproducibility among healthcare professionals performing disability evaluations using a global rating of working capacity and reporting inter-rater reliability by a statistical measure or descriptively. Studies could be conducted in insurance settings, where decisions on ability to work include normative judgments based on legal considerations, or in research settings, where decisions on ability to work disregard normative considerations. : Teams of paired reviewers identified eligible studies, appraised their methodological quality and generalisability, and abstracted results with pretested forms. As heterogeneity of research designs and findings impeded a quantitative analysis, a descriptive synthesis stratified by setting (insurance or research) was performed.  From 4562 references, 101 full text articles were reviewed. Of these, 16 studies conducted in an insurance setting and seven in a research setting, performed in 12 countries, met the inclusion criteria. Studies in the insurance setting were conducted with medical experts assessing claimants who were actual disability claimants or played by actors, hypothetical cases, or short written scenarios. Conditions were mental (n=6, 38%), musculoskeletal (n=4, 25%), or mixed (n=6, 38%). Applicability of findings from studies conducted in an insurance setting to real life evaluations ranged from generalisable (n=7, 44%) and probably generalisable (n=3, 19%) to probably not generalisable (n=6, 37%). Median inter-rater reliability among experts was 0.45 (range intraclass correlation coefficient 0.86 to κ-0.10). Inter-rater reliability was poor in six studies (37

  11. Inter-rater agreement in evaluation of disability: systematic review of reproducibility studies

    PubMed Central

    Barth, Jürgen; de Boer, Wout E L; Busse, Jason W; Hoving, Jan L; Kedzia, Sarah; Couban, Rachel; Fischer, Katrin; von Allmen, David Y; Spanjer, Jerry

    2017-01-01

    Objectives To explore agreement among healthcare professionals assessing eligibility for work disability benefits. Design Systematic review and narrative synthesis of reproducibility studies. Data sources Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO searched up to 16 March 2016, without language restrictions, and review of bibliographies of included studies. Eligibility criteria Observational studies investigating reproducibility among healthcare professionals performing disability evaluations using a global rating of working capacity and reporting inter-rater reliability by a statistical measure or descriptively. Studies could be conducted in insurance settings, where decisions on ability to work include normative judgments based on legal considerations, or in research settings, where decisions on ability to work disregard normative considerations.Teams of paired reviewers identified eligible studies, appraised their methodological quality and generalisability, and abstracted results with pretested forms. As heterogeneity of research designs and findings impeded a quantitative analysis, a descriptive synthesis stratified by setting (insurance or research) was performed. Results From 4562 references, 101 full text articles were reviewed. Of these, 16 studies conducted in an insurance setting and seven in a research setting, performed in 12 countries, met the inclusion criteria. Studies in the insurance setting were conducted with medical experts assessing claimants who were actual disability claimants or played by actors, hypothetical cases, or short written scenarios. Conditions were mental (n=6, 38%), musculoskeletal (n=4, 25%), or mixed (n=6, 38%). Applicability of findings from studies conducted in an insurance setting to real life evaluations ranged from generalisable (n=7, 44%) and probably generalisable (n=3, 19%) to probably not generalisable (n=6, 37%). Median inter-rater reliability among experts was 0.45 (range intraclass correlation coefficient 0.86 to κ−0

  12. Health and disability: partnerships in health care.

    PubMed

    Tracy, Jane; McDonald, Rachael

    2015-01-01

    Despite awareness of the health inequalities experienced by people with intellectual disability, their health status remains poor. Inequalities in health outcomes are manifest in higher morbidity and rates of premature death. Contributing factors include the barriers encountered in accessing and receiving high-quality health care. This paper outlines health inequalities experienced by people with intellectual disability and focuses on the opportunities medical education provides to address these. Strategies to ensure that health professional education is inclusive of and relevant to people with disabilities are highlighted. The barriers experienced by people with intellectual disabilities to the receipt of high-quality health care include the attitudes, knowledge and skills of doctors. Improving medical education to ensure doctors are better equipped is one strategy to address these barriers. Improving health enhances quality of life, enables engagement and optimizes opportunities to participate in and contribute to the social and economic life of communities. People with intellectual disabilities sometimes find it difficult to get the healthcare they need to stay well. Teaching student doctors about what people with disabilities want and need can help these students become better doctors. Good doctors help people get well and stay healthy and active. When people feel well they can enjoy their lives and join in activities in their community. This article talks about some of the things doctors need to learn, and some ways to teach them. People with disabilities have a very important role in teaching student doctors. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Common Pediatric Disabilities: Medical Aspects and Educational Implications.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tyler, Janet Siantz; Colson, Steven

    1994-01-01

    This paper presents definitions of common pediatric disabilities and information about incidence, causes, diagnosis, common characteristics, complications with educational implications, and multidisciplinary intervention approaches. It covers the following conditions: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fragile…

  14. Prevalence of Disability and Disability Type Among Adults--United States, 2013.

    PubMed

    Courtney-Long, Elizabeth A; Carroll, Dianna D; Zhang, Qing C; Stevens, Alissa C; Griffin-Blake, Shannon; Armour, Brian S; Campbell, Vincent A

    2015-07-31

    Understanding the prevalence of disability is important for public health programs to be able to address the needs of persons with disabilities. Beginning in 2013, to measure disability prevalence by functional type, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), added five questions to identify disability in vision, cognition, mobility, self-care, and independent living. CDC analyzed data from the 2013 BRFSS to assess overall prevalence of any disability, as well as specific types of disability among noninstitutionalized U.S. adults. Across all states, disabilities in mobility and cognition were the most frequently reported types. State-level prevalence of each disability type ranged from 2.7% to 8.1% (vision); 6.9% to 16.8% (cognition); 8.5% to 20.7% (mobility); 1.9% to 6.2% (self-care) and 4.2% to 10.8% (independent living). A higher prevalence of any disability was generally seen among adults living in states in the South and among women (24.4%) compared with men (19.8%). Prevalences of any disability and disability in mobility were higher among older age groups. These are the first data on functional disability types available in a state-based health survey. This information can help public health programs identify the prevalence of and demographic characteristics associated with different disability types among U.S. adults and better target appropriate interventions to reduce health disparities.

  15. Financial Barriers for Students with Non-Apparent Disabilities within Canadian Postsecondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chambers, Tony; Bolton, Melissa; Sukhai, Mahadeo A.

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the education-related debt, sources of debt, and the process of acquiring accommodations for students with non-apparent (such as learning disabilities and mental health disabilities) and apparent disabilities in Canadian postsecondary education. A third group emerged during analyses, students with medical disabilities, which…

  16. The ARV roll out and the disability grant: a South African dilemma?

    PubMed

    de Paoli, Marina Manuela; Mills, Elizabeth Anne; Grønningsaeter, Arne Backer

    2012-02-16

    Prior to the antiretroviral (ARV) drug roll out in 2004, people living with HIV (PLHIV) in South Africa received disability grants when they were defined as "AIDS-sick". In the absence of available and effective medication, a diagnosis of AIDS portended disability. The disability grant is a critical component of South Africa's social security system, and plays an important role in addressing poverty among PLHIV. Given the prevalence of unemployment and poverty, disability grants ensure access to essential resources, like food, for PLHIV. Following the ARV roll out in South Africa, PLHIV experienced improved health that, in turn, affected their grant eligibility. Our aim is to explore whether PLHIV reduced or stopped treatment to remain eligible for the disability grant from the perspectives of both PLHIV and their doctors. A mixed-methods design with concurrent triangulation was applied. We conducted: (1) in-depth semi-structured interviews with 29 PLHIV; (2) in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight medical doctors working in the public sector throughout the Cape Peninsula; (3) three focus group discussions with programme managers, stakeholders and community workers; and (4) a panel survey of 216 PLHIV receiving ARVs. Unemployment and poverty were the primary concerns for PLHIV and the disability grant was viewed as a temporary way out of this vicious cycle. Although loss of the disability grant significantly affected the well-being of PLHIV, they did not discontinue ARVs. However, in a number of subtle ways, PLHIV "tipped the scales" to lower the CD4 count without stopping ARVs completely. Grant criteria were deemed ad hoc, and doctors struggled to balance economic and physical welfare when assessing eligibility. It is crucial to provide sustainable economic support in conjunction with ARVs in order to make "positive living" a reality for PLHIV. A chronic illness grant, a basic income grant or an unemployment grant could provide viable alternatives when the

  17. The ARV roll out and the disability grant: a South African dilemma?

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Prior to the antiretroviral (ARV) drug roll out in 2004, people living with HIV (PLHIV) in South Africa received disability grants when they were defined as "AIDS-sick". In the absence of available and effective medication, a diagnosis of AIDS portended disability. The disability grant is a critical component of South Africa's social security system, and plays an important role in addressing poverty among PLHIV. Given the prevalence of unemployment and poverty, disability grants ensure access to essential resources, like food, for PLHIV. Following the ARV roll out in South Africa, PLHIV experienced improved health that, in turn, affected their grant eligibility. Our aim is to explore whether PLHIV reduced or stopped treatment to remain eligible for the disability grant from the perspectives of both PLHIV and their doctors. Methods A mixed-methods design with concurrent triangulation was applied. We conducted: (1) in-depth semi-structured interviews with 29 PLHIV; (2) in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight medical doctors working in the public sector throughout the Cape Peninsula; (3) three focus group discussions with programme managers, stakeholders and community workers; and (4) a panel survey of 216 PLHIV receiving ARVs. Results Unemployment and poverty were the primary concerns for PLHIV and the disability grant was viewed as a temporary way out of this vicious cycle. Although loss of the disability grant significantly affected the well-being of PLHIV, they did not discontinue ARVs. However, in a number of subtle ways, PLHIV "tipped the scales" to lower the CD4 count without stopping ARVs completely. Grant criteria were deemed ad hoc, and doctors struggled to balance economic and physical welfare when assessing eligibility. Conclusions It is crucial to provide sustainable economic support in conjunction with ARVs in order to make "positive living" a reality for PLHIV. A chronic illness grant, a basic income grant or an unemployment grant

  18. Functional Assessment to Predict Capacity for Work in a Population of School-Leavers with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eagar, Kathy; Green, Janette; Gordon, Robert; Owen, Alan; Masso, Malcolm; Williams, Kathryn

    2006-01-01

    This study reports on an assessment system for school-leavers with disabilities to identify their capacity for work and the type of transition-to-work programme best suited to each person. Participants were 1,556 high school students in four cohorts who left school between 1999 and 2002. Each school-leaver was assessed by rehabilitation…

  19. A Multidirectional Model for Assessing Learning Disabled Students' Intelligence: An Information-Processing Framework.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swanson, H. Lee

    1982-01-01

    An information processing approach to the assessment of learning disabled students' intellectual performance is presented. The model is based on the assumption that intelligent behavior is comprised of a variety of problem- solving strategies. An account of child problem solving is explained and illustrated with a "thinking aloud" protocol.…

  20. Identifying Students with Learning Disabilities: Composite Profile Analysis Using the Cognitive Assessment System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Leesa V.; Bardos, Achilles N.; D'Amato, Rik Carl

    2010-01-01

    The detection of cognitive patterns in children with learning disabilities (LD) has been a priority in the identification process. Subtest profile analysis from traditional cognitive assessment has drawn sharp criticism for inaccurate identification and weak connections to educational planning. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to use a new…