Session 8 - Chronic And Life-threatening Health Problems

Question 1

What is the initial reaction to having a chronic illness?

Answer 1

1. It is characterised by shock, confusion and automatic behaviour.
2. Daily activities and social roles are disrupted
3. Patients and their families have to make permanent behavioural, social and emotional adjustments.
4. Futures plans may change or evaporate.
5. Changes in the way they view themselves and their lives
6. Intense coping efforts

Question 2

Name the type of factors that influence how people adjust during a crisis.

Answer 2

1. illness-related factors
2. Background and personal factors
3. Physical and social environmental factors

Question 3

Name 4 illness-related factors

Answer 3

1. Perceived threat
2. Disfigurement
3. Illnesses that draw attention
4. Treatment regimes

Question 4

Explain the Perceived Threat illness-related factor?

Answer 4

Some health problems present a greater threat than others do. They may be more disabling, disfiguring, painful or life threatening. The greater the threat patients perceive for any of these circumstances, the more difficulty they are likely to have coping with their conditions.

Question 5

Explain the Disfigurement illness-related factor.

Answer 5

Adjusting to disfigurement can be extremely difficult, particularly when it involves the person’s face. Many individuals withdraw from social encounters as their disfigurement causes people to react awkwardly or show feelings of revulsion.

Question 6

Explain the Illnesses That Draw Attention illness-related factor.

Answer 6

Patients have difficulty coping with annoying or embarrassing changes in bodily functioning or that draw attention to their conditions.

Question 7

Explain the Treatment Regimes illness-related factor.

Answer 7

1. Some treatments are painful or involve medications that produce serious side effects - either by leading to additional health problems or by interfering with the patient’s daily functioning such as by making the patient immobile or drowsy.
2. Regimes may have treatment schedules and time commitments that require patients and their families to make substantial changes in their lifestyles and make it difficult for the person to find or hold a job

Question 8

Name 2 physical environmental factors.

Answer 8

1. Home environment
2. Hospital environment

Question 9

Explain the Hospital environment factor.

Answer 9

The physical aspects of a hospital environment are usually very dull and confining for patients thereby depressing their general morale and mood which can impair their adjustment to their health problems.

Question 10

Explain the Home Environment factor.

Answer 10

Many patients have a difficulty getting around their houses or performing self-help tasks, such as buttoning clothes or opening food containers, and lack special equipment or tools that can help them do these tasks and be more self-sufficient. This can impair their adjustment to their health problems.

Question 11

Elaborate on Social Environmental Factors.

Answer 11

1. The presence of social support generally helps patients and their families cope with their illnesses
2. The primary source of social support comes from immediate families.

Question 12

Name 3 Background and Personal factors.

Answer 12

1. Resilient personality
2. Beliefs about the causes, effects and treatment
3. Timing of a health problem in the person’s life span

Question 13

Explain the Resilient Personality factor in adjustment to chronic illnesses.

Answer 13

People who tend to cope well tend to have hardy or resilient personalities that allow them to see a good side in difficult situations.

Question 14

Explain how the patient’s beliefs about the causes, effects and treatment of their chronic illness can affect their adjustment and coping with the illness.

Answer 14

People’s beliefs about the causes, effects and treatments of their illnesses are often wrong and can affect their adjustment to a health problem. If a person believes that they are personally responsible for developing a chronic illness and its symptoms then they tend to cope poorer with their condition, showing higher levels of depression.

Question 15

Explain how young children adjust to chronic illness

Answer 15

1. They are not likely to understand the nature of their illness, the treatment regimens they must follow and the long-term implications of their illnesses.
2. Their concerns are likely to focus on restrictions that are imposed on lifestyle and activities, the frightening medical procedures they must undergo and possible separation from their parents

Question 16

Explain how adolescents adjust to chronic illnesses.

Answer 16

They can understand information about their illnesses and treatment, but their need to be liked and feel accepted by their peers can lead to difficulties in coping with their health problems.

Question 17

Explain how people in early adulthood adjust to chronic illnesses

Answer 17

Life-threatening diseases may lead them to be resentful about not having the chance to get married, to have children or to enter a particular career.

Question 18

Explain how people in middle-aged adulthood adjust to chronic illnesses.

Answer 18

They may have problems adjusting to the disruption of established roles and lifestyles and to being unable to finish tasks they have started such as building up a business .

Question 19

Explain how people in Old age adjust to chronic illnesses.

Answer 19

They may resent not being able to enjoy the leisure they feel they earned in their lifetimes of work and self-sacrifice.

Question 20

What are the 2 types of adaptive tasks in the coping process?

Answer 20

1. Tasks related to the illness or treatment
2. Tasks related to general psychosocial functioning

Question 21

Adaptive tasks in the coping process related to the illness or treatment involve learning to…

Answer 21

1. Cope with the symptoms or disability the health problem causes
2. Adjust to the hospital environment and medical procedures needed to treat the problem
3. Develop and maintain good relationships with their practitioners.

Question 22

Adaptive tasks in the coping process related to psychosocial functioning involve striving to…

Answer 22

1. Control negative feelings and retain positive outlook for the future
2. Maintain a satisfactory self-image and sense of competence
3. Preserve good relationships with family and friends
4. Prepare for an uncertain future

Question 23

Name 7 strategies that are commonly used as coping skills.

Answer 23

1. Denying or minimising the seriousness of the situation
2. Seeking information
3. Learning to provide one’s own medical care
4. Setting concrete, limited goals
5. Recruiting instrumental and emotional support
6. Considering possible future events and stressful circumstances
7. Gaining a manageable perspective

Question 24

How does the coping process occur?

Answer 24

1. It begins with the patient’s cognitive appraisal of the meaning or significance of the health problem to their life.
2. The outcome leads to formulation of an array of adaptive tasks.
3. After adaptive tasks have been formulated, various coping skills are applied to deal with these tasks

Question 25

List 6 types of adjustment problems in chronic illness.

Answer 25

1. Physical
2. Vocational
3. Self-concept
4. Social
5. Emotional
6. Compliance

Question 26

Name 7 psychosocial interventions for people with chronic conditions.

Answer 26

1. Education about the illness
2. Social support
3. Behavioural methods
4. Cognitive methods
5. Relaxation and biofeedback
6. Self-management
7. Interpersonal and family therapy