Week 9 P&L Flashcards
(13 cards)
Healthcare stats specific to people with intellectual disability
- More than double rate of avoidable deaths
- Double ED/hospitals admissions
- Substantially higher rates of physical/medical conditions
Three kinds of downs syndrome
- Trisomy 21
- Translocation
- Mosaic (some typical, some atypical cells)
Why is it important to look past a patient’s down syndrome?
- Sometimes, things can be attributed to down syndrome that shouldn’t be
- Therefore, being too myopic can lead to diagnostic error
What are prevalent comorbidities that can occur alongside down syndrome?
- Congenital heart defects
- Ear infections/obstructive hearing loss
- Thyroid disorders (hypo-/hyper-)
- Immunocompromise
Inclusive language tips for dealing with patients with down syndrome
- Person-first language (“person with down syndrome”)
- It’s a disability, not a disease
- Don’t use words like “normal” or “special”
Components of effective communication with people w/ down syndrome
- Verbal
- Non verbal (incl gestures, facial features)
- Active Listening (give time to express thoughts)
- Check-ins (ensure they understand)
- Creating a relationship of trust and respect
Barriers to effective communication w/ people w/ intellectual disability
- Physical barriers (e.g. mask)
- Social barriers (e.g. inappropriate use of words)
- Psychological barriers (e.g. bad past healthcare experiences)
What are some arguments in favour of healthcare reform for people with intellectual disability?
- People with intellectual disability have worse health outcomes
- May experience more financial/logistical difficulties
- Difficulty navigating the healthcare system
What is the purpose of an advance care directive? Can you add more than one decision maker, and if so, how does that work?
- ACD is designed to articulate a person’s treatment wishes ahead of time, allowing for aligned decision making in situations where they may not have capacity to choose
- You can appoint more than one decision maker, but you need to choose at least one foremost for hierarchy purposes
Under what circumstances do substitute decision makers come into play?
- The person can’t decide, AND:
- There’s no ACD to decide on their behalf
True or false: under no circumstances may a patient discharge themselves AGAINST medical advice
- False
- If they’re competent, and understand the ramifications/risks of their decision. they can leave
- Often required to sign a form explaining that they haven’t been coerced + understand risks
Are mandatory disease notifications anonymous? Is the patient obligated to tell others?
- Yes, it’s anonymous. You can’t be identified in the database
- No, they’re not obligated to tell others (but health practitioners should try and sell them on it)
What is a window period, and why is it relevant in testing for bloodborne disease?
- Window period is time after infection but before test can detect the disease
- Relevant because it may necessitate repeat testing (e.g. 90 days for HIV)
