HEAL801: Healthcare Assignment - Critical Reflection on Disability

This report presents a student's critical reflection on their evolving understanding of disability within the healthcare field. The author begins by contrasting their initial stereotypical views with their improved understanding gained through coursework, highlighting the multifaceted impact of disability on individuals' lives, including financial stability, mental wellness, and access to essential services. The reflection then analyzes how this enhanced understanding has influenced their approach to healthcare service delivery, emphasizing the importance of treating patients with dignity, showing empathy, and recognizing the diverse factors contributing to disability. The report details shifts in the author's attitudes and practices, moving away from sympathy towards a strength-based approach. It also explores ongoing challenges related to societal stigma and discrimination, emphasizing the need for increased awareness and improved access to healthcare and basic amenities for individuals with disabilities. The author references relevant literature to support their reflections, demonstrating a comprehensive grasp of the subject matter.

Running head: HEALTHCARE ASSIGNMENT
HEALTHCARE ASSIGNMENT (TASK 3)
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Critical reflection on the understanding of disability:
According to Inckle (2018), disability has been defined as a condition that restricts the
movement, senses or activities of an individual. Prior to commencement of this Unit, I had a
stereotypical perspective in relation to disability. I possessed a poor understanding about
disability and how it impacts the physical health wellness of the affected individuals. In other
words, I had a limited knowledge about disability and thought that disability was majorly
concerned with people that had limited physical ability to manage activities of living. I was
not aware about how disability could affect individuals across multiple life domains. I was
also not aware about how disability can impact the mental wellness of people and limit their
access to basic amenities of life. However, throughout the unit, I have been able to acquire an
improved understanding about Disability and how it is perceived as a social stigma. I have
also been able to understand that disability impacts an individual across multiple life domains
which include, financial stability, mental wellness, job security and future family planning. I
have also developed an improved understanding about the existing policies and legislations
that have been passed by the government in order to advocate the rights of the disabled. The
legislations and policies intend to alleviate the standard of living of the disabled and intend to
ensure that adequate services are provisioned to the concerned people so as to acquire
positive holistic life outcome. After acquiring improved understanding on the disabled
individuals, I could relate with the condition more and appropriately improvise on my care
services so as to improve the quality of life of the disabled individuals.
Critical reflection on the analysis how understanding on disability has impacted
healthcare service delivery:
As stated by Redmond (2017), reflective learning helps to appropriately analyse the
existing shortcomings in the scope of practice and adapt measures to improve the scope of

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practice. In this regard, it should be noted that reflective learning helps to identify strengths
and weaknesses within the scope of practice so as adapt appropriate measure to work on the
identified weaknesses and improve the quality of care outcome (Johns, 2017). I believe
improved understanding of disability and its impact on healthcare status has helped me to
identify the appropriate care strategies that I shall undertake in order to foster improved
healthcare outcome. Based on my learning experience, I have learnt to treat disabled patients
with dignity and respect and show empathy. I have also learnt that disability does not only
refer to physical limitations but also relates to limitations across other life domains. I have
learnt that a number of factors such as estimating the cause of disability and the manner it has
impacted the patient across diverse life domains also helps to improve the quality of
healthcare service delivery. Also, I have learnt that stigma related to disability and
predominant discrimination attitude on the end of care professionals critically reduces the
access to care services and as a result it diminishes the care outcome for the disabled who
form the vulnerable population group. Research studies in this regard also reveal that
ineffective communication practices and behaviour reflecting stigma elicits mental trauma
among the disabled patients and their associated family members which further diminishes
their quality of life and reflects poor healthcare experience (Grue, 2016; Kohler, 2017).
Description and justification in the shifts of attitude or practices towards disability:
On thoroughly studying the academic course materials on disability and relevant
units, I have significantly experienced shifts in belief and my practices towards disability. I
strongly feel that people suffering from disability are individuals whose identity is not
defined by their disability or disabled characteristics but rather by their personal traits. As a
care professional, I believe that disabled individuals possess the right to lead their complete
lives and make use of their best of abilities and try to witness life apart from their disability
characteristics. Earlier I presumed disabled people were different from normal people and

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needed to be cared for in an elaborate sympathetic manner. The sympathy in my behaviour
was a reflection of the stereotype and social stigma that I had nurtured in my heart for a long
time. However, I now believe that disabled individuals are more than their disability and
possess a number of additional attributes. Working on those attributes can help to adapt a
strength based approach while creating a recovery plan and accordingly help to facilitate
recovery of the disabled individuals (Dorfman, 2016).
Impact of Disability content on learning:
The content on disability has helped me to learn that multiple aspects are associated
with disability. Advanced and elaborate learning on disability has helped me to refine my
perspective on the disabled and has helped me to appreciate the existing skills and strengths
that disabled individuals possess. I have also understood the importance of identifying the
existing strengths of the disabled individuals and referring them appropriate care services in
order to enhance their quality of life. I have acquired competence in considering the care
needs of the disabled individuals across multiple life domains and offer relevant support
services to the affected individuals.
Exploration of ongoing tensions, uncertainties and conundrums on Disability:
A number of efforts have been undertaken to appropriately address the problem of
disability, however, despite the efforts that have been undertaken, the problem related to
stereotypical perspective and societal stigma related to disability has remained unavoidable. I
believe that the problem has sustained throughout the years on account of lack of appropriate
knowledge and awareness in relation to disability and how it impacts the different dimensions
of life. In addition to this, it is also worth noting that societal stigma and discrimination has
resulted in poor access to healthcare, education and other basic amenities which are
indispensible for an optimal survival (Burns, 2017; Krahn et al., 2015). Further, as stated by

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Krahn et al. (2015) on account of the prevailing discrimination matters such as the sexual
heath wellness of the disabled have sustained within the society as a taboo which requires
immediate approach so as to adapt an improved approach to assure wellness of the disabled
and advocate their right to basis amenities.

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References:
Burns, N. (2017). The human right to health: Exploring disability, migration and
health. Disability & Society, 32(10), 1463-1484.
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2017.1358604
Dorfman, D. (2016). Disability Identity in Conflict: Performativity in the US Social Security
Benefits System. Thomas Jefferson Law Review, 38(1), 2015-2016. Retrieved
from:https://ssrn.com/abstract=2874158
Grue, J. (2016). Disability and discourse analysis. Routledge. P.90-92. Retrieved
from:https://content.taylorfrancis.com/books/download?dac=C2015-0-82612-
4&isbn=9781317150435&format=googlePreviewPdf
Inckle, K. (2018). Irrational Perspectives and Untenable Positions: Sociology, Madness and
Disability. In Subcultures, Bodies and Spaces: Essays on Alternativity and
Marginalization (pp. 169-188). Emerald Publishing Limited.ISBN: 978-1-78756-512-
8
Johns, C. (Ed.). (2017). Becoming a reflective practitioner. John Wiley & Sons.P.77.
Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=9tnCDgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=Johns,+C.+(Ed.).+(2017).
+Becoming+a+reflective+practitioner.+John+Wiley+
%26+Sons.P.77&ots=CQW9hpvNkh&sig=dkE8md8w5zBEI2E0sVCzoQHLBCM
Köhler, M. (2017). Vulnerable Children. A Social Perspective on Health and Healthcare.
Lund University, Faculty of Medicine. Retrieved from:
http://portal.research.lu.se/portal/en/publications/vulnerable-children-a-social-
perspective-on-health-and-healthcare(1e7fef97-e72b-4e79-80f4-021f11c7b2e1).html

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Krahn, G. L., Walker, D. K., & Correa-De-Araujo, R. (2015). Persons with disabilities as an
unrecognized health disparity population. American journal of public health, 105(S2),
S198-S206. Retrieved
from:https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302182
Redmond, B. (2017). Reflection in action: Developing reflective practice in health and social
services. Routledge. Retrieved from:
https://content.taylorfrancis.com/books/download?dac=C2016-0-35910-
9&isbn=9781351905930&format=googlePreviewPdf