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ableism
a concept that explains the negative reactions that individuals without a disability have in response to encountering individuals with a disability
accommodations
adjustments and modifications in the physical environment to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities
acquired
resulting from exposure to a toxin or pathogen such as HIV
acquired disability
physical, cognitive, sensory, or psychological impairment that occurs after birth, typically as a result of injury, illness, or environmental factors
activity level
one’s ability to perform specific actions
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
initially signed in 1990, protects the rights of individuals with disabilities and prescribes requirements for appropriate accommodations
autoimmune disorder
condition that arises from the body’s immune system attacking and damaging its cells and organs
biopsychosocial model of disability
focuses on the interplay between medical diagnoses and associated impairments and societal barriers
chronic disease
a state of being that includes having a biomedical disease for at least 1 year
chronic illness
a condition requiring medical attention or limiting usual daily activities for greater than one year
cognitive disability
limitation in cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior stemming from disorders in brain functioning
communicable disease
disease passed from person to person
comorbid medical conditions
multiple medical conditions are simultaneously present
congenital
a condition present at birth
developmental disability
condition due to an impairment in learning, language, behavior, or physical function
disability
a mental or physical condition that limits an individual’s ability to engage in daily activities in a typical way
discrimination
actions or beliefs that show an unjust distinction between people on the grounds of sex, age, ethnicity, or disability
disease
a disorder within the body that is identifiable as a medical condition
external bias
based on societal attitudes and cultural beliefs but also affects how others treat individuals
functional impairment
restriction or difficulty in performing activities effectively due to the loss of functioning in a body part
functional model of disability
a cause-and-effect relationship between a physical or cognitive deficit and limitations in daily function
illness
the perceived experience of a disorder within the body
immunodeficiency disorder
a condition or disease caused by a weakened immune system impairs the body’s ability to fight off disease or infection
impairment
loss of one’s physical or mental ability that inhibits usual or expected functioning Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) enacted in 1975, requires that all children with disabilities receive appropriate and free education through the public education system
intellectual disability
neurodevelopmental condition characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior that manifest during the developmental period
internal bias
individual thinking pattern that affects how an individual person views and treats others
medical jargon
technical medical language
medical model of disability
disability as a consequence of a trauma, illness, or congenital health condition that is out of the control of the individual
moral model of disability
a long-standing belief pattern that explains disability as a defect in functioning related to the individual’s moral character
multimorbidity
co-occurrence of two or more chronic disease states
overactive immune disorder
when the immune system develops a hyperresponse to normally harmless environmental substances
participation level
often refers to a person’s ability to function in the wider community
physical disability
any condition that limits a person's physical functioning or mobility
prejudice
when an individual makes a judgment or opinion of a person with a disability before obtaining knowledge of their circumstance
presbycusis
age-related hearing loss
presbyopia
loss of near vision
psychiatric disability
condition characterized by mental health challenges or disorders that significantly affect an individual's cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning, leading to difficulties in daily life and social interactions
recovery
receiving addiction treatment and remaining drug-free
rehabilitation
returning to a previous state of health
Rehabilitation Act
legislation that protects individuals against discrimination based on disability at any federally funded facility or any facility receiving federal financial assistance
rehabilitation model of disability
conceptualization of disability as a single impairment or a collection of impairments or deficits experienced by an individual that can be improved through rehabilitation
sensory disability
limitation related to sensory processing and integration, affecting not only the reception but also the interpretation and response to sensory stimuli, potentially affecting various aspects of daily functioning
sensory impairment
any difficulty an individual has with one of their five senses
social model of disability
disability in the context of the individual’s physical and social environment
stereotypic attitude
fixed, oversimplified, and generalized perception of individuals in a specific demographic group, stemming from internal and external biases
stigma
negative or incorrect belief about individuals with disabilities
structural impairment
limitation experienced in specific body parts
underinsured
lacking adequate health insurance
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