| CODE | OCT3102 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Psychosocial Aspects of Physical Disability | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 2 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Occupational Therapy | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Physical trauma and chronic illness may leave clients with multiple disabilities, disrupt family life, future plans, alter body image, terminate work roles, reduce self-esteem, security and independence. The client's response to illness may also affect rehabilitation and the efforts of professionals intended to help make the best use of residual abilities. Clients may experience problems accepting lifestyle changes, exhibit limited engagement in therapy; they may also be in denial and mourning - these factors may hamper the client's progress in rehabilitation. Such issues may remain undetected by the unprepared practitioner and this could further compound the situation for clients who are experiencing problems of psychosocial adjustment. Aims of the Course The aim of the course is to help the student appreciate the range of responses exhibited and the challenges of adjustment that some clients face in order to accommodate illness and disability. The course also emphasises how the practitioner can cope with manifestations of psychosocial adjustment to disease in order to facilitate the best possible therapeutic relationship and make headway in rehabilitation. Course content - Defences and emotional reactions - Factors affecting psychosocial response to physical disease: - The hospital environment - Crisis during hospitalisation - Discharge - Cultural attitudes and values - Religious beliefs, taboos and traditions and non-religious factors - Social disadvantage - Body image - Community attitudes towards disease and disability - Age tasks and expectations - Family support, ability to cope - Disease and illness-specific reactions and scenarios - Rheumatoid arthritis - Multiple sclerosis - Burns - Myocardial infarction - Spinal cord injury - Cerebrovascular accident |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | This study-unit is offered to students with a Health Science background, including students from the Faculties of Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, and Dental Surgery. | ||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Josianne Scerri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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