Reply 8

Adulthood: Disability

People with disabilities often are underserved in health prevention and health promotion campaigns. These individuals are as at risk for other health problems as any other person, but health prevention and promotion outreach to them requires addressing their individual needs. As an example, consider some of the issues that would need to be addressed in a health promotion program for sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention in a deaf community. Many deaf individuals have difficulty with reading, so it might be more effective to have a lecture with an American Sign Language interpreter. Even with this solution, however, there are considerations that need to be addressed. There is some controversy about sexually related signs, and many deaf people do not know the anatomically correct words/signs to discuss these issues. One alternative is to use the more vulgar ones that people know, but this may be offensive. As you can see, there are no easy answers, and decisions are not always clear cut. The important point to remember is that different disability populations have different needs, and having awareness of these needs helps you to be a more competent health psychology professional by designing more effective, empirically supported, programs.

For this Discussion, imagine that you are working with an oncologist specializing in breast cancer. The oncologist wants to initiate a publicity campaign promoting breast cancer screenings targeted toward women with disabilities. To prepare, select one specific disability to focus on and think about considerations you would need to address when communicating with women who have this disability through a breast cancer screening publicity campaign. (Select an issue other than deafness to use for this Discussion.)

With these thoughts in mind: Post by Day 4 the type of disability you selected. Describe at least three issues related to this disability that should be considered in a publicity campaign for this program and explain why they are important. Finally, explain what types of publicity strategies you might use and how you might communicate them to the target population.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources. Read a selection of your colleagues' postings. Respond by Day 6 to at least two of your colleagues' postings in one or more of the following ways:

· Ask a probing question.

· Share an insight from having read your colleague's posting.

· Offer and support an opinion.

· Validate an idea with your own experience.

· Make a suggestion.

· Expand on your colleague's posting.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

Reply to Student 1

Research provides evidence for the existence of health-related disparities among women with intellectual disabilities. Intellectual disabilities refers to a disability characterized by severe cognitive limitations and in adaptive behavior that is diagnosed before the age of 18 (Parekh, 2017). Women with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at an increased risk for health disparities due to vicarious participation in shared decision making (Wilikinson & Cerreto, 2008). It is unclear among the research on how the implications of limited decision-making skills impact the physician's responsibility in educating the patient. Additional research in this area would increase the the education component provided by practitioners. 

When designing a program to increase public health awareness of the importance of breast cancer screenings, it is necessary to include strategies on decreasing communication and knowledge barriers for women who struggle with intellectual disabilities. Only second to heart disease, cancer is attributable to millions of deaths per year and affects roughly more than a third of all women (Travis & Meltzer, 2008). According to the CDC (2018), about 27 million women in the U.S. are living with a disability. Despite their disabilities, women have a right to health care and preventative measures along with education should be afforded to them accordingly. Currently, the CDC (2018) has devised health promotion materials to increase awareness among women with disabilities that encourage them to get screened. There are several issues that should be considered when developing a promotional program for breast cancer screening when targeting women with intellectual disabilities. The first issue for consideration is transportation for screening. Women with ID usually depend on transportation assistance from family, friends, or paraprofessionals in order to make their appointments. This suggests the importance of being flexible in scheduling and more open to making a few appointments if one is missed. Another issue is information access. Promotional information in the form of brochures, posters, or leaflets should be easy to understand and written in accordance with CDC health promotion material standards. A third concern is inclusion in health promotion education programs offered through the facility. Most people in general who struggle with ID are not afforded the same opportunities of program participation as their counterparts (Roll, 2017).

When working to improve communication with women who struggle with ID, being mindful of the location of health promotion materials is important. Materials that are design to address barriers with this population should be included in places that are frequented by the population. Inclusion in hospital or clinic waiting rooms are not enough-including the materials with paraprofessionals or living environments should be considered. Including paraprofessionals who already have established rapport with potential patients is another way in which practitioners are able to promote the importance breast cancer screenings.

Reply to student 2

It is appropriate for this discussion that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S. called Pink October. When breast cancer is detected early at Stage 1 or Stage 2, the chances of survival is close to 100%, and mammograms can provide early detection (Metro News | The Star Online, 2017).

Dr. Hoffman set up Discovering Hands, with the training of blind women to become Medical Tactile Examiners in Germany. His trained blind examiners found up to a third more lump than doctors. (Smith, 2015). Breast cancer screening as publicity campaign issues for blind women and vision disability need to consider high poverty rates and barriers to nutrition, medical care, and other mobility resources. For example, women with disabilities receive less screening for breast and cervical cancer than women without disabilities (WHO, .2018).

Communication strategies with blind women as a breast cancer screening campaign might consider large print, computer disc or CD-ROM, Braille, or a cassette tape. If the patient uses a Guide or Service Animal, breast screening rooms should allow the animal to be with the patient until x-ray screening takes place. However, panels protecting the mammogram technician people from x-rays will need to protect the guide dog. Mammogram technicians need disability sensitivity training to communicate with the blind woman. To verbally explain the action to remove the dog, touch the dog guide and slowly take the guide dog and secure in a safe area. Other verbal instructions will be required for a blind woman when positioning the woman for the mammogram test and describing to her what to expect and what to do during the screening.

Environmental barriers are when women with blind disabilities cannot access transportation or maneuver public transportation. Although, a blind law student traveled by bus and subway to a college, and also delivered the valedictory at their graduation ceremony. They now own and operate a law practice traveling to courts of law assisted by their service dog. They rely on their law knowledge and keen memory in preparation for court cases.

The attitudes of blind women as barriers receiving mammograms, the woman may delay mammograms because of prior negative experiences. Communication barriers exist when breast health education is lacking for any women, but especially to blind women provided in an understandable format. Screening programs need to ensure timely access to mammography for all patients. Client satisfaction with mammography associates with seven themes: Appointment scheduling 2) facility 3) general exam 4) embarrassment 5) exam discomfort/pain 6) treatment by the technologist and 7) reporting results (Engelman, Cizik & Ellerbeck, 2005).

Promotional campaigns are used to increase attendance at the screening which interventions to increase breast cancer screening are client reminders by phone calls and keeping the screening register up-to-date about age, breast density, family history, and results of their last screening mammogram. One-on-one education, reducing barriers, providing assessment and feedback are essential for all women regardless of disability.

The internet is an abundant resource for promotion regarding breast cancer screening. Other outreach methods for the blind are radio, TV, and internet video. Some programs use interpersonal strategies with community volunteers contacting underserved populations, and then one-to-one teaching by public health nurses or lay educators (Engelman et al., 2005). Most of the blind women I have worked beside use the technology of an adaptable computer program specifically for the blind. They also used transportation services by the Canadian Red Cross Society, and to travel with their guide dog. Their employment allowed funding to use these services. The guide dog was present in their office station often laying down under their desk, and provided mobility in their office environment.

An internet site with a beneficial informational sound leaflet for blind persons, who may not know how to use brail, provides mammogram benefits and risks of breast screening by the Public Health England. (2017, May 3), Breast screening: helping you decide. Retrieved from https://audioboom.com/posts/5880818-breast-screening-helping-you-decide .