Executive Summary
The report summarizes the approaches to impairment pain management in the view of new disability equality discourse. It is recommended to stick to specific approaches’ collaborative use to obtain a complex and effective treatment that will cover adverse consequences of impairments. Formalized pain assessment techniques, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods, and palliative care are intended to ensure the fulfillment of human rights for disability equality and will be examined further.
Problem
The problem of not a complete disability equality has become a dominant topic in international policy circles. People with memory, language, and speech deficits and consciousness alterations often do not communicate about their discomfort and pain. Such persons are less likely to be in employment because of constant pain triggers, internal lack of confidence, and social exclusion. To ensure active and full participation in society for individuals with impairments, the new disability discourse and the consideration of methods to combat painful ramifications are required.
Purpose
The traditional approach to disability policy is based on the belief that it is a deviation from normality. The new disability policy framework is a general shift from considering it a medical concern to acknowledging disability as a human rights issue. This discourse has the purpose of emphasizing the need for the replacement of an ethos of compensation for perceived abnormalities with an approach removing barriers to inclusion into society. The disability dimension will cover a wide spectrum of social and economic concerns. The facilitation of adverse consequences is the primary point that enables fulfilling the human right to be part of the society. The major group that requires specific treatment is people with cognitive disabilities that have emerged from various factors. These include neurodegenerative disorders, vascular disorders, head and blast injuries, consequences of prolonged exposure to toxicities, electrolytes, organ failure, and anoxia. All the reasons mentioned above for cognitive impairments, which result in disability, have a common trait. The presence of pain has continuous nature and represents a severe danger together with other disorders effects.
The significant part of disability equality discourse is pain management as it contributes significantly to people’s active and social lifestyle with incapacity. It is necessary to appeal to the statistics regarding individuals with impairments provided by Ireland’s government to reveal what part of the population requires the new disability equality discourse. As of the beginning of 2017, 643,131 people had a disability that is 13.5 percent or 1 in 7 of the community. Substantial attention should be paid to the impairment pain management, considering this rate’s tendency to increase. Disability reduces persons potential in learning and working as these fields of activity demand particular efforts that are challenging to be taken for people who suffer from disorders ramifications. In Ireland, the percentage of professional and managerial employees with a disability is 50 percent less in comparison to people without it. Simultaneously, the number of unskilled, unoccupied, and uneducated people with impairments is twice the number of healthy people who are not employed or left any academic unit. The purpose of the policy is to examine approaches to pain management to ensure disability equality.
Scope
Various options, what constitutes best practices in pain management that are based on expert opinions, exist. The first method is a formalized approach to pain management, assessment, and frequent reassessment/ monitoring of the patient’s state. This technique is used to measure the level of pain, conduct behavioral evaluations, and diagnose that might include painful sensations or physiological signs. Palliative care is considered as the approach for pain managing and socializing people with impairments at the same time by engaging treatment providers to be a part of patient care. Pharmacological strategies to alleviate pain are focused on the use of medication developed with this particular purpose. The last approach is the Non-pharmacological techniques of pain management, which implies physical exercises, cognitive-behavioral therapy, acupuncture, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, massage, relaxation, and distraction techniques.
Methods and Process
Options used to facilitate pain and ensure the fulfillment of human rights for disability equality are characterized by different advantages and disadvantages, which should be discussed and compared. A formalized approach to treatment is beneficial in the case of the individual’s cognitive and verbal function deviations as it enables one to evaluate the level of pain constructively. Moreover, this technique can measure the effectiveness of other methods implementation and improve communication among all caregivers that will result in better treatment outcomes. Although this approach does not provide direct pain management as the pharmacological treatment does, it is a significant concomitant approach that is successfully utilized together with other options.
Palliative care is concentrated on relieving pain and other impairments symptoms by meeting patients emotional, spiritual, and practical needs. According to a trial conducted in a single nursing home in Ireland, by incorporating a pain-management component, the palliative-care system led to decreased discomfort and fewer transfers to acute care. As well as formalized approach, this method has the minor potential of direct pain management alone but contributes significantly to socializing of people with disabilities.
Pharmacological treatment is a substantial component of pain management that is especially vital when non-pharmacological methods are not feasible. However, the implementation of drugs is followed by the danger of side effects such as sedation, impairment of cognition, gastrointestinal bleeding, and constipation. Curing with medication is more effective than other treatment methods but requires close and consistent attention to prevent its adverse consequences.
The non-pharmacological approach is centered on improving the overall state of health. This method shows a moderate direct effect on pain facilitation but is successfully implemented to reduce medications side effects. It positively influences people’s physical and mental capability with impairments and makes them more sensitive to the use of drugs. As well as palliative care, a non-pharmacological approach serves the socializing of patients and maintaining disability equality.
Recommendations
Optimal curing with medication use is both safe and effective on the condition of implementing the formalized approach to pain assessment. Although future research is necessary to support this claim constructively, non-pharmacological methods have chances to reduce potential drugs side effects. Palliative care contributes significantly to disability equality through socializing and shows the influence on a patient’s state on a psychological level that may mitigate the physical pain. It is highly recommended to consider all the options mentioned above as pain management is a systematic issue that requires a comprehensive approach to fulfill human rights on disability equality.
Action Plan
It is possible to identify several steps, which should be followed to cover the pain management system components. Firstly, it is necessary to ask health-care staff for the assessment of pain level, as it will reveal to what extent the use of medication is needed. After obtaining the pain-control plan, an individual with a disability should discuss the non-pharmacological methodologies he is allowed to perform with the treatment provider. If a patient feels alienated from society, palliative care centers should be informed to provide the necessary help. The use of the complex approach has significant chances of showing first notable outcomes after the first month of treatment, in the event of the non-pharmacological methods. Results from the use of pain medication will be visible immediately.