Multiple Sclerosis: Functional History (Department of Psychology - University of Liverpool)

... Describe the functional limitations, psychohistory, psychological and social aspects of the disability, Multiple Sclerosis. Word Count: 4291 (excluding quotations, in-text and end-text references) Demographic census estimates indicate that approximately 9.5 million people in the UK (18.2 per cent) have a chronic disease, health problem or disability (Census, 2001). Understanding the social, economic and psychological implications of conditions which have long-term disabling effects would make a significant contribution to individuals who live with the disabilities and to their supporting professionals and family members. It is the purpose of this paper to expand this understanding by discussing the functional limitations, psychological history, and the individual as well as social aspects of a chronic progressive neurological disease, multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disabling disease which attacks the central nervous system (O'Brien, 1987). It is characterised pathologically by areas of inflammatory demyelination (breakdown of myelin) that spread throughout the nervous system over time (Mitchell

want to read more? →