DOCTORS MEETING PATIENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Abstract

The paper explores a topic that affects everyday life: the encounter between doctors and patients with disabilities. The aim of the research was to find out how doctors and medical students think about disability, people with disabilities, and their encounters with them, in the course of their work. Despite the fact that age, the number of years spent in practice, and the areas of specialisation of the 10 interviewees present varied pictures they express many similar opinions in their responses. The responses point out that during their university years, they had heard little about the different aspects of disabilities in theoretical classes and during their practice so they really only had everyday knowledge and stereotypes about their disabled patients. The question arises: can doctors with a high social prestige set a positive example to the rest of society when it comes to the treatment of people with disabilities? The question then goes on to raise the need for a wider study, which should include other health professionals.

Keywords

• disability
• medical students
• doctors
• healthcare