HEALTH CONDITION

Health Condition

Health Condition

A condition in the context of ability and disability can be described in terms of physical, cognitive, or behavioral changes that affect one's ability to participate in functional activities. For example, osteoarthritis of the knee results in anatomic and physiological changes to the joint that render it less capable of bearing an axial load such as when bearing weight. The resultant loss of mobility renders the person less able to walk long distances or remain standing. The functional outcome of this limitation is less mobility independence. If this limitation is concurrent with other limitations (such as shortness of breath due to cardiovascular disease), then the person's independence might be impaired such that he or she would be considered disabled using standard societal definitions (Coster, 2004).

Using this definition, an acute condition is one that has an immediate effect on the individual. The type, degree, and severity of the condition may then produce functional limitations. The time course for an acute condition is generally short in duration, with most authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States considering an acute medical condition as one lasting three months or less. Such definitions are predicated, however, on the immediate and accurate identification of the condition. Shortly after the initiation of a treatment program for the specific problem, the condition completely resolved, rendering her fully functional. The condition cannot therefore be considered chronic in nature, but rather the result of inadequate identification of the acute condition. It is therefore evident that acute and chronic conditions represent powerful contributors to the occurrence of disability. Acute conditions impair an individual's ability to engage in functional tasks during the period of incapacity.

It is for this reason that purely time-based considerations relating to acute conditions must be considered in their context. ...