Pathophysiology of the Disease Causing Physical Disability

Abstract

An “individual with a disability” has a physical impairment or record of such an impairment that substantially limits a “major life activity.” Today, “person with a disability” is a more widely used term than “handicapped” as this phrasing reflects a positive approach by putting people first, not the disability. The disability term is used to refer an individual functioning including motor, sensory, cognitive, intellectual impairment, mental illness, and various types of chronic diseases (Oliver 1995; Crow 2008).