Effects of discriminatory practice
Effects of discriminatory practice.
The effects of discrimination are so wide that an information booklet could not explain all. The effects of discrimination could be distress, guilt, can lead an individual to feel empty and lonely and this can cause isolation, depression, low self-esteem, low self-image, disempowerment, marginialisation (isolating a individual because of who they) loss of interest and even suicide (certain words can trigger certain emotions) and filled with so much pessimistic energy. Discrimination is not something to be used as a joke and it can be a serious offence. That is why under the (Care Quality Commission.org. 2014) which talks about the health and social act 2008. It also talks about the regulations and the acts taking if discrimination did happen in the health and social care sector.
Here is some example of discriminatory practice in health and social care. While working in health and social care and
Example of discriminatory practice in a health and social care setting, could be when a service provider is talking to an elderly service user with a loud and extra slow voice because they have hearing impairment and are intellectually less able to understand what is being said.
It could also be in a case where because there is refusal of medical treatment because maybe the service user may smoke or take drugs or maybe they could be denied from the right treatment because the medication is too expensive.
Also offering inappropriate treatment or care is also a discriminatory act and is wrong in the health and social care setting for example giving the wrong treatment to the patient because the career did not check care plans or risk assessment etc. Lastly even though there are many more, giving less time than needed is one of them. Not giving time to the patient is wrong and the right care would not be giving.
When working in a health and social care setting, this will also help you as a service provider to be able to provide the right care while working on your CPD (continued professional development) because you would also be able to explore the kind of person you are as an individual and how to give your care. If discriminatory practice is seen in a health and social care, do something about it.
Marginialisation/ low self-esteem and image : many things contribute to discrimination and marginialisation is one of them. This when an individual does not feel part of a group in society for example telling a service user who takes drugs that they are not allowed treatment because he does not deserve it. No one should be marginalised because of who they are, their background, sexual orientation, health status etc. when an individual undergoes this discrimination it can make them feel powerless, unvalued, unprotected. Some major groups who may be marginalised in society are elderly, gay and lesbians , transgender, drug users etc. For example in a health and social care establishment the service user sexual predilection may be homosexual and he has HIV . Within the care home, care workers might not want to work and help the individual due to incorporating ignorance and homophobia. Due to this discriminatory practice being promoted. It can make the individual to have low-self esteem as he may be isolated within the facility. Wiliness to talk and speak out may turn to fear which means tha the discrimination he had received had triggered his self esteem and identity.
Disempowerment: when an individual is discriminated against, they likely to be disempowered. When an individual is disempowered, they tend to fight back but there would always be discourteous individuals who will support discrimination without commiseration. Disempowerment can trigger certain emptions and could cause an individual to have low self identity and esteem, depressed, withdrawn from a group or society, feeling like an outsider etc. For example a server user who speaks a different language, is wanting to talk about her health to the care worker who takes care of her. However when she expresses her self , the care worker chooses not to listen. The care worker may then tell her that “her opinion is not valid as she is old and no one would ever listen to what she say”. Now this can make the individual to silent making her not talk or even take part in her own health. This could detrimental as it can unequivocally lead to more health issues.
Restricted opportunities : discrimination works menacing ways and this could be maybe an individual missing out on health and social care provisions. When an individual is discriminated against, it can lead to marginialisation making the individual feel disempowered which can then have an impact of their self esteem and self image which then finally means, the miss health opportunities. It is important in health that care workers know what is on their services users minds so they are can feel comfortable and free to talk so that they can receive the care they need.
Negative behaviors: discrimination is found to be the monarch when it comes to negative behaviors. Negative behaviors can happen to any one and change anyone’s behavior. When an individual is discriminated against, it can lead to anger, annoyance etc. causing them to react in a negative manner because they might have in built up grief which then would be expresses through aggression or even lead to criminality even . For example a happy, caring and really nice lady who recently joined a car. After two months into her care, she has a absolute change of personality. For example hitting care workers and insulting the when taking care for her. Later in the case , it was found out that a care worker had been bullying, insulting and touching her in harmful ways. This behavior of the care worker then triggered the lady causing her to act the way she did.
