Step 1:  Research your approved medical topic: Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Provide a creative, informative title to your case study. Include that same title in the subject line of your DB post.  

Begin your post by addressing this question:  Specifically, what about that topic (one major identifying point about it; not the book chapter) interested you?  A personal experience, etc.?  Explain in detail.

Include information about each of the following as part of your case study.  No copying information verbatim from sources.

Include eight or more different medical terms in your case study, and underline and bold them.  

Pathology – research the pathology of the disease/disorder about which you chose to write. Provide the name of the disease/disorder and explain it in detail.  What is it? Pathogens?  What causes it? Epidemiology?  Who does it affect?  (e.g., breast cancer.  Does it primarily affect women, or are a large number of men also affected?) 

NOTE:medical terms must consist of those which pertain to the function and structure of the body, pathology, diagnosis, and/or treatment of the disease/disorder about which you selected to write (e.g, diaphysis, pyelonephritis, fenestration).  Basic terms as sign, symptom, disease, treatment, diagnosis, your title/topic choice, or word parts (e.g., dys-) will not count as medical terms. 

b.Signs and Symptoms:  List and define the signs and symptoms (these are different; they do not mean the same thing) of the disease/disorder. How does each affect the body?

• c.Medical Specialists:  Identify and describe two types of medical specialists (other than a primary care physician) to which the patient should/must be referred (cardiologist, neurologist, etc.)?  Define/discuss each in detail (e.g, explain difference between a neurologist and a neurosurgeon or a vascular surgeon).  Explain why the patient should be referred to them.  What type of treatment would each provide? 

d.Diagnostic Tests and Treatment:  Identify and define two major diagnostic tests used to properly diagnose the disease/disorder (e.g., angiogram, MRI).  (Refer to chapter 15 which provides a wealth of information.)  Explain why each test would help properly diagnose the patient.  

• Identify and define two medically approved treatments that address the disease/disorder (e.g., medication, rehabilitation/therapy, etc.)

e.Prognosis and Psychosocial Issues:  Identify and explain in detail the probable prognosis (outcome). What are some related psychosocial issues? List three (3). Thoroughly explain who and what each affect and how. 

Definition from Dictionary.com:  Psychosocial (adjective)   1. of or relating to processes or factors that are both social and psychological in origin. 

Examples:  Recovery from alcoholism.  Related psychosocial issues would be legal ramifications if the patient has been arrested for DUI.  Financially, this affects the family due to all the costs and perhaps loss of work if there was a lengthy incarceration.  The patient would most likely need to attend support group meetings.  Again, this affects the family as it would affect their schedules.  The family, as a whole, must consider therapy.

Physical disability – examples of related psychosocial issues are associated costs (medical, special clothing, assistive technology as wheelchairs, etc.); society’s belief in “body beautiful” and often not recognizing that someone with a physical impairment or disfigurement is beautiful.  Role changes due to the illness/injury (e.g., head of household and earner of majority of income can no longer work.  How would that affect the family?). 

e.Identify and define two forms of assistive technology (AT) that a patient diagnosed with the disease/disorder about which you are writing can use.  AT refers to prosthetics, etc. Explain these in detail; elaborate.  State the pros and cons of each (e.g., cost, user friendly, etc.).

• Do not simply list generic AT such as a walker or wheelchair.  Research and list AT specific to the medical condition about which you are writing, and which is specific to the patient.  There is a form of AT for each medical condition listed in the instructions for Part 1 of this assignment.  

ØResearch sources: 

• oWrite a detailed description about the limitations (what you found as not being very useful), andstrengths (what you found to be very useful) about each of the reference sources which you used for your case study.  Regarding the website, describe its content and usability. 

Consider the following:  Why did you rely on those references?  Would you recommend them to someone who was diagnosed with the disease/disorder about which you wrote your case study to help educate them on their diagnosis?  If so, why would you recommend it?  Justify your use of the references you chose; including the periodicals (e.g., consider the validity of the author’s study; was the information specific and easy to comprehend; author’s expertise regarding the topic about which you are writing; etc.) 

Example:  If my case study dealt with someone who was dealing with an addiction, I would list a website as Hazelden, or Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA) as one of my references because either is a primary source of information on addictions.  

Therefore, I would end my case study by referring to the website I used and describe the features about it which I found to be very informative and useful (e.g., information was innovative and current; provided information on alternative therapies, etc.), and describe features about it which were less helpful (e.g., website was not user friendly).