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Preventing intellectual disability: Ethical issues. / Pekka Louhiala

Swansea University Author: Pekka Louhiala

Abstract

The thesis opens with four cases that demonstrate various aspects of the prevention of intellectual disability (ID). The following four chapters introduce ID and many related issues (Chapter 2), the concept of geneticisation (Chapter 3), the epidemiology of ID (Chapter 4) and the concept of preventi...

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Published: 2002
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42806
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Abstract: The thesis opens with four cases that demonstrate various aspects of the prevention of intellectual disability (ID). The following four chapters introduce ID and many related issues (Chapter 2), the concept of geneticisation (Chapter 3), the epidemiology of ID (Chapter 4) and the concept of prevention (Chapter 5). In Chapter 6 prenatal diagnosis and screening are examined thoroughly. The two major models, the reproductive autonomy model and the public health model, are described and scrutinised. For example, the questions of informed consent, screening as a request of the women involved, reassurance, concept of risk, locus of control and eugenics are critically discussed. Chapter 7 deals with genetic counselling in general and directive versus non-directive counselling in particular. Chapter 8 asks the question 'Why should ID be prevented?' Five arguments are presented and critically examined: the eugenic argument, the foetal- wastage argument, the societal burden argument, the family burden argument and the quality of life argument. In Chapter 9 Mary Ann Warren's multi-criterial theory of moral status is presented and applied to potential or actual individuals with or without intellectual disability. More practical issues are raised again in Chapter 10, which deals with the prevention of ID with respect to three syndromes. The conclusive chapter (II) returns to the cases described in the beginning.
Keywords: Medical ethics.;Disability studies.
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences

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