| Bioethics often reflects a medical model perspective in discussions regarding disability. This has significant implications for decision-making as this narrow perspective often precludes consideration of important socio-cultural factors. Ethics committees, who rely on bioethical principles and scholarship to mediate conflicts between medical professionals and patients/families, may fall prey to the same inclination. Disability scholars/advocates are concerned that the ethics committee process confined by institutional policies inadvertently, favors the cultural values of medicine and the non-disabled majority. In response, discussions are underway about how to incorporate a broader disability perspective into the ethical decision-making process.;This research study explores ethics committee member's perspectives on disability and the relationship between individual perspectives and case deliberations, as well as the potential impact on the larger ethics committee deliberative process. The study addresses the following questions. Do medical, social, or integrative perspectives dominate? How do medical versus non-medical committee member perspectives differ? What is the impact of personal experience with disability on perspectives and case deliberations? What training and experience are currently present and how can we build upon this foundation?;The survey results suggest that overall ethics committee members are aware that disability is a multi-faceted construct which includes both medical and social factors. Findings support that a combination of factors such as professional training, gender, and age influence how one thinks about disability. Many members report experience with disability in their professional and personal lives, yet professional training appears to have the most notable influence on perspectives and case deliberations. Taking part in this reflective exercise raised member's awareness of their perspectives and attitudes toward disability, prompted ideas for additional education, and stirred interest in establishing relationships with the disability community.;This study concludes that ethics committees have a responsibility to take inventory of its membership, including member's knowledge, experience and training regarding disability to ensure committee discourse will be rigorous enough to overcome the broader societal tendency to undervalue life with disability. The information presented herein demonstrates the importance of an integrative approach to disability, and the increasing role of ethics committees in ensuring due process. |
