Biomaterial Database

[Sterilization and the mentally handicapped: who decides?]. 1993

K Van Camp, and J Denekens

Urologie UIA, Universiteit Antwerpen.

At the moment sterilization of mentally handicapped persons is carried out in a medical and a legal vacuum in Belgium as well as abroad. To give an adequate answer to the problem of sterilization of mentally handicapped adolescents in medical practice, Dr. J. Denekens undertook an extensive literature review and an empirical investigation comprising case-studies of 52 adolescents, their parents and family doctors. The adolescents, between the ages of 16 and 21, were selected at random from students attending schools for mentally handicapped persons in the province of Antwerp during the school year 1989-1990. This study and investigation resulted in the formulation of medical and ethical criteria to assist decision makers confronted with a request for sterilization from or on the behalf of a mentally handicapped person who may be unable to decide this issue alone. These criteria have been ordered in a useful and practical algorithm that enables a motivated, logical and ethically responsible decision to be taken. A proposal of procedure for such a sterilization request has been elaborated. The medical-ethical criteria, the algorithm and the procedure proposal come out right in time as the European Parliament is discussing a motion that deals with the legal part of the subject.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007878	Legislation as Topic	Works about the enactment of laws and ordinances and their regulation by official organs of a nation, state, or other legislative organization. It refers also to health-related laws and regulations in general or for which there is no specific descriptor.	Health Legislation,Constitutional Amendments,Health Legislation as Topic,Laws and Statutes,Legislation, Health,Model Legislation,Population Law,Statutes and Laws,Amendment, Constitutional,Amendments, Constitutional,Constitutional Amendment,Law, Population,Laws, Population,Legislation, Model,Population Laws
D008297	Male		Males
D008607	Intellectual Disability	Subnormal intellectual functioning which originates during the developmental period. This has multiple potential etiologies, including genetic defects and perinatal insults. Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are commonly used to determine whether an individual has an intellectual disability. IQ scores between 70 and 79 are in the borderline range. Scores below 67 are in the disabled range. (from Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, p28)	Disability, Intellectual,Idiocy,Mental Retardation,Retardation, Mental,Deficiency, Mental,Intellectual Development Disorder,Mental Deficiency,Mental Retardation, Psychosocial,Deficiencies, Mental,Development Disorder, Intellectual,Development Disorders, Intellectual,Disabilities, Intellectual,Disorder, Intellectual Development,Disorders, Intellectual Development,Intellectual Development Disorders,Intellectual Disabilities,Mental Deficiencies,Mental Retardations, Psychosocial,Psychosocial Mental Retardation,Psychosocial Mental Retardations,Retardation, Psychosocial Mental,Retardations, Psychosocial Mental
D010290	Parents	Persons functioning as natural, adoptive, or substitute parents. The heading includes the concept of parenthood as well as preparation for becoming a parent.	Step-Parents,Parental Age,Parenthood Status,Stepparent,Age, Parental,Ages, Parental,Parent,Parental Ages,Status, Parenthood,Step Parents,Step-Parent,Stepparents
D010820	Physicians	Individuals licensed to practice medicine.	Physician
D003657	Decision Making	The process of making a selective intellectual judgment when presented with several complex alternatives consisting of several variables, and usually defining a course of action or an idea.	Credit Assignment,Assignment, Credit,Assignments, Credit,Credit Assignments
D004992	Ethics, Medical	The principles of professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of the physician, relations with patients and fellow practitioners, as well as actions of the physician in patient care and interpersonal relations with patient families.	Medical Ethics
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths