This site was funded by
Long-term health conditions encompass very large range and disparate conditions, so it is difficult to generalise about the impact on teaching and learning.
Incidence:
According to HESA in 2016/17 over 25,000 (1.36%) of UK domiciled students disclosed a long-standing illness or health condition.
Characteristics:
Health conditions captured in this category can include such illnesses as epilepsy, head injuries, diabetes, migraines, AIDS, heart and lung conditions and cancer. Each of these could have quite a profound impact on the student’s ability to study, although the impact on individuals will vary considerably. A student with well-controlled epilepsy will have a very different experience at university to a student whose epilepsy does not respond to medication, for example.
Impact on teaching and learning and assessment:
While it is particularly difficult to generalise about this group of students it is possible that attendance is likely to be affected because of the students’ need to attend medical appointments and receive medical treatment.
There will be groups of students within this category who will be unable to predict whether they are going to be well on any individual day, and so may need alternative assessments. Within this group will also be some students whose condition is intermittent and so may be well for long periods while other students may have generative conditions and so may need more support as time progresses.
Students who have only recently been diagnosed with a long-standing illness or health condition may need more support than students who have had time to adapt.
References
Summary of the most common impairments
An introduction to the characteristics of the most common disabilities