Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
21 results found in chronic illness.
- Activity Pacing (Pacing, Energy pacing)
- Activity pacing is a self-management strategy used by people with chronic conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome to manage limited energy and prevent symptom…
- Biofeedback
- A therapeutic technique in which individuals are presented with real-time measurements of their physiological variables — such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, muscle tension, or brain waves — …
- Blood Oxygen Saturation (O2sat, SpO2, Oxygen Saturation)
- The percentage of hemoglobin in the blood that is bound to oxygen, typically measured non-invasively using a pulse oximeter. Normal blood oxygen saturation is generally 95-100%, and levels below 88-90…
- Brain Fog (Cognitive Fog, Mental Fog)
- Brain fog is a term used to describe a cluster of cognitive symptoms including difficulty concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, and reduced clarity of thought. It is commonly associated with…
- Chronic Condition (Chronic Health Condition, Long-Term Condition)
- A health condition that persists over time, typically lasting a year or more and requiring ongoing medical attention or limiting activities of daily living. Chronic conditions include both chronic ill…
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis)
- A group of progressive lung diseases — including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and non-reversible asthma — characterized by increasing breathlessness, cough, and reduced exercise tolerance. COPD affe…
- Consequence-Based Accessibility
- A framework introduced by Mack and McDonnell that describes how people with chronic illnesses experience access barriers where the consequences of their actions, rather than the nature of the task its…
- Dynamic Disability (Fluctuating Disability, Variable Disability)
- A disability or impairment whose severity, manifestation, or impact varies over time — sometimes rapidly — rather than remaining constant. Dynamic disabilities are common in many health conditions suc…
- Dyspnea (Breathlessness, Shortness of Breath)
- A subjective experience of breathing discomfort consisting of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity, as defined by the American Thoracic Society. People who experience dyspnea commo…
- Energy Conservation (Energy management)
- Energy conservation refers to a set of self-management strategies designed to help people with chronic conditions, fatigue-related disabilities, or fluctuating energy levels maintain function and inde…
- Fibromyalgia (FM, Fibromyalgia syndrome)
- Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties often called "fibro fog." It affects approximately 2-4% of…
- Flare (Symptom Flare, Flare-Up)
- A temporary but often significant worsening of symptoms associated with a chronic illness, which can last from hours to weeks. Flares can be triggered by environmental factors (heat, pollen, weather c…
- Health-Related Impairment and Disability (HIID, Health-Related Impairments and Disabilities)
- A category of impairments that arise as a consequence of health conditions, both chronic and acute, rather than from a traditionally defined disability. HIIDs are characterized by four properties: the…
- Internal Access Conflict (Conflicting Access Needs)
- A situation where a single individual's different access needs contradict or undermine each other, making it impossible to fully accommodate all needs simultaneously. For example, a person with chroni…
- Modified Borg Scale (Borg CR10 Scale, MBS, Borg Scale)
- A self-report rating scale used to measure the perceived intensity of physical sensations such as breathlessness, exertion, or pain, ranging from 0 (nothing at all) to 10 (maximal). Originally develop…
- Oxygen Desaturation (Hypoxemia, O2 Desaturation)
- A drop in blood oxygen saturation levels below normal ranges, which can occur during physical exertion in people with chronic respiratory conditions like COPD. Oxygen desaturation during exercise is a…
- Post-Exertion Malaise (PEM, Post-Exertional Malaise, Crash)
- A disproportionate worsening of symptoms following physical, cognitive, or emotional exertion that would not cause comparable effects in a healthy person. Post-exertion malaise is a hallmark symptom o…
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR, Respiratory Rehabilitation)
- A supervised, multidisciplinary program for people with chronic respiratory diseases that combines patient education, exercise training, and self-management skills to reduce symptoms, improve quality …
- Pulse Oximetry (Pulse Oximeter, SpO2 Monitoring)
- A non-invasive method of monitoring blood oxygen saturation (O2sat) and heart rate using a sensor typically placed on the finger or wrist. Pulse oximeters use light absorption through the skin to esti…
- Symptom Fluctuation (Fluctuating Symptoms, Variable Symptoms, Good Days and Bad Days)
- The variation in symptom severity that people with chronic conditions or disabilities experience over time—sometimes within a single day. Symptom fluctuation means that a person's abilities and access…