Table 1 The People-First Liver Charter
When speaking with and referring to a person, do the following: | ||
1. Put the person first, not their condition, and avoid labeling them by their condition. Avoid implying that the condition defines the person. | ||
Use this: | Rather than this: | |
Person living with ___ Example: person living with overweight or obesity | ___ person Example: overweight or obese person | |
Person diagnosed with ___ Example: person diagnosed with hepatitis C | ___ person Example: hepatitis C-positive person | |
Person who has ___ Example: person who has cirrhosis | ___ person Example: cirrhotic person or cirrhotic | |
Person with a(n) ___ Example: person with a disability | ___ person Example: disabled person | |
Person who uses or consumes ___ Example: person who uses or consumes drugs | ___ user or consumer, or addict, junkie, druggie, smoker, vaper, alcoholic or drunk Example: drug user or consumer | |
Person who injects ___ Example: person who injects drugs | Injection or intravenous ___ user Example: injection or intravenous drug user | |
Person exposed to ___ Example: person exposed to hepatitis B | ___-exposed person Example: hepatitis B-exposed person | |
2. Use neutral language, avoid overstating the severity of a condition and avert fear. Avoid negative overtones, suggesting that the person is helpless and/or at fault and limit the scope of a condition. | ||
Use this: | Rather than this: | |
Person living with ___ Example: person living with hepatitis C | Person infected, diseased or contaminated with (or carrying) ___ Example: person infected, diseased or contaminated with (or carrying) hepatitis C | |
Person living with ___ and ___ Example: person living with hepatitis B and D | Person co-infected with ___ and ___ Example: person co-infected with hepatitis B and D | |
Person diagnosed with ___ Example: person diagnosed with steatotic liver disease | Person suffering from ___ Example: person suffering from steatotic liver disease | |
Person experiencing symptoms of ___ Example: person experiencing symptoms of diabetes | Person afflicted with ___ Example: person afflicted with diabetes | |
Person who has ___ Example: person who has hepatitis E | ___ victim Example: hepatitis E victim | |
Person who is living with transmittable ___ Example: person who is living with transmittable hepatitis C | Person who is contagious with ___ Example: person who is contagious with hepatitis C | |
Person living with or experiencing challenges related to ___ use or consumption Example: person living with or experiencing challenges related to alcohol use or consumption | Person who abuses, misuses or is addicted to ___, or alcoholic, drunk, addict, junkie, druggie, smoker or vaper Example: person who abuses, misuses or is addicted to alcohol | |
Person who is in recovery from ___ use or consumption Example: person who is in recovery from substance use or consumption | Recovering ___ addict, abuser or misuser Example: recovering substance addict, abuser or misuser | |
Person who has stopped using or consuming ___ Example: person who has stopped using or consuming drugs | ___ person Example: sober, clean or drug-free person | |
Person experiencing ___ Example: person experiencing housing insecurity or incarceration | ___ person Example: homeless or incarcerated person | |
Person who is (not) taking ___ as recommended Example: person who is (not) taking treatment as recommended | Person who is (not) compliant with (or adhering to) ___ Example: person who is (not) compliant with (or adhering to) treatment | |
Person experiencing suboptimal ___ outcomes Example: person experiencing suboptimal treatment outcomes | Person failing ___ Example: person failing treatment | |
Share or discuss ___ status Example: share or discuss hepatitis C status | Disclose ___ status Example: disclose hepatitis C status | |
Alcohol-associated or alcohol-related ___ Example: alcohol-associated or alcohol-related cirrhosis | Alcoholic ___ Example: alcoholic cirrhosis | |
Person | Patient | |
Substance use or consumption challenge | Substance abuse, misuse, addiction, habit or dependence, or alcoholism | |
Person disagrees or person’s needs are not being met | Person is resistant or unmotivated | |
Person declines | Person refuses | |
Participant or volunteer | Subject | |
Manage or monitor | Control or test | |
Plan or recommendation(s) | Regimen | |
Variable blood glucose | Uncontrolled blood glucose | |
High-incidence population | High-risk population | |
Key or priority population | Target population | |
Under-reported, under-represented or understudied population | Special population | |
Under-resourced or underserved population | Hard-to-reach population | |
Perinatal or vertical transmission | Mother-to-child transmission | |
Assistive technology | Corrective technology | |
Treatment or recovery center | Detoxification or rehabilitation center | |
Return to use (or consumption) or re-engagement with previous behavior | Relapse | |
Disability | Handicap | |
Abled | Normal | |
Severe | Morbid | |
Opioid agonist treatment or therapy | Opioid substitution or replacement treatment or therapy | |
Unused or used needles or injecting equipment | Clean or dirty needles or injecting equipment | |
Positive or negative blood or urine screen | Dirty or clean blood or urine | |
Engagement in transactional sex (for those 18 years of age or older) Sexually exploited (for those under 18 years of age) | Prostitution, prostitute or sex work(er) | |
Irregular migratory status | Illegal migrant | |
Resource-constrained | Poor | |
Transmit or pass on | Spread or infect | |
Condomless sex | Unprotected sex | |
Has multiple partners | Promiscuous | |
Injection-related or venipuncture wound | Track mark | |
Steatotic | Fatty | |
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease | Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease | |
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis | Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis | |
3.Highlight abilities over limitations. Use a strength-based, rather than a deficit-based, approach. | ||
Use this: | Rather than this: | |
Person managing ___ Example: person managing diabetes with insulin | ___ person Example: insulin-dependent person | |
4.Emphasize the person’s right and capacity to manage their health, bearing in mind that certain conditions may impact this capacity. Use language that reflects collaborative care, including shared decision-making, with the person, rather than being imposing. | ||
Use frames such as this: | Rather than this: | |
Example: person engages with the treatment plan | Example: person adheres to the treatment plan | |
5. Recognize the person as a contributing member of society, rather than as a burden, and avert blame. Consider the responsibilities that communities have towards supporting the person, rather than their community support needs. | ||
Use frames such as this: | Rather than this: | |
Example: person will be provided with the resources necessary to engage with their treatment plan | Example: person requires extra support to follow their treatment plan | |
6. Use language that is comprehensible, consistent and precise to communicate with the person, considering the person-specific nature of language, and give them the opportunity to seek clarification as needed. At the very least avoid the use of medical jargon and use contextually appropriate words. | ||
