tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post5162106260365150189..comments2024-03-28T10:15:57.792-04:00Comments on Social Security News: Dr. Gunnar AnderssonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-87129684189456951772009-03-30T22:12:00.000-04:002009-03-30T22:12:00.000-04:00I agree with your remarks regarding doctors' appro...I agree with your remarks regarding doctors' approach to DIB determinations. They deal with medical issues not practical "can s/he hold down a job" stuff. One thing I noticed was the absence of cultural variants of common psychological disorders in the reports of consultative exams for members of minorities (esp. women). Without going into all kinds of boring detail, manifestations of depression, mania, personality disorders, and so on are quite different in Latin and Asian societies than in Western societies. <BR/><BR/>In my experience, this strongly influences the percentage of allowances for older Latin women with depression, for example, versus Latin men of the same age with physical impairments and limited education/English language proficiency. Psych consultatives are superficial enough for English speakers from this country, but ones conducted with a foreign national through an interpreter are even less complete. <BR/><BR/>As you have mentioned here before, it would definitely be better for experienced DIB claimants' representatives, DIB examiners, and people with working knowledge of the DIB decision process to be involved in this discussion. This panel should be coming up with practical findings we can acually implement, not abstract statements of desirable goals or policy positions.Nancy Ortiznoreply@blogger.com