Which description best reflects person-first language when describing a condition?

• A. The paraplegic patient
• B. Paraplegia patient
• C. Patient who is paraplegic
• D. The patient with paraplegia

Answer: (D)

In person-first language, the person is named before the condition they have. Saying “the patient with paraplegia” keeps the individual first and describes paraplegia as a condition they live with, not as something that defines them. This approach respects dignity and aligns with how clinicians aim to communicate in a respectful, non-biased way.

The other phrasings place the condition more at the forefront of the description. “The paraplegic patient” uses paraplegia as a defining label of the person, which can feel minimizing. “Paraplegia patient” is awkward and less natural in everyday clinical communication. “Patient who is paraplegic” is acceptable and still person-first, but the smoother, more standard choice is the “patient with paraplegia” construction.