Final answer:
We refer to individuals as clients instead of patients to respect their autonomy and acknowledge them as active participants in their care. This terminology is part of a demedicalization process, aiming to empower individuals and ensure a collaborative relationship between them and professionals.
Step-by-step explanation:
We generally refer to those with whom we work as clients instead of patients for several reasons, but among the choices provided, the correct answer is c) To respect their autonomy. When we call someone a client, we are acknowledging that they have a choice in their care and are active participants in the service being provided. This approach respects the individual as a collaborative partner in the process of their care, treatment, or support.
In contrast, referring to someone as a 'patient' often implies a more passive role, where the individual receives care from professionals and may have less say in the treatment process. This can represent a medical model which puts the professional in a position of authority over the patient. However, the trend towards using the term 'client' is also part of a larger movement known as demedicalization, reflecting an understanding that health and illness are socially constructed and that the authority to define and treat illness should not lie solely with medical professionals.
Therefore, by referring to individuals as clients, there is a deliberate effort to empower them, promote a more egalitarian relationship with professionals, and move away from a purely biomedical model that may not recognize the wide array of cultural, personal, and social factors influencing health.