Predictors of access to healthcare professionals for people with intellectual disability in Ireland

Substance use-related problems in mild intellectual disability: A Swedish nationwide population-based cohort study with sibling comparison

Background

Evidence for substance use-related problems in individuals with mild intellectual disability is sparse and mainly limited to selected psychiatric populations. We evaluated the risk of substance use-related problems in individuals with mild intellectual disability compared to the general population. Additionally, we have performed secondary sibling comparison analyses to account for familial confounding.

Methods

We conducted a population-based cohort study of individuals born in Sweden between 1973 and 2003. A total of 18,307 individuals with mild intellectual disability were compared to 915,350 reference individuals from the general population and 18,996 full siblings of individuals with mild intellectual disability. Information on mild intellectual disability and substance use-related problems was obtained from several Swedish national and regional school and healthcare registers. Substance use-related problems were measured via corresponding diagnostic and legal codes and included alcohol use disorder, drug use disorder, alcohol-related somatic disease, conviction for a substance-related crime, and substance-related death.

Results

Individuals with mild intellectual disability had a higher risk of any substance use-related problem compared to the general population (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.72-1.91), both in males (HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.65-1.89) and females (HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.74-2.05). The risks of substance use-related problems were particularly elevated among individuals with mild intellectual disability and psychiatric comorbidities (HR, 2.21-8.24). The associations were attenuated in the sibling comparison models.

Conclusions

Individuals with mild intellectual disability, especially those with psychiatric comorbidity, are at an elevated risk of substance use-related problems. Familial factors shared by full siblings contribute considerably to the association between mild intellectual disability and substance use-related problems.

Perceived barriers and facilitators to good end of life care: Focusing on people with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND

People with intellectual disabilities are often left out of research on important topics. This exploratory study investigated their views on barriers and facilitators to accessing care at end of life, both at home and in a hospice setting.

METHOD

This qualitative study used reflexive thematic analysis. Two focus groups were held via Zoom with a total of four participants.

RESULTS

Three themes were produced: Unsettling Transitions, Maintaining Familiarity, and Respecting People's Wishes. Keeping things as unchanged as possible at end of life was highlighted as an ideal. Respecting people's wishes and education were highlighted as facilitators to good end of life care.

CONCLUSIONS

The themes identified in this study highlight the fears and wishes of this population with regards to receiving quality end of life care. Training for staff and families, as well as advanced care planning, could focus on enhancing facilitators and decreasing barriers for this population.

Health support of people with intellectual disability and the crucial role of support workers

BACKGROUND

People with intellectual disability have a poorer health status than the general population. In The Netherlands, support workers play a key role in meeting health support needs of people with intellectual disability. Research on how people with intellectual disability and their support workers experience the support worker's role in preventing, identifying, and following up health needs of people with intellectual disability is scarce. To enhance health support of people with intellectual disability it is crucial that we understand how health support is delivered in everyday practice. Therefore, this study investigated experiences of people with intellectual disability and support workers with the health support of people with intellectual disability.

METHOD

Data collection consisted of six focus group (FG) discussions with between four and six participants (N = 27). The FGs consisted of three groups with support workers (n = 15), two groups with participants with mild to moderate intellectual disability (n = 8), and one group with family members as proxy informants who represented their relative with severe to profound intellectual disability (n = 4). The data was analysed thematically on aspects relating to health support.

RESULTS

We identified three main themes relevant to the health support of people with intellectual disability: 1) dependence on health support, 2) communication practices in health support, and 3) organizational context of health support. Dependence on health support adresses the way in which support workers meet a need that people with intellectual disability cannot meet themselves, and communication practices and organizational context are identified as systems in which health support takes place.

CONCLUSION

This study investigated experiences with the health support of people with intellectual disability from the perspectives of people with intellectual disability and support workers. We discuss the dependence of people with intellectual disability and the complexity of health support in everyday practice. We provide practical implications that can strengthen support workers in the provision of health support for people with intellectual disability in everyday practice. The findings of this study emphasize the need for intellectual disability care-provider organizations to establish policies around consistency in support staff to make it easier to identify and follow up health needs, and an environment where support staff can develop their expertise concerning communication practices, lifestyle choices, and identifying and following up health needs.

The healthcare needs and general practice utilization of people with acquired neurological disability and complex needs: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

For people with acquired neurological disabilities and complex needs, general practitioners (GPs) play an important role in health management and early intervention for the prevention of comorbidities and health complications. People with disability are a vulnerable group who need and have the right to, quality general practice services. It is therefore important to understand the health needs and service use of this group. The aim of this review was to identify the healthcare needs and general practice utilization of people with acquired neurological disabilities and complex needs.

METHODS

A scoping review methodological framework was utilized. Six databases (MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase and the Cochrane Library) were searched. Articles were included if they reported on general practice service utilization of people with acquired neurological disabilities and complex needs aged between 18 and 65. Articles were required to be peer-reviewed, written in English and published between 2010 and 2021.

RESULTS

Thirty-one articles were included in the review. Studies originated from Canada (9), the United States (8), Australia (4), Switzerland (4), the United Kingdom (2), England (1), Norway (1), France (1) and Denmark (1). For many people, GPs were the main healthcare provider. People with disability consult multiple healthcare providers and navigate complex healthcare systems. Commonly presented healthcare needs were bladder, bowel and skin problems, pain and chronic pain, medication needs and mental health concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

People with acquired neurological disabilities and complex needs were vulnerable to receiving suboptimal healthcare. The literature highlighted issues regarding the accessibility of services, the fragmentation of health services and inadequate preventative care. GPs were challenged to offer adequate disability-related expertise and to meet the mental health needs of people with disability within time constraints.

PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

This manuscript was prepared in collaboration with a GP, who is one of the authors. A person with lived experience of acquired neurological disability was engaged to check the alignment of the findings with their personal experience and provide feedback.

People with intellectual disability in Ireland are still dying young

Background

People with intellectual disability die younger than their non‐disabled peers. In recent years, greater attention has been paid to closing the gap. However, evidence that this is being achieved is limited by the dearth of longitudinal, national data.

Method

Over 4,000 decedents identified in the Irish National Intellectual Disability Database from 2001 to 2016 were compared to deaths in the general population based on age and gender profiles using death rates and standardised mortality ratios. A binary logistic regression analysis also identified the characteristics of persons who had a higher risk of dying.

Results

Irish people with intellectual disability die younger and have a higher rate of death than their non‐disabled peers. Nor has the gap between their mortality and that of the general population closed in recent years.

Conclusions

More concentrated effort is needed in Ireland on promoting equitable access to health services for people with intellectual disability.