Adult persons with intellectual disabilities on the island of Ireland
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
R McConkey1, F Mulvany, S Barron
1Institute of Nursing Research, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, UK. r.mcconkey@ulster.ac.uk
Background:
Information on the numbers of adult persons (aged 20 years and over) with intellectual disability (ID) is rarely collated at a national level. This is an impediment to service planning especially for a changing population.
Methods:
A database of all persons in receipt of ID services has been operating in the Republic of Ireland since 1995. In Northern Ireland, regional databases can be used to provide similar information.
Results:
A total of 25,134 persons were known to services in 2002; an overall prevalence for the island of 6.34 per 1,000. However this rate varied for different age groupings and across the two parts of the island. General population characteristics, as well as service factors, appear to account for this. Significantly more people lived with family carers in Northern Ireland. By 2021, it was estimated that the population would increase by over 20% with around one-third of persons aged over 50 years.
Conclusions:
These data illustrate the variations that exist in the numbers of adult persons with ID known to services across and within regions of a country. Hence caution must be exercised in extrapolating prevalence rates derived in one area to another. The availability of comparative national data highlights issues around the equitable funding and delivery of services.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Intellectual Disability
Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
Dementia
The progression of dementia is generally gradual.
Continuing Care

