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Published on: September 30, 2020
Ill-health and intellectual disabilities
1Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. jane.m.mccarthy@kcl.ac.uk
Current Opinion in Psychiatry
|May 3, 2011
Summary
People with intellectual disabilities face significant health disparities, including a 15-year lower life expectancy and three times higher mortality rates. Public health policies aim to improve health surveillance and outcomes for this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Disparities
- Intellectual Disabilities Research
Background:
- Adults with intellectual disabilities experience poorer healthcare access and worse health outcomes globally.
- This population faces a significantly reduced life expectancy compared to the general population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent evidence (past 12-24 months) on the health needs of people with intellectual disabilities.
- To highlight the influence of public health policy on research concerning this group.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of evidence published in the last 1-2 years.
- Analysis of recent studies, including death certificate data and standardized mortality rates.
Main Results:
- People with intellectual disabilities die approximately 15 years younger than their peers.
- Overall mortality is three times higher; specific conditions like asthma and oral disease are more prevalent.
- Limited high-quality evidence exists for epilepsy treatments, a leading cause of premature death.
Conclusions:
- Recent evidence confirms poorer health outcomes for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- The quality of evidence on health needs is improving due to a public health approach and health surveillance.
- Enhanced evidence quality is expected to positively influence health outcomes.
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