Community participation in adults with Down syndrome: a scoping review

Community participation is important for social inclusion and is a focus of government policies that aim to enhance the lives of people with disability, including those with Down syndrome. This scoping review aimed to synthesise research on community participation in adults with Down syndrome.

A comprehensive search was completed in Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases. The PRISMA-ScR guidelines informed reporting, and the evidence was synthesised using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, and the Family of Participation Constructs frameworks.

Twenty-six articles with 12,461 participants met the inclusion criteria. Our results indicate: i) many studies did not conceptualise or investigate community participation as a distinct concept; ii) although adults with Down syndrome engaged in a diverse range of activities, particularly related to recreation and leisure, participation was restricted for a large proportion of adults; and iii) personal contextual factors that influenced community participation were age and adaptive function; and environmental factors included parental involvement, social and logistical supports, and place of residence.

This new knowledge contributes to our understanding of community participation of adults with Down syndrome by identifying areas where future research or interventions could be made to improve their health and wellbeing.