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Clinical Assessment Tools for Dyspnea in People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Review of
1Caitlyn M. Moore, DNP, MS, CRNP, AGACNP-BC, ACHPN , is assistant professor, director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, College of Nursing, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA; nurse practitioner, Inpatient Palliative Care Service, Jefferson-Abington Hospital, Abington, PA; and PhD student , Palliative Care, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
Summary
Assessing dyspnea (shortness of breath) in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is crucial for palliative care. This study reviews dyspnea assessment tools for people with IDD, highlighting research gaps.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Symptom Assessment
Background:
- Effective symptom management is vital in palliative care, but individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face unique assessment barriers.
- While pain in IDD has gained attention, dyspnea (shortness of breath) remains under-explored, despite higher mortality rates from respiratory conditions in this population.
- Research often excludes individuals with IDD, leading to a lack of validated clinical assessment tools for this group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the current landscape of dyspnea assessment tools for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
- To identify gaps in research and clinical practice regarding dyspnea assessment in the IDD population.
- To provide recommendations for future research and comprehensive dyspnea management in palliative care for people with IDD.
Main Methods:
- Review of four commonly used clinical assessment tools for dyspnea.
- Analysis of existing literature on symptom assessment in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
- Examination of challenges in self-reporting due to communication or cognitive differences in the IDD population.
Main Results:
- No current clinical assessment scales for dyspnea have been validated specifically for use in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
- Communication and cognitive differences can affect the reliability of self-reported symptoms in individuals with IDD.
- Understanding the limitations of existing tools is critical for clinicians managing dyspnea in this population.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant need for validated dyspnea assessment tools tailored for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
- Future research should focus on developing and validating such tools to improve palliative care outcomes.
- Comprehensive assessment strategies are essential for addressing the unmet needs of people with IDD experiencing dyspnea.
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