Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 2 of 2
The role of community nurses and residential staff in supporting women with intellectual disability to access breast screening services
- Authors:
- TAGGART L., TRUESDALE-KENNEDY M., MCILFATRICK S.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(1), January 2011, pp.41-52.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Women with intellectual disability (ID) are living longer and experiencing the same age-related illnesses as the non-ID population, including breast cancer. There is evidence that these women experience a greater number of risk factors for developing breast cancer. Cognitive deficits and communication difficulties mean that they are dependent upon staff to support them to attend screening clinics. This paper investigated how this support is provided. Six focus groups were held with community nurses and residential staff working in the field of ID in Northern Ireland. Many of the participants recognised the risk factors and signs/symptoms of breast cancer; but there were knowledge gaps. Both positive and negative experiences of women with ID attending for breast screening were reported but much of the discussion focused on the latter. Factors inhibiting attendance included; lack of health educational material, negative emotions, attitudes and physical barriers. Breast awareness and visual checks were suggested for women with ID who refused to attend the breast clinics; however this raised issues of informed consent and vulnerability for carers undertaking the checks. The authors highlight the need for a breast awareness programme for women with ID and suggest the development of accessible health education literature.
Cancer prevention and health promotion for people with intellectual disabilities: an exploratory study of staff knowledge
- Authors:
- HANNA L. M., TAGGART L., COUSINS W.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(3), March 2011, pp.281-291.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
People with intellectual disabilities are living longer but are also at increased risk of health problems compared to the general population. Recognising the early signs and symptoms of cancer in a population with cognitive impairment and communication difficulties poses difficulties for family and professionals alike. Engagement in health promotion and cancer prevention is also a challenge. This postal survey explored how carers address these challenges. Forty staff, across fifteen residential facilities in Northern Ireland, completed a questionnaire about the risk and protective factors of stomach, breast, cervical and testicular cancer. They then completed questions about 90 adults with ID, recording body mass index, lifestyle choices (i.e. smoking, diet), Helicobacter pylori testing, family history of cancer and staff's health promotion and cancer prevention activities with them. The women had significantly higher BMIs than the men and only two people had been tested for the H. pylori infection. The majority of the staff had not received training in cancer prevention and most were unaware of the family histories of the people in their care. There was considerable variation in how staff approached health promotion and screening for specific cancers. The authors conclude that health promotion and cancer prevention activities for people with ID could be improved. The importance of staff training in order to raise knowledge and awareness is highlighted.