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Reducing the barriers to relationships and sexuality education for persons with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- LAFFERTY Attracta, McCONKEY Roy, SIMPSON Audrey
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 16(1), March 2012, pp.29-43.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
Previous research has indicated that people with intellectual disabilities often have marked gaps in their knowledge around relationships and sexuality. However, their opportunity to participate in relationships and sexuality education (RSE) are often constrained by the attitudes and perceptions of family carers, frontline support workers, and professional staff. The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes in Northern Ireland of these 3 stakeholder groups to the provision of RSE for teenagers and adults with intellectual disabilities. A qualitative mixed methods research design was adopted involving: 2 focus groups with 26 family carers; individual interviews with 24 professionals including learning disability nurses and social workers; and 5 focus groups with 24 frontline staff. The findings demonstrate that there is agreement on the need for RSE. Four barriers were commonly reported: the need to protect vulnerable persons; the lack of training; the scarcity of educational resources; and cultural prohibitions. The impact of these barriers could be lessened through partnership working across these groups involving the provision of training and information about RSE, the development of risk management procedures and the empowerment of people with intellectual disabilities.
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.