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Creating inclusive health systems for people with intellectual disabilities: an international study
- Authors:
- McCONKEY Roy, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 17(4), 2020, pp.282-290.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: Creating equitable access to mainstream health and healthcare service has been promoted as a means of addressing the health disparities experienced by people with intellectual disabilities (ID) globally. Specific Aims: This study addressed two questions: What strategic actions are most likely to bring about inclusive primary, secondary, and tertiary health systems for people ID? What are the system indicators that can be used to evidence a reduction in health disparities for this population? Method: A four‐phase study was undertaken involving an international expert advisory group, literature reviews, and individual interviews with 16 key informants from Special Olympics (SO). These led to an online international survey in which 61 respondents rated the relevance and feasibility of 30 strategic actions and system indicators to promote inclusive systems and reduce health disparities. Findings: All the strategic actions and system indicators were endorsed as relevant but less so for the feasibility of implementing them. Top‐rated strategic actions included the availability of policy statements and practice guidelines on making reasonable adjustments, mandatory training of health professionals on ID, and their involvement as cotrainers in staff training. Discussion: Implementing these strategic actions and system indicators will be a major undertaking and one that is unlikely to be speedily achieved given the many different policy and health systems that exist even within a locality as well as nationally and internationally. Nonetheless, the identified actions and indicators from this study can form the basis for improved access to health and for advancing the human rights of persons with ID. (Edited publisher abstract)
Optimizing the uptake of health checks for people with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- McCONKEY Roy, TAGGART Laurence, KANE Molly
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 19(3), 2015, pp.205-214.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
The provision of an annual health check for adult persons with an intellectual disability is intended to counter the health inequalities experienced by this population. This study documents the uptake of checks across general practitioner (GP) practices in Northern Ireland over a 3-year period. In all, 84% of GP practices provided health checks covering an estimated 87% of the population with intellectual (learning) disabilities. Overall 64% of people known to practices had received a health check which is significantly higher than comparable percentages of around 46% reported for England. Nevertheless the uptake by patients varied across the five trusts in Northern Ireland but less so than across the English health authorities. These variations were linked to the deployment of health facilitators. However, younger people living with families, or independently, in more socially deprived areas were less likely to have had a health check. Ongoing monitoring is needed to ensure the quality of the checks provided and that health improvement plans are implemented. (Publisher abstract)