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Action guide: valuing health for all; primary care trusts and the health of people with learning disabilities
- Authors:
- GIRAUD-SAUNDERS Alison, et al
- Publisher:
- University of London. King's College. Institute for Applied Health and Social Po
- Publication year:
- 2003
- Pagination:
- 42p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The outcome of a three-year project supported by the Department of Health, the Action Guide promotes the constructive engagement of PCTs in improving health outcomes for people with learning disabilities. Twelve project sites across England explored the strategic and practitioner links needed to address health inequalities and improve access to health services. The ideas and examples in the Action Guide show how the knowledge and expertise of people with learning disabilities themselves and of specialist learning disability staff can help PCTs to deliver and commission better services. Local 'champions' played a key role in ensuring that people with learning disabilities were included in mainstream health priorities and activities such as NSF implementation and the development of PALS. Involvement of self advocates has been a powerful experience in some areas. The project has demonstrated the importance of the linking role that can be played by specialist learning disability health professionals, 'facing both ways' between learning disability and mainstream health services. Practical outputs include training materials for primary health care teams, health checks to act as a basis for Health Action Plans, personal health records in accessible formats, and materials to aid preparation for going to the doctor or hospital.
Developing and evaluating personal health records for adults with learning disabilities
- Authors:
- TURK Vicky, BURCHELL Sarah
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 8(4), October 2003, pp.33-41.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Argues for the introduction of patient-held health care records for people with learning disabilities. The evidence reviewed demonstrates that people with learning disabilities have more health care needs than other adults in society but receive less health care than others. The rationale for implementing hand-held records is considered from three perspectives: a consumer point of view, an analysis of how personal health profiles can help to overcome existing barriers to health care and the existing evidence. Describes the initial experiences of introducing personal health records in Bexley and Greenwich.
Does having been on a 'section' reduce your chances of getting a job?
- Authors:
- FENTON John, O'HANLON Dee, ALLEN Danny
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatric Bulletin, 27(5), May 2003, pp.177-178.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
This article aims to ascertain employers' attitudes to interviewing and hiring job applicants with a history of mental illness and, in particular, to assess the potential effect on job prospects for applicants with a history of admission under the Mental Health Act 1983. A postal tick-box questionnaire was sent to 174 companies; there was a 32% response rate. The main factors influencing employers' hiring decisions were medical opinion regarding an applicant's fitness to work and their employment and sickness records. In about three-quarters of small companies and half of large companies, questions about mental illness are simply never asked. Approved social workers have no reason to caution people assessed under the Mental Health Act 1983 that being detained could harm their job prospects.
Taking care of myself: a healthy hygiene, puberty and personal curriculum for young people with autism
- Author:
- WROBEL Mary
- Publisher:
- Future Horizons
- Publication year:
- 2003
- Pagination:
- 250p.
- Place of publication:
- Arlington, TX
Using a combination of social scripts and easy-to-understand activities, this maanual provides accessible information on health, hygiene and personal safety issues for people with autism spectrum conditions or other developmental disabilities. Presented as seven distinct units, this new curriculum covers all aspects of day to day life paying particular attention to areas that may cause confusion or distress, including illness and visits to the doctors. The authors also offer advice on puberty, appropriate sexual behaviour and 'stranger danger', making this a comprehensive manual for children and adolescents from the age of five upwards.
Access to secondary care for people with learning disabilities
- Authors:
- HUNT Cath, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Nursing Times, 20.1.04, 2003, pp.34-36.
- Publisher:
- Nursing Times
People with learning difficulties sometimes have problems maintaining their health because hospitals fail to work in an interdisciplinary manner with the specialist learning disability services. This article focuses on a case study where the difficulties in operating on a patient with learning disabilities and mental health problems were overcome through a multidisciplinary and patient centred approach. The case study provides evidence of mainstream health staff and learning disability professionals working together and breaking down barriers to provide a seamless service.
GP and support people's concerns and priorities for meeting the health care needs of individuals with developmental disabilities: a metropolitan and non-metropolitan comparison
- Authors:
- IACONO Teresa, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 28(4), December 2003, pp.353-368.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
General practitioners (GPs) from the Australian state of Victoria and support people were surveyed about their concerns and priorities for meeting the health care needs of people with developmental disabilities. Despite the poor response rate (22% and 27%), sampling adequacy was obtained, and the tools were found to have construct validity. According to the results, GPs had concerns about the assessment and management of people with developmental disability and tended to rely on support people. They knew about many services in their communities, but were less likely to know about non-medical, and government and non-government disability services. Support people reported concerns about health care service providers' lack of knowledge, family stress during periods of hospitalisation, and, particularly for rural respondents, the need to travel to access services. There were relatively few differences in responses from metropolitan versus non-metropolitan respondents, which may be explained by the relative accessibility of Victorian rural towns when compared with other Australian states.
Women be healthy: evaluation of a women's health curriculum for women with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- LUNSKY Yona, STRAIKO Amy, ARMSTRONG Sharon
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 16(4), December 2003, pp.247-253.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Insufficient attention has been paid towards treating the unique health needs of women with intellectual disabilities. This paper describes an 8-week curriculum, 'Women Be Healthy', developed for women with intellectual disabilities to help them become more equal partners in their health care. The curriculum includes psycho-education, coping skills training, exposure to the medical setting and assertiveness training. Twenty-two women completed assessments of health knowledge, health behaviour beliefs and coping strategies, prior to and following participation in the 8-week curriculum, which took place in a group setting at a clinic for people with intellectual disabilities. Women showed significant improvements in health knowledge, health behaviour beliefs and coping strategies following intervention, and maintained some of these treatment gains (health knowledge and health behaviour beliefs) at a 10-week follow-up. 'Women Be Healthy' is an example of a group-based intervention that helps women with intellectual disabilities become more knowledgeable and perhaps more comfortable with health-care procedures.
Double jeopardy?: needs and services for older people who have learning disabilities
- Authors:
- BLAND Rachel, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Learning Disabilities, 7(4), December 2003, pp.317-338.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Increasing numbers of people with learning disabilities are living into older adulthood,creating important challenges for services. Greater local understanding of the specific health needs of this population is crucial to influence needs-led service planning. The study used a questionnaire survey to identify people aged over.. who have learning disabilities,covered by a community health trust in England. Specific types of health problems for this older population were identified,along with the sources and types of community supports received and care staff satisfaction with these supports. The most frequently occurring health problems related to psychological/behavioural,incontinence/excretory and circulatory/respiratory needs. Overall general practitioners,followed by community/district nurses,provided the majority of healthcare support. Generally care staff appeared satisfied with the access and quality of health support. There were alarming findings in relation to some areas of health screening. Cervical,breast and testicular examinations were rare. The implications of the study are discussed.
Associations between behaviour disorders and health status among older adults with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- DAVIDSON P. W., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 7(6), November 2003, pp.424-430.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Few studies have examined the relationship of behaviour and health status among aging persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Behavioural disorders, which often are coincident with functional decline in older persons with I/DD, may be more related to medical morbidity than previously reported. This cross-sectional study examined the association between health status and behaviour disorders with increasing age in a cohort of 60,752 adults with I/DD clustered into four adult-age groupings (21-44, 45-59, 60-74, and >74). Age grouping data suggested an association between morbidity and increased likelihood of behaviour symptoms in all but the oldest age grouping. The magnitude of the association and trend varied by specific disease across age groupings compared to that found in healthy cohorts. About 25% of the adults with I/DD had psychiatric diagnoses and the frequency of such diagnoses did not decrease with age grouping. These results suggest that adverse health status may increase the likelihood of persistent behavioural disturbances in older persons with I/DD. Moreover, behavioural disorders may be sentinels for occult medical morbidity, which in turn may be responsive to intervention.
Adoptable but still in limbo: the forgotten children in Canada
- Authors:
- SPEIRS Carol Cumming, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Youth Care Forum, 32(2), April 2003, pp.75-88.
- Publisher:
- Springer
Thousands of children in Canada are available for adoption, but not being adopted, while many Canadian families are adopting overseas. This study presents a model incorporating four explanatory factors for overseas adoption preferences, and reports on preliminary efforts to test the model. One frequently-heard explanation is that families wanting to adopt are only interested in healthy infants, while crown wards tend to be older children, many with special needs. A sample of 119 families who filled in questionnaires in response to a public awareness campaign did not fit this stereotype; many would be willing to consider a child with special needs, or an older child. Results of a focus group, made up mainly of adoption professionals, suggest that the most significant barriers to adoption may lie in the funding and organisation of the agency system. Plans for future research are discussed.