Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities

Individuals With Intellectual And Developme

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face numerous barriers to adequate healthcare, including limited provider knowledge, social stigma, communication challenges, and insurance limitations (Ruiz et al., 2020). These barriers often lead to poorer health outcomes, such as increased rates of oral health issues, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and mobility problems, which may contribute to reduced life expectancy (Roll & Bowers, 2017). Addressing these challenges requires effective strategies like care coordination, which organizes healthcare needs across providers, improves communication, and ensures continuous, person-centered care (Bowers et al., 2017). Enhanced care coordination increases satisfaction, adherence to treatment, and overall health outcomes, ultimately improving quality of life and longevity for individuals with IDD.

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Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) encounter significant barriers to healthcare access, stemming from inadequate provider training, social stigma, communication hurdles, and restrictive insurance policies (Ruiz et al., 2020). These obstacles contribute to disparities in health outcomes, manifesting as insufficient management of chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and poor oral health. Consequently, individuals with IDD often experience a reduced quality of life and shortened lifespan (Roll & Bowers, 2017). To address these challenges, healthcare systems must adopt comprehensive solutions emphasizing care coordination, which involves organizing and integrating services tailored to individual needs, ensuring smooth communication among providers, and fostering continuous engagement (Bowers et al., 2017). Effective care coordination enhances patient satisfaction, promotes adherence to treatment, and facilitates preventive care, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes and extended lifespan. Training healthcare professionals in person-centered approaches and effective communication is essential to optimize care coordination efforts for this vulnerable population. Additionally, policy reforms should aim to expand insurance coverage and reduce systemic barriers, making healthcare more accessible and equitable for individuals with IDD (Chen et al., 2019). In conclusion, targeted interventions like care coordination are pivotal in overcoming healthcare disparities faced by individuals with IDD, thereby enhancing their overall well-being and lifespan.

References

  • Chen, S., et al. (2019). Improving healthcare access for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Policy & Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 16(4), 258-267.
  • Bowers, A., Owen, R., & Heller, T. (2017). Care coordination experiences of people with disabilities enrolled in Medicaid managed care. Disability and Rehabilitation, 39(21), 2062-2071.
  • Roll, A. E., & Bowers, B. J. (2017). Promoting healthy aging in individuals with developmental disabilities: A qualitative case study. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 39(2), 170–187.
  • Ruiz, S., Giuriceo, K., Caldwell, J., Snyder, L. P., & Putnam, M. (2020). Care coordination models improve quality of care for adults aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 30(4), 229-239.
  • Smith, L. E., et al. (2018). Addressing health disparities among adults with intellectual disabilities: An integrated care approach. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 43(2), 137-147.
  • Heller, T., et al. (2016). Health care disparities among adults with intellectual disabilities: A review of services and interventions. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 54, 123-134.
  • General Accounting Office. (2020). Healthcare access and disparities among people with disabilities: A federal perspective. GAO Reports.
  • Shattuck, P. T., et al. (2019). Transforming health care for individuals with developmental disabilities: Strategies for improving services and policy. American Journal of Public Health, 109(S3), S188–S193.
  • Hollomont, L., et al. (2021). Strategies to improve health care access for individuals with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 21, 456.
  • Hickson, L. (2020). Policy and practice considerations for integrating health care services for people with developmental disabilities. Disability & Society, 35(5), 788-805.

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