North Health in Intellectual Disability

Overview

Intellectual disability (ID) is a diagnosis characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills. The disability originates before age 18 years. People with IDs will often require health- and social services throughout their lifetimes. Studies report worse health among people with IDs compared to the general population, in addition to more unmet healthcare needs and more difficulty accessing healthcare. There are also concerns about low levels of physical activity in this population. In general health surveys in Norway do not include people with intellectual disabilities, and studies of health indicators in this group are largely lacking. Further, the unique organization of services for this group in Norway calls for specific research efforts. This project will use multinational health indicators for youths and adults with IDs in a biopsychosocial context in attempt to identify unmet health care needs to improve services. In addition to a description of the health indicators, the objective of this project is delimited to assess the health determinant physical activity level in association with body mass index (BMI) and functioning.

People with IDs are experiencing more illnesses and approximately 80% of adults 50 years or older have multimorbidities. To improve services, information about health care provision should be complemented with knowledge about the health situation and functioning in a community-based setting. The main objectives of this study are to describe health indicators in a Norwegian population of youths and adults with IDs in relation to age, and to assess the associations between the health determinant physical activity and body mass index, physical function, activities and social participation in youths and adults with IDs. Assessments of physical and mental health indicators, and aspects of activities and social participation according to International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), in relation to health determinants and unmet healthcare needs in a cross-sectional health screening survey. The prevalence of suitable health indicators will be compared to studies in this area and from the following Norwegians population based studies: the "Tromsø-study", the "HUNT" study and the "NORSE study". The following articles will be published as part of this project: 1. A feasibility study of the use of tests like the Short Physical Performance Battery. 2. An overview of the health indicators among youths and adults with intellectual disabilities in Norway, in relation to age groups. 3. Presentation of levels and predictors for physical activity, as well as body mass index, in youths and adults with IDs. 4. Presentation of functioning (daily activities and work) in association to levels of physical activity.