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Prevalence of mental health conditions and relationship with general health in a whole-country population of people with intellectual disabilities compared with the general population

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Laura A. Hughes-McCormack
Affiliation:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, UK
Ewelina Rydzewska
Affiliation:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, UK
Angela Henderson
Affiliation:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, UK
Cecilia MacIntyre
Affiliation:
National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
Julie Rintoul
Affiliation:
Health and Social Care Analysis, Scottish Government, Edinburgh, UK
Sally-Ann Cooper*
Affiliation:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, UK
*
Sally-Ann Cooper, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, Administrative Building, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0XH, UK. Email: Sally-Ann.Cooper@glasgow.ac.uk
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Abstract

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Background

There are no previous whole-country studies on mental health and relationships with general health in intellectual disability populations; study results vary.

Aims

To determine the prevalence of mental health conditions and relationships with general health in a total population with and without intellectual disabilities.

Method

Ninety-four per cent completed Scotland's Census 2011. Data on intellectual disabilities, mental health and general health were extracted, and the association between them was investigated.

Results

A total of 26 349/5 295 403 (0.5%) had intellectual disabilities. In total, 12.8% children, 23.4% adults and 27.2% older adults had mental health conditions compared with 0.3, 5.3 and 4.5% of the general population. Intellectual disabilities predicted mental health conditions; odds ratio (OR)=7.1 (95% CI 6.8–7.3). General health was substantially poorer and associated with mental health conditions; fair health OR=1.8 (95% CI 1.7–1.9), bad/very bad health OR=4.2 (95% CI 3.9–4.6).

Conclusions

These large-scale, whole-country study findings are important, given the previously stated lack of confidence in comparative prevalence results, and the need to plan services accordingly.

Type
Paper
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017

Footnotes

Declaration of interest

None.

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