Quality of Health Care for Adults with Developmental Disabilities Living at Home

Background: Access to quality health care for people with developmental disabilities (DD) has been a public health concern since the deinstitulization movement. In addition, they are likely to experience poorer health than the general population. This study sought to address quality of health care by examining: (1) What is the health status and what are the health risks of adults with DD who reside at home? and (2) What is the quality of health care that this population receives regards to preventive health care and dental services? Methods: Data were collected on a sample of 238 adults with DD living at home with their family members who served as informants to fill out a questionnaire. Results: Health status, such as prevalence rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes among adults aged 18-39 years, were comparable to those of their counterparts without disabilities. However, adults with DD aged 40 and older were more prevalent in obesity and physical inactivity; meanwhile they had lower rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cigarette smoking. Over 25% of the study subjects were taking psychotropic drugs. Although 86% of the study subjects had a physical examination within the past year, only 42% had received influenza vaccines. More than half of the study subjects had no dental insurance. Conclusions: People with DD have experienced health disparities. It is necessary to establish an effective quality assurance program that will promote healthy behaviors and provide preventive and dental services for people with developmental disabilities.