Health and Health-related Quality of Life in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: Baseline Results from the Longitudinal Health and Intellectual Disability Study (LHIDS)

Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often at a higher risk of developing chronic health conditions which result in poorer health, due to their preexisting biological factors, health behaviors, or access to health care and screening. The purpose of this study is to examine health and health related quality of life (HRQOL) in adults with ID living in community settings.

Methods: We analyzed baseline data (N=1,619) from the Longitudinal Health and Intellectual Disability Study (LHIDS). Measures included demographics and characteristics, informant-rated health, weight status, HRQOL (i.e., physically unhealthy days, mentally unhealthy days, and number of activity limitation days), number of chronic health conditions, and number of medications.

Results: Participants were primarily White (88.0%) and the average age was 37.57 years (range 18 – 86 years). Men with ID were more likely to be rated very good or excellent, and increased physically unhealthy days as they aged. Women with ID were more likely to be obese, had more chronic health conditions, and took more medications. Physically unhealthy days significantly increased as age increased. Chronic health conditions that increased with age included number of health conditions, thyroid disorder, constipation, hip/knee pain, urinary incontinence, headache, sleep disorder, osteoporosis, and depression. Health status and number of medications taken also significantly differed among residential settings.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that health disparities exist among women and men, residential settings, and age groups. Development of health promotion guidelines targeted to specific subgroups (while taking age into account) for adults with ID are needed.