NL
DE
In the Netherlands, it is estimated that approximately 6.4% of the Dutch population has a mild intellectual disabilities (MID). Up to a third of these people experience mental health (MH) problems, but often do not receive appropriate MH care. As a result, people with MIDs may develop more severe or chronic MH problems which puts a high burden on peoples’ lives. However, good data about the actual care lacked.
Therefore, ID-physician Katrien Pouls and her colleagues studied the prevalence of the range of MH disorders and the MH care provided to people with and without MID in MH services. This data is essential for improving MH care to people with MID.
Pouls and her team found that in 60% the MID was not registered in MH services and therefore most likely insufficiently taken into account in the care trajectories. Compared to people without ID, people with MID were diagnosed with different MH problems and more often received treatment in specialised MH services setting, such as forensic or addiction care. In addition, people with MID (particularly when the MID was unregistered) were provided with shorter MH trajectories, and fewer diagnostic and treatment activities. The researchers consider this as an indication of undertreatment, likely contributing to the actual high number of crisis interventions and MH hospital admissions. The study underlines the relevance of improving the quality of MH care for people with MID, which according to the authors can be achieved by creating more professional awareness and (evidenced-based) knowledge of timely MID recognition and adjustments, which can be safeguarded in diagnostics and treatment protocols. In addition, they state that also actions are needed at an organisational level, to create more accessible and effective MH services for vulnerable patients with MID.
Read the study here: Pouls KPM, Cuypers M, Mastebroek M, Wieland J, Koks-Leensen MCJ, Leusink GL, Assendelft WJJ. Mental healthcare for adults with mild intellectual disabilities: population-based database study in Dutch mental health services. BJPsych Open. 2023 Mar 3;9(2):e48. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2023.31. PMID: 36866924.
