Repeated use of hospital-based services and delayed hospital discharges in a population-based cohort of autistic adults in Canada.

We know that autistic people have more health problems and are more likely to go to the emergency department and get hospitalized than other people, but we know less about the problems they have once they get to the hospital. In this study, we looked at all autistic adults in Ontario and compared them to adults who were not autistic and to adults who had other kinds of developmental disabilities to see who came back to the emergency department in the month after an emergency department visit, who got re-hospitalized in the month after being sent home from hospital, and who stayed in the hospital longer than they needed to because there was no place appropriate for them to go to. We found that both autistic males and females were more likely to have these things happen to them than the same age- and sex-matched adults who did not have developmental disabilities.

Participation in Special Olympics reduces the rate for developing diabetes in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Aim: Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have a significantly higher prevalence of Type 2 diabetes than the general population. Evidence that lifestyle and/or behavioural interventions, such as participation in Special Olympics, decreases the risk of developing diabetes in adults with IDD could help minimize health disparities and promote overall health in this population.

Methods: This was a 20-year retrospective cohort study of adults with IDD (30-39 years) in the province of Ontario, Canada, that compared hazard rates of diabetes among Special Olympics participants (n = 4145) to non-participants (n = 31,009) using administrative health databases housed at ICES.

The role of thriving in mental health among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the mental health of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Numerous pandemic-related stressors experienced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities may have impacted their ability to thrive, which has been linked to mental health outcomes. The current study examined the associations among COVID-19 stressors, thriving, and mental health problems among youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Parent Descriptions of the Active Play Behaviors of Their Twins and Triplets With Autism.

Children with autism engage in active play in different ways than children who are neurotypical, but their active play behaviors are not well understood. Research with twins and triplets with autism offers a unique opportunity to gain a clear picture of the play behaviors of children with autism because twins and triplets share many similarities (age, access to toys, etc.).

Health conditions and service use of autistic women and men: A retrospective population-based case-control study.

This study used administrative data from Ontario, Canada to compare the health conditions and service use of autistic women and men with adults with other developmental disabilities and with adults without developmental disabilities. Autistic women and men were more likely to have physical and mental health conditions compared to adults without developmental disabilities. Rates of health conditions were similar or lower among autistic adults compared to adults with other developmental disabilities, except more autistic adults had psychiatric conditions.

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who participate in Special Olympics are less likely to be diagnosed with depression.

Purpose: People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience high rates of depression. Evidence indicates that physical activity, or participation in a sports club, in a supportive social environment has mental and physical health benefits. Adults with IDD, on average, engage in low levels of physical activity.

Amenable deaths among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities including Down syndrome: An Ontario population-based cohort study.

Background: Rates of death and avoidable deaths are reportedly higher among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This study contributes to our understanding of how mortality and intellectual and development disabilities are associated.

Method: General population and intellectual and developmental disabilities adult cohorts were defined using linked administrative data.

Premature mortality in a population-based cohort of autistic adults in Canada.

Research from different countries suggests that autistic adults are more likely to die prematurely than non-autistic adults, but these studies do not always investigate male and female individuals separately and do not consider whether this pattern is unique to autistic people or is also an issue for people with other developmental disabilities. We examined premature mortality in autistic males and females (assigned at birth) in a population-based cohort, compared to males and females with and without other developmental disabilities. Using linked administrative health and social services population data from Ontario, Canada, age-matched males and females aged 19-65 years were followed between 2010 and 2016, and causes of death were determined.

COVID-19 Vaccination of Individuals with Down Syndrome-Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey on Safety, Efficacy, and Factors Associated with the Decision to Be Vaccinated.

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are among the groups with the highest risk for severe COVID-19. Better understanding of the efficacy and risks of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals with DS may help improve uptake of vaccination. The T21RS COVID-19 Initiative launched an international survey to obtain information on safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals with DS.

Matching Special Olympics registration data with administrative health databases: Feasibility and health status differences in children and youth with IDD.

Background: Children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience health disparities. What is unknown is if data collected from children and youth with IDD who participate in Special Olympics is representative of children and youth with IDD who do not.

Objectives: Aim 1: determine the feasibility of matching a database of registrants from Special Olympics Ontario (SOO), with population-based health services databases in Ontario, Canada housed at ICES.

Incidence of injury in children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disability.

Introduction: Children and adolescents living with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) have a higher risk of experiencing morbidities and premature death when compared to children and adolescents living without IDD. Childhood injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and death, yet there are limited studies that explore the prevalence of childhood injuries for individuals living with IDD. The purpose of this study was to analyze Ontario health administrative data to identify and compare rates of injury resulting in hospitalization in children and adolescents living with and without IDD.

Psychiatric disorders in adults with cerebral palsy.

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most common neurological conditions in childhood. Individuals with CP often experience various secondary conditions, including intellectual disability (ID), medical conditions, and psychiatric issues. A large number of youth with CP have psychiatric disorders; however, few studies have examined the prevalence of psychiatric issues in adults with CP at the population-level.

Health and service use of newcomers and other adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A population-based study.

Background: This study examines newcomers with intellectual and developmental disabilities compared to other adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Ontario, Canada.

Methods: This population-based retrospective cohort study used linked health and social services administrative data to identify adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities as newcomers, or non-newcomers, and compared their health status and health service outcomes.

Results: Among those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, compared to non-newcomers, newcomers generally had lower or similar rates of health issues, except for higher rates of psychosis.

Looking across health and healthcare outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and psychiatric disorders: population-based longitudinal study.

Background: Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and psychiatric disorders frequently co-occur. Although each has been associated with negative outcomes, their combined effect has rarely been studied.

Aims: To examine the likelihood of five negative health and healthcare outcomes for adults with IDD and mental health/addiction disorders (MHAs), both separately and together.

Traumatic Brain Injury Incidence in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Background: In Ontario, there are approximately 66,000 adults living with a diagnosis of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). These individuals are nearly twice as likely to experience an injury compared to the general population. Falls are an important contributor to injuries in persons with IDD and in the general population, and are consistently found to be the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Data Linkage: Canadian and Australian Perspectives on a Valuable Methodology for Intellectual and Developmental Disability Research.

Data linkage holds great promise for generating new information about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as a population, yet few centers have developed the infrastructure to utilize this methodology. Two examples, from Canada and Australia, describe their efforts in building data linkage capabilities, and how linked databases can be used to identify persons with IDD and used for population-based research. The value of data linkage is illustrated through new estimates of prevalence of IDD; health service utilization patterns; associations with sociodemographic characteristics, and with physical and mental health conditions (e.

Preventing and Treating Diabetes in Canadian Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Despite emerging evidence that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have a high prevalence of diabetes, Canada does not have a strategy to address diabetes in this population. The aim of this review was to review effective health policies and practices to improve diabetes prevention and management developed by other jurisdictions in response to the high prevalence of diabetes among individuals with IDD. To do so, a narrative literature review was conducted based on 18 studies, in addition to 3 examples of resources, 2 systematic reviews, the Canadian diabetes guidelines, the UK diabetes guidelines and Kachika's "NHS RightCare Pathway" report.

Prevalence of intellectual and developmental disabilities among first generation adult newcomers, and the health and health service use of this group: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Attention to research and planning are increasingly being devoted to newcomer health, but the needs of newcomers with disabilities remain largely unknown. This information is difficult to determine since population-level data are rarely available on newcomers or on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), although in Ontario, Canada these databases are accessible. This study compared the prevalence of IDD among first generation adult newcomers to adult non-newcomers in Ontario, and assessed how having IDD affected the health profile and health service use of newcomers.

Repeat Emergency Department Visits for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Psychiatric Disorders.

Although individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and psychiatric concerns are more likely than others to visit hospital emergency departments (EDs), the frequency of their returns to the ED within a short time is unknown. In this population-based study we examined the likelihood of this group returning to the ED within 30 days of discharge and described these visits for individuals with IDD + psychiatric disorders ( = 3,275), and persons with IDD only ( = 1,944) compared to persons with psychiatric disorders only ( = 41,532). Individuals with IDD + psychiatric disorders, and individuals with IDD alone were more likely to make 30-day repeat ED visits.

Patterns of mortality among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Ontario.

Objectives: To determine recent mortality rates among Ontarian adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and investigate changes over time in contrast to the general population. To determine the most commonly reported underlying causes of death and explore related coding practices.

Methods: Using linked health administrative data, four cohorts of adults with IDD aged 25-99 living in Ontario were followed for 1 year (one cohort for each year between 2011 and 2014).

The Mental Health of Adults with Developmental Disabilities in Ontario: Lessons from Administrative Health Data.

Adults with developmental disabilities have increased rates of mental illness and addiction, in addition to being more likely to experience physical health issues. This can lead to high rates of hospital and community-based healthcare. Population-based administrative health data can help in identifying the extent of problems experienced and target areas for policy and practice changes.

Emergency Department Use: Common Presenting Issues and Continuity of Care for Individuals With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

This population-based cohort study examined the relationship between level of continuity of primary care and subsequent emergency department (ED) visits for adults with (n = 66,484) and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)(n = 2,760,670). Individuals with IDD were more likely than individuals with no IDD to visit the ED (33.96% versus 20.

Spinal cord injury rehabilitation and pressure ulcer prevention after the 2005 South Asian Earthquake: a CBR case study from Pakistan.

Background: The 2005 South Asian earthquake led to large-scale injuries and disabilities in northern Pakistan, which were dealt with using various approaches. In this regard, a community-based rehabilitation approach was initiated in the Muzaffarabad district of Pakistan in early 2006, focused on preventing complications among persons with Spinal Cord Injury. This case study briefly describes its development, aims and service provision components, in addition to the distribution of injuries from the disaster.

Individual and Contextual Correlates of Frequently Involved Special Olympics Athletes.

It is important to understand factors associated with sport participation for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). With a sample of 414 Special Olympics (SO) athletes, this study examined how frequently involved athletes differ from other youth who are less involved in SO. Results showed that frequently involved athletes are older, have more sport-specific parental support, stronger athlete-coach relationships, and more positive SO experiences than other athletes.