Is health a priority? Examining health-related support needs in adults with intellectual disability through a self-determination framework.

Background: People with intellectual disabilities experience inequities in healthcare. Those are maintained by individual limitations as well as environmental factors. In this context, health needs are less likely to be expressed, identified and met.

Method: We led a survey in 832 adults with intellectual disabilities to identify if health was set as a priority and if so, what were their major health-related support needs (in terms of physical, social and psychological health).

Results: 67.1% of participants reported at least one need. Most frequently, two or more types of needs were reported with gender and living facility having an effect on whether participants would report these needs, but these did not affect which type of needs were reported.

Conclusions: Health-related support needs are highly prevalent and diversified in people with intellectual disabilities. This study emphasizes the importance to consider health as a global concept as well as the relationships between health and self-determination.