Health assessment instruments for people with intellectual disabilities—A systematic review

Publication date: May 2017
Source:Research in Developmental Disabilities, Volume 64
Author(s): E.J. Bakker-van Gijssel, P.L.B.J. Lucassen, T.C Olde Hartman, L. van Son, W.J.J. Assendelft, H.M.J. van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk
BackgroundPeople with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience health disparities and are less likely to undergo recommended age- and gender-specific screening and health promotion. New diagnoses are frequently missed. Assessments with the aid of health assessment instruments are a way to address these problems.AimThe aim of this review is to find the available health assessment instruments for people with ID used in primary care and evaluate their quality.MethodsWe conducted an electronic literature search of papers published between January 2000 and May 2016. After a two-phase selection process (kappa: 0.81 and 0.77) we collected data from the 29 included peer-reviewed articles on the following four domains; development, clinimetric properties (i.e. validity, reliability, feasibility, acceptability), content (i.e. ID-related health problems, prevention and health promotion topics) and effectiveness of the instruments.Results/ConclusionsWe distinguished 20 different health assessment instruments. Limited information was found on the development of the instruments as well as on their clinimetric properties. The content of the instruments was rather diverse. The included papers agreed that health assessment instruments are effective. However, only three instruments evaluated effectiveness in a randomised controlled trial. Patients with ID, carers and general practitioners (GPs) generally appreciated the health assessment instruments.ImplicationTwo instruments, "Stay well and healthy −Health risk appraisal (SWH-HRA)"and the "Comprehensive Health Assessment Programme (CHAP)", appeared to have the highest quality. These instruments can be used to construct a health assessment instrument for people with ID that meets scientific standards.



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