A systematic review of systematic reviews of secondary health conditions, health promotion, and employment of people with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

This is a systematic review of systematic reviews of secondary health conditions, health promotion interventions, and employment in people with intellectual disabilities. Articles were included if they reported a systematic review of health and employment, secondary health conditions, and health promotion interventions for people with intellectual disabilities. The methodological quality of the included reviews was reviewed using the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews quality rating system, a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews. Twenty-five systematic reviews were included. There was evidence that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) were at elevated risk for secondary health conditions, health promotion interventions can improve physical and mental health conditions, and employment is associated with better health-related quality of life. Health promotion intervention to help people with ID engage in health promoting behaviors can improve health and their ability to find and maintain employment.

Effects of supported employment on the competitive integrated employment outcomes of transition age and young adults with intellectual disabilities: A non-experimental causal comparative study

“…Competitive integrated employment (CIE) is important for the health, psychological, and social well-being of individuals both with and without disabilities (Fryers, 2006;Iwanaga et al, 2021;Kamerāde et al, 2019;Taylor et al, 2022). In recent major rehabilitation legislation, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, CIE is the primary target goal for all persons with disabilities.…”

“…Clearly, work provides a sense of belonging in a community and contributes to the satisfaction of doing things well (Taylor et al, 2022). CIE also contributes to higher self-esteem, which leads to a higher sense of self-worth and better mental health outcomes (Wehman et al, 2021). Additional benefits of being employed that are critical aspects of an individual's health and well-being include having a daily routine, having shared goals with coworkers, and contributing to a personal identity (Kamerāde et al, 2019).…”

“…The negative effects of unemployment on workers with and without disabilities are clearly established in research findings, with individuals who are not actively engaged in a paid job at higher risk for poor physical health, poverty, and income inequality (Driscoll & Bernstein, 2012;Iwanaga et al, 2021;Taylor et al, 2022). Unemployment can also lead to behavioral health disorders, such as anxiety and depression (Drake et al, 2020), and higher suicide rates (Blakely et al, 2003;Drake et al, 2020;Jin et al, 1995;Milner et al, 2013).…”

The impact of competitive integrated employment on economic, psychological, and physical health outcomes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

“…In operationalising CIE as a public service outcome and the goal of policy, conceptualization has primarily been as an outcome in‐and‐of‐itself. However, research has also indicated that CIE may in turn provide other advantages and opportunities for individuals with disabilities; beyond serving as an outcome in and of itself, meaningful employment may provide economic opportunity (e.g., Taylor et al, 2021), better quality of life (e.g., Beyer et al, 2010; Dean et al, 2018; Iwanaga et al, 2021), and perhaps even better health outcomes (e.g., Inge et al, 2009; Robertson et al, 2019). These benefits of employment are not limited to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; research examining the global population (with and without disabilities) has found substantial links between employment and happiness, quality‐of‐life, and other non‐monetary benefits (De Neve & Ward, 2017).…”

“…In operationalising CIE as a public service outcome and the goal of policy, conceptualization has primarily been as an outcome in-and-of-itself. However, research has also indicated that CIE may in turn provide other advantages and opportunities for individuals with disabilities; beyond serving as an outcome in and of itself, meaningful employment may provide economic opportunity (e.g., Taylor et al, 2021), better quality of life (e.g., Beyer et al, 2010;Dean et al, 2018;Iwanaga et al, 2021), and perhaps even better health outcomes (e.g., Inge et al, 2009;Robertson et al, 2019).…”