Attitudes of general practitioners towards health care for people with intellectual disability and the factors underlying these attitudes

Abstract

An intellectual disability attitude questionnaire was used to explore the attitudes of general practitioners (GPs) towards primary health care, organizing health promotion and the role of specialist services for people with intellectual disability. The results of this questionnaire from GPs in Gwent (Wales) and GPs in west Gloucestershire (England) were compared. The GPs in both areas responded similarly and tended to agree that they were responsible for the medical care of people with intellectual disability in the community. They also tended to feel that the move from hospitals to the community of people with intellectual disability would greatly increase their workload. The GPs in both areas were generally against a responsibility on their part for health promotion and health screening initiatives for people with intellectual disability. However, GPs in west Gloucestershire felt more strongly against these issues. Further analysis of the data revealed factors which influenced the response of GPs to the questionnaire, including their position regarding health promotion and screening, and their view of the role of specialist health services. The GPs generally felt that community learning disability teams provided useful support, and there is clearly scope for team members to liaise more closely with GP practices and to provide helpful information to GPs about intellectual disability and the specialist health services available. Professionals seeking to work collaboratively with GPs should be sensitive to their workload pressures and to their attitudes towards health promotion initiatives and health screening.

The Quality of Health Care for Adults with Developmental Disabilities

“…However, given the reluctance of some physicians to provide care for these patients-due to attitudes related to provision of health promotion services, 38 lack of formal training in caring for these individuals, 17 as well as financial disincentives-system changes will be required in order to improve the quality of care provided. Thus, it will take time before improved outcomes are evident.…”

“…Most people with developmental disabilities require more than the usual time allotted for a provider encounter. 37 People with developmental disabilities may have difficulties communicating, and thus may be viewed as less desirable patients, 38,39 which reduces their chances of receiving recommended preventive services. It is reassuring that of 28 sexually active women, only one had not received a Pap smear within three years.…”

GPs’ opinions of health assessment instruments for people with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative study

“…30,31 The same is true for the fear of an increased workload, and reluctance to carry out health assessment programmes for people with ID. 30,31 In the current study, GPs indicated that the practice nurse and ID physician could play a role in supporting the GP in this type of care. This fits with other studies which show that GPs rely on key support workers to enable them to carry out this role.…”

Prescribing Contraception to Women with Intellectual Disabilities: General Practitioners’ Attitudes and Practices

“…Previous research suggests that, despite generally having greater health needs than the non-disabled population [2], people with intellectual disabilities often struggle to get their health needs met; they face negative attitudes from health care providers, communication problems frequently arise and diagnostic overshadowing (physical or psychological symptoms being wrongly attributed to the intellectual disability) commonly occurs [3]. Although General Practitioner's (GP) acknowledge that they are responsible for the medical care of people with intellectual disabilities in the community [4] and people with intellectual disabilities have long been recognised as having equal rights of access to good health care provision [5], in practice this often does not happen. Reviews of the literature [6] on primary health care provision to people with intellectual disabilities, and the independent inquiry report Healthcare For All [1], suggest communication problems, lack of time for adequate consultations, lack of training and knowledge of GPs to be amongst the main reasons for this.…”