Do people with intellectual disabilities understand their prescription medication? A scoping review

Abstract

BackgroundPeople with intellectual disabilities are more likely to experience poor health than the general population and are frequently prescribed multiple medications. Therefore, it is important that people with intellectual disabilities understand their medication and potential adverse effects.MethodA scoping review explored people with intellectual disabilities' knowledge of prescription medications, their risks and how medication understanding can be improved.ResultsTen journal articles were included. People with intellectual disabilities often lacked understanding of their medication, including its name, purpose and when and how to take it. Participants were often confused or unaware of adverse effects associated with their medication. Information was sometimes explained to carers rather than people with intellectual disabilities. Some interventions and accessible information helped to improve knowledge in people with intellectual disabilities.ConclusionThere is a need for accessible and tailored information about medication to be discussed with people with intellectual disabilities in order to meet legal and best practice standards.

An Update on Medication Use in Older Adults: a Narrative Review

“…Sensory impairment, particularly vision and hearing loss, and issues with swallowing, manual dexterity, and co-ordination may affect a person's ability to acquire, administer, manage, and adhere to their medication regimen [19,[25][26][27]. Declining cognitive function and/or the presence of intellectual disability in older adults may also present challenges during prescribing if patients are unable to participate in shared decision-making and communicate their beliefs and preferences, as well as affecting medication management abilities [19,28,29]. Prescribers should be cognisant of older adults' use of non-prescription medications, particularly given the fact that they have been shown to be high users of over-the-counter (OTC) and complementary and alternative (CAM) medicines [30][31][32][33], placing them at greater risk of potential medication-related harm through drug interactions [34,35].…”

Experiences of the Medication Use Process by People with Intellectual Disabilities. What a Pharmacist Should Know!

“…The right to consent to medical treatment, including medication use is a critical first step in promoting self-determination in health. It is therefore important to investigate the amount of knowledge people with intellectual disabilities have about their medication [ 14 ]. The NPSA in England has highlighted the lack of information about medication that people with intellectual disabilities have been prescribed as an area of concern [ 46 ] that will introduce risk to the medication use process.…”

“…If pharmacists and other healthcare staff can engage people with intellectual disabilities and help them feel involved, they are more likely ‘to hear’ the advice they are given about medication and to act on it, so treatment is more effective and safer. Accessible and tailored information about medication must be discussed with people with intellectual disabilities in order to meet legal and best practice standards [ 14 ].…”

Men's Bones Matter Too, a Cross Sectional Study Examining Bone Health among Men with Intellectual Disability in Ireland.

“…During osteoporosis evaluations the experience may pose difficulties due to the lack of reasonable adjustments and challenges with equipment, or individuals may simply be scared. People with ID have had complications in the past getting tested for osteoporosis because of the nature of the DXA test that may seem frightening or challenging for this population [38][39][40]. In frequent patient-physician interactions, the diagnosis itself proves to be more challenging because those with ID are often unable to express their symptoms or frightened by the DXA assessment [41].…”