Responses to infectious disease outbreaks in supported living environments for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders: a scoping review

Examining the development and utilization of infection control policies to safely support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in congregate living settings during COVID-19

“…To assist with policy development that balances public health and safety with the rights of individuals with IDD in the DS sector, policymakers should consider increasing the opportunity for the multidisciplinary healthcare teams supporting individuals with IDD in community settings to share their knowledge during the development of health recommendations. One of the barriers identified in a scoping review of responses to infectious disease outbreaks in congregate care settings supporting individuals with IDD was that the institutional environment did not allow for effective infection control measures such as isolating residents who are sick from others (FitzGerald et al, 2022). To address this barrier, it is important for public health guidance to reflect the lived experiences of those with disabilities in the community.…”

“…Reasons for the increased risk of both contracting COVID-19 and experiencing severe outcomes experienced by individuals with IDD are a combination of environmental and personal factors. Congregate living settings experience an increased risk of virus transmission due to the nature of these settings, such as the consistent flow of support staff entering and exiting the homes (FitzGerald et al, 2022;Hassiotis et al, 2020). Moreover, individuals with IDD may require assistance with activities of daily living that cannot be provided in a physically distant manner (FitzGerald et al, 2022;Perera et al, 2020).…”

“…Congregate living settings experience an increased risk of virus transmission due to the nature of these settings, such as the consistent flow of support staff entering and exiting the homes (FitzGerald et al, 2022;Hassiotis et al, 2020). Moreover, individuals with IDD may require assistance with activities of daily living that cannot be provided in a physically distant manner (FitzGerald et al, 2022;Perera et al, 2020). Medical comorbidities, such as diabetes, obesity, and chronic respiratory disease, which may increase the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19, are also more likely to be present in this population (Campanella et al, 2021;Hassiotis et al, 2020).…”