Burden of Chronic Disease for Older Australians with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

The preliminary findings from an ongoing large-scale Australian study assessing health, well-being and health service use for older people with intellectual disability (PwID), compared to their normative age-peers, have revealed the nature of the burden of chronic disease experienced by PwID aged >= 60 years (n=356). Preliminary results confirm a significant burden of chronic disease including: arthritis (41%), persistent pain (28%), diabetes (23%), asthma (16%), heart disease (15%), cancers (8.7%), depression (22%), anxiety (20%), schizophrenia/bipolar (3.3%) and dementia (2.2%). Many respondents reported multiple co-morbidities. For most conditions, there was a noted discrepancy in the proportion of respondents with a chronic disease diagnosis versus those who were prescribed medication, which alludes to inadequacy of appropriate healthcare for PwIDs by primary-care physicians. Comparative data from OECD countries reveal patterns of chronic disease for older PwID; given this there are significant challenges of healthcare service provision across disability and aged-care services.