Does intellectual disability research consider the potential impact of geographic location?

Title
Does intellectual disability research consider the potential impact of geographic location?
Publication Date
2018
Author(s)
Wark, Stuart
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5366-1860
Email: swark5@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:swark5
Abstract
This work was reprinted in Clegg, J. (2020). New Lenses on Intellectual Disabilities. Routledge.
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Routledge
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.3109/13668250.2017.1310826
UNE publication id
une:23488
Abstract
Background. Residing in a rural location is associated with socioeconomic disadvantage and reduced access to essential services such as housing, education, transport and healthcare. However, it is not clear whether researchers consistently consider geographic impact for people with intellectual disability. Method. All research articles since January 2000 in the 'Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability' were reviewed to determine the geographic location of the study participants. Results. In approximately 50% of the 428 studies reviewed it was not possible to accurately determine participants' geographic location, or in some cases even the country in which the research was conducted. Only 6% of papers either focused on rural participants, or compared rural participants against metropolitan peers. Conclusions. Little attention has been paid to geographic location in the sampled intellectual disability literature. This failure to consider geographic disadvantage potentially limits the applicability of such research findings to a significant proportion of the community.
Link
Citation
Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 43(3), p. 362-369
ISSN
1469-9532
1366-8250
Start page
362
End page
369

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