title: Health disparities and mental retardation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify health care needs and the availability and accessibility of health care services for people with mental retardation (MR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the literature on health disparities and mental retardation was performed using MEDLINE, PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and PsycInfo from 1992 to 2002.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Deficiencies in care identified in the literature included general health screening and care for physical symptoms, mental health, women's care, dental services, health maintenance, and prevention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disparities in health care place people with MR at high risk for morbidity and premature mortality.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Development, Pennsylvania State University, 600 Centerview Drive, 1300 ASB/A110, Hershey, PA 17033-0855, USA. kmf103@psu.edu
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000592:standards; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008017:Life Expectancy; D009017:Morbidity; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology