Older adults with intellectual disability in residential care centers in Israel: health status and service utilization.
To determine their health status, we studied 2,282 Israeli adults with intellectual disability who were at least 40 years of age and lived in residential care. Results showed that age is a significant factor in health status. The frequency of different disease categories (e.g., cardiovascular disease, cancer, and sensory impairments) increased significantly with age for both genders. Cardiovascular disease in this population was less prevalent when compared to the general population, suggesting that underdiagnosis of some diseases or conditions may be prevalent in this population. The patterns of organ-system morbidity with increasing age were similar to those in other studies conducted in several countries, suggesting that health status and outcomes could be independent of cultural factors.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Office of the Medical Director, Ministry of Social Affairs, Israel. jmerrick@internet-zahav.net
Joav
J
Merrick
Philip W
PW
Davidson
Mohammed
M
Morad
Matthew P
MP
Janicki
Orren
O
Wexler
C Michael
CM
Henderson
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003710:Demography; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D012114:Residential Treatment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires