A comparison of outpatients with intellectual disability receiving specialised and general services in Ontario's psychiatric hospitals.
BACKGROUND
This study compares outpatients with intellectual disability (ID) receiving specialised services to outpatients with ID receiving general services in Ontario's tertiary mental healthcare system in terms of demographics, symptom profile, strengths and resources, and clinical service needs.


METHODS
A secondary analysis of Colorado Client Assessment Record data collected from all tertiary psychiatric hospitals in the province was completed for a stratified random sample of 246 outpatients identified as having ID, from both specialised and general programmes.


RESULTS
Individuals with ID in specialised programmes differed from patients with ID in general programmes with regard to demographics, diagnostic profile, symptom presentation and recommended level of care.


CONCLUSIONS
Further research is required to determine why individuals access some services over others and to evaluate whether specialised services are more appropriate for certain subgroups with ID than others.
Lunsky
Y
Y
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dual Diagnosis, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. yona_lunsky@camh.net
Gracey
C
C
Bradley
E
E
Koegl
C
C
Durbin
J
J
D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009864:Ontario; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors