title: Contact with primary care: the experience of people with intellectual disabilities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  People with intellectual disabilities experience disparities in their health and health care. Annual health checks are intended to counter such disparity by improving access to primary health care. However, little is known about their experience of having a health check or other types of contact with primary care services.
  
  
  METHODS
  The findings of two studies which used focus groups were combined. 102 people with intellectual disabilities participated in the focus groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' experiences of primary care services generally, and health checks in particular, were positive. However, unanimity was rare on any of the topics discussed and a number of areas of dissatisfaction emerged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further studies with larger and more representative samples are necessary as feedback from people with intellectual disabilities about their experience of contact with primary care staff might help to enhance GP knowledge about their health requirements.
authors.affiliation: Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Felce
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bartley
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Felce
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D017144:Focus Groups; D058006:General Practice / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014852:Wales
keywords: GPs; health; health checks; intellectual disabilities; primary care; user views