title: Systematic Reviews of the Health or Health care of People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review to Identify Gaps in the Evidence Base.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systematic reviews are important in evaluating evidence concerning the health of people with intellectual disabilities. This study conducts a systematic review to identify strengths and gaps in this evidence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic literature searches and email requests identified systematic reviews published in English from 2008 to 2013 on the health or health care of people with intellectual disabilities. Reviews were categorized using ICD-10 chapter headings and information extracted regarding methods, number of studies reviewed and findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-four reviews were identified: 52 related to ICD-10 Chapter V: Mental or behavioural disorders, 28 to Chapter XXI: Factors influencing health status and contact with services, and 14 related to other chapters or encompassed multiple chapters. Nine reviews were 'empty'. No reviews were found for many ICD-10 chapter headings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systematic reviews are heavily weighted towards mental health, with little coverage of several areas important to the health and mortality of people with intellectual disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Disability Research, Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Disability Research, Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hatton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Disability Research, Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
authors.forename: Susannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baines
authors.affiliation: Centre for Disability Research, Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.|Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Emerson
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006304:Health Status; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000534:rehabilitation*
keywords: health; intellectual disability; systematic review