title: Identifying Children with Intellectual Disabilities in the Tribal Population of Barwani District in State of Madhya Pradesh, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low-and middle-income countries (LAMI) lack an integrated and systematic approach to identify people with intellectual disabilities. Screening surveys are considered resource-intensive; therefore, alternative approaches are needed. This study attempted to identify children up to age 18 years with intellectual disabilities through a mixed-method approach involving focus group interviews (FGIs) and door-to-door surveys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus groups were conducted with the assistance and involvement of local leaders in four villages of Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh with a 99% tribal population in all four villages. A formal survey of the community was then conducted to determine the prevalence of intellectual disabilities based on a standardized screening instrument (NIMH-DDS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty focus group interviews were conducted involving 387 participants (males 284, females 103) over a period of 13 days. The entire adult population (N = 8797) was then surveyed for intellectual disabilities using a standardized screening instrument. The data revealed a close similarity in the prevalence rates of intellectual disabilities, as determined by the two approaches (Focus Group Interviews, 5.22/1000 versus Survey, 5.57/1000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A qualitative method using FGIs successfully identified people with intellectual disabilities in an economically deprived tribal area, showing that a community-based approach provides a close estimate of intellectual disabilities based on a formal survey using standard diagnostic criteria. These data suggest that FGI, along with other qualitative data, could be helpful in designing and in serving as an entree for community-based interventions.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, College of Public Service, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Ram
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5267-5195
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lakhan
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, College of Public Service, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mawson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population
keywords: community-based rehabilitation; intellectual disabilities; low-and middle-income countries; mixed-method research; prevalence