Illness in people with intellectual disabilities

doi:10.1136/bmj.39490.543137.80

BMJ 2008;336:570-571 (15 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39490.543137.80

Editorials

Illness in people with intellectual disabilities

Is common, underdiagnosed, and poorly managed

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

This week a report published report by the Joint Committee onHuman Rights highlights the widespread denial of fundamentalhuman rights to people with intellectual disabilities by mainstreampublic services.¹ One reason why people with intellectual disabilitiesreceive suboptimal care is diagnostic overshadowing, wherebya presenting symptom of mental illness or physical illness isincorrectly attributed to the person’s intellectual disability.²Although people with intellectual disability have a higher prevalenceof mental illness than people with a normal IQ,³ medical professionalsare less likely to diagnose psychiatric problems in this group.²People with intellectual disability are also more likely tohave chronic disorders such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, andgenetic syndromes.⁴ ⁵ However, their health needs are oftenunmet.⁵

Two recent reports by the Disability Rights Commission and MENCAPhave highlighted the importance of diagnostic overshadowingin people with intellectual disability in England and Wales.⁶⁷ They highlight the widespread inequalities encountered . . . [Full text of this article]

Afia Ali, specialist registrar in psychiatry of intellectual disability¹, Angela Hassiotis, senior lecturer in intellectual disability²

¹ Hackney Learning Disability Service, St Leonard’s, London N1 5LZ, ² Department of Mental Health Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University College Medical School, London W1W 7EY

Afia.Ali@hackney.gov.uk

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