Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions in Persons with an Intellectual Disability - Development of a Consensus.

OUTPATIENT medical care; CONSTIPATION; DELPHI method; EPILEPSY; GASTROESOPHAGEAL reflux; INTELLECTUAL disabilities; PRIMARY health care; SCHIZOPHRENIA; SURVEYS

There is evidence that the primary care provided for persons with an intellectual disability living in the community has been inadequate. Hospitalization rates for ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) conditions are considered an indicator for access to, and quality of, primary care. The objective of this research was to identify ACS conditions that are applicable to persons with an intellectual disability. We developed and distributed a survey questionnaire using a modified Delphi process. The participants were clinicians with experience working with people with an intellectual disability. All eleven conditions that were considered ACS for the general population met the three primary inclusion criteria. Study participants suggested five other conditions of which four met the primary criteria: constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, epilepsy, and schizophrenic disorders. There is a very high degree of agreement as to what constitutes an ACS condition for persons with an intellectual disability. The final list has the potential to be used with other populations with cognitive disabilities and outside of Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)