Awareness and accessibility of the Dutch mental health care system for people with borderline intellectual functioning or mild intellectual disabilities
| Published date | 02 July 2018 |
| Date | 02 July 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-03-2018-0014 |
| Pages | 114-120 |
| Author | Jannelien Wieland,Mascha ten Doesschate |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities |
Awareness and accessibility of the Dutch
mental health care system for people with
borderline intellectual functioning or mild
intellectual disabilities
Jannelien Wieland and Mascha ten Doesschate
Abstract
Purpose –In The Netherlands, curative mental health care and supportive care for people with an intellectual
disability (ID) are organised in separate domains. Prevalence of mental health problems is known to be high
among people with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) or mild intellectual disabilities ( MID). By contrast,
according to recent findings, prevalence of BIF and MID is high among patients in mental health care
(17.5–58 per cent). In The Netherlands, a new quality standard of care (QSOC) on mental health care for
people with BIF or MID is developed. It is designed to supplement existing guidelines on mental health care so
that they can be used appropriately in people with BIF or MID and meant for use in both mental health care
organisations (MHCO) as in organisations for ID care. To a large extent, the QSOC should describe the
existing practice. This paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach –To assess the existing practice in current mental health care for people
with BIF or MID in The Netherlands, the authors examined the views and accessibility of MHCOon the mental
health care for patients with and IQo85. In addition, the authors reviewed published criteria for in- and
exclusion of all 39 top clinical mental health care departments for criteria on BIF or (mild) ID.
Findings –The authors foundthere is a clear awareness of the high prevalenceof BIF and MID among large
Dutch MHCO. Dutch MHCO estimate the prevalence of BIF and MID among their patients to be around
30 per cent. Nonetheless, most MCHO surveyed (76 per cent) indicated they do not routinely estimate or
measure IQ amongtheir patients and 53 per cent of MHCOindicated not having knowledgeand expertise on
the dualdiagnoses of mental healthproblems and BIF or MID. Fittingin with the new QSOC most of theMHCO
(59 per cent) agreedon the statement in the survey that professionalsshould be able to treat patients with BIF
or ID and all but one of the MHCOstated to have some form of collaboration with an institute for IDcare.
Originality/value –The authors concluded there is a clear awareness of the high prevalence of BIF and MID
among large Dutch MHCO. The new QSOC on mental health care for people with BIF or MID can help
improve accessibility and quality of mental health care for these patients.
Keywords Awareness, Accessibility, Borderline intellectual functioning, Mental health care,
Mental health disorders, Mild intellectual disability
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The Netherlands, the sixth-largest economy in the European Union, is a small country with about
17m inhabitants. An estimated 2.3m people have an intelligence quotient (IQ) between 70 and
85, i.e., borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) (Woittiez et al., 2014). About 142,000 people are
estimated to have an intellectual disability (ID), i.e., an IQ below 70 and significant impairments in
adaptive functioning, according to the classical definition. About 61 per cent (1.4m people) of
people with BIF, however, also experience serious limitations in adaptive functioning (Knorth and
Ruijssenaars, 2005; Neijmeijer et al., 2010; Stoll et al., 2003). In The Netherlands, these people
with BIF and additional limitations in adaptive functioning are often grouped together with people
Received 26 March 2018
Revised 12 July 2018
Accepted 2 August 2018
Jannelien Wieland is based
at Cordaan, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands; and at Poli+,
Leiden, The Netherlands.
Mascha ten Doesschate is
based at Friesland,
The Netherlands.
PAGE114
j
ADVANCESIN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
VOL. 12 NO. 3/4 2018, pp.114-120, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282 DOI 10.1108/AMHID-03-2018-0014
To continue reading
Request your trial