Improving healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities: the development of an evidence-based teaching programme
| Pages | 333-341 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-07-2016-0009 |
| Date | 07 November 2016 |
| Published date | 07 November 2016 |
| Author | Lance Vincent Watkins,Robert Colgate |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities |
Improving healthcare for
people with intellectual disabilities:
the development of an evidence-based
teaching programme
Lance Vincent Watkins and Robert Colgate
Lance Vincent Watkins is a
Specialist Registrar (ST6) at
Psychiatry of Learning
Disability, Wales Deanery,
Cardiff, UK.
Robert Colgate is a Consultant
Psychiatrist at the Abertawe
Bro Morgannwg University
Health Board, Bridgend, UK.
Abstract
Purpose –To develop and implement an educational programme to improve medical students’attitudes
towards intellectual disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to improve the healthcare outcomes for
individuals with intellectual disability.
Design/methodology/approach –The development of an educational programme involving actorswith an
intellectual disability as simulated patients. Scenarios were developed involving basic healthcare interactions.
The programmewas piloted in three sessionswith 45 students. A qualitativeanalysis of student feedbackwas
then used to developa student attitude questionnaire for completion pre- and post-educational intervention.
Findings –The student attitude questionnaire was completed by 23 different medical students. Two
domains were analysed: affect and understanding domain scores, mean difference (95% CI) 3.17(2.41-3.94)
po0.001, knowledge and skills domain scores, mean difference (95% CI) 4.22(3.3-5.14) po0.001.
Social implications –Studentfeedback reveals significantpositive changes in affectand understanding, and
an improvementin knowledge and skill levelswhen interacting with peoplewith an intellectual disabilityfollowing
the educational intervention. Some major institutions nowoffer comprehensive programmes involving people
with intellectualdisabilities as tutors, and in the roleof simulated patients. However, moreneeds to be done to
encourage the increased participation and good practice forall of tomorrow’s doctors to benefit.
Originality/value –Following the publication of recent enquiries into the deaths of people with intellectual
disabilities. We know that many of these deaths are premature and potentially preventable. The main failing
identified repeatedly is that healthcare staff lack of awareness of the needs of people with intellectual
disabilities. This emanates from poor quality and limited curricula time dedicated to intellectual disabilities.
There is a need to drastically change the approach to teaching about intellectual disabilities to medical
students. All the evidence promotes the involvement of people with intellectualdisabilities and their careers in
designing and delivering this teaching.
Keywords Student, Disability, Education, Healthcare, Simulated, Intellectual
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
In England and Wales people with intellectual disabilities are much more likely than the general
population to have major health problems (Disability Rights Commission, 2006). A seminal study
conducted by Hollins et al. in London identified that individuals with an intellectual disability are
58 times more likely to die before the age of 50 than the general population (Hollins et al., 1998).
This is partly due to the fact that conditions associated with intellectual disability increase the risk
Received 6 July 2016
Revised 19 October 2016
Accepted 20 October 2016
DOI 10.1108/AMHID-07-2016-0009 VOL. 10 NO. 6 2016, pp.333-341, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282
j
ADVANCESIN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
PAGE333
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