Mortality among adults with intellectual disability in England: Comparisons with the general population

F.J. Hosking, I.M. Carey, S.M. Shah, T. Harris, S. DeWilde, C. Beighton and D.G. Cook

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 8, 1483-1490

Abstract: Objectives.To describe mortality among adults with intellectual disability in England in comparison with the general population. Methods. We conducted a cohort study from 2009 to 2013 using data from 343 general practices. Adults with intellectual disability (n = 16 666; 656 deaths) were compared with age-, gender-, and practice-matched controls (n = 113 562; 1358 deaths). Results. Adults with intellectual disability had higher mortality rates than controls (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.3, 3.9). This risk remained high after adjustment for comorbidity, smoking, and deprivation (HR = 3.1; 95%CI = 2.7, 3.4); it was even higher among adults with intellectual disability and Down syndrome or epilepsy. A total of 37.0% of all deaths among adults with intellectual disability were classified as being amenable to health care intervention, compared with 22.5% in the general population (HR = 5.9; 95% CI = 5.1, 6.8). Conclusions. Mortality among adults with intellectual disability is markedly elevated in comparison with the general population, with more than a third of deaths potentially amenable to health care interventions. This mortality disparity suggests the need to improve access to, and quality of, health care among people with intellectual disability. © 2013 American Public Health Association.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; autism; cause of death; comorbidity; Down syndrome; England; epidemiology; epilepsy; female; human; intellectual impairment; male; middle aged; mortality; premature mortality; retrospective study; risk factor; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Cause of Death; Comorbidity; Down Syndrome; England; Epilepsy; Female; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality, Premature; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303240_5

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303240

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