Alisha Raiford-Hall and Tom Kelly of Delaware’s Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS) have been hard at work. Thanks to a grant from the CDC in 2005, the division has been able to start incorporating the needs of Delawareans with disabilities into its overall Healthy People 2010 programs. As part of that effort, the Healthy Delawareans with […]
We examined the contribution of socioeconomic position to the health and mental health status of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities in a sample of 10,438 British children. Intellectual disability was a significant risk factor for poorer general health, OR = 4.5, emotional disorders, OR = 2.0, and conduct disorders, OR = 7.7. Between-group differences […]
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were: (1) to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children and adolescents with mobility impairments due to spinal cord injury (SCI) and spina bifida (SB) to the HRQOL of children and adolescent controls without mobility impairments (CTRL); and (2) to examine the impact of of obesity on […]
OBJECTIVE: There is a high prevalence of smoking and physical inactivity among individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). The current study assessed the acceptability of introducing physical activity, including perceived advantages and disadvantages, as an adjunct to a smoking cessation service within this population. METHODS: 109 participants with SMI who were receiving smoking cessation treatment […]
In-home toxic chemical exposures and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Graff JC, Murphy L, Ekvall S, Gagnon M. Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities, College of Nursing, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA. Pediatr Nurs. 2006 Nov-Dec;32(6):596-603. Despite the focus on preventing toxic chemical exposures during pregnancy, the perinatal period, and childhood, health […]
Dental caries is an infectious yet preventable disease that is rampant in some subpopulations in the United States, in particular among individuals with neurodevelopmental/intellectual disabilities (ND/ID). This article reports on the implementation and evaluation of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) School of Dentistry interprofessional school health educational model to improve oral health […]
BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking and lifestyle factors underlying overweight/obesity (such as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity) appear to play a major role in the excess medical morbidity and mortality among persons with serious mental illnesses. The literature on the prevalence, etiology, prevention, and treatment of these two risk factors, in the context of serious mental illnesses, […]
BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking and lifestyle factors underlying overweight/obesity (such as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity) appear to play a major role in the excess medical morbidity and mortality among persons with serious mental illnesses. The literature on the prevalence, etiology, prevention, and treatment of these two risk factors, in the context of serious mental illnesses, […]
Persons with serious mental illness (SMI) are faced with substantial challenges to their health. This population is two to three times more likely to smoke cigarettes than persons who do not suffer from mental illness. In particular, young adults are at high risk for vulnerability to both SMI and cigarette smoking. Although there are proven […]
In 2004, The Commission on Dental Accreditation adopted new standards for dental and dental hygiene education programs to ensure the preparation of practitioners to provide oral health services for persons with special health care needs. The course of action leading to the adoption of the new standards, together with the continuing obstacles of limited government […]