Citation

Finlayson J, Jackson A, Mantry D, Morrison J, Cooper SA. J. Intellect. Disabil. Res. 2014; 59(6): 519-529.

Affiliation

Institute of Applied Health Research, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jir.12154

PMID

25073902

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) experience a higher incidence of injury, compared with the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate the provision of aids and adaptations, residential service providers' individual risk assessments and training in these, and injury incident recording and reporting procedures, in relation to injury prevention.

METHOD: Interviews were conducted with a community-based cohort of adults with IDs (n = 511) who live in Greater Glasgow, Scotland, UK and their key carer (n = 446). They were asked about their aids and adaptations at home, and paid carers (n = 228) were asked about individual risk assessments, their training, and incident recording and reporting procedures.

RESULTS: Four hundred and twelve (80.6%) of the adults with IDs had at least one aid or adaptation at home to help prevent injury. However, a proportion who might benefit, were not in receipt of them, and surprisingly few had temperature controlled hot water or a bath thermometer in place to help prevent burns/scalds, or kitchen safety equipment to prevent burns/scalds from electric kettles or irons. Fifty-four (23.7%) of the paid carers were not aware of the adult they supported having had any risk assessments, and only 142 (57.9%) had received any training on risk assessments. Considerable variation in incident recording and reporting procedures was evident.

CONCLUSION: More work is needed to better understand, and more fully incorporate, best practice injury prevention measures into routine support planning for adults with IDs within a positive risk-taking and risk reduction framework.

Language: en