Access to lifestyle counselling for persons with intellectual disability

Healthcare is not equal for persons with intellectual disabilities. Access to care is poorer, and there is less focus on health promotion initiatives for this group, despite the fact that the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle habits is higher compared to the general population. As a result, persons with intellectual disabilities experience higher rates of illness and premature death. One contributing factor is that healthcare services often lack knowledge and appropriate tools for assessing this target group.
Screening of lifestyle habits is a prerequisite for lifestyle counselling. However, the questionnaire included in the national clinical programme, which healthcare professionals are trained to use, is not adapted for persons with intellectual disabilities. Alternative questionnaires exist, but these are not aligned with the national programme and are not designed for persons with intellectual disabilities to complete independently — which is essential for achieving person-centred care.
The aim of this project is therefore to adapt the national programme’s questionnaire using information and communication technology, so that it can be completed independently by persons with intellectual disabilities. In 2023, a prototype was developed by a computer science student on behalf of the project lead. To continue developing this prototype, further knowledge is needed, both on how to adapt the tool itself and on other factors that affect the counselling situation.
Study 1 aims to explore existing knowledge in the field through a literature review.
Study 2 focuses on how persons with intellectual disabilities experience lifestyle counselling.
Study 3 will investigate what is needed to better include persons with intellectual disabilities in lifestyle counselling, from the perspectives of experts in the field.
Study 4 will describe and evaluate the usability of the adapted lifestyle habits questionnaire.