Individuals with an intellectual disability (ID) experience significant health challenges, as well as being challenged in their communication with health care professionals. To improve health for this group national agreements between the General Practitioners' Organization and the Danish Regional governments implemented health checks for people with ID in 2022 and connected specific GPs to assisted living facilities in 2025. However, mistrust of the health care system, communicative difficulties, and a lack of training of health care professionals in clinical encounters with this population constitute obstacles to medical care. Recognition of and respecting patients’ perspectives and attitudes in relation to health in the clinical encounter is crucial for trust in the patient-doctor relationship, patient satisfaction as well as improved outcomes of chronic illness. To strengthen medical care aimed at people with ID it is key to obtain in-depth understanding of the participant’s everyday lives and perceptions of health needs and worries, as well as the social situation of clinical encounters with this group of people.
Purpose
This project aims to provide knowledge on how individuals with ID perceive and practice health and risk of illness, and on how to involve their health-related challenges and needs in clinical encounters with the GP. In this way the project aims to decrease health inequalities for this vulnerable group. To this end, we will conduct longitudinal fieldwork, following 10 people with ID who all live in assisted living facilities. We will also observe the participants’ observations with their general practitioner and conduct interviews with general practitioners on their experiences with clinical encounters with patients with ID.
Method
Qualitative and ethnographic methods, including longitudinal fieldwork, observations and interviews.
Project period
15.08.2025-15.08.2028
Funding
Independent Research Fund Denmark