People with learning disabilities participate in cancer screening) at lower rates than people without learning disabilities. The reasons for these disparities are somewhat unclear, although in the United Kingdom (UK), community-based learning disabilities nurses are a key professional group who may help facilitate screening. Our aim was to understand how learning disabilities nurses facilitate cancer screening among their patients with learning disabilities. We interviewed 11 nurses, finding that while there are some characteristics that are unique to each screening modality, there are many similarities in accessing screening. Nurses described supporting their patients by making reasonable adjustments. These adjustments include providing easy-read information, allowing for advance appointments and providing training for people with learning disabilities, their carers, and health professionals involved in the screening. By understanding how nurses may support patients, future interventions can be implemented to increase the numbers of people with learning disabilities accessing screening and reduce this screening disparity.
People with intellectual disabilities are living longer, leading to an increased prevalence of chronic conditions and more complex health issues. Recognising and addressing the unique care needs of this group is therefore critical to improving health outcomes. This review aims toSynthesise evidence on the care needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities and chronic illnesses. A comprehensive search of databases, including CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, and MEDLINE, along with grey literature. Data were managed using Covidence and synthesised using a thematic synthesis approach. The search yielded 1,943 papers, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria. Three main themes emerged, and these themes emphasise the significance of staff expertise, collaborative care, self-management strategies, social support, and emotional well-being. In conclusion,Inclusive, multidisciplinary care approaches are essential, with key recommendations including greater family involvement, peer support networks and integrated care through joint clinics that address both the physical and emotional aspects of chronic illness.
Societies are digitalizing services with a rapid speed. As a result, people, such as adults with disabilities, are at risk of being excluded if they lack appropriate digital skills and have few possibilities to get support in learning these skills. Peer tutoring is seen as an effective way to learn these skills according to research done on peer tutoring with older adults and immigrants, but there remains a gap in research with adults with intellectual disabilities and their preferences for digital skills learning. This article focuses on the experiences of Finnish adults with intellectual disabilities in digital skills peer tutoring courses they attended. The data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews via Teams with ten participants. The results indicate that digital skills training activities supported the peer-tutor trainees' learning, their skills to support others with technology use, and their social inclusion in Finland's digitalized society.
This case highlights the healthcare inequities faced by people with intellectual disability, including diagnostic overshadowing, communication barriers, and the need for personalised, meaningful adjustments in care. A woman in her fifties with mild intellectual disability, epilepsy, and diabetes insipidus experienced delayed diagnosis and treatment because healthcare providers assumed she could not tolerate magnetic resonance imaging; however, when the scan was eventually completed with supported communication, it revealed a serious brain tumour with metastases. The case shows that diagnostic overshadowing can arise not only from misattributing symptoms, but also from untested assumptions about a patient's ability to engage with diagnostic procedures. It also underscores the importance of involving patients and families directly in healthcare decisions to support autonomy and prevent avoidable harm. Addressing these systemic issues is essential to deliver equitable, patient-centred care in acute hospital settings.
