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Better access to primary healthcare for adults with learning disabilities: evaluation of a group programme to improve knowledge and skills
Author(s) -
Webb Jenny,
Stanton Melanie
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
british journal of learning disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 1354-4187
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.2008.00527.x
Subject(s) - learning disability , health care , set (abstract data type) , psychology , medical education , nursing , population , medicine , psychiatry , environmental health , computer science , economics , programming language , economic growth
Accessible summary• Many people with learning disability have poor health, compared with other people. • Each person taking part in this study told their health story and set themselves health targets. • Some of the things they learnt were: what to do when they are in pain; how to make appointments with the doctor; and how to make their needs clear when they are in the doctor’s surgery. • This research is important in helping people feel more confident when they visit their doctor, and in making it more likely that they are able to stay healthy.Summary• The health of people with learning disabilities is poor when compared with the general population but this difference is not reflected in higher rates of access to primary healthcare. • This paper will report on a study undertaken to run and evaluate a 12‐week programme to enable people with learning disabilities to better access primary healthcare. • The importance of this research lies in the successful outcomes achieved, and in the distinctive properties of the programme, which used practice‐based groups, and focussed on the development of health skills as well as health knowledge.