Background. Health disparities for children with intellectual disabilities (ID) occur at a cross-cultural level and within different health systems. Children with ID have shorter life expectancies than the general population, higher mortality rates before the age of 17 and have a greater risk of preventable hospitalisations. A health systems approach to research has been argued as the most optimal means through which research can inform policy and practice to ensure people with ID receive equitable healthcare, however, there is a paucity of evidence in this area. The focus and timing of this research is of importance given Ireland’s recent ratification of the UNCRPD, a plan to transition to universal healthcare and the work underway in building a National Children’s hospital and re-configuring paediatric services.
Aim. The overall aim of the research is to establish the extent of health access disparities for children with ID in Ireland compared to children without ID with respect to their utilisation of primary care and rates of hospitalisation and to gain a better understanding of what influences utilisation of primary care and ED services in this population. Research Design. The design of this research combines a mixed-methods and multi-level approach including statistical analysis of health data to determine the extent of health disparities in relation to healthcare utilisation, discrete choice experiments to explore GP decision making and parental preferences for optimal care, and concept mapping to develop consensus between stakeholders on how to address health inequalities.
Impact. The targeted beneficiaries of this research include children with ID and their families, health professionals and policy makers. The findings will contribute towards the development of a set of evidence-based policy recommendations to address health disparities for children with ID that will ensure equal access to appropriate healthcare for this group, as required by the UNCRPD.
