Background: Widespread, and sometimes inappropriate use of psychotropics in adults with intellectual disability has been an international concern. These medicines have been used to treat mental health conditions, but also controversially behaviours in the absence of a diagnosis. Results from the IDS-TILDA study of older adults with intellectual disability in Ireland revealed that 60% were taking psychotropics in 2010. In the past ten years changes in regulation, policy and decongregation for people with intellectual disability has taken place.The HSE National Clinical Programme for People with Disability (NCPDD) was established in 2020 and has medicines optimisation as a key priority. Existing multi-wave data from the IDS-TILDA study and the HSE national prescribing database offers an opportunity for the Medicines Optimisation Group in IDS-TILDA, the Faculty of Learning Disability in the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, the HSE NCPDD, and patient stakeholders to better understand psychotropic medicine use.
Aim: To examine the quality and trends of psychotropic use of older adults with intellectual disability over a ten-year period in Ireland to inform practice and policy and to optimise medicines use and health outcomes.
Methods: The study will use health and medication data from ten years (four waves) of the IDS-TILDA study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of adults with intellectual disability over 40 years of age, and medicines data from the HSE-PSCR prescribing database. Descriptive and longitudinal analysis will examine the impact of long-term psychotropic use, changes in trends of use, and the impact of decongregation on medicines use.
Outcomes: Data generated will inform the development of national guidance on medicines optimisation for older people with intellectual disability. Engagement of adults with intellectual disability and knowledge users in the oversight, task group and dissemination of findings has the potential to optimise medicines use, change prescribing practices and improve health and wellbeing.
