As a group, people with intellectual disability are most likely to have serious health problems and least likely to have them properly treated and diagnosed.
The issue will be at the forefront of a forum for families, carers and service providers at the UNE School of Rural Medicine on Thursday, March 15.
Seven speakers at the Healthier Lives in the New England Region Forum, organised by the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability, will address a range of issues to improve access, diagnosis and communications.
Dr Stuart Wark who works with The Ascent Group and the School of Rural Medicine said many of the health problems in the disability sector arose through socioeconomic factors, discrimination and ignorance.
People with disability are more likely to be obese, have mobility problems, suffer musculoskeletal decline and, because many do not have regular health checks, their physical and health disorders are often left undiagnosed.
The 300,000 people in Australia with intellectual disability see doctors and are admitted to hospital at twice the rate of general community; 50 per cent take prescription drugs daily, over 30 per cent also have epilepsy, they are 20 times as likely to experience blindness and have 12 times the rate of deafness, ten per cent have a psychiatric disorder and dental disease is very common with 86 per cent experiencing problems with teeth or gums.
The Ascent Group (TAG) CEO Kevin Mead said the statistics were alarming but were now being managed more successfully at a local level.
TAG had successfully applied for a Reframing the Future Community of Practice Project in 2004 to work with the GPs through the New England Division of General Practice, service providers and direct care staff to improve communication between doctors and patients and encourage regular dental and mental health check ups.
“Professionals often assume symptoms are a part of the intellectual disability,” Mr Mead said.
“We have now developed check lists for GPs and questionnaires for staff or carers to fill in prior to visiting their doctor.
“We are trying to improve support for families and carers and provide them with the information they need, as well as communicating their needs to health providers. That is what this forum is all about and I would urge as many families and carers as possible to attend.”
Bookings for the Forum phone 1800 424 065.
