Luis Salvador-Carulla1, Rafael Martínez-Leal2, Carla Heyler3, Javier Alvarez-Galvez4, Marja Y Veenstra5, Jose García-Ibáñez2, Sylvia Carpenter6, Marco Bertelli7, Kerim Munir8, Jennifer Torr9, Henny M J Van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk10. 1. Centre for Disability Research and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia. 2. Intellectual Disability and Developmental Disorders Research Unit (UNIVIDD), Fundació Villablanca, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, CIBERSAM, Reus, Spain. 3. Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 4. Department of Social Policy, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain. 5. Organisation for Patient Involvement and Active Citizenship, Sittard, The Netherlands. 6. Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. 7. Centro di Ricerca ed Evoluzione AMG (CREA), Firenze, Italy. 8. Developmental Medicine Center, The Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 9. Centre for Developmental Health Victoria, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. 10. Department for Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Intellectual disability (ID) has consequences at all stages of life, requires high service provision and leads to high health and societal costs. However, ID is largely disregarded as a health issue by national and international organisations, as are training in ID and in the health aspects of ID at every level of the education system. SPECIFIC AIM: This paper aims to (1) update the current information about availability of training and education in ID and related health issues in Europe with a particular focus in mental health; and (2) to identify opportunities arising from the initial process of educational harmonization in Europe to include ID contents in health sciences curricula and professional training. METHOD: We carried out a systematic search of scientific databases and websites, as well as policy and research reports from the European Commission, European Council and WHO. Furthermore, we contacted key international organisations related to health education and/or ID in Europe, as well as other regional institutions. RESULTS: ID modules and contents are minimal in the revised health sciences curricula and publications on ID training in Europe are equally scarce. European countries report few undergraduate and graduate training modules in ID, even in key specialties such as paediatrics. Within the health sector, ID programmes focus mainly on psychiatry and psychology. CONCLUSION: The poor availability of ID training in health sciences is a matter of concern. However, the current European policy on training provides an opportunity to promote ID in the curricula of programmes at all levels. This strategy should address all professionals working in ID and it should increase the focus on ID relative to other developmental disorders at all stages of life.
BACKGROUND: Intellectual disability (ID) has consequences at all stages of life, requires high service provision and leads to high health and societal costs. However, ID is largely disregarded as a health issue by national and international organisations, as are training in ID and in the health aspects of ID at every level of the education system. SPECIFIC AIM: This paper aims to (1) update the current information about availability of training and education in ID and related health issues in Europe with a particular focus in mental health; and (2) to identify opportunities arising from the initial process of educational harmonization in Europe to include ID contents in health sciences curricula and professional training. METHOD: We carried out a systematic search of scientific databases and websites, as well as policy and research reports from the European Commission, European Council and WHO. Furthermore, we contacted key international organisations related to health education and/or ID in Europe, as well as other regional institutions. RESULTS: ID modules and contents are minimal in the revised health sciences curricula and publications on ID training in Europe are equally scarce. European countries report few undergraduate and graduate training modules in ID, even in key specialties such as paediatrics. Within the health sector, ID programmes focus mainly on psychiatry and psychology. CONCLUSION: The poor availability of ID training in health sciences is a matter of concern. However, the current European policy on training provides an opportunity to promote ID in the curricula of programmes at all levels. This strategy should address all professionals working in ID and it should increase the focus on ID relative to other developmental disorders at all stages of life.
Entities:
Keywords:
Europe; health education; health training; intellectual disability; mental health
Authors: G Holt; H Costello; N Bouras; S Diareme; J Hillery; S Moss; C Rodriguez-Blazquez; L Salvador; J Tsiantis; G Weber; C Dimitrakaki Journal: J Intellect Disabil Res Date: 2000-12
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