Evangelia Petropoulou1, Janet Finlayson1, Margaret Hay2, Wendy Spencer3, Richard Park4, Hugh Tannock5, Erin Galbraith3, Jon Godwin1, Dawn A Skelton6. 1. School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK. 2. Learning Disability Services, Community Integrated Care, Widnes, UK. 3. Learning Disability Services, Turning Point Scotland, Glasgow, UK. 4. Health and Safety Management, Crossreach, Edinburgh, UK. 5. Health and Safety Management, Turning Point Scotland, Glasgow, UK. 6. Institute of Applied Health Research, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Providers of supported living services to adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in the United Kingdom have procedures in place to monitor injuries; this provides opportunity to learn about the injuries being reported and recorded. The aim was to determine the incidence, causes and types of injuries experienced by 593 adults with intellectual disabilities who live with paid support in a 12-month period. METHOD: Injury data, collected via a standard electronic injury monitoring system, were compared with data collected for a matched sample of the general population in the same year. RESULTS: The adults with intellectual disabilities experienced a higher rate of injury. Falls were the commonest cause of injury for both samples, but significantly more so for the adults with intellectual disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: The higher rate of injuries, particularly minor injuries, being reported suggests a culture of injury reporting and recording within these supported living services. Electronic injury monitoring is recommended for organizations providing supported living services for adults with intellectual disabilities.
BACKGROUND: Providers of supported living services to adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in the United Kingdom have procedures in place to monitor injuries; this provides opportunity to learn about the injuries being reported and recorded. The aim was to determine the incidence, causes and types of injuries experienced by 593 adults with intellectual disabilities who live with paid support in a 12-month period. METHOD: Injury data, collected via a standard electronic injury monitoring system, were compared with data collected for a matched sample of the general population in the same year. RESULTS: The adults with intellectual disabilities experienced a higher rate of injury. Falls were the commonest cause of injury for both samples, but significantly more so for the adults with intellectual disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: The higher rate of injuries, particularly minor injuries, being reported suggests a culture of injury reporting and recording within these supported living services. Electronic injury monitoring is recommended for organizations providing supported living services for adults with intellectual disabilities.