scholarly journals Prevalence, types and associations of medically unexplained symptoms and signs. A cross-sectional study of 1023 adults with intellectual disabilities

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (7) ◽  
pp. 637-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Osugo ◽  
J. Morrison ◽  
L. Allan ◽  
D. Kinnear ◽  
S.-A. Cooper
Author(s):  
Ruth Cabeza-Ruiz

For the assessment of the health-related physical fitness (PF) of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), tools designed for people without disabilities have generally been used. Also, the results of these assessments have routinely been compared with the scores obtained by people without ID. The objectives of the present study are to present the rationale for the design of an assessment battery for PF, the so-called SAMU DIS-FIT battery, and to present the results obtained by the participants classified according to age, sex, and level of PF (physical fitness). The selection criteria for the tests that would make up the battery were: (i) utility, (ii) psychometric properties, (iii) easiness and diversity, (iv) simplicity of execution, (v) familiarity and motivation, and (vi) economy of resources. A cross-sectional study was designed to assess the PF of 261 individuals with ID. To interpret the results obtained by the participants, each of the quantitative variables of PF was categorized into three levels: lower-fit, mid-fit, and higher-fit. The findings of this study serve as a first step in establishing PF baseline values for individuals with ID.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (07) ◽  
pp. 1042-1050
Author(s):  
Ali Raza ◽  
Hajira Zainab

Background: Medically unexplained physical symptoms or somatization accounts for about half of the OPD visits in primary care setup. These are unclear symptoms and cannot be explained by medical or neurologic conditions. They are associated with significant stigma and over burden utilization of medical services, and results in frustration both for clinician and for the patient. The study is aimed to determine the prevalence of somatization and its association with anxiety and depression among women at Nahaqi - Charsadda and also to find out the medically unexplained symptoms among women at Nahaqi. Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study. Setting: Village Nahaqi at Nahaqi Emergency Satellite Hospital (NESH) Charsadda – KPK, Pakistan. Period: September 2016 to March, 2017. Methodology: 100 females were included in this study after informed consent. American Psychiatric Association, Level 1 Cross-cutting Symptom Measure and Level 2 – Somatic Symptoms Adult Measure containing 23 and 15 questions respectively were used. Data were collected through interviews; entered and analyzed in SPSS. The study was conducted from September 2016 to March 2017. Results: 100 out of 120 women in the age range of 15 to 65 years, mean age 37.09 ± 12.08 years responded with response rate of 83.3%. Majority were illiterate (79 %), married (81 %) women. 86 % women reported unexplained body aches and pains. The prevalence of anxiety and depression among women at Nahaqi was 50 and 57 % respectively and all items were highly significant (P < 0.000) with somatic score categories (Minimal, Low, Medium, High). The prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms was found out to be 84 %, which includes all high and medium score cases. 59 women had 5 or more mild to moderate somatic complaints, while 49 reported 5 or more severe complaints. The most frequent complaints were aches and pains (headache, backache and musculo-skeletal aches and pains) followed by lack of energy, general asthenia. Conclusion: Nearly every second women was noted to have unexplained aches and pains, which shows that somatization is a frequent complaint in primary health settings. Majority cases were milder, however, patients showing severe impairment or more complaints they need particular attention. Although MUS result in extra stress on health services utilization in women visiting a rural health facility – Nahaqi; those with serious impairment shall be referred for psychiatric evaluation. A comprehensive medical, psycho-social model that involves community shall be formulated to address this issue.


Author(s):  
Amal Saki-Malehi ◽  
Gholamreza Seddiq-rad ◽  
Abdoulaziz Sayyahi ◽  
Fakhri Mousavi-Far ◽  
Mohammad Veysi ◽  
...  

AbstractA disability is a set of physical or mental disorders that personally or socially prohibit a person from having a normal and independent life. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of visual and hearing impairment in adults with intellectual disabilities in southwestern Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on people with disabilities in all rehabilitation centers of the Khuzestan state welfare organization in southwestern Iran from 1st January 2015 to 20th March 2016. The questionnaire was designed using the International Classification of Diseases-10 based criteria of intellectual disabilities diagnosis, in which it is referred to as a significantly sub-average intellectual functioning, slow development during the developmental period and a deficit in adaptive behavior. The questionnaire was field tested and validated before use. Visual and hearing impairment was defined based on the International Association for the Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSID) international consensus statement. Two hundred cases were diagnosed to have either intellectual disabilities or visual and hearing impairment. Diagnoses of intellectual disabilities, visual and hearing impairment had been confirmed in the present screening in 79 (39.5%), 38 (19%) and 83 (41.5%) subjects, respectively. Considering the overall population of people with disabilities that refer to all rehabilitation centers of the Khuzestan state welfare organization (n=22483), the prevalence of intellectual disabilities, visual and hearing impairment in the present screening was 0.35, 0.27, and 0.37, respectively. Consanguineous marriage and history of consanguinity were the leading causes of intellectual disabilities, visual and hearing impairments in the southwestern region of Iran, most of which are avoidable. Design for the prevention of these disabilities is most recommended to decrease the proportion of avoidable disorders.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e018292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Kinnear ◽  
Jill Morrison ◽  
Linda Allan ◽  
Angela Henderson ◽  
Elita Smiley ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo investigate the prevalence of multimorbidity in adults with intellectual disabilities with and without Down syndrome.DesignLarge, population-based cross-sectional study.SettingThe geographical area of one Health Board, Scotland.ParticipantsAll adults (aged 16+ years) known to general practitioners to have intellectual disabilities and adults receiving services provided or paid by intellectual disabilities health or social work services. 1023/1562 potential participants took part (65.5%); 562 (54.9%) men and 461 (45.1%) women, aged 43.9 years (16–83 years). 186 had Down syndrome and 837 did not.Main outcome measuresThe prevalence of International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, physical health conditions and multimorbidity detected at a comprehensive health assessment.ResultsThe mean number of physical health conditions/participant was 11.04, and 98.7% had multimorbidity. The most prevalent conditions are painful and/or disabling and, in some cases, life threatening. The five most prevalent were visual impairment, obesity, epilepsy, constipation and ataxic/gait disorders. The pattern of multimorbidity differs from that seen in the general population and is spread across the entire adult life course. The extent of multimorbidity in the adults with Down syndrome was similar to that of the adults without Down syndrome, while the prevalence of individual conditions differed.ConclusionsThis robustly designed study with a large population found an extremely high prevalence of multimorbidity in adults with intellectual disabilities across the entire adult life course. This increases complexity of medical management that secondary healthcare services and medical education are not yet geared towards, as these tend to focus on single conditions. This is in addition to complexity due to limitations in communication and understanding. As the physical conditions within their multimorbidity also differ from that seen in the older general population, urgent attention is needed to develop the care pathways and guidelines that are required to inform and so improve their healthcare.


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