As long ago as 1994 Emerson and Hatton produced a review of UK literature on the outcomes for people with learning disabilities leaving long stay institutions (Emerson E & Hatton C (1994); Moving Out: Relocation from Hospital to Community) which involved 2,350 service users. The findings of this review of international studies nearly twenty years [read the full story…]
We posted last week about the challenges faced by people with learning disabilities and diabetes. This New Zealand study looked at the additional challenges associated with self-management, which for people who do not have learning disabilities is encouraged. As the authors point out, this requires understanding of the disease and the implications of the actions [read the full story…]
The researchers in this UK study set out to look at empathy in sex offenders with learning disabilities, with a view to exploring the differences between this group and non offenders with learning disabilities. They used specific measures of the components of empathy. They compared the scores of 21 sex-offenders and 21 non-offenders with learning [read the full story…]
Short break services provided to families of children with learning disabilities and severely challenging behaviour are offered as a key element of support. Critical to the success however is the way in which the service can be provided to fit the individual needs of the young person with complex needs. The authors of this study [read the full story…]
Learning Disability Partnership Boards were established as a result of the Valuing People White Paper to work within the overall framework of local strategic partnerships to oversee inter-agency planning and service development. Crucial to the success of partnership boards was that the membership should be multi stakeholder, to include service users, carers, senior representatives from [read the full story…]
This update from the improving health and lives public health observatory updates previous work from 2008, where estimates of future need for services for people with learning disabilities were made. The current report estimates the need for adult social care support for people with learning disabilities in England for the period 2009-2026. The new model [read the full story…]
The researchers in this study were interested in the impact of training in supporting children with learning disabilities described as having challenging g behaviour. This training may be delivered to families and to teachers, but rarely at the same time. The authors were interested in the impact on outcomes if training were delivered to both [read the full story…]
There are a number of studies that have shown increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in people with learning disabilities. This qualitative study set out to consider the underweight status. The prevalence of underweight is also relatively high in people with learning disabilities, but as the authors state, it is not clear from the literature [read the full story…]
There has been a developing literature about the health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities, leading to a number of policy responses. This literature review focused specifically on inequalities experienced by children and young people up to the age of 18, looking to synthesize evidence on the prevalence and determinants of health conditions and [read the full story…]
There are a number of changes underway in the way services for people with epilepsy are organised and delivered, and this new guideline includes a number of recommendations on service provision, the use of newer antiepileptic drugs and guidance in specific areas such as pregnancy and contraception, learning disability, young people. The chapter on epilepsy [read the full story…]
