1. Changes over Time in the Management of Long-Term Conditions in Primary Health Care for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities, and the Healthcare Inequality Gap
- Author
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Hughes-McCormack, Laura, Greenlaw, Nicola, McSkimming, Paula, McCowan, Colin, Ross, Kevin, Allan, Linda, Henderson, Angela, Melville, Craig, Morrison, Jill, and Cooper, Sally-Ann
- Abstract
Background: Quality of primary healthcare impacts on health outcomes. This study aimed to quantify trends in good practice and the healthcare inequalities gap. Method: Indicators of best-practice management of long-term conditions and health promotion were extracted from primary healthcare records on 721 adults with intellectual disabilities in 2007-2010, and 3638 in 2014. They were compared over time, and with the general population in 2014, using Fisher's Exact test and ordinal regression. Results: Management improved for adults with intellectual disabilities over time (OR = 5.32; CI = 2.69-10.55), but not for the general population (OR = 0.74; CI = 0.34-1.64). However, it remained poorer, but to a lesser extent, compared with the general population (OR = 0.38; CI = 0.20-0.73 in 2014, and OR = 0.05; CI = 0.02-0.12 in 2007-2010). In 2014, health care was comparable to the general population on 49/78 (62.8%) indicators. Conclusions: The extent of the healthcare inequality gap reduced over this period, but remaining inequalities highlight that further action is still necessary.
- Published
- 2021
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