Deaths of people with intellectual disabilities in the UK

摘要

It is more than 15 years since the intellectual disabilities specialty was mired in controversy when data from California were reported,12 which suggested higher rates of mortality among people with intellectual disabilities living in the community compared with those living in institutions. At the time, this finding was regarded as an attack on the movement of people with intellectual disabilities into the community, and there were criticisms of research quality3 and efforts to refute the findings.4 Over time, the findings stood5 and the methods used in studies to refute them were themselves challenged.6 Subsequently, people started asking important questions about the role of community-based primary care and community hospital care in supporting the lives of people with intellectual disabilities living in the community.