Walsh Patricia Noonan
Centre for Disability Studies, School of Psychology, UCD, Dublin, Ireland.
Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2008 Sep;21(5):474-8. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e3283065bc6.
Health disparities are evident between people with intellectual disabilities and the general population. Despite the potential of indicators for measuring disparities and planning interventions to address inequalities- currently a priority health policy target- few studies have mapped the physical or mental health of people with intellectual disabilities onto the growing territory of health disparities, health information systems and health indicators. This review summarizes recent publications about the role of indicators in gathering optimal health information on behalf of this segment of the population.
Studies related to measures of the health of people with intellectual disabilities are presented in three sections: information captured in general population surveys; measures of health status of people with intellectual disabilities at country and regional levels; and their use of healthcare systems. The work of the Pomona group of European partners who have devised and applied a set of health indicators specifically for people with intellectual disabilities is presented.
Health indicators yield data to identify health conditions, plan interventions and compare populations or segments of the population. It is suggested that better definitions, measures and surveillance will yield comparable information to inform public health policy and clinical practice.
智障人士与普通人群之间的健康差异明显。尽管指标在衡量差异和规划干预措施以解决不平等问题方面具有潜力——目前这是一项优先的卫生政策目标——但很少有研究将智障人士的身心健康纳入健康差异、健康信息系统和健康指标这一不断扩大的领域。本综述总结了近期关于指标在为这部分人群收集最佳健康信息方面作用的出版物。
与智障人士健康测量相关的研究分为三个部分呈现：一般人群调查中收集的信息；国家和地区层面智障人士的健康状况测量；以及他们对医疗系统的使用。介绍了欧洲合作伙伴波莫纳小组的工作，他们专门为智障人士设计并应用了一套健康指标。
健康指标可产生数据以识别健康状况、规划干预措施并比较不同人群或人群细分。建议更好的定义、测量和监测将产生可比信息，为公共卫生政策和临床实践提供参考。
