Presenting problem/conditions that result in people with an intellectual disability being admitted to acute hospitals in Ireland: An analysis of NQAIS data from 2016-2020

The wide range of health conditions and complex needs experienced by people with intellectual disability (ID) means that they are more likely to utilise acute care services in comparison with the general population. ID accounts for 1% to 3% of the world’s population and has an onset before the age of 18 years (22 years from an American perspective according to the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) 2021). ID is characterised by lifelong limitations in cognitive and adaptive functioning and experiences of social and environmental restrictions which create barriers to effective participation in daily life. With increased childhood survival rates and improved diagnostic, screening and identification, this percentage has the potential to increase in the coming decades.