Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who participate in Special Olympics are less likely to be diagnosed with depression

Through the Looking Glass: A Data Lens on Health of People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Population level data on health of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are sorely needed to identify their health status, health disparities, and health needs. Key considerations to inform programs and policies need to address prevalence, problem identification, and progress assessment. Recent advances have been made in health data about people with disabilities generally that identify strategies for improving health data for people with IDD, including critical need for a standardized operational definition and survey identifiers of IDD. Past and current actions by federal agencies' to improve health data for health equity are summarized. Emerging developments in IDD health data are identified, including increasing use of self-report, data linking and harmonizing, intersectionality, and recognition of ableism.

Participation in Special Olympics reduces the rate for developing diabetes in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

AIM

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have a significantly higher prevalence of Type 2 diabetes than the general population. Evidence that lifestyle and/or behavioural interventions, such as participation in Special Olympics, decreases the risk of developing diabetes in adults with IDD could help minimize health disparities and promote overall health in this population.

METHODS

This was a 20-year retrospective cohort study of adults with IDD (30-39 years) in the province of Ontario, Canada, that compared hazard rates of diabetes among Special Olympics participants (n = 4145) to non-participants (n = 31,009) using administrative health databases housed at ICES. Using cox proportional hazard models, crude and adjusted hazard ratios were calculated for the association between the primary independent variable (Special Olympics participation status) and the dependent variable (incident diabetes cases).

RESULTS

After controlling for other variables, the hazard ratio comparing rates for developing diabetes between Special Olympics participants and non-participants was 0.85. This represents a 15% reduction in the hazard among Special Olympics participants when followed for up to 20 years. This result was statistically significant and represents a small effect size.

CONCLUSIONS

Special Olympics could be considered a complex intervention that promotes physical activity engagement through sport participation, health screenings, and the promotion of healthy eating habits through educational initiatives. This study provides evidence that Special Olympics participation decreases the rate for developing diabetes.

The feasibility of an adapted virtual mindfulness intervention for Special Olympics athletes and their caregivers

BACKGROUND

Virtual mindfulness may be helpful for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the context of COVID-related disruptions of in-person programming, such as Special Olympics (SO). This study examined the feasibility of a virtual mindfulness intervention for SO athletes and their caregivers.

METHOD

SO athletes (n = 44) and their caregivers (n = 29) participated in a 6-week adapted virtual mindfulness intervention. Athletes completed mindfulness and well-being questionnaires prior to, immediately following, and 3-months post-intervention. Caregivers completed questionnaires assessing their own stress, mindfulness, and well-being, as well as athlete mental health. Exit interviews were conducted immediately following the intervention.

RESULTS

The intervention was feasible in terms of demand, implementation, acceptability, and limited testing efficacy. There were significant improvements in athlete well-being and mental health, and caregiver stress and mindfulness post-intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Adapted virtual mindfulness groups may be an effective intervention in improving the well-being of adults with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers.

Recommending Physical Activity for People with Intellectual Disabilities: The Relevance of Public Health Guidelines, Physical Activity Behaviour and Type of Contact

People with an intellectual disability (ID) often exhibit more sedentary behaviour and are less physically active than the general population. While previous public health guidelines on physical activity (PA) did not specifically address the needs of people with an ID, the recent updates now include this population, with recommendations similar to those for the general population. However, it is unclear whether the information about these guidelines has reached the broader public and what factors may influence their implementation. To investigate these issues, an online survey was conducted in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, which examined the (a) PA recommendation for people with an ID, (b) awareness of current guidelines, (c) participants' own PA behaviour (IPAQ-SF) and (d) specific contact with people with an ID. Participants (n = 585) recommended similar levels of PA for people with an ID as for the general population, but knowledge of the guidelines did not affect their recommendation. However, participants' own PA behaviour and context-specific contact (e.g., in family or at work) were associated with the recommended PA levels. Therefore, promoting the relevance of PA and fostering contact with people with an ID might be suitable ways to increase PA in people with an ID.