People with intellectual disability often have health needs that go unrecognised and untreated

This may be because of difficulties in communication, diagnostic overshadowing, discrimination or indifference. There is concern that public health measures aimed at reducing the main health killers in the population will not address these issues for people with intellectual disability and may preferentially widen the inequality that already exists.

Importance of the book

This book is a comprehensive and systematic review of physical and mental health co-morbidities in people with intellectual disability. Such an evidence base is vital in shaping public health policy, healthcare commissioning and the development of more effective healthcare systems, as well as supporting better understanding and practice at an individual clinical level.

Target audience

This is essential reading for policy makers and commissioners of services, as well as individual practitioners across mainstream and specialist health and social care, in considering not only service developments but practice at the coalface.