International clinician perspectives on pandemic-associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Background People living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have suffered disproportionately in health outcomes and general well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is emerging evidence of increased psychological distress. Increased strain has also fallen on clinicians man...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-05-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Open |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472422000497/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156946544230400 |
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| author | Joshua Howkins Angela Hassiotis Elspeth Bradley Andrew Levitas Tanja Sappok Amanda Sinai Anupam Thakur Rohit Shankar |
| author_facet | Joshua Howkins Angela Hassiotis Elspeth Bradley Andrew Levitas Tanja Sappok Amanda Sinai Anupam Thakur Rohit Shankar |
| author_sort | Joshua Howkins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Background
People living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have suffered disproportionately in health outcomes and general well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is emerging evidence of increased psychological distress. Increased strain has also fallen on clinicians managing the psychological needs of people with IDD, in the context of learning new technologies, staff shortages, reduced services and paused training opportunities.
Aims
To examine clinicians’ experiences of patient care, clinical management and the impact of care delivery.
Method
A mixed fixed-response and free-text survey comprising 28 questions covering four areas (responder demographics, clinical practice, changes to local services and clinician experiences) was developed, using the STROBE guidance. It was disseminated through an exponential snowballing technique to clinicians in seven high-income countries. Quantitative data were analysed and presented with Microsoft Excel. Qualitative data were coded and thematically analysed, and presented with in-text quotations.
Results
There were 139 respondents, mostly senior physicians (71%). Two-thirds reported over 10 years working in the field. Quantitative findings include increased clinician stress (77%), referrals (53%), patient distress presentations (>70%), patient isolation (73%) and carer burden (89%), and reduced patient participation in daily activities (86%). A third reported increased psychotropic prescribing. Qualitative analysis outlined changes to clinical practice, particularly the emergence and impact of telehealth.
Conclusions
In the countries surveyed, the pandemic has not only had a significant impact on people with IDD, but also their carers and clinicians. A proactive, holistic international response is needed in preparedness for future public health emergencies.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:58:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c65efa04733246499508bc9568cb402c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:58:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-c65efa04733246499508bc9568cb402c2023-03-09T12:29:19ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242022-05-01810.1192/bjo.2022.49International clinician perspectives on pandemic-associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilitiesJoshua Howkins0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4289-2946Angela Hassiotis1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9800-3909Elspeth Bradley2Andrew Levitas3Tanja Sappok4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5904-1112Amanda Sinai5Anupam Thakur6Rohit Shankar7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1183-6933Department of Public Health, NHS Grampian, UKDivision of Psychiatry, University College London, UKDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, CanadaRowan University, USADepartment for Mental Health, Charité University Hospital, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry, Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, IsraelDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, CanadaCornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK; and Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research (CIDER), University of Plymouth Peninsula School of Medicine, UK Background People living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have suffered disproportionately in health outcomes and general well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is emerging evidence of increased psychological distress. Increased strain has also fallen on clinicians managing the psychological needs of people with IDD, in the context of learning new technologies, staff shortages, reduced services and paused training opportunities. Aims To examine clinicians’ experiences of patient care, clinical management and the impact of care delivery. Method A mixed fixed-response and free-text survey comprising 28 questions covering four areas (responder demographics, clinical practice, changes to local services and clinician experiences) was developed, using the STROBE guidance. It was disseminated through an exponential snowballing technique to clinicians in seven high-income countries. Quantitative data were analysed and presented with Microsoft Excel. Qualitative data were coded and thematically analysed, and presented with in-text quotations. Results There were 139 respondents, mostly senior physicians (71%). Two-thirds reported over 10 years working in the field. Quantitative findings include increased clinician stress (77%), referrals (53%), patient distress presentations (>70%), patient isolation (73%) and carer burden (89%), and reduced patient participation in daily activities (86%). A third reported increased psychotropic prescribing. Qualitative analysis outlined changes to clinical practice, particularly the emergence and impact of telehealth. Conclusions In the countries surveyed, the pandemic has not only had a significant impact on people with IDD, but also their carers and clinicians. A proactive, holistic international response is needed in preparedness for future public health emergencies. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472422000497/type/journal_articleIntellectual disabilitydevelopmental disorderspsychosocial interventionspatientstranscultural psychiatry |
| spellingShingle | Joshua Howkins Angela Hassiotis Elspeth Bradley Andrew Levitas Tanja Sappok Amanda Sinai Anupam Thakur Rohit Shankar International clinician perspectives on pandemic-associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities BJPsych Open Intellectual disability developmental disorders psychosocial interventions patients transcultural psychiatry |
| title | International clinician perspectives on pandemic-associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
| title_full | International clinician perspectives on pandemic-associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
| title_fullStr | International clinician perspectives on pandemic-associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
| title_full_unstemmed | International clinician perspectives on pandemic-associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
| title_short | International clinician perspectives on pandemic-associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
| title_sort | international clinician perspectives on pandemic associated stress in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
| topic | Intellectual disability developmental disorders psychosocial interventions patients transcultural psychiatry |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472422000497/type/journal_article |
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