People with intellectual disabilities were hit harder by Covid
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Loading... - Odden Olger
- 12 May 2023
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According to a study conducted by researchers at Radboud teaching hospital in Nijmegen, people with intellectual disabilities were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that individuals with intellectual impairments were more likely to die from the virus and experience negative impacts on their overall health. During the two-year pandemic period, at least 785 people with intellectual disabilities died from COVID-19. The researchers estimated that the total number of deaths should have been no more than 180.
The study also indicated that the pandemic widened the existing health disparities between individuals with and without intellectual disabilities. The life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities was found to be significantly lower, with increased risks of cancer, brain, and nervous system problems. The study's lead researcher, Maarten Cuypers, expressed that little is known about the impact of COVID-19 and other viruses on people with disabilities. This is due in part to the tendency of this group being overlooked and deviating from the norm.
One of the reasons for this disproportionate impact on people with intellectual disabilities is their living conditions. People with intellectual disabilities often reside in institutions or small-scale units where it is more difficult to adhere to safety regulations. Moreover, close contact with care staff also increased their exposure to infections. At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in care homes, leading to a surge in cases among individuals with disabilities and the frail elderly.
The researchers stressed the need for more research to develop better policies for dealing with this problem. Such policies would aim to reduce the number of deaths in the event of a similar situation arising in the future. The study was published in The Lancet Public Health. In February last year, the Dutch safety board OVV stated that a "silent disaster" occurred in the Netherlands' care homes during the pandemic. Nearly half of the official COVID-19 deaths in 2020 were among residential care residents.
