Laurence Taggart

Ulster University · Institute of Nursing and Health Research

People with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities can be excluded from research and relatively little is known about the experiences of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and their carers during COVID‐19. This paper aims to further explore the impact on this group via information provided by paid and family carers...

Aim To explore the factors influencing the implementation of reasonable adjustments in hospitals for people with intellectual disability: using a realist lens. Design A qualitative study using a realist lens. Methods Data collection involved one focus group interview and three semi‐structured interviews with healthcare professionals working in ho...

Background People with intellectual disabilities commonly experience multiple barriers to ‘going out’. Aims This paper explores what barriers prevented people from going out, and if the extent and nature of going out changed over time for people with intellectual disabilities as the COVID‐19 pandemic progressed. Methods Data are drawn from a wide...

Purpose In an effort to address the discrepancies in opportunities for children and young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to develop fundamental skills and confidence riding a bicycle, a 12-week collaborative interdisciplinary student-led cycling programme ‘Cycle-IN’ was developed by Ulster University Faculty of Life a...

The whole school approach (WSA) is often used in schools as a means of transformative change across many areas and involves many stakeholders. Many of the approaches used in WSAs are underpinned by psychological, social and educational theories. Although many of these approaches focus on vulnerable groups such as bullied and excluded children, rela...

Background Children with intellectual disability are less physically active and more sedentary than typically developing peers. To date no studies have tested the feasibility of a school‐based walking intervention for children with Intellectual Disability. Method A clustered randomised controlled trial (cRCT), with an embedded process evaluation,...

People with an intellectual disability are more likely to develop diabetes compared to their non‐disabled peers. There has been a history of exclusion of people with an intellectual disability from diabetes research and education: we must now challenge this from a human rights perspective. In challenging these perceptions, we must identify the ethi...

Background During the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, many health services were withdrawn from people with learning disabilities, with negative impacts on people's health. What has happened to people's health and healthcare as we move beyond the pandemic? Methods Access to health services and health status were tracked for 550 UK adults w...

Introduction Speech and language therapists (SLTs) worldwide report challenges with providing recommended, evidence-based intervention intensity for children with speech sound disorder (SSD). Challenges such as service constraints and/or family contexts impact on access to optimal therapy intensity. Existing research indicates that empowering and t...

Background Success of psychosocial interventions in reducing aggressive challenging behaviour is likely to be related not only to mechanistic aspects but also to therapeutic and system factors. The study aims to examine the facilitators and barriers that influence whether psychosocial interventions for aggressive challenging behaviour in adults wit...

Background: Success of psychosocial interventions in reducing aggressive challenging behaviour is likely to be related not only to mechanistic aspects, but also to therapeutic and system factors. The study aims to examine the facilitators and barriers that influence whether psychosocial interventions for aggressive challenging behaviour in adults w...

Background: Intensive support teams (ISTs) are recommended for individuals with intellectual disabilities who display behaviours that challenge. However, there is currently little evidence about the clinical and cost-effectiveness of IST models operating in England. Aims: To investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of IST models. Method:...

Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities often display behaviour that challenges that is a result of biological differences, psychological challenges, and lack of appropriate social support. Intensive Support Teams (IST) are recommended to support the care needs of this group and avoid hospitalisation. However, little attention has been p...

Objectives Approximately 10% of people with intellectual disability display aggressive challenging behaviour, usually due to unmet needs. There are a variety of interventions available, yet a scarcity of understanding about what mechanisms contribute to successful interventions. We explored how complex interventions for aggressive challenging behav...

Trauma informed care has become an evidenced based approach for inpatient and residential services for people in the general population who are likely to have been impacted by trauma. Given the increased vulnerability to psychological trauma for adults with an intellectual disability, it should follow that residential services for adults with an in...

Background: Dysphagia can have serious health implications including choking and respiratory infection leading to poorer quality of life. People with intellectual disabilities are at higher risk of dysphagia related health complications and early death. Robust dysphagia screening tools are vital for this population. Method: A scoping review and...

Objectives: Approximately 10% of people with intellectual disability display aggressive challenging behaviour, usually due to unmet needs. There are a variety of interventions available, yet a scarcity of understanding about what mechanisms contribute to successful interventions. We explored how complex interventions for aggressive challenging beha...

This article explores the experiences of the use of the Regional Health and Social Care Hospital Passport (Regional Hospital Passport) in Northern Ireland from the perspectives of adults with intellectual disabilities, family carers and health professionals. From semi-structured interviews three themes emerged: usefulness; facilitators; and barrier...

Background National policy recommends intensive support teams for all areas of England for adults with intellectual disabilities who display challenging behaviour. However, to the best of our knowledge, there has not been a systematic evaluation of intensive support teams to date. Objectives Our objectives were to identify and describe the geograp...

Administrative data sets can play a key role in informing and influencing education provision. To date, longitudinal analysis of special educational needs (SEN) in Northern Ireland (NI) has not been a visible feature of policy discourse, even though the number of these pupils has increased at a rate that is proportionally higher than the general sc...

Background During the Covid‐19 pandemic, there has been a worldwide increase in the use of digital technology. Many people with learning disabilities have learned new digital skills, taken part in online activities, and kept in touch with family and friends using video calls. However, the experiences of digital participation or nonparticipation for...

Background Young people with intellectual disabilities are traditionally less physically fit compared to their non-disabled peers. While the health benefits of increasing physical activity are evident, there remains a lack of evidence on how to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in young people with intellectual disabilities....

Background Intensive Support Teams (ISTs) are recommended for individuals with intellectual disabilities who display behaviours that challenge. However, there is currently little evidence about the clinical and cost effectiveness of IST models operating in England. Aims To investigate the clinical and cost effectiveness of IST models. Methods We...

Having a disability, in particular, an intellectual disability, is associated with Internet non-use. This article explores how people with intellectual disabilities used the Internet across the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April to May 2021, 571 adults with intellectual disabilities were interviewed. Participants most commonly us...

Background The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is relevant in the estimation of improvement in a patient outcome. Aim To determine the MCID on the Aberrant Behaviour Checklist–Irritability (ABC-I), widely used to measure the effects of intervention for aggressive challenging behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities. Metho...

Although a negative association between socio-economic inequalities and health has been established, there is a dearth of robust longitudinal studies examining this relationship in adolescents. This study used a large, nationally representative longitudinal data set to investigate the association between socio-economic inequality, subjective health...

Background: Taking a trauma informed care approach has demonstrated positive outcomes for services for people in the general population. Given the increased vulnerability to psychological trauma for adults with an intellectual disability, this study explores what residential staff know about trauma and trauma informed care. Methods: Thirty-two s...

Objective: Following a review of the existing body of literature, this study aimed to explore the need for a breast cancer awareness intervention specifically targeted at women with mild/moderate levels of intellectual disability (ID) and provide perspectives on the preferred processes and content underpinning an intervention. Methods: A qualita...

Background: Adolescents with intellectual disabilities are insufficiently physically active. Where interventions have been developed and delivered, these have had lim- ited effectiveness, and often lack a theoretical underpinning. Aim: Through application of the COM-B model, our aim is to explore the factors influencing adolescent physical activi...

Many people with an intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are biologically, socially, and economically/politically vulnerable to developing SARS‐COV‐2 (COVID‐19) compared to the general population. Most governments have developed public‐health policies and strategies to address the challenges that COVID‐19 has presented. These policies an...

Purpose-This paper aims to present data about access to and use of health and social care services by adults with learning disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Design/methodology/approach-Data were collected in three waves between December 2020 and September 2021 and concerned the use of health...

Aim To identify, and reach consensus on, curricular-content and delivery methods, as well as ways to maximize the impact of intellectual disability awareness training programmes in acute hospital settings. Background With the continuing evidence of avoidable deaths and unwarranted variations in the quality of care to people with an intellectual di...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present data about the experiences of adults with learning disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic across the UK. Design/methodology/approach Interviews were conducted with 609 adults with learning disabilities. Family carers and support staff of another 351 adults with learning disabilities completed a pr...

International Consensus Guidelines: Reasonable Adjustments in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes in Adults with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities. International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD): Health Special Interest Research Group

The use of psychotropic medication in children is increasing worldwide. Children with developmental disabilities seem to be prescribed these medications at a higher rate compared to their non-disabled peers. Little is known about prescribing in non-Western, middle-income studies. In Iran, the file records of 1133 children, aged 2 to 17 years, asses...

Background Internationally, many children and adults with intellectual disabilities are continually being supported by their family members to live within their family home. However, as a consequence of the ageing process some family members can struggle to continue to care because of their failing physical and/or mental ill‐health. This has result...

Background People with an intellectual disability are more vulnerable to psychological trauma compared with the general population. The aim of this scoping review was to identify the current status of the literature on trauma that is specific to the experiences of adults with an intellectual disability, living in community settings. Methods A scop...

Introduction Approximately 17% of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) living in the community display behaviours that challenge. Intensive support teams (ISTs) have been recommended to provide high-quality responsive care aimed at avoiding unnecessary admissions and reducing lengthy inpatient stays in England. We have identified two models o...

Background International debate around the best models of speech and language therapy provision for children with language disorders has highlighted the need for research into classroom-based approaches and intervention dosage. Working memory (WM) is a cognitive skill linked to attention and language. ‘Recall to Enhance Children’s Attention, Langua...

Background Variability in prevalence estimation of intellectual disability has been attributed to heterogeneity in study settings, methodologies, and intellectual disability case definitions. Among studies based on national household survey data specifically, variability in prevalence estimation has partly been attributed to the level of specificit...

Background: Globally, professional firefighters are often exposed to traumatic events and are at high risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Objective: With the publication of the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) there arose a need for research based on the new diagnostic criteria, and...

Background Obesity is higher in people with intellectual disabilities. Aims There are two aims of this explorative paper. Firstly, using a realist lens, to go beyond ‘what works’ and examine the ‘context, mechanisms and outcomes’ (CMO) of lifestyle/obesity programmes for this population. Second, using a logic model framework to inform how these pr...

Adults with intellectual disabilities experience significant physical and mental health needs when compared to their typically developing peers. Previous research evidences that many people with intellectual disabilities have negative encounters within acute hospitals. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the specific views and experie...

Background Globally, conducting randomised controlled trials can be a complex endeavour. The complexity increases when including participants with cognitive or intellectual disabilities. A fuller understanding of the barriers and challenges that can be expected in such trials may help researchers to make their trials more inclusive for people with...

Although the research base on mental health in intellectual disabilities is advancing, there are long-standing barriers that hinder successful completion of funded studies. A variety of stakeholders hold the key to mitigating the challenges and arriving at sustainable solutions that involve researchers, experts by experience, clinicians and many ot...

Presents the results of the stage 1 of the NIHR funded HS&DR mixed methods investigation into intensive support teams in England.

Aim and objectives: To explore multidisciplinary team (MDT) members perspectives of clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) in intellectual disability nursing contribution in Ireland. Background: While CNS roles have advanced over time, they are viewed as multifaceted and complex roles creating confusion. This confusion is reinforced by the absence of...

Background: There is international recognition of the need for creative, classroom-based interventions to support children at risk of low academic achievement and well-being, due to poor attention and language skills on school entry. Working memory (WM) is a cognitive skill that is strongly associated with attention and language skills. There has...

Background Whilst people with intellectual disability grow older, evidence has emerged internationally about the largely unmet health needs of this specific ageing population. Health checks have been implemented in some countries to address those health inequalities. Evaluations have focused on measuring process outcomes due to challenges measuring...

Background: Trauma and its sequelae is recognised as a major morbidity factor in people with intellectual disabilities, however, a lack of inquiry into how health care professionals address trauma in this adult population exists. Aims: To explore specialist intellectual disability practitioners perspectives on current health provision and develo...

Objective To report the results of the first randomized feasibility trial of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) plus Standard Care (SC) versus SC alone for DSM‐5 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults with intellectual disabilities. Method A total of 29 participants were randomized to either to EMDR + SC (n = 15) or SC (n...

Abstract The transformational role education plays in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities has not been fully examined. The purpose of this study was to explore and investigate the meanings people with intellectual disabilities construct of their experiences in post-secondary and higher education. Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenolog...

Purpose of Review The aim of this paper was to review the recent international developments in health promotion and wellness initiatives targeting chronic disease prevention and management for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) targeting type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recent Findings There has been one diabetes prevention progra...

Background The Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety’s policy document ‘Fit and Well – Changing Lives (2012-2022)’ indicates that people with a learning disability (LD) represent one of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in Northern Ireland (NI). Individuals with a LD are more likely to experience major illnesses, to devel...

Background An increasing number of people with intellectual disabilities are reaching old age. Knowledge has emerged internationally about the complex and largely unmet health needs of this specific ageing population, and associated costs. Annual health checks, incentivised but not mandatory for primary care in England, seek to reduce health inequi...

Approximately 10% of the world's population have a cognitive disability. Cognitive disabilities can have a profound impact on a person's social, cognitive or mental functioning, requiring high levels of costly health and social support. Therefore, it is imperative that interventions and services received are based upon a sound evidence-base. For ma...

Background An increasing number of people with intellectual disabilities are reaching old age. Knowledge has emerged internationally about the complex and largely unmet health needs of this specific ageing population, and associated costs. Annual health checks, incentivised but not mandatory for primary care in England, seek to reduce health inequi...

Aim: To report on the outcomes of a pilot feasibility study of a structured self-management diabetes education programme targeting HbA1c . Methods: We conducted a two-arm, individually randomized, pilot superiority trial for adults with intellectual disability and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 66 adults with disabilities across the UK met...

Background: The health-related behaviours of people with intellectual disabilities may be determined by organisational influences. This innovative study aimed to explore managers' and staffs' perspectives on organisational influences on the promotion of healthy behaviours for this population. Method: A qualitative methodology was employed. Four...

Aim and objectives: To explore families perceptions of the contribution of clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) in intellectual disability nursing in Ireland. Background: CNS roles have developed over the years and are seen as complex and multifaceted, causing confusion, frustration and controversy. 2001 saw the formal introduction of CNS roles in...

Purpose/aim: The aim of this study was to identify the contribution of Irish intellectual disability clinical nurse specialists (ID CNSs) to service delivery. Design: A nonexperimental descriptive design was selected to survey ID CNSs presently working in Ireland. The questionnaire was developed based on focus group interviews, available literat...

Background: Globally, diabetes is increasing with concerns about the impact on outcomes, including premature death and the costs associated with managing the condition. Research indicates that adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are two to three times more likely to develop diabetes; however, there has been limited focus on diabetes service...

Including the inner perspectives of people who have intellectual disability can pose methodological challenges to qualitative researchers. This article explains how the Listening Guide was applied as an additional step in the analysis during a study which used hermeneutic interviews with people with intellectual disability as the sole method of dat...

Aims and objectives: To explore the contribution of clinical nurse specialists in intellectual disability nursing in Ireland. Background: While clinical nurse specialists exist since the 1940s, they have only been a reality in Ireland since 2001. While the role of clinical nurse specialist has developed over the years, it still however is often...

Background: Between 1–2% of the population have an intellectual disability (ID), within this group the rate of diabetes is approximately 12%: three times higher than the non-disabled population. Although pharmacological therapy is frequently prescribed for this population, there is a lack of evidence underpinning these interventions. Likewise, ther...

Background: People with intellectual disability (ID) are living longer and more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes (T2D). It is recognised in many westernised countries that better self-management of T2D can improve the persons’ health and quality of life: one such programme is DESMOND. However, such programmes have not been adapted for adults with...

Objective: To present an analysis of the evidence related to the prevalence of diabetes in people with intellectual disabilities (ID), their experiences of their condition and treatment and those of their carers. Materials and methods: A systematic literature review was conducted. A total of 22 studies exploring diabetes prevalence and 5 explori...

This paper presents the findings from a systematic review which investigated the use of phenomenological research interviews in studies involving people with intellectual disability. A search of four electronic databases and the subsequent application of inclusion criteria resulted in 28 relevant publications. Selected articles were reviewed and ke...

Background: The need for structured education programmes for type 2 diabetes is a high priority for many governments around the world. One such national education programme in the United Kingdom is the DESMOND Programme, which has been shown to be robust and effective for patients in general. However, these programmes are not generally targeted to...

The provision of an annual health check for adult persons with an intellectual disability is intended to counter the health inequalities experienced by this population. This study documents the uptake of checks across general practitioner (GP) practices in Northern Ireland over a 3-year period. In all, 84% of GP practices provided health checks cov...

There is growing evidence to suggest people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are more likely to develop diabetes than those without. Despite this, it is a population that is frequently forgotten and little attention has been given to diabetes health prevention and promotion, diabetes screening and structured education in this group....

Substance abuse in intellectual disabilities (ID) is an under-researched area. Research so far has concentrated mainly on issues of prevalence with little in the way of evidence of treatment outcomes, prevention and services for people with ID. The ‘blue-sky thinking’ at the point of deinstitutionalisation some 40 years ago did not predict the issu...

Aims: Our goal was to test the efficacy of an adapted health promotion intervention entitled ‘HealthMatters Program’ (originally developed by Marks et al., 2013) on health related outcomes for people with intellectual disabiltiies (ID) nd on staffs’ knowledge and attitudes in supporting people with I/DD to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This study also...

People with learning disabilities are affected by significantly more health problems than the general population and are much more likely to have significant health risks. Yet evidence suggests they are not receiving the same level of health education and health promotion opportunities as other members of society. This important, interdisciplinary...

Many people with learning disabilities aspire to having friends and to forming close relationships. Often the latter are discouraged, but for those who enter into such a relationship little is known about the meaning and value it brings to their lives. The aim of this study was to gain an insight into the close relationships of eight couples with l...

People with intellectual disability (ID) are reported as a sedentary population with increased risks of poor health due to an inactive and sedentary lifestyle. As the benefits of physical activity are acknowledged, measuring physical activity accurately is important to help identify reasons for low and high physical activity in order to assist and...

Background: In keeping with worldwide demographic changes and an ageing population, people with intellectual disabilities are living longer and all the evidence suggest that this trend will continue. This 'new' population of older people and their carers will pose challenges for health and social care providers. Aim: This paper presents a review...

The use of focus group interviews as a means of qualitative data collection has gained popularity in health service research in recent years. Despite their popularity, analysing qualitative data-particularly focus-group interviews-poses a challenge to most researchers. This article follows the authors' previous articles on; focus group theory, and...

Focus group interviews are widely used in health research to explore phenomena and are accepted as a legitimate qualitative methodology. They are used to draw out interaction data from discussions among participants; researchers running these groups need to be skilled in interviewing and in managing groups, group dynamics and group discussions. Thi...