Search

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 wider study that explored, at four time points, the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities through the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Findings: The number of people leaving the house for almost all reasons increased over time through the pandemic, except for some outdoor participation and exercise. However, there was a significant decrease in outdoor exercise at the final time point of the study. Reliance on other people and a lack of availability of support were identified as barriers. Conclusion: A combination of factors restricted the extent to which people were going out even after COVID-19 protections were lifted.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, many health services were withdrawn from people with learning disabilities, with negative impacts on people's health.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 with learning disabilities, using structured online interviews with people with learning disabilities and online surveys with family members or paid careers. Information was provided four times, from Wave 1 (in the winter 2020/2021 'lockdown') to Wave 4 (autumn 2022, over a year after public health protections stopped). Findings: By Wave 4, most people with learning disabilities had had COVID-19, although high vaccination rates limited the number of people hospitalised. There was little evidence that use of GP services, community nurses, other therapists or annual health checks had increased over time, and at Wave 4 more people were having difficulty getting their medicines. People's health did not substantially improve over time. People with profound and multiple learning disabilities had poorer health and were less likely to be accessing health services. Conclusions: Improvements in access to health services for people with learning disabilities after the pandemic have not yet happened.