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Background Many studies have evaluated the prevalence of intellectual disability (ID) by focusing on different ages during childhood and adolescence. Although the prevalence of ID is higher in older age groups, how cumulative prevalence increases, and what level it reaches before adulthood, remains unclear. Method We used Care Register for Health Care to retrieve information on individuals born in 1996-2007 with any of the inclusion diagnoses of ID (F7 group and/or aetiological diagnoses) for the period 1996 to 2013. The cumulative prevalence was calculated as percentages for every age based on Finnish population data. Results The registration of new diagnoses of ID continued steadily throughout the developmental years. The cumulative prevalence reached 1.19% by age 17.5 among those born in 1996. Later-born age groups appeared to receive their first ID diagnoses earlier in childhood. Those born in 1999 reached a cumulative prevalence of 1.21% already by age 14.5. Of all those with ID, 67% had an F7 diagnosis only, 42% had an aetiological diagnosis only and 9% had both diagnoses. Conclusions Cumulative prevalence of ID by year, until the age of 18, will provide a better estimate and understanding of the prevalence of ID than a point prevalence at any one point during the developmental years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:To examine the association of living arrangements with functional disability among older persons and explore the mediation of impact factors on the relationship. Design: Cross-sectional analysis using data from Healthy Aging study in Zhejiang Province. Participants: Analyzed sample was drawn from a representative rural population of older persons in Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, including 1542 participants aged 60 and over in the second wave of the study. Measurements: Living arrangements, background, functional disability, self-rated health, number of diseases, along with contemporaneous circumstances including income, social support (physical assistance and emotional support). Instrument was Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, including Basic Activities Daily Living (BADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Results: Living arrangements were significantly associated with BADL, IADL and ADL disability. Married persons living with or without children were more advantaged on all three dimensions of functional disability. Unmarried older adults living with children only had the worst functional status, even after controlling for background, social support, income and health status variables (compared with the unmarried living alone, ß for BADL: 21.262, ß for IADL: 22.112, ß for ADL: 23.388; compared with the married living with children only, ß for BADL: 21.166, ß for IADL: 22.723, ß for ADL: 23.902). In addition, older adults without difficulty in receiving emotional support, in excellent health and with advanced age had significantly better BADL, IADL and ADL function. However, a statistically significant association between physical assistance and functional disability was not found. Conclusion: Functional disabilities vary by living arrangements with different patterns and other factors. Our results highlight the association of unmarried elders living with children only and functioning decline comparing with other types. Our study implies policy makers should pay closer attention to unmarried elders living with children in community. Community service especially emotional support such as psychological counseling is important social support and should be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The idea that raising a child with disabilities has a negative impact on the parents’ relationship is still widely accepted despite contradictory research findings. This article addresses the impact of raising a child with disabilities on family structure in the present Norwegian context. Method Family demographics were collected at two stages during the childhood of children with physical, intellectual or multiple disabilities born 1993–1995 (1999, n = 603 and 2003, n = 489). These figures were compared with the corresponding data for all children (Statistics Norway, Children Statistics). Results The family structures of children with disabilities were fairly similar to those of the typical family. Slightly fewer children with disabilities had siblings and a higher proportion of the parents of children with disabilities were married or cohabiting. The type or degree of impairment was not found to have any impact on family structure. Conclusions The results suggest that family structure in families raising a child with a disability is similar to other families. Whether this should only be seen as positive is discussed, as is whether the disability may produce a stronger feeling of obligation to stay together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the nature of kindergarten children's understanding about and attitudes toward disabilities. Interviews with 77 Canadian children enrolled in inclusive classrooms showed that kindergarten children (a) conceptualize disabilities chiefly according to physical appearances and (b) possess a fairly accurate understanding of some aspects of disabilities. Kindergarten children also hold generally positive attitudes toward persons with disabilities. These attitudes, however, do not reflect their reported friendships with persons with disabilities. Only half of the nondisabled children reported having friends who have disabilities. Possibilities for future research and the need to further enhance the social inclusion of children with disabilities are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey designed to measure attitudes toward handicapped persons was administered to 92 young, nonhandicapped children. Nine of the subjects, who had previously reported more favorable attitudes as a result of participation in a structured integration program, continued to demonstrate these gains 2 years later. The remaining 83 subjects had never participated in a structured integration program. Analysis of the responses of the 92 children according to type of contact and the time at which contact occurred suggested that contact per se, regardless of type or timing, can produce more favorable attitudes among young children than an absence of contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]