Integrating Health Promotion in the Everyday Life of People With Intellectual Disability-The Extent to Which Current Initiatives Take Context Into Account.

Abstract

Taking the dynamics of everyday life into account is important for health behavior change. Surveys were conducted to gain insight into available health promoting physical activity and nutrition initiatives in the everyday life of people with intellectual disability (ID). Researchers considered characteristics of the initiatives and the attention they give to resources and hindering factors of healthy living for people with ID. The 47 initiatives mostly focused on physical activity and consisted of regularly organized, stand-alone activities. Care professionals, rather than health professionals, were involved. Organizational resources and hindering factors received relatively little attention. Health promotion for people with ID could benefit from incorporating health behavior into routines of daily living, focusing more attention on organizational resources, and improving the collaboration between health professionals and care professionals.