Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR
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J Intellect Disabil Res · Nov 2015
Individual, social and contextual factors associated with psychiatric care outcomes among patients with intellectual disabilities in the emergency department.
Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are disproportionately high users of psychiatric emergency services. Despite the demand for psychiatric assessments in the emergency department (ED), no clear guidelines have been established as to what factors should guide clinical decision-making processes. The current study aimed to explore individual, social and contextual factors related to psychiatric care outcomes among patients with ID in the emergency department. ⋯ The psychiatric care experiences of patients with ID in the emergency department appear highly variable. Further research focused on emergency department clinical decision-making practices concerning this population is warranted.