How Individuals with Developmental Disabilities Experience Healthcare

Abstract

Record ID: 36

Program Affiliation: NA

Presentation Type: Poster

Abstract: Individuals with developmental disabilities are often overlooked and underappreciated. Knowing this information, I wanted to dive deeper into the satisfaction individuals with developmental disabilities had regarding their healthcare. The project has both scientific and ethical goals. The scientific goal was to understand not only individuals' satisfaction with previous healthcare providers but also look at whether individuals with guardians believe having a guardian plays a role in higher satisfaction of healthcare services. Ethically, however, the project raises serious questions about the overall care of individuals when seeking medical assistance when sick or injured. To answer these questions, We surveyed individuals with developmental disabilities who receive services from the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Through our interview questions, we could see the satisfaction divide between individuals who have a caregiver attend doctor appointments with them and those who are their own guardians. We also determined if they felt they had the opportunity to self-advocate when they were at medical appointments. The outcome of the work will help understand where healthcare services still need to be updated to make seeking assistance more accessible to individuals with disabilities.