| Popis: |
About 1% of the population has intellectual disabilities (ID) involving impaired cognitive function and varying degrees of challenges with motor and social skills including difficulty expressing themselves. This also applies to somatic health. To a large extent, people with ID who receive municipal health and care services are dependent on assistance to identify needs for health services as they are less able to actively seek health care to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD has long been the most common cause of death in the general population in Norway, but a study conducted in 2014 showed that surprisingly few adults with ID had received treatment at outpatient clinic for heart disease over the last 10 years. People with ID have a higher incidence of diabetes, obesity, inactivity, poorer physical fitness, and diet compared to the general population. These factors increase the risk of developing CVD and may be a contributing factor to the group having a shorter life expectancy than the general population. Despite risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and abdominal obesity are common in people with ID, both national and international studies show that people with ID receive drugs to prevent CVD to a lesser extent than the general population. A study from the western part of Norway in 2019 shows that only 8.3% of people with ID receive medication to prevent CVD (mainly cholesterol-lowering and blood pressure-lowering medication) compared to 16.7% in an age matched cohort from the general population in the same region. There is therefore a need to explore how we can ensure optimal preventive efforts and treatment for CVD in adults with ID. In this project we want to address this by 1. Examine metabolic health and physical activity level in a sample of persons with ID. The results will be compared with data from the HUNT study – a longitudinal population health study in Norway. 2. To explore barriers in prevention, diagnostics, and treatment of CVD in persons with ID. The study will take place in the region of Trøndelag in Norway and will be conducted through collaboration between researchers at the University of Bergen, the University of Oslo, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the Regional Centre for Obesity Research and Innovation at St. Olav’s university Hospital, the National Competence Centre for Intellectual disabilities, and Frambu Resource Centre for Rare Disorders. In part 1, the project will recruit n=75 persons with ID 28 years of age or older. We will collect data on weight, height and waist- and hip circumference. Blood samples will be collected and analysed for HbA1c, cholesterol and blood lipids, markers of iron status, liver function and inflammation. In addition, we will examine resting heart rate, blood pressure and electrical impulses in the heart by electrocardiography. Participants will also perform a 6-minute walk test and measure physical activity level for seven consecutive days with use of accelerometer. Data from persons with ID will be compared to a control group in the general population retrieved from the HUNT 4 study cohort. In part 2, semi structured qualitative interviews will be conducted with employees at the Department of Cardiac Medicine, St. Olav’s Hospital, employees at the Obesity Clinic, St. Olav’s Hospital, employees at rehabilitation institutions, employees in municipality-based health and care services for persons with ID. In addition, four general practitioners and four relatives to persons with ID will be interviewed. |
