PR NEWSWIRE: Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Face Critical Mental Health Care Gaps, New Study Finds
A new study from Special Olympics Health published in JAMA Network Open reveals that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face a significant mental health crisis, being over nine times more likely to report anxiety or depression than those without disabilities. Despite having a higher symptom burden and being more likely to take medication, these individuals face massive systemic barriers to therapy, including high costs, a shortage of trained providers, and "diagnostic overshadowing." However, the research also highlights a path forward: participation in Special Olympics programming was found to reduce the likelihood of a depression diagnosis by 49%, underscoring the vital role of social connection and physical activity in closing these care gaps.
