Skip to main content

Abstract

The chapter outlines the history of intellectual disability over the centuries and highlights some of the key legislations, policies and scientific understanding that have evolved over the past centuries, which have also influenced the different diagnostic systems. The section on epidemiology gives a broad overview of some factors that determine the epidemiology of the condition, keeping in perspective the incidence, prevalence and mortality estimates; aetiology; and knowledge about health services research. The gaps in knowledge and future research are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 349.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 449.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 449.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. (2011). Definition of intellectual disability. Retrieved November 11, 2011, from http://www.aaidd.org/content_100.cfm?navID=21

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Text Revision.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachrach, S. (2004). In the name of public health—Nazi racial hygiene. The New England Journal of Medicine, 351, 417–420.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beadle-Brown, J., Mansell, J., & Kozma, A. (2007). Deinstitutionalization in intellectual disabilities. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 20, 437–442.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beavis, J., Kerr, M., & Marson, A. G. (2007). Pharmacological interventions for epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 18(3), CD005399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beirne-Smith, M., Patton, J. R., & Kim, S. H. (2006). Mental retardation: An introduction to intellectual disabilities (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bittles, A. H., Petterson, B. A., Sullivan, S. G., Hussain, R., Glasson, E. J., & Montgomery, P. D. (2002). The influence of intellectual disability on life expectancy. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 57, 470–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouras, N., & Holt, G. (2010). Mental Health services for adults with intellectual disability: Strategies and solutions. The Maudsley Series. Hove, New York: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyle, C. A., Boulet, S., Schieve, L. A., Cohen, R. A., Blumberg, S. J., Yeargin-Allsopp, M., et al. (2011). Trends in the prevalence of developmental disabilities in US children, 1997–2008. Pediatrics, 127, 1034–1042.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cain, N., Davidson, P., Dosen, A., Garcia-Ibanez, J., Giesow, V., Hillery, J., et al. (2010). An international perspective of mental health services for people with intellectual disability. In N. Bouras & G. Holt (Eds.), Mental Health services for adults with intellectual disability: Strategies and solutions. The Maudsley Series. Hove, New York: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaplin, R. (2011). Mental Health services for people with intellectual disabilities. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 24, 372–376.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chou, Y. C., & Schalock, R. L. (2007). Trends in residential policies and services for people with intellectual disabilities in Taiwan. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 51, 35–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costello, H., Hardy, S., Tsakanikos, E., & McCarthy, J. (2010). Training professionals, family carers and support staff to work effectively with people with intellectual disability and mental health problems. In N. Bouras & G. Holt (Eds.), Mental Health services for adults with intellectual disability: Strategies and solutions. The Maudsley Series. Hove, New York: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dave, U., Shetty, N., & Mehta, L. (2005). A community genetics approach to population screening in India for mental retardation—A model for developing countries. Annals of Human Biology, 32, 195–203.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Drillien, C. M., Jameson, S., & Wilkinson, E. M. (1966). Studies in mental handicap. I. Prevalence and distribution by clinical type and severity of defect. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 41, 528–538.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frith, U. (2003). Autism: Explaining the enigma (p. 249). Oxford: UK Blackwell Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geelhoed, E. A., Bebbington, A., Bower, C., Deshpande, A., & Leonard, H. (2011). Direct health care costs of children and adolescents with Down syndrome. The Journal of Pediatrics, 159, 541–545.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, I., Strydom, A., Richards, M., Hardy, R., Bernal, J., & Wadsworth, M. (2005). Social outcomes in adulthood of children with intellectual impairment: Evidence from a birth cohort. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 49, 171–182.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harbour, C. K., & Maulik, P. K. (2010). History of intellectual disability. In J. H. Stone & M. Blouin (Eds.), International encyclopaedia of rehabilitation (online). Retrieved January 25, 2012, from http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclopedia/article.php?id=143&language=en.

  • Harris, J. C. (2006). Intellectual disability: Understanding its development, causes, classification, evaluation, and treatment. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heikura, U., Taanila, A., Olsen, P., Hartikainen, A. L., von Wendt, L., & Jarvelin, M. R. (2003). Temporal changes in incidence and prevalence of intellectual disability between two birth cohorts in Northern Finland. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 108, 19–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Helgason, T. (1964). Epidemiology of mental disorders in Iceland. A psychiatric and demographic investigation of 5395 Icelanders. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 39(Suppl 173), 7–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hemmings, C. P., O’Hara, J., McCarthy, J., Holt, G., Coster, F., Costello, H., et al. (2009). Comparison of adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems admitted to specialist and generic inpatient units. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37, 123–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hübertz, J. R. (1843). On provisions for the insane in Denmark (pp. 33). Copenhagen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeevanandam, L. (2009). Perspectives of intellectual disability in Asia; epidemiology, policy and services for children and adults. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 22, 462–468.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, J. (2005). The 1942 ‘euthanasia’ debate in the American Journal of Psychiatry. History of Psychiatry, 16, 171–179.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Katusic, S. K., Colligan, R. C., Beard, C. M., O’Fallon, W. M., Bergstralh, E. J., Jacobsen, S. J., et al. (1996). Mental retardation in a birth cohort, 1976–1980, Rochester, Minnesota. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 100, 335–344.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kilgour, A. H., Starr, J. M., & Whalley, L. J. (2010). Associations between childhood intelligence (IQ), adult morbidity and mortality. Maturitas, 65, 98–105.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • King, B. H., Toth, K. E., Hodapp, R. M., & Dykens, E. M. (2009). Intellectual disability. In B. J. Sadock, V. A. Sadock, & P. Ruiz (Eds.), Comprehensive textbook of psychiatry (9th ed., pp. 3444–3474). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwok, H. W. M., & Chui, E. M. C. (2008). A survey of mental health care for adults with intellectual disability in Asia. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 52, 996–1002.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maulik, P. K., & Harbour, C. K. (2010). Epidemiology of intellectual disability. In J. H. Stone & M. Blouin (Eds.), International encyclopaedia of rehabilitation (online). Retrieved January 25, 2012, from http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclopedia/article.php?id=144&language=en.

  • Maulik, P. K., Mascarenhas, M. N., Mathers, C. D., Dua, T., & Saxena, S. (2011). Prevalence of intellectual disability: A meta-analysis of population-based studies. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32, 419–436.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mercandante, M. T., Evans-Lacko, S., & Paula, C. S. (2009). Perspectives of intellectual disability in Latin America countries: Epidemiology, policy and services for children and adults. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 22, 469–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Njgena, F. (2009). Perspectives of intellectual disability in Africa; epidemiology, policy and services for children and adults. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 22, 457–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patja, K., Iivanainen, M., Vesala, H., Oksanen, H., & Ruoppila, I. (2000). Life expectancy of people with intellectual disability: A 35-year follow-up study. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 44, 591–599.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Radford, J. P. (1991). Sterilization versus segregation: Control of the ‘feebleminded’, 1900–1938. Social Science & Medicine, 33, 449–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reilly, P. R. (1987). Involuntary sterilization in the United States: A surgical solution. The Quarterly Review of Biology, 62, 153–170.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, B. A., Zupanick, C. E., & Dombeck, M. (2011). Historical and contemporary perspectives on intellectual disabilities. Retrieved January 15, 2012, from http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=10353&cn=208

  • Roizen, N. J., & Patterson, D. (2003). Down’s syndrome. Lancet, 361, 1281–1289.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sofair, A. N., & Kaldijian, L. C. (2000). Eugenic sterilization and a qualified Nazi analogy: The United States and Germany, 1930–1945. Annals of International Medicine, 132, 312–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strydom, A., Romeo, R., Perez-Achiaga, N., Livingston, G., King, M., Knapp, M., et al. (2010). Service use and cost of mental disorder in older adults with intellectual disability. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 196, 133–138.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. (2006). Convention for the rights of persons with disability. New York: United Nations. Retrieved November 30, 2010, from http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtml

  • Whalley, L. J., & Deary, I. J. (2001). Longitudinal cohort study of childhood IQ and survival up to age 76. British Medical Journal, 322, 1–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. (2010). Data and statistics. Washington, DC: World Bank. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://go.worldbank.org/D7SN0B8YU0

  • World Health Organization. (1992). International classification of diseases—Tenth revision. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (2001). International classification of functioning, disability, and health. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (2007). Atlas: Global resources for persons with intellectual disabilities. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zigman, W. B., & Lott, I. T. (2007). Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome: Neurobiology and risk. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 13, 237–246.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pallab K. Maulik .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Maulik, P.K., Harbour, C.K., McCarthy, J. (2014). Epidemiology. In: Tsakanikos, E., McCarthy, J. (eds) Handbook of Psychopathology in Intellectual Disability. Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8250-5_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics