P18 Caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) during the COVID-19 pandemic: a transcontinental study

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial challenges to the support systems of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) internationally – this study explored the care experiences of people with (IDD) as reported by nurses in Ireland, the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Aim The aim of this study was to carry out an international investigation into the basic care needs experience of people with IDD one year into the Covid 19 pandemic internationally, as observed by nurses. Methods An online 52-item questionnaire was used to survey a convenience sample of 369 nurses across North America, Europe and Australasia. Descriptive statistics were used to rank the challenges in caring for PWIDD. Manifest content analysis was used to analyse open-ended responses. This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Review Board at one of the co-author’s educational institution. Results The quantitative findings from this study were similar across global regions in terms of the challenges faced by people with IDD, including disrupted socialisation with family/friends, limitations to day programming or educational activities, ensuring sufficient staffing to care for people with IDD and coping with pandemic related changes. Qualitative content analysis of open-ended survey responses revealed many challenges for people with IDD during the pandemic which included, issues relating to meaningful socialisation and daytime activation for positive mental/behavioural health and issues regarding access to the quality healthcare care and understating and adapting to changing public health guidelines. Conclusion Overall this study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the existing often unrecognized health and care inequities experienced by people with IDD. Continuing issues with access to care and support for people with IDD in health and social care settings were further impaired by the pandemic. The importance of having meaningful activity and socialization for overall well-being of people with IDD during a long-term public health crisis became very much apparent in the study’s findings. This is especially tragic in a group already experiencing inequitable distribution of healthcare, compounding existing disadvantages across a multitude of life domains. These problems are often accentuated by the stigma associated with disability, and a lack of understanding of the healthcare needs of this population. This study benefited greatly from an international collaboration made more possible due great advances in virtual communication during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic experiences of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDD) through a nursing lens: Global Perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic had significant impacts on the lives of PWIDD globally (Doody & Keenan, 2021). This study explored life experiences of PWIDD from the perspective of nurses in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the UK. This study aimed to conduct international research to ascertain the experiences of PWIDD one year into the Covid 19 pandemic, as observed by nurses.An online 52-item questionnaire adapted from a study by Desroches et al (2021) was completed by 369 nurses across three continents between March and May 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to rank the challenges in providing nursing care for PWIDD. Manifest content analysis was applied to open-ended responses. Ethical approval was granted for the study by the Institutional Ethics Review Board at one of the coauthor’s educational establishments. Quantitative results revealed many pandemic issues for PWIDD, including limitations to, socialisation with family/friends, day programming/educational activities and also challenges to ensuring sufficient staffing to provide adequate nursing care. Qualitative content analysis of open-ended survey responses revealed issues relating to accessing healthcare and also adapting to and understanding rapidly changing public health guidelines. This study reveals that the pandemic exposed the health inequalities experienced by PWIDD is a global phenomenon. Access to care for PWIDD in health and social care settings were further impaired by the pandemic. The importance of having high quality nursing care and meaningful activity and socialization for overall well being of PWIDD during the pandemic was evident in the study's findings. This study benefited significantly from an intercontinental collaboration made possible due to great advances in virtual communication during the pandemic resulting in the potential development of a global nursing research collaboratory to research issues relating to nursing care needs of PWIDD

Supporting the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities 1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic : an international, mixed methods study of nurses' perspectives

As the largest public health crisis within a century, the COVID‐19 pandemic has caused long‐term disruption in the support systems of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across the globe. The purpose of this study was to investigate challenges and ameliorative strategies to supporting the basic care needs of people with IDD 1 year into the pandemic, as experienced by nurses who specialize in IDD nursing. We surveyed a convenience sample of 369 nurses from across North America, Europe, and Australasia using a 52‐item online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to rank the greatest challenges and the degree of support available to nurses, and manifest content analysis was used to analyze open‐ended responses related to ongoing challenges and ameliorative strategies. Results of descriptive analyses revealed consistent findings across global regions in terms of the challenges faced by nurses; the greatest challenges related to supporting or enabling socialization with family/friends, ensuring adequate day programming or educational services, identifying/planning alternative entertainment activities, ensuring adequate staffing of familiar support workers and caregivers, and managing challenging behaviors related to change in daily routine and activities. Nurses described a considerable degree of support offered by their organizations in terms of flexibility in scheduling related to family obligations and paid time off for COVID‐19‐related isolation and quarantine. Content analysis of open‐ended survey responses revealed numerous challenges related to: (1) client socialization, meaningful activity, and mental/behavioral health; (2) interpreting, keeping up with, and helping others to understand COVID‐19 guidelines; (3) access to, quality of, and continuity of care; and (4) COVID‐19 fatigue and the influence of time. Overall, our study highlights ongoing issues with access to care and support, exacerbated by the pandemic, and the importance of having meaningful activity and socialization for overall well‐being of people with IDD during a long‐term public health crisis