Supporting adults with intellectual disabilities to be more involved in decisions about their mental health medications: A co-produced mixed methods study

Background

People with intellectual disabilities are more likely to take mental health (psychotropic) medications than other people. Despite long-standing concern about this, there has been little focus on how people with intellectual disabilities can be supported to be more involved in decisions about their medications.

Method

This co-produced study included interviews (N = 40) and an online survey (N = 134) with people with intellectual disabilities, family members, paid carers and prescribers.

Results

It was most commonly medical professionals who made decisions about medications, despite most participants stating that it was the people who take the medications who should make decisions. Very few people with intellectual disabilities had been given written information in an accessible format.

Conclusion

Prescribers, family members and paid carers should adopt relational approaches to decision making and use accessible resources to support the involvement of people with intellectual disabilities in decisions about their mental health medications.