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Persons with Intellectual Disabilities:

A Population at Risk in Nova Scotia

 

Project Overview

 

The purpose of this project is to collect information about adults (over 19 years of age) living with an intellectual disability in the central and northern regions of Nova Scotia. This information will help answer questions about the number of persons in Nova Scotia with an intellectual disability, their needs, what kinds of services they are using, and what services they need now and in the future. This information will be used to develop a comprehensive and sustainable database that will help to identify the current and future health and service needs of Nova Scotians living with intellectual disabilities and their families/caregivers. To date, there is no single database available that coordinates this information.

 

We are interested in persons who have challenges in more than one of the following areas:

          - communication

               - getting along with others

               - looking after themselves on a daily basis

               - using services in the community

               - getting around in the community

               - basic school-type skills

 

Project Timeline

 

The data collection commenced in 2009 in the central region and continued in August 2010.  The data collection in the northern region will commence in November.  Data collection in both regions will continue through February 2011. 

 

If you are 19 years of age or older, and you would like to find out more about this project or would like to participate, please call or email the research project coordinator (Danielle Poulos) at 457-6218 or msvu.ca.

 

Qualitative Determinants of the Health and Social Service Needs of Persons with Developmental Disabilities in Three Canadian Regions

 

Project Overview

 

The purpose of this study is to analyze the processes involved in developing and implementing research projects that focus on the health and social service needs of persons with intellectual and / or developmental disabilities (ID/DD). Through the use of surveys, this study aims to collect data from 20 – 30 individuals involved in three different research projects located across Canada (i.e. Nova Scotia, South Eastern Ontario, and Manitoba).  To find out more about their respective projects please visit their websites:

 

Intellectual Disabilities Service Needs Research Alliance

South Eastern Ontario Community-University Research Alliance in Intellectual Disabilities

 

St. Amant Research Centre

 

Responses to the surveus will be analyzed to elucidate on the key strengths and challenges associated with conducting research projects in this field.  Results from this study will help in the development of effective strategies for conducting research with persons with ID/DD. Engaging the three research groups in this project will lead to a broader understanding of the health and social service needs of persons living with an ID/DD throughout Canada. In turn, this will support future population-based research on ID/DD.

 

Project Timeline

 

Data collection commenced in July 2010 and will continue until the end of November. While data analysis is ongoing (as surveys are returned), the final analysis and synthesis of the data will occur in December with a report to follow.