Identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities: a scoping review

Abstract Background Children with intellectual disability have significantly below-average intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, experience more challenges in a lifetime, and are at higher risks of physical illness, mental health problems, and mortality compared to the unmet health care ne...

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Main Authors: Zahra Zare, Fatemeh Sarpourian, Faride Sadat Jalali, Mohammad Amin Bahrami
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Health Services Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-13236-0
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author Zahra Zare
Fatemeh Sarpourian
Faride Sadat Jalali
Mohammad Amin Bahrami
author_facet Zahra Zare
Fatemeh Sarpourian
Faride Sadat Jalali
Mohammad Amin Bahrami
author_sort Zahra Zare
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Children with intellectual disability have significantly below-average intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, experience more challenges in a lifetime, and are at higher risks of physical illness, mental health problems, and mortality compared to the unmet health care needs of others. Thus, this scoping review aimed to identify challenges in meeting the unmet healthcare needs of children with intellectual disabilities. Method This was a scoping review applying the JBI framework. Five databases of Scopus, PubMed, WOS, Embase, and ProQuest were systematically searched, applying related keywords up to 23.1.2024. All the retrieved studies in English, which determine the challenges in meeting the unmet healthcare needs of children with intellectual disabilities, were included regardless of their methodological designs. Microsoft Power BI was used for descriptive quantitative Analysis, and MAXQDA version 10 was applied for qualitative thematic Analysis. Results The number of 639 articles was retrieved systematically based on the search strategy. After excluding duplications and appraising the eligibility, 16 articles were included. According to the descriptive results, most studies were conducted in the US (37%). The results of the thematic Analysis also revealed six main themes: "Governance," "Care process," "Social challenges," “Information and education," "Infrastructure constraints," and “Personal challenges." Conclusion The findings comprehensively understand the challenges in meeting the unmet healthcare needs of children with intellectual disabilities. This synthesized knowledge could pave the way for policymakers to conduct related interventions better to improve unmet health care and, as a result, increase the children's health status.
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spelling doaj-art-a08b5bc8c7894e0b84f9cefae937e6012025-08-20T03:04:27ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632025-08-0125111010.1186/s12913-025-13236-0Identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities: a scoping reviewZahra Zare0Fatemeh Sarpourian1Faride Sadat Jalali2Mohammad Amin Bahrami3Student Research Committee, Department of Health Care Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Shiraz University of Medical ScienceAhvaz Jundishapur University of Medical SciencesHealth Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesHealth Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Children with intellectual disability have significantly below-average intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, experience more challenges in a lifetime, and are at higher risks of physical illness, mental health problems, and mortality compared to the unmet health care needs of others. Thus, this scoping review aimed to identify challenges in meeting the unmet healthcare needs of children with intellectual disabilities. Method This was a scoping review applying the JBI framework. Five databases of Scopus, PubMed, WOS, Embase, and ProQuest were systematically searched, applying related keywords up to 23.1.2024. All the retrieved studies in English, which determine the challenges in meeting the unmet healthcare needs of children with intellectual disabilities, were included regardless of their methodological designs. Microsoft Power BI was used for descriptive quantitative Analysis, and MAXQDA version 10 was applied for qualitative thematic Analysis. Results The number of 639 articles was retrieved systematically based on the search strategy. After excluding duplications and appraising the eligibility, 16 articles were included. According to the descriptive results, most studies were conducted in the US (37%). The results of the thematic Analysis also revealed six main themes: "Governance," "Care process," "Social challenges," “Information and education," "Infrastructure constraints," and “Personal challenges." Conclusion The findings comprehensively understand the challenges in meeting the unmet healthcare needs of children with intellectual disabilities. This synthesized knowledge could pave the way for policymakers to conduct related interventions better to improve unmet health care and, as a result, increase the children's health status.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-13236-0Unmet health care needsChildrenIntellectual disabilityChildren’s health
spellingShingle Zahra Zare
Fatemeh Sarpourian
Faride Sadat Jalali
Mohammad Amin Bahrami
Identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities: a scoping review
BMC Health Services Research
Unmet health care needs
Children
Intellectual disability
Children’s health
title Identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities: a scoping review
title_full Identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities: a scoping review
title_fullStr Identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities: a scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities: a scoping review
title_short Identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities: a scoping review
title_sort identifying challenges in meeting the unmet health care needs of children with intellectual disabilities a scoping review
topic Unmet health care needs
Children
Intellectual disability
Children’s health
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-13236-0
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