Adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health disorders in primary care: a scoping review

Background: GPs are increasingly confronted with patients with both intellectual disabilities (ID) and mental health disorders (MHD). Currently, the care provided to these patients is found to be insufficient, putting them at risk of developing more severe MHD. Improving the quality of GP care will improve the whole of mental health care for this patient group. Therefore, an overview of the content and quality of care provided to them by the GP may be helpful.

Aim: To provide an up-to-date literature overview of the care provided by GPs to patients with ID and MHD, identify knowledge gaps, and inform research, practice, and policy about opportunities to improve care.

Design and setting: Scoping review.

Method: PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and grey literature were searched for publications concerning primary care and patients with ID and MHD. Selected publications were analysed qualitatively.

Results: One hundred publications met the inclusion criteria. Five overarching themes were identified: GP roles, knowledge and experience, caregiver roles, collaboration, and a standardised approach. The results show GPs' vital, diverse, and demanding roles in caring for patients with both ID and MHD. GPs experience problems in fulfilling their roles, and gaps are identified regarding effective GP training programmes, applicable guidelines and tools, optimal collaborative mental health care, and corresponding payment models.

Conclusion: The improvement required in the current quality of GP care to patients with ID and MHD can be achieved by bridging the identified gaps and initiating close collaborations between care professionals, policymakers, and organisational managers.