Characteristics associated with the use of specialised mental healthcare by Norwegian adults with intellectual disability: a cross-sectional study

Background Studies have reported unmet healthcare needs among people with intellectual disability. However, there appears to be a lack of research examining the use of mental health services. The purpose of the present study was to address this knowledge gap and examine characteristics associated with use of the services in Norway. Method A cross-sectional community-based survey including 199 adult participants (55% men) with intellectual disabilities. Assessment comprised the POMONA-15 health indicators and instruments designed to assess aberrant behavior (ABC-C) and screen for possible mental health problems (MPAS-Check). Results During the last year, 49% of the participants had received specialist mental healthcare or habilitation services. Further, 18% scored above threshold on the MPAS-Check, and the prevalence of challenging behaviour in our sample was estimated to be 16% using the ABC-C. The presence of challenging behaviour, indicated by the ABC-C, was found to significantly increase the odds of using mental healthcare or habilitation services. Conclusion When developing policies and measures to improve access to mental health care services, it is important to consider factors that serve as barriers and facilitators to access. The use of psychotropic medication is foremost followed up by general practitioners, not by mental healthcare or specialized habilitation services.