Life events and emergency department visits in response to crisis in individuals with intellectual disabilities

Background Stressful life events have been linked to psychopathology in the general population, but few studies have considered the relationship between life events and psychopathology for people with intellectual disabilities (ID), and the link between particular life events and hospital use. Methods Informants provided data on 746 adults with ID who had experienced at least one 'crisis'. Informants completed a checklist of recent life events from the Psychiatric Assessment for Adults with Developmental Disabilities Checklist (PAS ADD checklist) and also indicated whether the crisis resulted in a visit to the hospital emergency department. Results Individuals experiencing life events in the past year were more likely to visit the emergency department in response to crisis than those who did not experience any life events. Individuals experiencing a move of house or residence, serious problem with family, friend or caregiver, problems with police or other authority, unemployed for more than I month, recent trauma/abuse, or a drug or alcohol problem were more likely to visit the emergency department. Conclusions Six specific life events were found to be associated with use of emergency departments in response to crisis. We suggest intervention efforts be targeted towards people who experience life events, particularly these events, as they may be a risk factor for hospital visits.