The Health and Economic Well-Being of US Mothers with Intellectual Impairments

BackgroundWhile the United States has seen increased attention by policymakers on the rights of parents with disabilities, there is limited understanding of the health and economic well-being of parents with intellectual impairments. This study compares the health and economic well-being of mothers with and without intellectual impairments. MethodsThis descriptive, exploratory study is a secondary analysis of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. This study includes a subsample of mothers of three-year-old children (n=1561), including mothers with intellectual impairments (n=263) and without intellectual impairments (n=1298). ResultsUS Mothers with intellectual impairments are more likely to report serious health conditions, have less instrumental support, live in poverty, receive public benefits and experience certain material hardships. ConclusionFindings from this study indicate the need for policies and programmes to support parents with intellectual impairments by addressing their health and economic needs.