Chris Hatton

People with intellectual disabilities die at a younger age and have poorer health than their non-disabled peers. This is largely avoidable and is unjust. This book uses concepts from contemporary public health to provide a comprehensive evidence-based overview of: the nature and extent of the health inequalities experienced by people with intellectual disabilities; why these inequalities occur and persist; and what can and needs to be done to address these inequalities. The authors have a wealth of firsthand experience gained from years of working at the interface between disability research and public health. This experience is collected and shared in this volume, which will be an invaluable resource for practitioners, advocates, policymakers and researchers concerned with health and social care and the wellbeing of disabled people.

Social workers and allied professionals will find this book to be a valuable tool, highlighting ways of improving the cultural sensitivity of disability services and parental and family support. Combining a wide-ranging survey and in-depth interviews, the authors build a rich picture of the lives of South Asian families with a child with severe disabilities and place their experiences in the wider context of how culture and ethnicity can impact on a family's experience of disability. The authors offer clear ideas for practical improvements in:* awareness and mobilisation of formal support services* parental and extended family acceptance of the child's disability* availability of support groups and other informal support* parents' physical and mental health* the child and family's social lifelinking their findings to recent policy initiatives to improve the information and support offered to all carers. Policy makers, academics and practitioners in health, social work and education will find the authors give an invaluable insight into the cultural, religious and language needs of ethnic minority families coping with disability.