Health Promotion and Cancer Prevention Activities for People with ID

Aim: To examine how residential care staff engage in health promotion and cancer prevention activities on behalf of people with ID living in Northern Ireland.Method: A questionnaire was forwarded to residential staff in 15 homes for adults with ID. In total, 90 questionnaires were completed by staff on behalf of the adults with ID. In addition, 40 residential staff completed a questionnaire on their own knowledge of cancer and their engagement in health promotion activities.Results: Results revealed that the average BMI of females and males was 30.8 and 25.4 respectively; only two of the 90 people with ID had ever been tested for the helicobacter pylori infection. Residential staff showed a lack of knowledge of these and other risk factors associated with cancer, including family history of the disease. Staff engagement in proactive cancer health education and cancer prevention activities(e.g. weight management programmes, screening etc.) was also poor. Conclusion: Residential staffs' knowledge of cancer and their health promotion and engagement activities with people with ID was less than optimal. This information will assist in the development of staff training programmes and health promotion materials.