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Digital healthcare use during the COVID-19 pandemic among people with intellectual disabilities compared to the general population (IDcare)

Sandberg, Magnus LU orcid ; Chadwick, Darren D. and Axmon, Anna LU orcid (2026) IASSIDD’s 7th European Congress
Abstract
Background:
During the COVID-19 pandemic there was an increase in digital healthcare delivery. It is unclear how this was implemented among people intellectual disabilities (ID) who may struggle to access new technologies. This is important to investigate as this group already faces inequities in healthcare access.
Research Question(s):
Does the degree of health-related video-conferencing utilization by people with ID differ from those without ID?
Methodology:
All people living in Skåne on January 1st, 2014, and who were still alive in 2020 were included. The ID cohort consisted of those with an ICD-10 F7- or Q90-diagnosis in 2014-2021 or support and services for people with ID or autism like conditions in 2007-2020... (More)
Background:
During the COVID-19 pandemic there was an increase in digital healthcare delivery. It is unclear how this was implemented among people intellectual disabilities (ID) who may struggle to access new technologies. This is important to investigate as this group already faces inequities in healthcare access.
Research Question(s):
Does the degree of health-related video-conferencing utilization by people with ID differ from those without ID?
Methodology:
All people living in Skåne on January 1st, 2014, and who were still alive in 2020 were included. The ID cohort consisted of those with an ICD-10 F7- or Q90-diagnosis in 2014-2021 or support and services for people with ID or autism like conditions in 2007-2020 (n=14,046). The general population cohort (gPop) consisted of 1,157,123 individuals. We collected data on all video contacts with dietitians, doctors, mental health professionals, nurses, physio/occupational therapists and speech therapists in primary and outpatient specialist care in 2020- 2021.
Results:
Having at least one digital contact was less likely in ID cohort than in gPop (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.81-0.87). Stratified on type of healthcare, the risk for digital contacts in outpatient specialist care was higher in the ID cohort for all investigated professions, while it remained reduced in primary care for all professions except for dietitians.
Conclusion:
Digital healthcare for people with ID seems to be less implemented in primary care compared to outpatient specialist care, suggesting that they were potentially exposed to unnecessary COVID-19 risk as they did more physical visits than the general population. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
conference name
IASSIDD’s 7th European Congress
conference location
Munich
conference dates
2026-07-28 - 2026-07-31
project
Health care utilization in primary and specialist care among people with intellectual disability: A longitudinal register study
Support, health care, end-of-life care, and causes of death among people with intellectual disability: Effects of the Covid-19 pandemic
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9306481b-caf1-4ace-ad7a-f74345f9afab
date added to LUP
2026-08-10 14:21:04
date last changed
2026-08-11 08:28:49
@misc{9306481b-caf1-4ace-ad7a-f74345f9afab,
  abstract     = {{Background: <br/>During the COVID-19 pandemic there was an increase in digital healthcare delivery. It is unclear how this was implemented among people intellectual disabilities (ID) who may struggle to access new technologies. This is important to investigate as this group already faces inequities in healthcare access.<br/>Research Question(s): <br/>Does the degree of health-related video-conferencing utilization by people with ID differ from those without ID?<br/>Methodology: <br/>All people living in Skåne on January 1st, 2014, and who were still alive in 2020 were included. The ID cohort consisted of those with an ICD-10 F7- or Q90-diagnosis in 2014-2021 or support and services for people with ID or autism like conditions in 2007-2020 (n=14,046). The general population cohort (gPop) consisted of 1,157,123 individuals. We collected data on all video contacts with dietitians, doctors, mental health professionals, nurses, physio/occupational therapists and speech therapists in primary and outpatient specialist care in 2020- 2021.<br/>Results: <br/>Having at least one digital contact was less likely in ID cohort than in gPop (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.81-0.87). Stratified on type of healthcare, the risk for digital contacts in outpatient specialist care was higher in the ID cohort for all investigated professions, while it remained reduced in primary care for all professions except for dietitians.<br/>Conclusion: <br/>Digital healthcare for people with ID seems to be less implemented in primary care compared to outpatient specialist care, suggesting that they were potentially exposed to unnecessary COVID-19 risk as they did more physical visits than the general population.}},
  author       = {{Sandberg, Magnus and Chadwick, Darren D. and Axmon, Anna}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  title        = {{Digital healthcare use during the COVID-19 pandemic among people with intellectual disabilities compared to the general population (IDcare)}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}