A Program for Direct Support Professionals To Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

6-30-2021

Publication Title

Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities

Volume

34

Issue

5

First page number:

1299

Last page number:

1299

Abstract

Background: A healthy lifestyle is not obvious for people with moderate, severe and profound intellectual disabilities. Direct support professionals (DSPs) can provide support but need knowledge and skills to support healthy living. Therefore, the aim was to develop a theory-based intervention for DSPs to promote a healthy lifestyle for people with moderate, severe and profound intellectual disabilities and evaluate the implementation process. Method: Intervention Mapping was used to develop the program, then a mixed method design was used to evaluate the implementation process and to show preliminary results. In this implementation study, 32 DSPs and 24 people with moderate, severe and profound intellectual disabilities from four care provider organizations participated. Results: First results show some barriers in the implementation of the program in daily practice, such as alignment of mutual expectations. The preliminary results show the attitude of DSPs improves after three months. The final results will be shared at the IASSIDD conference. Conclusions: Although the implementation in daily practice faced some barriers, the first results of the evaluation indicate the intervention is promising for supporting DSPs to promote a healthy lifestyle for people with moderate, severe and profound intellectual disabilities.

Disciplines

Disability Studies | Public Health Education and Promotion

Language

English

UNLV article access

Share

COinS