Crisis affected people with intellectual disabilities: experiences of conflict, natural hazard related disaster, and public health emergencies - Summary - MDSpire

Crisis affected people with intellectual disabilities: experiences of conflict, natural hazard related disaster, and public health emergencies

  • By

  • Brigitte Rohwerder

  • July 6, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To synthesize available evidence about the experiences of crisis-affected individuals with intellectual disabilities during conflicts, natural disasters, and public health emergencies.

Approach:
  • Literature Review: The paper expands on a previous literature review, focusing specifically on the impact of crises on people with intellectual disabilities by analyzing 40 relevant academic articles.
Key Findings:
  • People with intellectual disabilities are disproportionately affected by crises, facing increased risks of death, violence, and social exclusion.
  • Crises exacerbate pre-existing inequalities and disrupt support systems for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
  • Barriers to preparedness and response include attitudinal, communication, environmental, and institutional challenges.
Interpretation:

Limitations:
  • The review may have missed relevant papers due to time constraints and limited search terms.
  • The search was restricted to specific databases and did not include all potential terms related to intellectual disabilities.
Conclusion:

Original Source(s)

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