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"Ik wou dat het gewoon was”: beleving en gevolgen van de coronapandemie voor mensen met een verstandelijke beperking.

Boeije, H., Zonneveld, E. "Ik wou dat het gewoon was”: beleving en gevolgen van de coronapandemie voor mensen met een verstandelijke beperking. NTZ: Nederlands Tijdschrift voor de Zorg aan mensen met verstandelijke beperkingen: 2022, 48(4), p. 129-140.
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Introduction
People with intellectual disabilities were in a vulnerable position during the COVID-19 pandemic because
of their health, reduced contacts and reduced access to facilities. This study supplements previous studies on this group by asking them how they have experienced (the threat of) being ill and how they have experienced the corona measures.

Method
From September to December 2021, 326 people with a mild or moderate intellectual disability from the Living Together Panel participated in a structured interview. Quantitative data have been analyzed with descriptive statistics and answers to open questions with qualitative analysis.

Results
almost 14% has had COVID-19. In addition to fearing the disease itself, people feared seclusion and a long period of inactivity. Of the people, 50% experienced changes in social contacts, 42% in work and daytime activities and 33% in leisure time. These changes were often disliked and some people experienced stress as a consequence. There were also pleasurable aspects of the measures, such as quietness and learning new things.

Conclusion: this study shows that people with intellectual disabilities have experienced stress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic over a longer period of time, which can pose a threat to their physical and mental health. In supporting them now and in the future, it is important to consider their point of view when taking measures, to respond to fear and threats in understandable language and to guide them in getting on with their lives.
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