Predictors of Productivity and Leisure for People Aging with Intellectual Disability.
Eilish King, Joan Brangan, Mary McCarron and 3 others
PMID 35037768WHAT IT FOUND
For adults aging with intellectual disability, difficulty getting around the home environment was the strongest predictor of not engaging in work or leisure activities.
Poor physical health and older age also predicted reduced engagement. Addressing home accessibility and physical health may sustain participation.
Key findings
01Difficulty navigating the home environment was the strongest predictor of being precluded from engaging in productive activities, with those reporting difficulty being 3.5 times less likely to engage in work activities.
02Not being engaged in a productivity role was the strongest predictor of preclusion from leisure activities, with those not engaged being 7.2 times less likely to engage in leisure compared to those who were.
03Poor physical health and older age (65 years and over) were significant predictors of reduced engagement in both productivity and leisure activities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study used cross-sectional data from a single wave, so it cannot establish causality between predictors and engagement levels. Subjective factors like personal meaning of occupation, spirituality, and cultural influences were not measured due to the quantitative design. Different types of productivity activities (e.g., paid work vs. day services) were grouped together, so specific barriers to each type were not distinguished. Proxy respondents were used for some participants, which may affect the accuracy of self-reported health and engagement data.
Declared interests
The work was supported by the Department of Health and the Health Research Board. The authors disclosed no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that modifying the home environment alone will increase leisure participation. The strongest predictor of low leisure engagement was not being engaged in a productivity role, suggesting that occupational therapy interventions may need to address broader participation opportunities beyond just physical access.