Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Significantly Overrepresented Among Long-Term Psychiatric Inpatients

The study analyzed 1,466 patients occupying Ontario’s mental health beds for durations exceeding one year as of September 30, 2023. Social isolation emerged as another critical barrier to discharge, with over half of the long-stay IDD patients lacking sufficient familial or community supports. The continued reliance on generalized psychiatric care models fails to capture and address the complexity inherent in this group’s needs. From a public health standpoint, these findings signal substantial health disparities affecting people with IDD within the mental health system. Subject of Research: PeopleArticle Title: Long-stay psychiatric inpatients with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities: an Ontario population-based studyNews Publication Date: 29-Sep-2025Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/07067437251380731Keywords: Health disparity, Mental health facilities, Hospitals, Health care costs, Psychiatry