Profile of female homeless individuals with intellectual developmental disorder admitted to a government-run shelter home: An observational study

Background: Homeless Individuals with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDDs) are living in institutional settings. Understanding the prevalence of physical and mental health conditions and daily life abilities is essential for developing informed service strategies. Aims: The study aims to examine the prevalence and pattern of neuropsychiatric comorbidities and their association with the severity of IDD. Methods: This observational study is based on a retrospective chart review of 93 female homeless individuals with IDD residing in a shelter home for women. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and other psychosocial factors. Results: The mean age of the sample was 39.9 ± 9.9 years, with an average stay in the shelter home is 12.6 years. Most (93.5%) were unmarried or had no information about their family of origin. 86.0% had moderate to profound IDDs, and almost half (43.0%) also had comorbid psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, 20.4% had a seizure disorder, 21.5% had expressive speech and 17.2% had hearing disorders. Nearly half (49.5%) required help in activities of daily living. Conclusion: The study highlights the neuropsychiatric multimorbidity common in individuals with IDD residing in long-term institutional settings. Hence, it is essential to support these individuals with informed medical and psychosocial services, alongside shelter provision.