The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially hard on marginalized groups, such as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) like Down syndrome or autism.
For people with IDDs, stressors include the abrupt stop to daily routines and regular contact with friends and family, restricted availability of health services and paid support, and financial difficulties. These stressors are compounded by the challenges people with IDDs face in understanding infection risks and public health restrictions.
While research has examined how to support the well-being of people with IDDs during the pandemic, much of it has focused on the perspectives of family members. Ontario researchers looked at the impact of COVID-19 from the lived experience of people with IDDs.
Read this Research Snapshot for a plain-language summary of this research.