Needs of Direct Support Professionals to Support People With Intellectual Disabilities in Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Annelies Overwijk; Thessa I.M. Hilgenkamp; Cees P. van der Schans; Annette A.J. van der Putten; Aly Waninge

doi:10.1111/jppi.12383

Needs of Direct Support Professionals to Support People With Intellectual Disabilities in Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Annelies Overwijk^*
, Thessa I.M. Hilgenkamp
, Cees P. van der Schans
, Annette A.J. van der Putten
, Aly Waninge

^*Corresponding author for this work

General Practice

Hanze University of Applied Sciences
University Medical Centre Groningen
University of Groningen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

92 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: For a healthy lifestyle, people with moderate, severe, and profound intellectual disabilities living in residential facilities and/or participating in day activity centers are dependent on their direct support professionals. However, it is unclear what knowledge and skills these direct support professionals require to support these individuals in living a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the needs of direct support professionals for supporting these people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Method: Direct support professionals (n = 28) were interviewed with the use of a semi-structured protocol based on the theoretical domains framework. The interviews were analyzed with a theory-driven content analysis. Results: The most frequently mentioned needs referred to the following domains of the theoretical domains framework: environmental context and resources (n = 27), social/professional role and identity (n = 25), social influence (n = 25), skills (n = 24), and knowledge (n = 23). Conclusion: To support people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities in leading a healthy lifestyle, direct support professionals (DSPs) primarily needed support related to the domain environmental context and resources. Within this domain available time, dealing with different seasons, and a healthy lifestyle policy in the organization need attention. Development of interventions targeting these DSPs needs is required.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	263-272
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities
Volume	18
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12383
Publication status	Published - Dec 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the direct support professionals for participating in this study. The authors would also like to thank Mariëtte Sybenga, Iris Honderd, Nienke Cramer, and Chantal Veldhuis for their assistance with the data collection and transcription. This study was funded by the Dutch organization for health research and development ZonMw in the program “Gewoon Bijzonder, Nationaal Programma Gehandicapten” (grant number: 80‐84500‐98‐118) and the “Innovatie Werkplaats Active Ageing van mensen met VB,” a collaboration between the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Alfa‐college, and care provider organizations for people with ID.

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities published by International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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10.1111/jppi.12383

Policy Practice Intel Disabi - 2021 - Overwijk - Needs of Direct Support Professionals to Support People With IntellectualFinal published version, 204 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Needs of Direct Support Professionals to Support People With Intellectual Disabilities in Leading a Healthy Lifestyle",

abstract = "Background: For a healthy lifestyle, people with moderate, severe, and profound intellectual disabilities living in residential facilities and/or participating in day activity centers are dependent on their direct support professionals. However, it is unclear what knowledge and skills these direct support professionals require to support these individuals in living a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the needs of direct support professionals for supporting these people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Method: Direct support professionals (n = 28) were interviewed with the use of a semi-structured protocol based on the theoretical domains framework. The interviews were analyzed with a theory-driven content analysis. Results: The most frequently mentioned needs referred to the following domains of the theoretical domains framework: environmental context and resources (n = 27), social/professional role and identity (n = 25), social influence (n = 25), skills (n = 24), and knowledge (n = 23). Conclusion: To support people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities in leading a healthy lifestyle, direct support professionals (DSPs) primarily needed support related to the domain environmental context and resources. Within this domain available time, dealing with different seasons, and a healthy lifestyle policy in the organization need attention. Development of interventions targeting these DSPs needs is required.",

author = "Annelies Overwijk and Hilgenkamp, \{Thessa I.M.\} and \{van der Schans\}, \{Cees P.\} and \{van der Putten\}, \{Annette A.J.\} and Aly Waninge",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the direct support professionals for participating in this study. The authors would also like to thank Mari{\"e}tte Sybenga, Iris Honderd, Nienke Cramer, and Chantal Veldhuis for their assistance with the data collection and transcription. This study was funded by the Dutch organization for health research and development ZonMw in the program “Gewoon Bijzonder, Nationaal Programma Gehandicapten” (grant number: 80‐84500‐98‐118) and the “Innovatie Werkplaats Active Ageing van mensen met VB,” a collaboration between the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Alfa‐college, and care provider organizations for people with ID. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities published by International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Wiley Periodicals LLC.",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1111/jppi.12383",

language = "English",

volume = "18",

pages = "263--272",

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}

Needs of Direct Support Professionals to Support People With Intellectual Disabilities in Leading a Healthy Lifestyle. / Overwijk, Annelies; Hilgenkamp, Thessa I.M.; van der Schans, Cees P. et al.
In: Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 18, No. 4, 12.2021, p. 263-272.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Needs of Direct Support Professionals to Support People With Intellectual Disabilities in Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

AU - Overwijk, Annelies

AU - Hilgenkamp, Thessa I.M.

AU - van der Schans, Cees P.

AU - van der Putten, Annette A.J.

AU - Waninge, Aly

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the direct support professionals for participating in this study. The authors would also like to thank Mariëtte Sybenga, Iris Honderd, Nienke Cramer, and Chantal Veldhuis for their assistance with the data collection and transcription. This study was funded by the Dutch organization for health research and development ZonMw in the program “Gewoon Bijzonder, Nationaal Programma Gehandicapten” (grant number: 80‐84500‐98‐118) and the “Innovatie Werkplaats Active Ageing van mensen met VB,” a collaboration between the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Alfa‐college, and care provider organizations for people with ID. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities published by International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - Background: For a healthy lifestyle, people with moderate, severe, and profound intellectual disabilities living in residential facilities and/or participating in day activity centers are dependent on their direct support professionals. However, it is unclear what knowledge and skills these direct support professionals require to support these individuals in living a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the needs of direct support professionals for supporting these people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Method: Direct support professionals (n = 28) were interviewed with the use of a semi-structured protocol based on the theoretical domains framework. The interviews were analyzed with a theory-driven content analysis. Results: The most frequently mentioned needs referred to the following domains of the theoretical domains framework: environmental context and resources (n = 27), social/professional role and identity (n = 25), social influence (n = 25), skills (n = 24), and knowledge (n = 23). Conclusion: To support people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities in leading a healthy lifestyle, direct support professionals (DSPs) primarily needed support related to the domain environmental context and resources. Within this domain available time, dealing with different seasons, and a healthy lifestyle policy in the organization need attention. Development of interventions targeting these DSPs needs is required.

AB - Background: For a healthy lifestyle, people with moderate, severe, and profound intellectual disabilities living in residential facilities and/or participating in day activity centers are dependent on their direct support professionals. However, it is unclear what knowledge and skills these direct support professionals require to support these individuals in living a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the needs of direct support professionals for supporting these people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Method: Direct support professionals (n = 28) were interviewed with the use of a semi-structured protocol based on the theoretical domains framework. The interviews were analyzed with a theory-driven content analysis. Results: The most frequently mentioned needs referred to the following domains of the theoretical domains framework: environmental context and resources (n = 27), social/professional role and identity (n = 25), social influence (n = 25), skills (n = 24), and knowledge (n = 23). Conclusion: To support people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities in leading a healthy lifestyle, direct support professionals (DSPs) primarily needed support related to the domain environmental context and resources. Within this domain available time, dealing with different seasons, and a healthy lifestyle policy in the organization need attention. Development of interventions targeting these DSPs needs is required.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85108957799

U2 - 10.1111/jppi.12383

DO - 10.1111/jppi.12383

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85108957799

SN - 1741-1122

VL - 18

SP - 263

EP - 272

JO - Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities

JF - Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities

IS - 4

ER -

Needs of Direct Support Professionals to Support People With Intellectual Disabilities in Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

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