Improving prediction of premature mortality in people with learning disabilities in primary care; a mixed methods study

The research focuses on health inequities in some of the most vulnerable and under-represented people in health research: people with learning disabilities (also known as intellectual disabilities), who die on average over 20-years younger, and more likely from a preventable cause, than people without learning disabilities.

The health risks specific to this highly diverse and heterogeneous group are poorly understood, therefore, the DPhil research proposal aims to use primary care data to develop a risk prediction tool for GPs to deliver more personalised healthcare to people with learning disabilities, with the primary aim of reducing preventable and premature deaths.

This research will use a mixed-methods approach, employing qualitative methods to understand how the tool can be effectively implemented and to co-produce guidance on communicating clinical risk with people with learning disabilities.