Profile of Social, Environmental and Biological Correlates in Intellectual Disability in A Resource-Poor Setting in India

BACKGROUND: Intellectual disability (ID) is a major public health issue in India. Social, environmental and biological factors all contribute to the nation's high rate of ID. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the distribution, differences and the association of social, environmental and biological factors with different types of ID in a mixed (tribal and non-tribal) population in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Secondary data was collected during a community-based rehabilitation project and analyzed with descriptive statistics: Frequency, percentage and χ(2). RESULTS: Poverty, low levels of parental education and a family history of epilepsy and ID were all associated in both tribal and non-tribal populations (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The outcome of this study may be helpful in planning public health initiatives that aim to reduce the burden of ID in mixed populations.