Health Promotion and Wellness Initiatives Targeting Chronic Disease Prevention and Management for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Recent Advancements in Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this paper was to review the recent international developments in health promotion and wellness initiatives targeting chronic disease prevention and management for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) targeting type 2 diabetes (T2D). RECENT FINDINGS: There has been one diabetes prevention program (STOP) and two self-management T2D education programs (DESMOND-ID; OK diabetes) adapted for this population. All three programs have been adapted from other theoretically informed and tested programs developed for the general population. Each program has employed co-design and co-production techniques with all stakeholders. The three programs all target the high-risk lifestyle factors that can lead to T2D and contribute to poor glycaemia control, and have undertaken randomized-feasibility studies, the results of which are promising. SUMMARY: This paper shows that any health promotion and wellness initiatives need to be tailored and reasonable adjustments made in order to address this population’s cognitive impairments and communication difficulties.