Ageing with an intellectual disability: the impact of personal resources on well-being.

BACKGROUND: The population of ageing people with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities (ID) is growing rapidly. This study examines how personal resources (physical health, mental health and social networks) impact the well-being of ageing people with ID. METHODS: Longitudinal survey data on 667 people with a mild or moderate ID were acquired via interviews in 2006 and 2010. Indicators of personal resources (physical health, mental health and social networks) were assessed, as were indicators of well-being (satisfaction with life, happiness and loneliness). Additionally, data on background characteristics and autonomy were gathered. RESULTS: The results show that age is positively related to decreased mobility and auditory disabilities and negatively related to independent living, autonomy in how one spends one's leisure time and autonomy in decision-making. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that, with the exception of health that deteriorated, and social satisfaction that improved, almost all variables remained stable over the 4-year period. Further, good physical health in 2006 predicted happiness in 2010. CONCLUSION: Despite the fact that age is associated with poorer physical and mental health and a smaller social network, this study showed that older people with ID have relatively high levels of well-being. Findings are discussed in the light of coping with ageing and impact of life events.

Sociocognitive predictors of the intention of healthcare workers to receive the influenza vaccine in Belgian, Dutch and German hospital settings.

BACKGROUND: Influenza vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) is recommended to prevent the transmission of influenza to vulnerable patients. Nevertheless, vaccination coverage rates of HCWs in European countries have been low. AIM: To investigate the relative and combined strength of sociocognitive variables, from past research, theory and a qualitative study, in explaining the motivation of HCWs to receive the influenza vaccine. METHODS: An anonymous, online questionnaire was distributed among HCWs in hospital settings in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands between February and April 2013. FINDINGS: Attitude and past vaccination uptake explained a considerable amount of variance in the intention of HCWs to receive the influenza vaccine. Moreover, low perceived social norms, omission bias, low moral norms, being older, having no patient contact, and being Belgian or Dutch (compared with German) increased the probability of having no intention to receive the influenza vaccine compared with being undecided about vaccination. High intention to receive the influenza vaccine was shown to be more likely than being undecided about vaccination when HCWs had high perceived susceptibility of contracting influenza, low naturalistic views, and lower motivation to receive the vaccine solely for self-protection. CONCLUSION: Country-specific interventions and a focus on different sociocognitive variables depending on the intention/lack of intention of HCWs to receive the influenza vaccine may be beneficial to promote vaccination uptake.