Ambulatory mental health data demonstrates the high needs of people with an intellectual disability: Results from the New South Wales intellectual disability and mental health data linkage project

Objective:To investigate the ambulatory mental health service profile of persons with intellectual disability (ID) in a representative sample of New South Wales (NSW).Methods:A statistical linkage key was used to link the Disability Services Minimum Data Set (DS-MDS) and a community mental health services dataset (MH-COM) for a representative area of NSW for the period 2005–2010. Linkage was undertaken in four NSW local health districts (LHDs), covering 36.7% of the NSW population. The mental health profiles and service use characteristics of people with an ID were compared to mental health service users without an ID.Results:Of the 89,262 people in the MH-COM over this 6-year period, 1,459 people (1.6 %) were identified as having an ID. Compared to those without an ID, people with an ID were more likely to have psychotic disorders, developmental disorders and personality disorders, and more than twice as likely to have an ‘unknown’ diagnosis. Compared to those without an ID, people with an ID were less l...