Reducing the neglected burden of multimorbidity in children with intellectual disability in India
2025/34
BACKGROUND
Children with intellectual disability often have other associated health conditions, including epilepsy, mobility and/or sensory impairments. They are at increased risk of contracting infectious diseases and developing non-infectious diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure as young adults because of factors that affect them from an early age like lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, and adverse effects of prolonged treatment. These can reduce both their wellbeing and life expectancy. Intellectual disability is associated with stigma and social exclusion, often causing depression and anxiety in children, adding to multimorbidity.
India has the highest prevalence of intellectual disability of any country with 1.6 million children under-five living with the condition. Despite this, compared with other children, this neglected population is excluded from mainstream disease prevention and health promotion programmes. Through an extensive community engagement and involvement work we developed an evidence-based conceptual framework for a needs-based inclusive intervention to reduce the risk of communicable and non-communicable diseases among children with intellectual disability in India (doi. 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000833). The aim of this project is to further develop/refine the intervention and pilot it among children 4-10 years of age who have intellectual disability. The research objectives are to:
- develop/refine the intervention using robust qualitative methods for implementation testing in two states in India
- conduct a feasibility randomised trial in the two states to test randomisation and the implementation of the trial design, and intervention acceptance and effectiveness in order to inform a future definitive trial for evaluating the intervention in the community.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, RESEARCH METHODS AND TRAINING
The student will be able to gain research experience in primary data collection and undertaking research in a middle-income country setting (India).
The student will be able to develop skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods, applied health research, and evaluation of healthcare interventions.
The student will be supported to attend relevant training based on identified needs and provided opportunities to present research work at relevant international/national conferences and publish papers from the research.
FIELD WORK, SECONDMENTS, INDUSTRY PLACEMENTS AND TRAINING
Fieldwork will be undertaken in India through the MaatHRI platform. The student will receive support and advice from experts in the field of intellectual disability and other collaborators in India.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENT
This project will be suitable for students with training and experience in epidemiology/applied health research, programme evaluation, and child or clinical psychology.