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Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:7383 DOI 10.1007/s12199-009-0109-6
REGULAR ARTICLE
Description of environmental determinants of quality of life in children with intellectual disability in Japan using the Delphi technique
Luyinga Kalay Saeko Fujimori Hanako Suzuki Keiko Minamoto Kimiyo Ueda Chang-Nian Wei Akemi Tomoda Koichi Harada Atsushi Ueda
Received: 23 April 2009 / Accepted: 1 September 2009 / Published online: 7 October 2009 The Japanese Society for Hygiene 2009
AbstractObjectives The present study aimed to dene the framework of an environment conducive to the well-being of children with intellectually disability (CID).
Methods A questionnaire composed of 31 items was developed through literature review. Then a 2-round Delphi survey was conducted with 3 different panels: health professionals (HPs), parents of CID, and teachers. The participants were asked to rate each item, select and rank the 10 most important items, and suggest additional ones. Results A total of 71 participants responded to the rst round: 24 HPs, 22 parents, and 25 teachers. In the second round the overall response rate was 83%. At the end of the exercise, 12 items reached global consensus, i.e., in all groups. Only 5 items were ranked as most important by all
groups: attitudes of family members at home; attitudes of HPs and teachers; support from family members at home; support at school (classmates and teachers); and government policies. Nevertheless, the panelists views diverged on the remaining items. Several additional elements were suggested.
Conclusions The views of HPs, teachers, and parents are complementary for the improvement of quality of life (QOL) of CID. The present ndings will be used as a basis for the development of an instrument to assess the living environment of CID.
Keywords Quality of life Intellectual disability
Child Delphi technique Environment
Introduction
The current stance of the World Health Organization (WHO) about disabilitythe biopsychosocial model emphasizes the role of both environment and personal factors to determine participation of people with disablity in society. The International Classication of Disability and Functioning (ICF) operationalizes this complex relationship [1]. On the other hand, another conceptquality of life (QOL)is also related to environment and individual factors, as stated in the WHO denition: QOL is an individuals perception of his/her position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which...