Substance use and health related issues

Abstract

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have an increased risk for developing problems related to use and misuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs. The consequences for mental and somatic health are often detrimental. Substance use disorder is a chronic and multifaceted problem and it is the result of an interplay between biological, psychological and social risk factors. An increasing number of studies have explored effectiveness of different types of interventions. However, the body of evidence on their effectiveness is still small. Adequate treatment of substance use related problems and comorbid somatic and mental health problems calls for a close collaboration between addiction medicine, IDD service providers and general psychiatry.