Primary care of adults with developmental disabilities in Ontario

The health status and healthcare of adults with developmental disabilities have not been well-studied in Ontario, due to the absence of population-based data. To address this deficit, the Healthcare Access Research and Developmental Disabilities (H-CARDD) program – a provincial partnership of scientists, policymakers and clinicians – has used existing provincial-level administrative data to provide descriptive information on the health of adults with developmental disabilities and the quality of their primary care relative to other adults. H-CARDD's findings have revealed many gaps in the care of adults with developmental disabilities. While primary care providers are critical to achieving needed changes, the broader healthcare context and infrastructure also need to be considered.