All-cause, 30-day readmissions among persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental illness

Objective — Early hospital readmissions within 30 day of discharge are common and costly. This research describes predictors of all-cause 30-day hospital readmissions among persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), a group known to experience high rates of hospitalization.

Methods — A cohort of 66,484 adults with IDD from Ontario, Canada was used to create two groups: individuals with IDD only and those with IDD and mental illness (MI). The rates of hospital readmission were determined and contrasted with a comparison group of people without IDD who have MI.

Results — Compared to those without IDD who have MI, individuals with IDD and MI were 1.7 times more likely to experience a hospital readmission within 30 days. Predictors of their readmission rates include being a young adult and having high morbidity levels.

Conclusions — The high rate hospital readmission suggests that these individuals need attention in regards to discharge planning and out-patient follow-up.