Health Screening

Rosemary Collaboratory Project Research Launch - Accessing Health with an Intellectual Disability

Special Olympics launched the global health report, "Focusing on the Invisible," on September 17, 2025, as part of the Rosemary Collaboratory initiative, which addresses health inequities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The report reveals significant health system gaps, with findings from surveys of over 1,000 individuals with IDD and health workers in over 50 countries indicating issues like communication barriers, limited decision-making by individuals, insufficient health worker training, and a lack of data on IDD health. The initiative aims to drive policy and systemic change to improve health outcomes for people with IDD, building on Special Olympics' decades of health programming. 

What the Report Found: (Full Detailed Report HERE)

  • Communication Gaps:

    Only 52% of people with IDD surveyed reported always understanding their healthcare provider.

  • Decision-Making Limitations:

    Two-thirds of individuals with IDD surveyed stated they either don't make their own healthcare decisions or only do so sometimes.

  • Training Needs:

    Nearly 75% of health workers believe professional development in disability healthcare is crucial for better services.

  • Data Deficits:

    66% of health workers see improving data collection on IDD health as a vital step toward improved services

Special Olympics Ireland are launching a detailed report on the Research findings for Ireland, this will now take place online with dates to be confirmed. 

**Please note the launch on the 2nd of October scheduled at University Limerick is now postponed (all invitees will receive an email with further details)


We look forward to sharing details of our Online Launch soon: From Access to Action: Shaping Healthcare in Ireland for People with Intellectual Disabilities 

This event will also launch the detailed Irish research report, that fed into the recently published International Report by the Rosemary Collaboratory Research Consortium.  This will also mark the launch the next phase of impactful research in Ireland! 
We’re delighted to have the support and participation of @RCSI_Irl, @UL, @DCU, and @tcddublin in this important conversation.