(Not) Going Out and Barriers to Leaving the House for People With Intellectual Disabilities Through the COVID‐19 Pandemic in the UK

Caton, Sue ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9013-8721, Hatton, Chris ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8781-8486, Bradshaw, Jill ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0379-8877, Jahoda, Andrew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3985-6098, Kelly, Rosemary, Maguire, Roseann, Oloidi, Edward, Taggart, Laurence, Todd, Stuart ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1640-2111 and Hastings, Richard P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0495-8270 (2024) (Not) Going Out and Barriers to Leaving the House for People With Intellectual Disabilities Through the COVID‐19 Pandemic in the UK. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37 (6). e13302. ISSN 1360-2322

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Abstract

Background: People with intellectual disabilities commonly experience multiple barriers to ‘going out’. Aims: This paper explores what barriers prevented people from going out, and if the extent and nature of going out changed over time for people with intellectual disabilities as the COVID‐19 pandemic progressed. Methods: Data are drawn from a wider study that explored, at four time points, the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities through the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Findings: The number of people leaving the house for almost all reasons increased over time through the pandemic, except for some outdoor participation and exercise. However, there was a significant decrease in outdoor exercise at the final time point of the study. Reliance on other people and a lack of availability of support were identified as barriers. Conclusion: A combination of factors restricted the extent to which people were going out even after COVID‐19 protections were lifted.