Intellectual disability mortality gap reveals 24-year life expectancy deficit

A study by researchers from King’s College London has found that individuals with severe or profound intellectual disabilities in England die an average of 24 years earlier than the general population. The average age of death for this group was 58, compared to 82 for the general public and 65 for those with mild or moderate disabilities.

Approximately 40% of these deaths were deemed avoidable, meaning they occurred before age 75 due to preventable or treatable causes. Leading causes of avoidable mortality included pneumonia, epilepsy, and cerebrovascular disease. The research also highlighted significant racial disparities, noting that people from minority ethnic backgrounds within this group lived 14 years less than their white counterparts.

A major contributing factor identified is “diagnostic overshadowing,” a clinical phenomenon where healthcare providers incorrectly attribute physical symptoms to a patient’s intellectual disability rather than investigating organic causes. This often leads to delayed diagnoses for critical conditions. Jon Sparkes, chief executive of the charity Mencap, described the findings as “shocking” and pointed to organizational failings within the NHS as a primary driver of these premature deaths.