Health disparities and health promotion needs of college students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities: A systematic literature review

Objective: A new population of college students is emerging on campuses across the United States: students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). With this new and growing population of college students, an important question persists: are their health and wellness needs being identified and met? Participants/Methods: ProQuest Central, WorldCat, General OneFile, and ArticleFirst were searched in June 2017 using the following criteria: health of college students with IDD, health of adults with IDD, health of adolescents with IDD, and peer-reviewed. Twenty-four articles were selected for final review. Results: Specific health and wellness topics were revealed: transition experiences and worries; college experiences, coping strategies, and support needs; sexuality, dating, and romantic relationships; mental health; and drugs and alcohol. Conclusions: Research on this unique population should continue, and the etiology of health and wellness issues of college students with IDD should be established to develop and implement evidence-based programing.