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You are in: Staying Healthy > Learning Disabilities
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Staying Healthy
Learning Disabilities
All people with a learning disability are people first with the right to lead their lives like any others, with the same opportunities and responsibilities, and to be treated with dignity and respect (Valuing People)
The most commonly used definition of learning disability includes:
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significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence);
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reduced ability to cope independently (social functioning);
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started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.
There is clear evidence that most people with learning disabilities have poorer health than the rest of the population, facing challenges in accessing healthcare and improving their own health.
| Facts and figures |
| Approximately 2.5% of the UK population is estimated to have a learning disability. This includes children, adults and older people. |
| In North Yorkshire and York this equates to about 20,000 people. |
| Around 2,000 people with learning disabilities are receiving social care services. |
| The prevalence of learning disability in the general population is expected to grow by 10% by 2020. |
| People with a learning disability are more likely than the rest of the population to suffer from health problems like congenital heart disease, physical disabilities, sensory impairment, epilepsy and mental health problems and obesity. |
Please see the Learning Disabilities factsheet for more information.
