Barriers to Health Equity and Contributors to Health Disparities Among Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Narrative Review

Background: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience persistent health disparities that result in poorer health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and inequitable access to healthcare. Objective: This narrative review synthesized existing literature to identify key barriers to health equity and contributors to health disparities among individuals with IDD. Method: This study was a narrative (non-systematic) review that adopted a qualitative synthesis approach. A literature review was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Medline, and Google Scholar to identify peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2025 that address health disparities, health inequities, healthcare barriers, and social determinants of health among individuals with IDD. Thematic analysis was employed to synthesize the included studies and identify recurring patterns and themes. Results: A total of 88 articles were included. Two overarching domains shaping health disparities were identified: barriers to health equity and contributing factors. Seven barrier categories emerged: attitudinal, communication, policy, programmatic, social, physical, and transportation. Five key contributors were also identified: limited access to healthcare, comorbid conditions, low health literacy, adverse social determinants of health, and caregiver burden. Conclusions: Health disparities among individuals with IDD are driven by intersecting social, structural, and healthcare system barriers rather than individual limitations alone. This review informs policymakers, public health professionals, and interventionists on how to advance health equity for individuals with IDD through targeted, person-centered interventions.