Health-related knowledge essential for support workers in providing daily care for people with intellectual disability: Dutch health professionals’ priority topics

To gain insight into priority health topics for support workers in daily care for people with intellectual disability from healthcare professionals’ perspectives. A three-round modified Delphi study was conducted with 22 healthcare professionals working in intellectual disability care settings. In round 1, participants identified and elaborated on relevant health-related topics. These were merged into a list of distinct topics rated for relevance in round 2. Topics with high-rated relevance were ranked in round 3. In round 1, 63 health-related topics were identified. In round 2, 17 topics met the criterion for relevance. In round 3, the highest-prioritized topics addressed supporting healthy living and combining health-related knowledge with an understanding of the individual. The high relevance ratings for all topics emphasize support workers’ important role in health support for people with intellectual disability. Rather than a strict set, the topics can be used as building blocks that are adaptable to different contexts to guide staff tasks and training efforts. This study provides a comprehensive overview of priority health topics relevant for support workers. Their practical prioritization and integration into training and care practices should ideally involve stakeholders within their specific contexts. • Support workers play a critical role in promoting healthy living among people with intellectual disability, yet often lack sufficient training and resources. • Effective health support requires integrating health-related knowledge with personalized insights into individuals’ capabilities and preferences. • The wide range of relevant health topics underscores the diverse role of support workers and highlights the need for context-specific prioritization in training and education. • The identified topics serve as adaptable building blocks to inform context-sensitive training programmes that strengthen support workers’ role in health support for people with intellectual disability.