Queen's poll - Ontarians don't want to close institutions for those with intellectual di...( A new Queen's University poll measuring...)

Queen's poll - Ontarians don't want to close institutions for those with intellectual disabilities

A new Queen's University poll measuring the public's attitude toward the provincial government's planned closure of institutions for people with intellectual disabilities suggests an overwhelming number of Ontarians do not want the institutions to close.

"We are working to understand what contributes to the attitudes that community members hold towards the integration of people with intellectual disabilities," says Philip Burge, assistant professor of Psychiatry, who oversaw the poll. "It appears that Ontarians do not believe there are adequate resources currently available in the community for those who would be leaving the closed institutions."

Southeastern Ontario residents surveyed reveal that:

49 per cent do not know about the government's decision to close the institutions for individuals with intellectual disabilities;

only one per cent believe that institutions are the best place for most adults with intellectual disabilities to live;

81 per cent do not think the institutions should close.

The inconsistency in the data is attributed to the respondents' beliefs that there are not enough community services in place to support integration for people with intellectual disabilities transitioning from institutions.

By collaborating with researchers in Boston the Queen's group compared its findings to findings from the Multinational Survey of Attitudes toward Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities conducted in 2002 with over 7,000 respondents from nine other countries. No Canadian jurisdiction other than southeastern Ontario has been surveyed to date.

According to the international survey results, southeastern Ontario respondents present a similar picture of perceptions about major obstacles faced by people with intellectual disabilities and family members or agencies trying to promote their inclusion in the community.

Southeastern Ontario respondents reported that:

65 per cent pe

Contact: Lorinda Peterson
lorinda.peterson@queensu.ca
613-533-3234
Queen's University
26-May-2005

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