Research & Practice
Disseminating Preventative Health Education to People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
More than 1 in 4 U.S. adults reports having some form of a disability. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience disproportionate health disparities with poorer overall health outcomes compared to the general population. Special Olympics Washington (SOWA) works to close these gaps through inclusive health screenings and athletecentered education, including a peer education program led by Health Messengers – athletes with IDD who advocate for healthy behaviors within their communities.
To build on this work, additional resources are needed: on-hand communication guidance for volunteers during screenings and tools to help athletes apply nutrition and food budgeting skills in everyday life. The recent conclusion of SNAP-Ed further highlights this need, as many people with IDD rely on food assistance programs. The goals of this project were to improve volunteer communication with people with IDD during health screenings, support athlete independence in everyday nutrition and food budgeting decisions, and strengthen Health-Messenger capacity to deliver nutrition and food budgeting education.
Materials Available
Project Type(s): MPH Practicum, PH Concentration Poster
Author(s): Emma Huynh
Program(s): Master of Public Health, RDN Training
Year: 2026
Adviser(s):