Eyes of Understanding: Ophthalmologists' Attitudes Towards Caring for People With Intellectual Disabilities in Clinical and Nonclinical Settings

Background This study compared ophthalmologists' and other health‐care professionals' attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities in clinical and nonclinical settings. Methods Between January 2022 and October 2023, a survey was conducted among 127 physicians, 100 optometrists/opticians, and 86 other health‐care professionals in Taiwan. Their attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities in nonclinical and clinical settings were examined using 14‐item and 8‐item scales, respectively; data on their training and care experience were collected. Results Ophthalmologists exhibited positive attitudes in nonclinical settings (mean = 55.9/70) but exhibited less positive attitudes in clinical settings (mean = 23.5/40). In clinical settings, ophthalmologists exhibited the highest scores across most items, indicating the most favourable attitudes. Optometrists generally had the second‐highest scores, followed by other healthcare professionals. Conclusion Ophthalmologists' attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities may considerably differ between clinical and nonclinical settings.