This article reports the health and medical status of participants in an Austrahan study of persons
over 55 years of age with mental retardation. Prevalence rates of illness and disease, the
relationship between residential setting and health and medical status, and accessibility to health
care and needed services were considered. The results indicated differences in prevalence rates
for older people with and without mental retardation for conditions of the nervous system and
sense organs, mental disorders, and genitourinary diseases. For persons with mental retardation, there were several significant differences in condition prevalence rates based on gender,
ability level, and residential circumstances. Although many of these participants receive a high
degree of support and medical services, underreporting of some health conditions has been
suggested due to poor communication and language skills of people with mental retardation.
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