Table 1.

Search Strategy and Selection of Articles Reviewed

Search Terms: “Mental Retardation” OR “Intellectual Disability” ANDNumber of Articles IdentifiedBasic Science or Case ReportsOther*Final Number ReviewedFinal Number Used
“Contraception” OR “Contraception behavior” OR “Menstrual disorders” OR “Amenorrhea”656461311
“Pap Smear” OR “Cervical Cancer” OR “Gynecological Exam”145548
“Mammography” OR “Breast disease” OR “Breast neoplasm”2111557§
“Osteoporosis” OR “Bone density” OR “Bone densitometry”12744671613
  • * Other reasons for exclusion include: population included other forms of cognitive disability (eg, dementia); population included men or children; syndrome-specific (except for Down syndrome); not in English/not translated.

  • In this category only, articles published before 1985 were eliminated, as contraceptive recommendations and options for the general population have changed substantively since that time.

  • Includes 4 articles from nursing journals which describe techniques for the gynecological exam in women with intellectual disabilities. These were identified from the bibliography of ref. 8.

  • § Includes 3 additional articles from ref. 8.

  • Includes 1 additional article from ref. 8.