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Summary1898SummaryThis thesis focuses on primary mental health (MH) care for people with mild intellectual disabilities (MID). Chapter 1 provides a general introduction with background information on people with MID, the risks that they face regarding MH problems, the organization of MH care in the Netherlands, and concerns about the current quality of MH care for people with MID. People with MID are characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive skills, with onset during childhood. In the Netherlands, MID is defined with an IQ range from 50 to 85, with such additional limitations in adaptive skills that support is needed to function adequately in daily life. Approximately 6.4% of the Dutch population have MID.Because of their cognitive and adaptive limitations, people with MID may experience challenges in multiple domains of life, such as housing, employment, and social participation. In addition, the MID may not be directly visible to outsiders, leading to overburden and stress in persons with MID and the provision of inadequate care and support. Up to a third of adults with MID experience MH problems. This is double the general population estimate.In the Netherlands, just like in most other countries with a primary care model, the general practitioner (GP) is the first point of contact for people with MID that experience MH problems. The GP provides primary MH care and is a gatekeeper to specialist care. The Dutch GP is supported mostly by a mental health nurse practitioner (MHNP) in this regard. There are several reasons for concern regarding the quality of (primary) MH care for people with MID: GPs do not always feel equipped to provide the care needed; both MID and MH problems may be missed in primary care; and, furthermore, in MH services the quality of care is not assured. Inadequate MH care for people with both MID and MH problems means that such people are at risk of developing more severe or chronic MH problems. Therefore, there is an urgency to find opportunities to improve the quality of MH care for this patient group early in healthcare chain.This thesis aims to provide insight into the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of MH care for people with MID, with a main focus on the Dutch primary care setting. The findings may provide guidance to improve Katrien Pouls sHL.indd 189 24-06-2024 16:26