A qualitative analysis of expert interviews on safety and risk

Abstract

Safety is a significant clinical challenge in settings serving adults with developmental disabilities. Few resources exist to guide clinical teams in this realm; this study explored safety elements through interviews with experts in critical areas of safety management. The present study aimed to gather knowledge and insights regarding assessing risk among individuals with disabilities. Due to gaps in the available safety literature in adult services, interviews in related areas were conducted and analyzed for thematic content. This paper focuses on the extracted safety themes' categorization, summarization, and implications. The safety themes extracted from the interviews included environmental arrangements, medical, independent living skills, historical indicators of risk, family life skills, challenging behavior, and communication. The interviews identified areas of concern that might guide assessment and inform providers about the most individually relevant contexts to consider when supporting clients.