ASK Diary (Advocacy Skills Kit Diary)

Taking control of your health journey will help you to maintain and improve your wellbeing and enable your care team to provide the type of care that you want and need . The Advocacy Skills Diary App (ASK Diary App) helps you do this on your iPhone or iPad.

The app includes the following:

- "About me" is where you record your personal details including means of communication, previous types of residence, weekly activities, names and contact details for family members or support organisations, and contact details for health practitioners including specialists, general practitioners, dentists, therapists, allied health care, and complementary health care.
- "Medical Records" is where you record your diagnoses, operations, medications, immunisations, allergies, family history of disease, and medical consultations.
- "For the Doctor" gives doctors and clinic staff ideas on how to work with people with intellectual disability and checklists of health problems associated with specific syndromes.
- "My Appointments" is where you can record your visits to the doctor.
- "Health Tips" provides you with tips on how to prepare for the doctor's visits.


Aim of the App:
The aim of the ASK Diary is to improve the current poor health status of adults with intellectual disability. As people with intellectual disability are often accompanied to consultations with health professionals, we had to develop a diary that everyone could contribute to. People with intellectual disability often do not experience a sense of control over their lives, ownership of documentation, or decisions about health interventions. The ASK Diary was designed to provide the person with a greater sense ownership of their personal and health information.


Background:
Researchers at the Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability ("QCIDD") have collaborated with many people with disability, families and supporters to develop a health diary, called the Advocacy Skills Kit (ASK) Diary for adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Originally the ASK Diary was a B5 size size, velcro-bound folder consisting of 100+ pages. Now, thanks to a small team of dedicated supporters and advocates, the ASK Diary is now available as an iOS App.

QCIDD, formerly known as DDU (Developmental Disability Unit), is part of the School of Medicine at The University of Queensland.