To identify potential differences in racial-ethnic inequities in mortality between adults with/without intellectual and developmental disability, we compared patterns in age at death by race-ethnic status among adults who did/did not have intellectual and developmental disability reported on their death certificate in the United States. Data were from the 2005–2017 U.S. Multiple Cause-of-Death Mortality files. Average age at death by racial-ethnic status was compared between adults, age 18 and older, with/without different types of intellectual and developmental disability reported on their death certificate (N = 32,760,741).

A multiple descent pattern was observed among adults without intellectual or developmental disability, with age at death highest among Whites, followed by Asians, Hispanics and Blacks, then American Indians. In contrast, a bifurcated pattern was observed among adults with intellectual disability, with age at death highest among Whites, but lower and similar among all racial-ethnic minority groups. The severity of racial-ethnic inequities in age at death was most pronounced among adults with cerebral palsy.

Policy makers and public health experts should be aware that racial-ethnic inequities are different for adults with intellectual and developmental disability – all minorities with intellectual and developmental disability are at greater risk of premature death than their White counterparts.