Women with Disabilities: Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing ...

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES: BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO ACCESSING SERVICES DURING PREGNANCY,CHILDBIRTH AND EARLY MOTHERHOODSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College DublinInformation on technological aids, for example, vibrating mattresses or lightalarms should be provided (Thomas, 1997).4.10.4. Facilitating communication with women with sensory loss,who are from an ethnic minority groupHealth professionals need to develop a sensitive appreciation of differentcultures (Shah and Priestley, 2001; Pierce, 2003). Information about availableservices and health information should be provided in both the appropriatelanguage and the appropriate format such as large print, pictorial, video andaudio or Braille format (Pierce, 2003). Translators and sign languageinterpreters need to be from the correct ethnic background and use a signlanguage that is interpretable by the woman (Pierce, 2003).4.11. Facilitators to improve acceptability of services forwomen with sensory lossAs discussed previously, disability awareness and training should be included inall health professionals’ initial and further education (Ubido et al, 2002; Nzegwu,2004; Harris, 2006; RCN, 2007; Smeltzer et al, 2007). Health professionalsshould also enhance their knowledge of the services and supports available towomen with sensory loss and should listen to, and learn from, these women(RCN, 2007; Smeltzer, 2007).4.12. SummaryBarriers to the accessibility of services focussed mainly on the difficulties oforientation to the health care setting, completing registration forms, locating aseat in the waiting area, and realising when to go into the examination room.The major area where barriers to accommodation of women with sensory losscaused most distress was in relation to communication and health education,where women with hearing impairment, in particular, were at a greatdisadvantage. The literature on barriers to the acceptability of services showedthat women with sensory loss do not feel respected or supported and thathealth professionals fail to recognise and appreciate their needs.87