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

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WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES: BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO ACCESSING SERVICES DURING PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH AND EARLY MOTHERHOODSchool of Nursing <strong>and</strong> Midwifery, Trinity College DublinTable 2: Studies describing barriers <strong>to</strong> accessing services among women <strong>with</strong> physical disabilitiesAuthor(s) &YearAnderson &Kitchin (2000)Baker et al(1997)Blackford et al(2000)Country AimNorthernIrel<strong>and</strong>U.S.A.To examine the levelof access for women<strong>with</strong> disabilities <strong>to</strong>family planningclinics <strong>and</strong> sexualeducation <strong>and</strong>information inNorthern Irel<strong>and</strong>.To explore thereproductive healthcare experiences ofwomen <strong>with</strong> physicaldisabilities <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong>recommendimprovements.Canada To explore theprenatal education<strong>and</strong> maternity careexperiences ofmothers <strong>with</strong> adisability.Methodology PopulationGroup/Sample SizeQuantitative.Self reportedquestionnaireQualitativedescriptive,explora<strong>to</strong>ry.Semistructuredinterviews.Qualitativedescriptive,explora<strong>to</strong>ry.Semistructuredinterviews.54 familyplanningclinics in NI.Responserate of 63%(physical <strong>and</strong>hearingimpairment)10 women<strong>with</strong> aphysicaldisabilityagedbetween 18-50yrs.8 women <strong>with</strong>a chronicillness/disability (physical<strong>and</strong> visualimpairment)<strong>Barriers</strong> <strong>to</strong> accessing servicesPeople <strong>with</strong> disabilities encounter challenges<strong>with</strong> physical access <strong>to</strong> family planningclinics. Access <strong>to</strong> information <strong>and</strong> servicesoffered by family planning clinics werelimited. Expectations that people <strong>with</strong>disabilities are asexual <strong>and</strong> these personscontinue <strong>to</strong> experience exclusion <strong>and</strong> denialof access <strong>to</strong> reproductive services.Concept of asexuality was prominent.Challenges were encountered in relation <strong>to</strong>physical access <strong>to</strong> the facilities <strong>and</strong>inappropriate equipment. Healthprofessionals were insensitive <strong>and</strong> there wasa general lack of awareness <strong>and</strong> knowledgeabout the impact disability would have onpregnancy <strong>and</strong> vice versa.Gaps exist in the information received bywomen during prenatal education sessions.<strong>Women</strong> received insufficient <strong>and</strong>inappropriate information in relation <strong>to</strong>pregnancy <strong>and</strong> their disability. The needs ofthis population are overlooked <strong>and</strong> women’sability <strong>to</strong> parent is challenged.162

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