Women with Disabilities: Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing ...
Women with Disabilities: Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing ...
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 DublinPrilleltensky(2003)Smeltzer(1994)Smeltzer etal (2007)Thomas &Curtis(1997)U.S.A.U.K.U.S.A.U.K.To explore themeaning ofmotherhood formothers <strong>with</strong> aphysical disability<strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> determinetheir motheringrelated experiences,issues <strong>and</strong> priorities.To identify <strong>and</strong>explore the specificconcerns <strong>and</strong> issuesfor women <strong>with</strong>multiple sclerosisduring pregnancy.To explore women’sperceptions ofbarriers <strong>to</strong> obtainingcare, sources ofinformation, ways <strong>to</strong>improve health care<strong>and</strong> healthinformation.To explore the socialbarriers women <strong>with</strong>a physical <strong>and</strong>/orQualitative.Interviews<strong>and</strong> focusgroupsQualitativeinterviews.Qualitative.Focusgroups.Onlinesurvey.Qualitative.Semistructured35 women <strong>with</strong>a physicaldisability.15 women <strong>with</strong>multiplesclerosis61 - 59 women<strong>with</strong> a physicalor sensoryimpairment. 2physicians <strong>with</strong>an interest inwomen <strong>with</strong>disabilities.17 women <strong>with</strong>a physicaldisability <strong>and</strong>/or<strong>Women</strong> experienced a variety of responses <strong>to</strong>their pregnancy including opposition <strong>and</strong>scepticism. <strong>Women</strong>’s needs <strong>and</strong> level of formalsupport varied <strong>and</strong> depended on the disability.<strong>Women</strong> emphasised the need <strong>to</strong> retain controlover their mothering role <strong>and</strong> lack ofadequately funded resources was identified asa major challenge which impacted on theirparenting abilities.<strong>Women</strong> struggled <strong>with</strong> decision <strong>to</strong> becomepregnant as they did not know the impactpregnancy might have on MS. MS wasconsidered an abnormal state but becoming amother facilitated a sense of normality <strong>and</strong> achange in roles <strong>and</strong> focus, from dependentwomen <strong>with</strong> a disability, <strong>to</strong> independentau<strong>to</strong>nomous mother. Negative reactions <strong>to</strong>pregnancy from family, friends <strong>and</strong> closerelatives.The 7 themes (below) indicate the challengesexperienced by the study population:Communication barriers, lack of knowledge<strong>and</strong> awareness among healthcare providers,access issues, working the system, systemsissues, outreach <strong>to</strong> healthcare providers,reaching hard <strong>to</strong> reach women <strong>with</strong> disabilities.Challenges include difficulties gaining physicalaccess <strong>and</strong> moving around the environment.<strong>Women</strong> did not receive information about168
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