How often do women with disabilities get pelvic exams and Pap tests? The basic services related to their sexual and reproductive health? An...
How often do women with disabilities get pelvic exams and Pap tests? The basic services related to their sexual and reproductive health? And how often they experience unwanted pregnancies in a country where nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned?
have inspired by a former patient living with cognitive disabilities, which is for the long-term consequences of untreated sexually transmitted infections in the study from the University of Virginia, a nursing professor Jeanne Alhusen the first of its kind suffered assess the access to contraceptives and the experience of a with physical, cognitive or sensory impairments to inform unwanted pregnancy in women with a final destination initiatives live, the ability of the population to strengthen access reproductive health in the long run.
"Contrary to what many believe, many women with disabilities have an active sex life," Alhusen that a grant of $ 454,000 National Institutes of Health said, perform the two-year study. "It is time that we also ensure their access to reproductive health, and the understanding of the problems they are facing."
An estimated 1 million American women to take care of with a physical, sensory or cognitive effects on their ability outside the house for himself, working life childbearing, independent living or mobile. Despite some progress in the inclusion of the group in the society, there are large gaps in their ability to health services for high-quality reproduction affordable to reach quickly and economically.
Of symptoms and the lack of experience, the protection and attitude guardian of the own patient information and education empty all access inhibition and the possibility of the playback quality of these women receive health care, Alhusen said. With the closure of many American Psychiatric the advent of group homes, an inclusive work environment and the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act Law, it is incredibly shortsighted to ignore live the sexual health of people with disabilities when many of them are a part of society in general as she says.
"Although the relationship between lack of access to family planning and unwanted pregnancy is well established, it is clear that women with disabilities than other women are able to benefit from these services", which may suggest the need to "initiatives, services or to improve access, "Alhusen said.
The whole family growth data National Survey that includes a subset of 950 women with various disabilities consulted about family planning and unwanted pregnancies, Alhusen whether disabled women who receive family planning information were less likely to experience the adverse, who does not receive this care Pregnancy , With the help of a community advisory board of nine members of women with different disabilities who have given birth, Alhusen and colleagues receive feedback on all aspects of the research process before with different disabilities living a large group setting of 50 urban and rural women to qualitative interviews focused on unwanted pregnancies, exposure to violence and discrimination. They asked the women to share their experiences on the social and economic difficulties and physical factors that could hinder their access to reproductive health services, such as transportation, provider availability or rural isolation.
The project - started on April 1, with the results due to the spring of 2018 - comprising between nursing, psychology, sociology and psychiatry researchers a multidisciplinary cooperation.
"Family planning - enables women, the strategic space, planning a pregnancy or late - was named one of the great achievements of the 20th century of public health", Alhusen said "We have the impression that women are more likely with disabilities that have no access to. go services, a factor, and long the children in their social success "serious and often detrimental to their long-term health, parents ability, physical effects and emotional. "
