Abstract:

Women with physical disabilities are often marginalized from mainstream healthcare services, and their reproductive health needs are not often met. The study aimed to explore the barriers faced by women with physical disabilities in reproductive health care utilization. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between January to December 2021 among 83 conveniently selected women with physical disabilities of the reproductive age group (18-49 years). Data were obtained through face-to-face interviews from the participants using a pre-tested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Among participants, the mean age was 29.3 years. All individuals reported that they experienced some sort of barrier to reproductive healthcare utilization. The Majority (50.6%) of the participants reported that disease was the cause of their disability. Traditional hurdles prevented 57% of participants from accessing reproductive healthcare, whereas 32.5% lacked familial support. Most (78.3%) of them said that accessing healthcare was expensive. More than half of the participants seeking reproductive healthcare found no wheelchair ramp or transfer aid. No service provider educated 69.9% of participants about reproductive healthcare services and rights. When asked about healthcare hurdles, individuals reported fear of poor care (75.9%), negative healthcare provider attitudes (68.7%), and communication issues with providers (67.5%). Some barriers to accessing reproductive health care services include high expenses, lack of family support, poor physical accessibility, lack of information, fear of poor care, negative attitudes of providers, and communication difficulties. Improving access to reproductive healthcare for women with physical disabilities requires addressing barriers and implementing necessary interventions.

Keywords: