This was an exploratory cross-sectional study of reproductive health challenges faced by
women with physical disabilities in seeking reproductive health services in public health
facilities in Mombasa County. The specific objectives of the study were to establish facts
influencing reproductive health seeking practices determining accessibility challenges
and identifying care provision problems faced by women with physical disabilities.
Purposive sampling was used to select three organizations dealing with persons with
disabilities from where 45 respondents to survey questionnaires were conveniently
sampled. Four FGDs were conducted, two of which were with older women and the
remainder with younger women. The participants in these FGDs were purposively
selected. Case narratives were carried out with six women purposively chosen to give
insights in their lived accounts in seeking reproductive healthcare. Moreover, the study
sought the experts’ opinion from twelve key informants consisting of ten health workers
(doctors and nurses) and two NGO officers working for disability organization.
The findings indicate that women with physical disabilities face several challenges while
seeking reproductive healthcare. Some of the challenges include communication
difficulties, bad experiences with healthcare providers, the physical access and mobility
challenges due to built environment and the attitudes of healthcare providers which
hinder many women with physical disabilities from inquiring more on contraceptive use
and sexuality experiences.
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The challenges presented a range of barriers to seeking and receiving satisfactory
reproductive health care services. The barriers can be divided into two major categories:
structural barriers related to access or physical accommodation and the socio-cultural
concerning relationships with health care providers. The above barriers affect the quality
of the reproductive healthcare and present major areas of concern if this group of women
is to be adequately served.
This study recommends that government institutionalize and provide disability
programmes and support services in the healthcare system. Equipments should be
disability friendly in the health facilities to provide comfort to WWD. Proper
sensitization and availing of adequate health information on contraception and STIs is
urgent to this population group. Furthermore, women with disabilities should be provided
with adequate information on pregnancies, birth control and other sexuality education
that recognizes them as human beings with needs. The government should strengthen,
facilitate and work hand in hand with disabled people's organizations and adapt
educational materials that are suitable for them.
Finally, interventions should be directed at enhancing providers' understanding of how to
work effectively with women who have physical disabilities. The training on how to treat
disabled people be included in medical school’s curriculum and in hospitals for those
already practicing and the medics be sensitized on language that is not offensive when
handling disabled people.