Health Care Needs of Women With Disabilities

Abstract

High‐quality health care for women with disabilities (WWD) encompasses much more than providing transportation and a means of entry into the health care site. Indeed, much of the equipment necessary for adequate patient assessment (e.g., scales, exam tables, and mammography machines) is not designed to accommodate WWD. While lack of access to care locations and health screening equipment can be a significant barrier, an even more unsettling barrier is the lack of sensitivity and knowledge regarding the health care needs of WWD on the part of health care providers. Health care providers must appreciate that WWD represent a diverse group of women experiencing a variety of disabling conditions. These women need and deserve individualized plans of care. Too often, a woman with disabilities is not recognized as an expert about her own disabilities, is spoken to as if she was a child, or is simply ignored while the health care provider makes health care decisions with the caregiver. Health care may focus only on the aspects of care relating to the disability. Primary health care services that promote health and prevent secondary conditions may be unaddressed. Accessing information regarding sexuality and obtaining reproductive care is especially difficult as WWD are often perceived as asexual and not in need of this form of care. The four articles in this series address a variety of issues related to recognizing and meeting the health care needs of WWD. The first article in the series, which we authored, is as an overview of the health issues facing WWD throughout the life span. In the article, we suggest several approaches for improving the care of WWD and provide information regarding currently available resources for WWD, their caregivers, and health care providers. In the second article, Dr. Suzanne Smeltzer discusses essential information for health care providers working with WWD who are considering or experiencing pregnancy. A table summarizes information essential to effective prenatal care for women with a variety of physical disabilities. In the third article, Dr. Rosemary Hughes, Dr. Margaret Nosek, and Dr. Susan Robinson‐Whelan describe their research regarding depression and rural WWD. While recognition and treatment of depression is a critical issue in the care of all women, their research findings suggest that WWD in rural areas may be especially likely to experience symptoms of depression. Finally, in their article, Dr. Sharon Dormire and Dr. Heather Becker provide information for health care providers caring for WWD during and after the menopausal transition. The health issues that affect all women during this life phase warrant special consideration in the care of women with limited physical mobility. The number of women living with disabilities is increasing as medical advances result in longer survival of those disabled at a young age and the aging process brings new disabilities to other women. In presentations at conferences across the United States, we have been fortunate to meet inspiring nurses committed to improving the quality of health care provided to WWD. It is our hope that this series will encourage further nursing research into the health care needs of WWD and the development of innovative approaches to their health care.