Trapped in risky behaviour: Empowerment, disabled people and sexual health

Abstract

The concept of empowerment within care environments has brought the issue of informed choice onto professionals’ and users’ agendas. However, this principle can be frustrated by a range of factors that reveal the tension between the autonomy of service users to take risks and the responsibility of service providers to assess and protect users from risks. This tension between users and providers has been noted within many areas of service but may become heightened where the outcome of risk-related action may be perceived as damaging. The authors’ own research indicated that sexual health education is one such area. Findings presented in this paper reveal that lack of clarity around responsibility for, and efficacy of, sexual health education has negative effects on the choices and behaviour of service users. The relationship between disabled service users and service providers is confused, particularly over issues of responsibility for identifying and addressing sexual health need. Further, organisational policies and structures can frustrate service providers’ attempts to develop and respond to sexual health education. This can create an environment where the emphasis is on risk avoidance or even denial of risk-related behaviour rather than risk protection.

Key Words:

• risk
• empowerment
• disability
• sexual health