Caregiver attitudes to gynaecological health of women with intellectual disability

Abstract

Background There is little information available related to the reproductive health of people with intellectual disability (ID). The aims of the present study are to describe caregiver attitudes and to examine determinants of gynaecological health for women with ID.

Method We recruited 1152 caregivers (response rate = 71.87%) and analysed their responses to a mailed-out, self-administered, structured questionnaire. We divided attitudinal perceptions of reproductive health into 4 domains: menstruation, menopause, sex education, and preventive healthcare. Each domain in turn had 5 issues (questions), with scores of 1 to 4 given according to the level of agreement with each issue (low to high score: strongly disagree, disagree, agree, and strongly agree). The total sum score for each domain was 5–20 (total score range: 20–80).

Results The respondents’ attitudinal mean score was 57.78 ± 4.64 (range: 48–75). The multiple logistic regression model revealed that the factors of “workplace training in reproductive health” (OR = 1.793, 95% CI = 1.31–2.46), “felt satisfied with public reproductive health services for the client” (OR = 0.694, 95% CI = 0.53–0.92), and “scores of reproductive health knowledge” (OR = 1.735, 95% CI = 1.29–2.34) were significantly correlated with attitudinal score level toward gynaecological health for women with ID.

Conclusions: The study highlights that service authorities should address health policy initiatives to continue providing workplace training in reproductive health, public reproductive health services. There is also a need for caregivers to increase their knowledge of reproductive health.

Keywords:

• intellectual disability
• women
• gynaecological health
• reproductive health

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the carers who participated in this survey.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.