Experiences of Providing Family Planning Services to Women with Disabilities Attending Public Health Facilities at Ubungo Municipal Council in Dar es Salaam Region: Healthcare Providers and Client Perspectives

Abstract

Background: Women with disabilities suffer from limited access to and low utilization of family planning services. Our study assessed the experiences of providing family planning services to this population group from the perspectives of healthcare providers and clients, because the information on their experiences is generally lacking.

Methods: The study involved in-depth interviews, first with eight healthcare providers and, second, with six women with disabilities to understand their experiences with providing family planning services. The latter were follow-up interviews on issues described by the healthcare workers.  The study used thematic analysis with the support of the Nvivo12 software.

Findings: Healthcare providers reported providing family planning information and education, and women with disabilities affirmed receiving education and advice on family planning options. However, healthcare providers experienced communication challenges with some women due to their limited skills in sign language use; they had to communicate loudly, use written and visual aids, or rely on a person who cared for the woman as an interpreter. Women with disabilities were prioritized for service provision. The choice and autonomy to decide on methods to use rested on the women themselves.  The feeling of being stigmatized, discriminated against, and negatively perceived by the healthcare providers existed among the women. Health facilities lacked the basic amenities to support the inclusive provision of family planning services to women.

Conclusion: Healthcare providers provided information and education on family planning services to women to inform the choice of methods to use. The women felt stigmatized and discriminated by the healthcare providers and the facilities lacked the basic amenities to support women’s access and inclusive family planning services provision. There is a need to address these challenges and strengthen health facilities' responsiveness to women with disabilities family planning needs to boost their access to and inclusive utilization of quality sexual and reproductive health services

Keywords: women with disabilities, family planning, experiences, healthcare provider, inclusion