Should issues of sexuality and HIV and AIDS be a rehabilitation concern? The voices of young South Africans with physical disabilities

Abstract

Rehabilitation professionals need to widen their scope of practice to include the promotion of good sexual and reproductive health for disabled young people.

A Longitudinal Study of Sexuality Training for the Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Team

“…Sexuality has traditionally been peripheral to the rehabilitation process and evidence supports that this hiatus continues in many areas [23]. However if we accept that sexuality is integral to the individual, then it follows sexuality needs to be considered in the delivery of holistic care [24].…”

Disability and HIV in Africa: Breaking the barriers to sexual health care

“…For example, in Zambia, persons with disabilities who were HIV-positive report not only mobility and communication barriers to accessing HIVrelated health care services, but numerous attitudinal barriers too, including their presence at such health care services being questioned because of an assumption of asexuality (Nixon et al, 2014). Issues of sexuality and sexual health have also been reported as absent from rehabilitation services received by young people with disabilities (Wazakili et al, 2009). As a result of such barriers, persons with disabilities themselves may feel that they cannot or should not access such services.…”

HIV issues and people with disabilities: A review and agenda for research

“…Surveys and interview studies of people with disabilities and staff or key informants suggest generally low levels of HIV knowledge for people with disabilities (Bat-Chava et al, 2005;Chopra et al, 1998;Chuang & Atkinson, 1996;Dawood et al, 2006;de Andrade & Baloyi B, 2010;Doyle, 1995;Enwereji & Enwereji, 2008;Goldstein et al, 2010;Gordon et al, 1999;Hughes & Gray, 2009;Luckner & Gonzales, 1993;Melo et al, 2010;Otto-Salaj et al, 1998;Philander & Swartz, 2006;Strauss et al, 2006;Wazakili et al, 2006;Wazakili et al, 2009;Yousafzai et al, 2005), however, few of these studies involved control groups against which levels of knowledge could be compared. In studies that did compare people with disabilities to a sample of non-disabled peers, results indicated significantly lower levels of HIV knowledge (Bisol et al, 2008;Grassi et al, 1999a;Groce et al, 2006;Groce et al, 2007;Heuttel & Rothstein, 2001;Katz et al, 1994;Koen et al, 2007a;McGillivray, 1999;Ogunsemi et al, 2006;Otte et al, 2008;Rurangirwa et al, 2006;Yousafzai et al, 2004).…”

“…It may also be a possibility that in countries where overall HIV prevalence is lower (higher-income countries), mental health disabilities may be a risk factor for higher rates of HIV, but that this Findings also highlight low self-efficacy in negotiating safer sex (Dawood et al, 2006;Philander & Swartz, 2006;Yousafzai et al, 2005;McGillivray, 1999;Brown et al, 1997;Thompson, 1994), stigma and social isolation as vulnerability factors for sexual exploitation and HIV risk behaviours (Collins et al, 2008a;Collins et al, 2008b;Elkington et al, 2010;Rohleder, 2010;Wazakili et al, 2009) …”