Study of the sexual and reproductive health of young women with visual impairment

Abstract

Background: Census figures in 2011 have depicted that half of the visually impaired in India are women and a third of these females are in reproductive age group. This study was undertaken to identify the gynaecological health problems of the visually impaired young women and impart them necessary health education.Methods: All young visually impaired women attending composite regional centre for persons with disabilities, Bhopal during one day were offered consultation by gynecologist. Their needs and clinical findings were recorded.Results: There were 15 young women in the age range of 19 to 27 years participating in the study. This was their first ever visit to gynecologist. More than half of them reported that menstrual hygiene was taught to them by their mother, a third by peers, and one participant each reported that sister, aunt, and teacher helped them learn it. The cramping pain and warmth of discharge per vaginum helped them identify the onset of menses. Primary dysmenorrhea was the commonest complaint for which they relied on rest and over the counter available medicine.Conclusions: This study highlights the need of the inclusion of the visually impaired girls in adolescent reproductive and sexual health education with appropriate teaching learning material. Access to a gynecologist for the visually impaired shall be ensured through camps on regular basis and referral on individual need basis.

Репродуктивно Здравље Жена Са Оштећењем Вида

“…None of them complained of discharge per vaginum or urinary burning or increased urinary frequency. Primary spasmodic dysmenorrhea was reported by 80% of the participants (Joshi & Joshi, 2019). Although there is no reliable data, Kelly and Kapperman think that frequency of infections caused by chlamydia and gonorrhea, in young WVI, comes at similar percent as in the peers with typical development and that youth with visual impairment enter into sexual relations two to three years later than youth without visual impairment (Kelly & Kapperman, 2012).…”

“…Results of some studies emphasize that the knowledge of young people with visual impairment and availability of information on reproductive health and sexually transmittable diseases are quite low (Nicolau, Schraiber & Ayres, 2013), that young WVI are not qualified enough with regard to reproductive health, contraception, prevention of reproductive tract infections, menstrual hygiene (Joshi & Joshi, 2019). In some communities, conversations related to reproductive and sexual rights are still considered taboo.…”

“…that, generally, WVI are perceived as less desirable partners. Persons with typical development often believe that it is difficult for these women to be in the role of a partner or a mother, and that their potential to be one is accompanied by numerous problems (Oliveira et al, 2018;Nicolau, Schraiber & Ayres, 2013;Joshi & Joshi, 2019). Compared to men with visual impairment, women are confronted with more difficulties in solving the problems related to sexuality (Bezerra & Pagliuca, 2010).…”

Knowledge of persons with visual impairment and typically developing persons about sexually transmitted diseases

“…Osobe sa OV su, često zbog pogrešnih i nepotpunih informacija, u većem riziku od zaražavanja polno prenosivim bolestima, a pogotovo HIV-om ,u odnosu na osobe TP (Cavalcante et al, 2015;Groce, 2003, prema Aval et al, 2019França et al, 2019;Nicolau et al, 2013). Takođe, u nedavnom istraživanju Franka i saradnika (França et al, 2019) kliničkim simptomima polno prenosivih bolesti, znanje je bilo na vrlo niskom nivou, dok su i Joši i Joši (Joshi & Joshi, 2019) otkrili da osobe sa OV nemaju dovoljno znanja o kompletnom reproduktivnom zdravlju (kontracepciji, prevenciji polno prenosivim infekcijama i menstrualnoj higijeni). U nekoliko istraživanja otkriveno je da je uzrok nižeg znanja u populaciji osoba sa OV to što su domeni seksualno-reproduktivnog zdravlja još uvek tabu i stigmatizirana tema (Araújo et al, 2015;Barbosa, 2013;Bezerra & Pagliuca, 2010).…”