Breaking Down Barriers to

Health Care for Women with

Disabilities

Dr. Atifa Nasir

5 barriers for persons with
disabilities
 Five Types of Barriers
 Physical or Architectural Barriers.
 Informational or Communicational
Barriers.
 Technological Barriers.
 Organizational Barriers.
 Attitudinal Barriers.
Five key barriers to healthcare
access
• Insufficient insurance coverage. ...
• Healthcare staffing shortages. ...
• Stigma and bias among the medical
community. ...
• Transportation and work-related barriers. ...
• Patient language barriers. ...
Health barriers
 Health inequities arise from unfair
conditions faced by persons with
disabilities, including stigma,
discrimination, poverty, exclusion
from education and employment, and
barriers faced in the health system
itself
WHO ARE WOMEN WITH
DISABILITIES??
 According to the NATIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH INFORMATION
CENTER

 Women today have many roles and are busy juggling families,
friends, and careers. millions of these women are living with
disabilities? Disabilities are physical and mental limitations that
come along with different health problems. Disability is defined as:

Any physiological disorder, or condition, cosmetic

disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of
the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal,
special sense organs, respiratory (including speech organs),
cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitor-urinary,
hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine; or
WHO ARE WOMEN WITH
DISABILITIES? (contd…..
 any mental or psychological disorder, such as
mental retardation, organic brain syndrome,
emotional or mental illness, and specific learning
disabilities."

 There are many different types of disabilities such

as intellectual, physical, sensory, and mental
illnesses. The most common cause of disability for
women is arthritis. Women with disabilities may
need special care to address their individual needs.
CHALLENGES TO ACCESSING
APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE
 Some of the challenges faced by women with
disabilities include:
 physical barriers (poor access to enter buildings, a
lack of transportation and support services to keep
appointments, to receive medical care)
 financial barriers (having lower wage jobs and no
health insurance)
 lack of reliable health information and services that
address their needs that is communicated in the
appropriate communication modality, i.e. Braille, sign
language, appropriate grade level of written material
HEALTH ISSUES
Health Issues:
 Women with disabilities also face challenging barriers to
health care. Women with disabilities have described
limited access to these important healthcare services: 

1. Obstetrical care providers with knowledge about specific

disabilities;

2. Screening procedures with accessible mammography

and pelvic exam equipment; and

3. Adequate fertility control services and health

information, especially regarding sexuality.
HEALTH ISSUES (contd…)
 Prevention is also important to women with
disabilities, since significantly more women with
disabilities report urinary tract infections,
depression, osteoporosis, restrictive lung disease,
inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, and
kidney disease than able bodied women (Nosek et
al., 2007). Most of these secondary conditions are
at least partially preventable.
HEALTH & SAFETY
 Early pregnancy among adolescent
females with serious emotional
disturbances
 Females with Autism and other
Developmental Disabilities and Sexual
Issues
HEALTH ISSUES Of WOMEN With
Disabilities
 Heart Disease
 Cancer
 Accidents
 Diabetes
 Stroke
 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
 Chronic lower respiratory diseases
 Influenza and pneumonia
 Kidney disease
HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO
WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
 Access
Being invisible
 Gender Inequity
 Service Barriers
Lack of accommodations
 Invalidation of Sexuality and Reproductive Health
 Abuse
 Privacy
 Medical negligence
 Mental Health
Stress
Depression and suicide
WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
 For women with disabilities, the barriers are VERY
visible
 Ignored
 No communication to discover your needs or issues
 Lack of validation
 Total disrespect
 Lack of confidentiality
 Lack of accessibility to services due to a variety of
issues
 Lack of referral for needed services
 Lack of follow up by health care providers
 Lack of insurance and therefore not able to receive
adequate services
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Identify healthcare providers who are
accepting of all people: minority
people, women and women with
disabilities
 Train medical students
 Enforce legislation but work to
change attitudes
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Create a paradigm shift within society
For total acceptance and inclusion of
people with disabilities
Thank You
***