TY - JOUR
T1 - Caregiver attitudes to gynaecological health of women with intellectual disability
AU - Lin, Lan Ping
AU - Lin, Jin Ding
AU - Chu, Cordia M.
AU - Chen, Li Mei
PY - 2011/9/1
Y1 - 2011/9/1
N2 - 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 520 (total score range: 2080). Results The respondents' attitudinal mean score was 57.78 ± 4.64 (range: 4875). The multiple logistic regression model revealed that the factors of "workplace training in reproductive health" (OR = 1.793, 95% CI = 1.312.46), "felt satisfied with public reproductive health services for the client" (OR = 0.694, 95% CI = 0.530.92), and "scores of reproductive health knowledge" (OR = 1.735, 95% CI = 1.292.34) 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.
AB - 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 520 (total score range: 2080). Results The respondents' attitudinal mean score was 57.78 ± 4.64 (range: 4875). The multiple logistic regression model revealed that the factors of "workplace training in reproductive health" (OR = 1.793, 95% CI = 1.312.46), "felt satisfied with public reproductive health services for the client" (OR = 0.694, 95% CI = 0.530.92), and "scores of reproductive health knowledge" (OR = 1.735, 95% CI = 1.292.34) 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.
KW - Gynaecological health
KW - Intellectual disability
KW - Reproductive health
KW - Women
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U2 - 10.3109/13668250.2011.599316
DO - 10.3109/13668250.2011.599316
M3 - Article
C2 - 21843029
AN - SCOPUS:80051762441
VL - 36
SP - 149
EP - 155
JO - Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability
JF - Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability
SN - 1366-8250
IS - 3
ER -