TY - JOUR
T1 - Accessibility and utilisation of reproductive healthcare services among women with disabilities in Lithuania
T2 - Insights from a mixed-methods study
AU - Grigaitė, Ugnė
AU - Aginskaitė, Simona
AU - Uscila, Rokas
N1 - Funding Information:
In Lithuania, the healthcare system is based on a compulsory health insurance model and is primarily funded through the National Health Insurance Fund. The Ministry of Health oversees the system, setting national health policies and regulations, while healthcare services are provided by a mix of public and private institutions. Primary healthcare is the main point of entry, with patients typically required to register with a general practitioner, who acts as a gatekeeper to specialist care, including reproductive healthcare services.
Funding Information:
The fieldwork was conducted within the framework of the project titled \u201CStrengthening the Institutional Capacity of the Lithuanian Disability Forum Umbrella Organisation for Effective Advocacy\u201D, which received financial support from the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania through the funding programme for the years 2023\u20132024 for institutional strengthening of associations uniting non-governmental organisations.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Background: Women with disabilities worldwide face barriers to reproductive healthcare, including accessibility challenges and negative attitudes from medical professionals. These issues reflect multiple intersecting forms of discrimination. Objective: This study aims to examine how women with various disabilities in Lithuania access reproductive healthcare services, evaluate their experiences with these services, and explore the related attitudes of clinicians. Methods: This cross-sectional study employs a mixed-methods convergent design. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through an online survey (n = 154) and two focus groups with medical professionals (n = 12). Statistical and thematic analyses were performed using SPSS and MAXQDA. Results: Over half of the women rated their reproductive healthcare experiences as average to very bad. Issues spanned preventive, general, pregnancy, labour, childbirth, and postpartum care. Participants with hearing, mobility, physical disabilities, and autism reported more issues, often citing inaccessible infrastructure, lack of Sign language interpretation, written consultations, or Easy-to-Read materials. Intellectual disabilities were also associated with reports of negative attitudes from medical professionals, highlighting widespread communication and support inadequacies. Conclusions: Improving reproductive healthcare for women with disabilities in Lithuania and globally requires educating medical professionals on the human rights-based model of disability and accessibility. Implementing individual accommodations in healthcare is essential and should involve medical staff, administrators, and policymakers. Ensuring access to sex education for women with disabilities and addressing societal stereotypes about their sexuality and motherhood are also vital. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to evaluate and enhance the accessibility and quality of reproductive healthcare services for women with disabilities.
AB - Background: Women with disabilities worldwide face barriers to reproductive healthcare, including accessibility challenges and negative attitudes from medical professionals. These issues reflect multiple intersecting forms of discrimination. Objective: This study aims to examine how women with various disabilities in Lithuania access reproductive healthcare services, evaluate their experiences with these services, and explore the related attitudes of clinicians. Methods: This cross-sectional study employs a mixed-methods convergent design. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through an online survey (n = 154) and two focus groups with medical professionals (n = 12). Statistical and thematic analyses were performed using SPSS and MAXQDA. Results: Over half of the women rated their reproductive healthcare experiences as average to very bad. Issues spanned preventive, general, pregnancy, labour, childbirth, and postpartum care. Participants with hearing, mobility, physical disabilities, and autism reported more issues, often citing inaccessible infrastructure, lack of Sign language interpretation, written consultations, or Easy-to-Read materials. Intellectual disabilities were also associated with reports of negative attitudes from medical professionals, highlighting widespread communication and support inadequacies. Conclusions: Improving reproductive healthcare for women with disabilities in Lithuania and globally requires educating medical professionals on the human rights-based model of disability and accessibility. Implementing individual accommodations in healthcare is essential and should involve medical staff, administrators, and policymakers. Ensuring access to sex education for women with disabilities and addressing societal stereotypes about their sexuality and motherhood are also vital. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to evaluate and enhance the accessibility and quality of reproductive healthcare services for women with disabilities.
KW - Accessibility
KW - Disability
KW - Discrimination
KW - Medical professionals
KW - Reproductive healthcare
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105011399591&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.dhjo.2025.101928
DO - 10.1016/j.dhjo.2025.101928
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105011399591
SN - 1936-6574
JO - Disability and Health Journal
JF - Disability and Health Journal
M1 - 101928
ER -
