Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115492

Suzanne C. Smeltzer, RN, EdD, FAAN, Nancy C. Sharts-Hopko, PhD, RN, FAAN, Barbara Ott, RN, PhD, Vanessa Zimmerman, RN, MSN, and Janice Duffin, RN, MSN. College of Nursing, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, 610-519-6828, suzanne.smeltzer@villanova.edu

The needs of women with disabilities (WWD) for health promotion exceed those of most women because of their relative isolation. This qualitative study examined perspectives of women with visual and hearing impairment, mobility impairment and representatives of agencies serving them about strategies for health promotion outreach to the “hard-to-reach” population of WWD. Seven focus groups were conducted and included 1 group of 9 agency representatives 1 group of 4 Deaf women; 2 groups including 14 Deaf and hard-of-hearing women; 2 groups including 18 women with low-vision; and 1 group of 6 college-age women with impaired mobility. Focus groups were audiotaped and closed captioning and American Sign language were used with the Deaf and hard-of-hearing groups. Open-ended questions were posed to each focus group. Transcribed focus group discussions were content analyzed by members of the team independently, and differences in themes and subthemes were reconciled within the group. Findings and conclusions were validated by focus group participants. Broad themes emerging from the data include: lack of exposure to general health promotion information; communication barriers; false assumptions of health care providers about WWD; and the need for creative outreach strategies. Results of this study provide direction for designing health promotion programs that will include WWD in their target audience. In addition, it will provide a basis for the design of specific health promotion strategies targeting women with low vision, Deaf and hard-of-hearing women, and women with severe mobility limitations.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe perspectives of women with visual and hearing impairment as well as those with mobility impairment and agency representatives about strategies for health promotion outreach to the “hard-to-reach” population of women with disabilities.
• Indentify directions for specific health promotion strategies targeting women with low vision, Deaf and hard-of-hearing women, and women with severe mobility limitations based on the perspectives of women with disabilities.

Keywords: Health Promotion, Disability

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.