270112 Family caregivers' perspectives on barriers and facilitators of cervical and breast cancer screening for women with intellectual disabilities

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Susan Parish, MSW, PhD , Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
Women with intellectual disabilities do not receive cervical and breast cancer screening at the same rate as women without disabilities. Numerous barriers to receipt of screening have been reported by individuals with intellectual disabilities, paid caregivers, nurses, and other medical professionals. This study assessed barriers to care from the perspective of female familial caregivers. Caregivers reported a number of barriers to care including not knowing or not believing the exam was needed and discomfort during exams. Caregivers also describe enablers to screening. The most common response to what enabled the woman with an intellectual disability to receive the exam was preparation prior to the exam. Overall caregivers felt the women in their care were receiving the health care they needed.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Name family caregiver identified barriers to cervical and breast cancer screening for women with intellectual disabilities. Describe family caregiver facilitators of breast and cervical cancer screening for women with intellectual disabilities.

Keywords: Caregivers, Barriers to Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-principal investigator on a number of federally funded grants focused on individuals with disabilities and their families. I currently serve as PI for the federally funded grant related to this abstract. I also serve as the director of the Lurie Institute of Disability Policy at Brandeis University. The mission of the institute is to promote disability research and training.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 2068.0: Disability Section Poster Session 1