Reproductive and sexual health care needs of women with intellectual disabilities

Women with intellectual disabilities (ID) have documented health disparities in multiple areas, including oral health, health promotion and education uptake, cancer screenings, primary care and mental health, as well disparities in research participation. Women with ID also face significant disparities in reproductive and sexual health care access, though there is a paucity of literature regarding what constitutes effective reproductive and sexual health care for this population. Women with ID are often not asked about sexual health care needs in primary care. In addition, we know that in general, primary care physicians receive inadequate training in caring for individuals with ID, which may be a factor in the unmet sexual health care needs of this population. This poster will review sexual health care needs of women with ID, including sex education, STI information and screening, screening for sexual abuse and abuse prevention education, contraception, HPV testing/Pap testing, support for decision making around planning or preventing a pregnancy, evaluation and treatment of menstrual health and counseling regarding appropriate consensual sexuality. We will then outline practical recommendations for primary care providers, health care and social service agencies and supporters for increasing access to and quality of sexual health care services for women with ID. We will provide tips for talking to women with ID about sexual health, asking about sexual activity, contraceptive needs and reproductive health, providing cancer and STI screenings and health education, and assessing for abuse, in order to reduce disparities in sexual health care access.