Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...
Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...
Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...
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PAGE 135<br />
• 44 per cent knew that a pregnancy lasts for an average <strong>of</strong> nine<br />
m<strong>on</strong>ths.<br />
• Of the 56 interviewees asked about aborti<strong>on</strong>, 36 per cent<br />
understood the meaning <strong>of</strong> the word. [82]<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Literature</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Review</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> Provisi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Appropriate</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Accessible</strong><br />
Support to People with an Intellectual Disability who are<br />
Experiencing Crisis Pregnancy<br />
Dots<strong>on</strong> et al. (2003) carried out a small study gathering the perspectives<br />
<strong>of</strong> eight women with developmental disabilities in California, in the<br />
United States. The researchers c<strong>on</strong>ducted health <strong>and</strong> sexuality interviews<br />
with the women participants, a review <strong>of</strong> case records <strong>and</strong> interviews<br />
with the women’s support staff. Their research revealed that while five <strong>of</strong><br />
the women reported that they had had sex or were currently sexually<br />
active, half <strong>of</strong> the participants were unsure about whether or not they<br />
could become pregnant. Seven women reported that they had been<br />
pregnant in the past, <strong>and</strong> <strong>on</strong>e woman was unsure whether she had been<br />
or not. Similarly, Murphy <strong>and</strong> O’Callaghan’s research findings in Engl<strong>and</strong><br />
(2004) dem<strong>on</strong>strated that levels <strong>of</strong> sexual knowledge for adults with<br />
intellectual disabilities (mild to moderate) were far lower than for n<strong>on</strong>disabled<br />
16 to 17 year olds. Findings dem<strong>on</strong>strated that levels <strong>of</strong> sexual<br />
knowledge for adults with intellectual disabilities (mild to moderate)<br />
were far lower than for n<strong>on</strong>-disabled 16 to 17 year olds. Adults with<br />
intellectual disability in their study <strong>of</strong>ten lacked knowledge in a number<br />
<strong>of</strong> key areas, including pregnancy (<strong>on</strong>e-third <strong>of</strong> the adults did not know<br />
how pregnancy occurred), c<strong>on</strong>tracepti<strong>on</strong>, <strong>and</strong> birth c<strong>on</strong>trol.<br />
4.2.2 Increased vulnerability <strong>and</strong> sexual abuse<br />
Women with intellectual disability are vulnerable to sexual abuse due<br />
to their inability to defend themselves or to a lack <strong>of</strong> knowledge with<br />
respect to what c<strong>on</strong>stitutes abuse (Walsh et al., 2000). Furthermore,<br />
due to communicati<strong>on</strong> difficulties many women with intellectual<br />
disability may not be able to report symptoms <strong>of</strong> abuse, or an outcome<br />
<strong>of</strong> abuse, i.e. unwanted pregnancy. They are therefore reliant <strong>on</strong> others,<br />
including healthcare pr<strong>of</strong>essi<strong>on</strong>als, family members <strong>and</strong> carers, to be<br />
alert to symptoms <strong>of</strong> abuse <strong>and</strong> possible pregnancy such as trauma, or<br />
lacerati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the hymen (Furman, 1989) as well as emoti<strong>on</strong>al symptoms<br />
82 One school requested that the questi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> aborti<strong>on</strong> was omitted from the<br />
interview.