Exploring Young Women with Disabilities’ Knowledge of and Experiences with Contraception: A Multi-method Qualitative Study in Ontario

Abstract

In Canada, women with disabilities are an understudied group when it comes to sexual and reproductive health. Specifically, there is no clarity about women living with disabilities’ knowledge of and experience with contraception in Canada. Contraception refers to methods used to prevent pregnancy. Research has shown that the rate of adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes is higher among youth with disabilities, a group comprising approximately 1 in 7 Canadian over 15 years of age. This study aimed to understand better adolescent and young adult women (13-26 years of age) with disabilities’ knowledge of and experiences with contraception in Ontario by launching an online survey and conducting semi-structured interviews. The findings show that revisions to service models and healthcare attitudes towards sexually active women with disabilities are necessary. This study recommends that sexual education be revised to include people with disabilities, people of different sexual orientations, and equality between men and women’s reproductive responsibility