Project Description:
Women with disabilities are living longer with better quality of life as a result of advances in medical science, pharmacology, and technology. For those with access to those resources, the risks of morbidity and mortality from disabling conditions combined with common diseases and injuries have been significantly reduced. The problem society faces, however, is bringing this life-saving knowledge, particularly in the area of womens health, beyond the walls of academic medical centers to the community clinics and homes of the women and their families. Applying principles of community based participatory research and a rigorous scientific approach, this project will partner closely with consumers, clinicians, researchers, and librarians in every phase of the development of an easily accessible, understandable, and usable online information resource on women's health in the context of disability, test its usability in an iterative process, and produce a user training program. The project constitutes a coherent, sustained approach to improving the health of women with disabilities.
The goal of this project is to improve the reproductive and pelvic health of women with disabilities. In partnership with the Texas Medical Center Library and a Community Advisory Board, with review by clinicians and researchers, this project will create a health information website that is fully interactive and searchable by women with disabilities. The purpose of this website is to employ commonly used information technology to empower women with disabilities to become self-informed about decisions related to improving their health. Focus groups and a national survey of 500 women with physical disabilities will identify their information needs and access to digital technologies. Comprehensive literature reviews of reproductive health, pelvic health, sexuality, and access to health care for women with disabilities will provide information to populate the website and produce downloadable topical summaries with links to other information resources. Second will be the development of a tailored training program for women with physical disabilities on how to use this website, with feasibility testing using face-to-face and online formats with 30 local women. This health information website and accompanying training program will be designed to promote health literacy, improve reproductive and pelvic health outcomes of women with disabilities, and reduce health disparities.
