Date of Award
Spring 5-2021
Document Type
Honors Thesis
Department/Major
Health Science
First Advisor
Ann Wilson
Second Advisor
Musheera Anis-Abdellatif
Third Advisor
Jamie Turgeon-Drake
Keywords
Women, Intellectual Disabilities, Developmental Disabilities, Disability, Sexuality, Sexual Health, Medical Education
Subject Categories
Medicine and Health Sciences
Abstract
Women with intellectual disabilities (WID) experience a number of systemic barriers to healthcare related to their sexuality and sexual expression. Additionally, they are vulnerable to sexual abuse which could lead to conditions that would adversely affect their health and wellbeing. There is a need for healthcare professionals to be able to provide comprehensive sexual healthcare to WID, and this service is currently lacking. To begin to address this gap in available care, content on the sexuality of WID in courses taken by undergraduate future healthcare providers (FHP) needs to be developed. To provide the foundation of such a curriculum, this study assessed the attitudes towards the sexuality of WID of 47 undergraduate FHP using the Attitudes to Sexuality Questionnaire (Individuals with an Intellectual Disability), which includes 32 items having a 6-point Likert scale. With an overall mean score of 5.07, students showed overall agreement with statements affirming the rights and sexuality of WID. This finding suggests their likely acceptance of a curriculum that would include these topics. To build on these attitudes, educational recommendations are made to provide students with opportunities for: 1) clinical observations of healthcare professionals with expertise in caring for WID and 2) direct conversations with and exposure to WID in the classroom setting.
KEYWORDS: Intellectual disability, Women, Sexuality, Healthcare
Recommended Citation
Tolvanen, Noel N., "Future Healthcare Professionals’ Attitudes About the Sexuality of Women with Intellectual Disabilities" (2021). Honors Thesis. 130.
https://red.library.usd.edu/honors-thesis/130