Provision of sexual health services for women with physical disability: A scoping review

Women with physical disability face many unmet needs in receiving sexual health services. Variation in the sexual needs of these women may affect their care outcomes. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying clinical guidelines for providing sexual health services for women with physical disability.

This scoping review was designed and implemented with the 5-step approach of Arksey & O'Malley. Several databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, Science Direct, G-I-N, NICE, AHRQ, WHO, UNFPA, Sid, Magiran) were searched to review articles and clinical guidelines in English and Persian according to the study inclusion criteria from 2006 to 2022.

Five clinical guidelines related to the provision of sexual health services for women with physical disability were identified from 23 screened. Using narrative synthesis of data four key themes were identified: 1) family planning services according to the severity of disability and prevention of unwanted pregnancy 2) diagnosis and treatment of genital infections and sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS 3) early detection of gender-based violence 4) counseling in the field of sexual problems

The clinical guidelines under review indicated sexual health services were provided for women with disabilities in the form of counseling, prevention and treatment service packages. However, quality of services was not considered in the reviewed guidelines. Therefore, due to the importance of the clinical approach in the sexual counseling of women with physical disability, the need to integrate the clinical guidelines available seems necessary.