Barriers to sexual health provision for people with intellectual disability : a disability service provider and clinician perspective

Background Sexual health remains one of the most overlooked areas of life for people with intellectual disability. In recent years there has been an increasing expectation that this issue will be addressed by disability service providers. In this paper we examine the barriers to sexual health provision of people with intellectual disability as experienced by disability service providers and clinicians. Method This research uses a constructionist grounded theory approach. It was conducted in 2 phases using semistructured qualitative interviews to collect data from disability service managers and clinicians working with people with intellectual disability in New South Wales, Australia. Findings and Discussion Key themes within the interviews – including funding shortages and a lack of policy guidelines – were identified as significant administrative barriers to sexual health provision. Myths about the sexual health of people with intellectual disability, family attitudes, and lack of staff training were also identified as barriers.