Sexual and Reproductive Health of People with Physical Disabilities

Globally, social discrimination toward people with disabilities still occurs when they have been treated unequally. In turn, people with disabilities continue to face numerous barriers in their lives. Situated within the social science discourse, this chapter discusses the sexual and reproductive health experiences of people with disabilities using examples from research that was conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The chapter shows that people with disabilities faced barriers that came from society such as environment, attitudinal, and cultural norms. They experience negative sexual practices and access to public hospitals. Due to the difficult movements, they encounter problems with their sexual practices. In terms of inaccessibility, they experience poor attitudes toward health care providers and the inaccessibility of some hospital environments. In turn, some people avoid seeking health care. Generally, they devise their own solutions to their sexual health problems. This chapter suggests that there is considerable room for improving the sexual and reproductive health experiences of people with physical disabilities in Vietnam. Policies to address the stigma associated with a physical disability, especially among educators and health service providers, are needed. The accessibility of health service environments also needs to be addressed so that people with disabilities can actively seek and obtain appropriate sexual and reproductive health care.