Sexual and reproductive health outcomes and disability: secondary Demographic and Health Survey analysis

The overall aim of this study will be to generate robust quantitative evidence on the unmet sexual and reproductive health needs of women with disabilities in order to support resource allocation, policy development, programme adaptation and advocacy activities.

The study’s primary objectives are:

• To evaluate differences in key sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and family planning outcomes, particularly unmet need for family planning, between women with and without disabilities.
• To examine the association between disability status and key SRH and family planning outcomes, and assess how this association is mediated by age, socio-economic status, marital status, geographic location and other available socio-demographic variables.

This study analyses nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from Senegal, Mali and Mauritania to generate evidence on differences in family planning and SRH outcomes between women with and without disabilities. Outcomes examined in this study include unmet need for family planning, contraceptive use, reproductive autonomy and decision-making outcomes, female genital mutilation (FGM), and barriers to accessing healthcare when sick.

The findings will provide robust, context-specific evidence to support inclusive SRH and family planning policy and programming in Senegal, Mauritania and Mali. They will be used to develop actionable, context-sensitive recommendations for government planning, advocacy, and accountability, contributing to the broader WISH (Women’s Integrated Sexual Health programme) dividend objective of improving countries’ capacity to use demographic evidence to advance equitable sexual and reproductive health and rights.

This study will contribute new evidence on the difference in sexual and reproductive health and family planning outcomes between women with and without disabilities in Senegal, Mali, and Mauritania. By analysing nationally representative datasets, it will help to identify potential inequalities and inform future disability-inclusive research, policy and programming.

The findings highlight the importance of strengthening the inclusion of women with disabilities in national surveys to ensure that inequalities in sexual and reproductive health, family planning and healthcare access can be adequately measured and addressed.

There is also a need to strengthen the provision of family planning and SRH services for all women, while ensuring that these services are accessible to, and inclusive of women with different types of disabilities.

Together, these efforts could help improve access to, and provision of family planning, and sexual and reproductive health services.