Survey assesses menopause awareness in disabled women, indicating gaps in health information accessibility.
Menopause is a significant phase in a woman’s life, often accompanied by physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms that can impact quality of life. For women with disabilities, this stage presents compounded challenges due to existing impairments, limited access to health information, and systemic healthcare barriers. This study assessed the level of awareness of menopausal information among disabled women in Awka South Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, Nigeria. Using a census survey method, data were collected from 52 registered disabled women aged 45–55 through a structured questionnaire. Findings revealed that while 69% of the respondents had heard about menopause and 75% were aware of its symptoms, only a small proportion rated their understanding as “very good.” Health workers were the most trusted information source (53.8%), though many women rarely or never received information. Key challenges identified included lack of disability-friendly materials (25%), inaccessible health facilities (21.2%), and low comprehension of available information (17.3%). Alarmingly, 34.6% found existing information sources neither accessible nor easy to understand. The study, grounded in the Health Belief Model, underscores the urgent need for inclusive health communication strategies tailored to the unique needs of disabled women. It recommends the training of health workers in disability-sensitive communication, the development of accessible educational materials, and community-based campaigns to improve awareness and health outcomes for this marginalized group.
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Moneke et al. (2025) studied this question.
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