WhatsApp and participation in sexual and reproductive health for women with disabilities in Nairobi
Abstract
Socio-cultural, political and legal practices hinder women with disabilities
from accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information.
This paper assesses the use of WhatsApp for sharing SRH
information among women with disabilities. Feminism and uses
and gratification theories were used in the mixed-methods study.
A sample of 20 women with disabilities, who were members of
disability specific WhatsApp groups were sampled. Key Informant
Interviews of six women with disabilities were conducted.
WhatsApp was found to be an effective platform for sharing SRH
information among women with disabilities except for women who
were Blind, Deaf Blind, and also women with intellectual disabilities.
A few women with disabilities confirmed that the WhatsApp platform
helped them to understand SRH information. Findings indicate
a need for structured discussion on SRH in disability WhatsApp
groups to increase awareness among women with disabilities. SRH
information should be shared in ways that are accessible to people
with disabilities. This includes platforms that support visual, pictorial
and audio forms. Further, the Ministry of Health, in partnership
with other stakeholders, ought to disseminate SRH information
through social media to women with disabilities.
URI
https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2025.2514059http://repository.mut.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/6551