1. Identifying women with a disability in Australian maternity services: Time for a change.
- Author
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Benzie, Charlie A., Newton, Michelle S., McLachlan, Helen L., and Forster, Della A.
- Subjects
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HEALTH services accessibility , *MEDICAL protocols , *POLICY sciences , *SELF-evaluation , *WOMEN , *MATERNAL health services , *DISABILITY evaluation , *PRENATAL care , *PATIENT-centered care , *PREGNANCY complications , *PEOPLE with disabilities , *DISEASE risk factors - Abstract
It is estimated that over 1 billion people worldwide have a disability. In Australia, 9% of women of childbearing age have a disability, but data on disability status for women accessing maternity services are not routinely collected and data collection processes are inconsistent. Maternal disability may affect perinatal outcomes, but to understand what factors might be amenable to interventions to improve outcomes, accurate data collection on disability status is essential. This opinion piece reflects on disability identification within maternity services in Australia, identifying areas for policy and practice change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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