Sexuality: Experience of Women with Physical Disabilities

Abstract

It was aimed to describe the experiences at the practice of sexuality of women with physical dis-abilities. This study is part of a doctoral thesis entitled sexuality in women with acquired defi-ciency: nursing in health promotion and empowerment. It was conducted an exploratory descrip-tive study with qualitative approach, which was carried out from June to October, in the year of 2010. The survey participants were six women members of an association of people with physical dis-abilities. Data collection was based on focal group. Analysis and discussion by means of the classi-fication of the speeches were performed according to the analysis of content and pertinent litera-ture. In the results, the following categories and sub-categories were identified: concepts, covering self-image and sexuality; social actors, responsible for the promotion of sexuality, with highlight for men, family and health professionals; challenges experienced in the practice of sexuality, with highlight on prejudice and fear of sexual abuse due to the disability. We could state that the focus groups favored the discussion and the self-knowledge of the women with respect to sexuality.