Background: Persons with disabilities experience
myriad of challenges associated with reproductive
health and face new vulnerabilities to human rights
abuses at the onset of adolescence. The girl child
has been identified as the one who is subjected to
many reproductive issues such as exposure to
unwanted early pregnancies, unsafe abortions and
sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
Objective: To determine management practices of
nurses towards reproductive health services of
persons with disabilities in Thika Level 5 hospital.
Materials and methods: This study adopted a
descriptive cross-sectional design where both
quantitative and qualitative techniques in data
collection were utilized. The study population
comprised of nurses working at the hospital.
Simple random sampling was used to get a sample
size of 151 nurses. Structured questionnaire and
key informant interviews were the main methods
for data collection. Participants were requested to
sign an informed consent form. Data cleaning and
analysis was done using STATA, statistical analysis
software (Version 13) and results presented in
tables, charts and graphs. Notes from the
interviews were transcribed, translated, coded and
analysed manually based on themes (thematic
analysis) which were developed from the responses
and the study objectives. Its findings were
presented in verbatim form. The study was
submitted to KNH/UoN ethical review committee
for ethical approval. Permission to access and use
facilities and patients was sought from medical
superintendent of Thika level five Hospital who
referred the proposal to their Ethics committee
through National Council for Science and
Technology. The study concluded that the
management practices of nurses on reproductive
health services of persons with disabilities needs to
be improved since most nurses were not aware of
the programs and policies guiding provision of
these services. This study recommends the need for
the national government through the Ministry of
Health, Kiambu County government and partners
in health service provision to ensure that there are
policies and guideline in place to guide
management of reproductive health services
especially to vulnerable groups. There is need for
capacity building for nurses to improve their ability
to manage persons with disabilities.