# Partnering with Women with Disabilities to Develop a Health Information Website

> **NIH NIH G08** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $100,000

## Abstract

Partnering with Women with Disabilities to Develop a Health Information Website
Women with disabilities are living longer with better quality of life as a result of advances in
medical science, pharmacology, and technology. For those with access to those resources, the
risks of morbidity and mortality have been significantly reduced. The problem is bringing this life-
saving knowledge, particularly about women’s health, beyond academic medical centers to the
clinics and homes of the women and their families. This project will partner closely with
consumers, clinicians, researchers, and librarians in every phase of the development of an
easily accessible, understandable, and usable online information resource on women's health in
the context of disability, test its usability in an iterative process, and produce a user training
program.
For the past 25 years, the Center for Research on Women with Disabilities (CROWD) has
documented disparities in health and access to healthcare experienced by the growing and
seriously underserved population of women with disabilities; however, information is fragmented
and there is little evidence that discoveries are benefiting the intended audience nationwide. For
example, although more women with significant physical impairments are becoming pregnant,
they continue to struggle with finding accessible healthcare facilities and providers who are
knowledgeable and experienced in the effect of disability on pregnancy and delivery. While the
long-term effects of pregnancy on pelvic health is a topic of growing interest to the aging
population of women and gynecologists, the literature is almost completely silent on the pelvic
health of women with disabilities. Postings on the CROWD website about current knowledge
need to be expanded and converted into a fully interactive, searchable information resource,
and its availability should be made known widely.
The goal of this project is to improve the reproductive and pelvic health of women with
disabilities. In partnership with the University of Montana, Texas Medical Center Library and a
Community Advisory Board, and with review by clinicians and researchers, this project will
create a health information website that is fully interactive and searchable by women with
disabilities. The purpose of this website is to employ common information technology to
empower women with disabilities to become self-informed about decisions related to health.
Focus groups and a national survey of 500 women with physical disabilities will identify their
information needs and use of digital technologies. Comprehensive literature reviews of
reproductive health, pelvic health, breast health, and access to health care for women with
disabilities will provide information to populate the website and produce downloadable topical
summaries with links to other information resources. Second will be the development of a
tailored training program for women with physical disabilities on how to use this...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9842000
- **Project number:** 5G08LM012702-04
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** ROSEMARY B HUGHES
- **Activity code:** G08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $100,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-11-04 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9842000

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9842000, Partnering with Women with Disabilities to Develop a Health Information Website (5G08LM012702-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9842000. Licensed CC0.

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