New research unveils the barriers to sexual and reproductive health access for women in the Barwon South West region.
The Mapping Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Regional Victoria report was released on Thursday, October 24.
Deakin Rural Health, the Centre for Australian Research into Access and Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West, to identify the distance of health services in local government areas.
Deakin Rural Health associate research fellow Sarah Wood said the project addressed the “lack of access” to sexual and reproductive health services across the state.
“We need more transparency on where people can go to access care…and understanding the gaps is the first step in achieving equity in healthcare,” she said.
“Women need to know what services are available in their region, and they need to be able to access this information in the privacy of their own homes.
“In Geelong and the Surf Coast, they generally have the lowest travel times for the services that we looked at, but travel times are only one factor of access.
“We also couldn’t find any information on menopause services, which is relevant to areas such as Queenscliff where 73 per cent of women are over 45 years old.”
Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West chief executive Jodie Hill said the report was a powerful tool to deliver needed change across the region.
“Women in rural and regional areas often face inequities and barriers when it comes to accessing essential sexual and reproductive healthcare,” she said.
“This groundbreaking research is an essential first step in resolving access issues and ensuring that all women in our region have access to the healthcare they need.
“The combination of distance, limited services and factors such as service accessibility and confidentiality concerns in small towns make it challenging for women to access services.”
Visit womenshealthbsw.org.au for the full Mapping access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Regional Victoria report.
