Table 1 Participants characteristics (N = 475)

Age (years) mean, SD

44.5

0.83

Currently married

202

42.5

Number of living children

Unmarried and no child

155

32.6

Married but no child

29

6.1

1 child

39

8.2

2 children

71

14.9

3 and more children

181

38.1

Less than primary education(i.e. <5 years education)

330

69.5

Type of disability*

Visual impairment

118

24.8

Physical disability

279

58.7

Deaf

99

20.8

Speech and hearing disability

50

10.5

Age on onset of disability

By birth

120

25.3

<1 year

32

6.7

1-4 year

71

14.9

5 and over

252

53.1

Living with

With family members

250

52.6

Husband

195

41.1

Alone

30

6.3

Caste/ethnicity

Upper caste group

206

43.4

Relatively advantaged indigenous groups

139

29.3

Disadvantaged indigenous groups (Janajatis)

45

9.4

Non-touchable group (Dalit)

85

17.9

Currently employed

124

26.1

Member of any community groups

120

25.3

Associated with any organization that work with women with disability

45

9.5

Not able to hold any group membership in the community

335

70.5

Not able to join any organization

335

70.5

Not able to go to health care centre/hospital

307

64.6

Not able to visit friends or relatives without permission

306

64.4

Never/rare exposure to newspapers

385

81.0

Never/rare exposure to radio

271

57.1

Never/rare exposure to television

183

38.5

Never/rare use of internet

455

95.8