Meaning of home : a comparison of the meaning of home as identified by samples of Victorians with, and without, an intellectual disability

This phenomenological study of the meaning of home from the perspectives of people with and without an intellectual disability sought to identify, (a) any common ‘essence’ of meaning held by and, (b) the nature of any differences of perception between, the groups. Purposive samples of 18 people with an intellectual disability and 21 non-disabled people were surveyed using a semi-structured interview to ascertain their experiences of home and 'non-homes'. Inductive analysis of the data revealed a shared understanding of the meaning of home at a fundamental level. This shared meaning of home was found to comprise: the ability to exert control over an area; having a personalised space; feeling content with the living situation; a sense of familiarity with the setting; a set of behaviours and routines usually only enacted when at home; common names and uses for rooms; socialising at home with others; the importance of a positive social atmosphere in the home; and, recognition of places as non-homes because they lacked one or more of these attributes. Further analysis revealed the essence of home is its experience as the place where stress is most reduced or minimised for the individual. The study demonstrates that the concept of stress is superordinate to previously identified concepts considered fundamental to home such as privacy, control and non-homes. Major differences between the two samples were largely differences of degree with people who have an intellectual disability reporting the same fundamental attributes of home as people who do not have an intellectual disability, but in a less elaborated form. Principal among these differences of degree was the notion of control over the home and its derivative elements which encompassed the whole dwelling including its setting for people without an intellectual disability but was very restricted for people with an intellectual disability being largely confined to the person's bedroom. Socialising in or from the home was also very limited for people with an intellectual disability in comparison with that experienced by non-disabled informants with the former group conveying an impression of leading significantly socially isolated lives at home. The major implications of this study are related to the meaning of home per se, to residential service provision to people with an intellectual disability, and to future research.

Socio-demographic and work setting correlates of poor mental health in a population sample of working Victorians: application in evidence-based intervention priority setting

Interventions to promote mental health in the workplace are rapidly gaining acceptability as a means to prevent, screen, treat and effectively manage the growing disease burden of depression and anxiety among working people. The objective of this study was to identify socio-demographic and work setting correlates of poor mental health to consider alongside other evidence in priority setting for workplace mental health promotion (MHP). Multiple logistic regression was used to model the probability of poor mental health (SF-12) in relation to socio-demographic (gender, age, education, marital status and occupational skill level) and employment factors (workplace size and type, industrial sector, employment arrangement and working hours) in a population-based cross-sectional survey of 1051 working Victorians. As a result, poor mental health was (21% prevalence overall) higher in working females than in males and decreased with increasing age. Only one employment factor was significant in demographically adjusted multivariate analyses, showing an increase in the odds of poor mental health with increasing working hours. It is concluded that based on the prevalence of poor mental health, Victorian work settings with high proportions of younger workers, and younger working women in particular, should be prioritized for workplace MHP. Thus, together with other research demonstrating particularly poor psychosocial working conditions for young working women, sectors with an over-representation of this group (e.g. service sector) could be prioritized for workplace MHP alongside young and blue-collar males (also a priority due to low mental healthcare service use).

Occupational skill level and hazardous exposures among working Victorians

This paper examines the patterning of exposures to occupational hazards in relation to occupational skill level as a proxy for pay rate, testing the general hypothesis that exposures to occupational hazards increase in prevalence with decreasing skill level. A population-based telephone survey was conducted on a random sample of working Victorians (N = 1,101). A set of 10 indicators of exposure to occupational hazards were analysed individually and as a summary scale in multivariate regression models. A significant increasing trend in hazardous working conditions from the highest to lowest occupational skill level was observed, with those in lower skill level jobs twice as likely to be exposed as those at the highest skill level. This overall trend was driven primarily by higher exposure in the middle skill level group (technicians and skilled trades) as well as the lowest (labourers and elementary clerical), the two main bluecollar groups. Findings provided partial support for the hypothesised relationship.

Economic and social opportunity: the changing lives of Aboriginal Victorians

 This study examined Aboriginal advantage in Victoria, demonstrating that relatively rapid change is occurring on a number of socio-economic indicators. This research, including interviews with Aboriginal participants, highlighted the interdependence of Aboriginal agency and responsive societal structures as significant enablers of Indigenous progress and advancement.

Public and stakeholder values of wildlife in Victoria, Australia

This paper explores the management implications of a recent study that was designed to explore public and stakeholder values of wildlife in Victoria, Australia. Questionnaires (n = 1431) were used to examine values and knowledge of wildlife held by residents from seven Victorian municipalities and members of six wildlife management stakeholder groups. The results suggest that most Victorians have a relatively strong emotional attachment to individual animals (the humanistic value) and are interested in learning about wildlife and the natural environment (the curiosity/learning/interacting value). In comparison, the negativistic, aesthetic, utilitarian-habitat and dominionistic/wildlife-consumption values were not expressed as strongly. These findings suggest that wildlife managers should expect support for wildlife management objectives that reflect the relatively strong humanistic orientation of Victorians and tailor management and education programs to appeal to this value and Victorians' interest in learning about wildlife.

Partners of problem gamblers who present for counselling: demographic profile and presenting problems

This study examined the characteristics of partners of problem gamblers. The study participants were 440 partners, who sought help in a 12-month period from the publicly-funded Break Even counselling services in the state of Victoria, Australia. The analyses revealed that the partners of problem gamblers were far from an homogenous group, with having to face the consequences of another person's problematic gambling seeming to be the only common characteristic. Almost one-third (29.6%) of clients were male and with the exception of financial problems, which were more likely to be reported by females, the presenting problems were similar. When compared to all Victorians aged 15 years and over, greater proportions of male and female partners of problem gamblers were participants in the labour force.

Health-related quality of life of overweight and obese children

Context: The negative effects of childhood overweight and obesity on quality of life (QOL) have been shown in clinical samples but not yet in population-based community samples.

Objective: To determine relationships between weight and health-related QOL reported by parent-proxy and child self-report in a population sample of elementary school children.

Design, Setting, and Participants: Cross-sectional data collected in 2000 within the Health of Young Victorians Study, a longitudinal cohort study commenced in 1997. Individuals were recruited via a random 2-stage sampling design from primary schools in Victoria, Australia. Of the 1943 children in the original cohort, 1569 (80.8%) were resurveyed 3 years later at a mean age of 10.4 years.

Main Outcome Measures: Health-related QOL using the PedsQL 4.0 survey completed by both parent-proxy and by child self-report. Summary scores for children'S total, physical, and psychosocial health and subscale scores for emotional, social, and school functioning were compared by weight category based on International Obesity Task Force cut points.

Results: Of 1456 participants, 1099 (75.5%) children were classified as not overweight; 294 (20.2%) overweight; and 63 (4.3%) obese. Parent-proxy and child self-reported PedsQL scores decreased with increasing child weight. The parent-proxy total PedsQL mean (SD) score for children who were not overweight was 83.1 (12.5); overweight, 80.0 (13.6); and obese, 75.0 (14.5); P < .001. The respective child self-reported total PedsQL mean (SD) scores were 80.5 (12.2), 79.3 (12.8), and 74.0 (14.2); P < .001. At the subscale level, child and parent-proxy reported scores were similar, showing decreases in physical and social functioning for obese children compared with children who were not overweight (all P < .001). Decreases in emotional and school functioning scores by weight category were not significant.

Conclusion: The effects of child overweight and obesity on health-related QOL in this community-based sample were significant but smaller than in a clinical sample using the same measure.

Change in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among young Australian, 1969-1997

BACKGROUND: Effective public policy requires information on the prevalence of overweight and obesity. OBJECTIVE: We determined changes in the population prevalence of overweight and obesity among young Australians (aged 7-15 y) from 1969 to 1985 to 1997. DESIGN: Data from 5 independent population surveys were analyzed: the Australian Youth Fitness Survey, 1969; the Australian Health and Fitness Survey, 1985; the South Australian Schools Fitness and Physical Activity Survey, 1997; the New South Wales Schools Fitness and Physical Activity Survey, 1997; and the Health of Young Victorians Study, 1997. Measured body mass index was used as the index of adiposity, and recently published body mass index cutoff values were used to categorize each subject as nonoverweight, overweight, obese, or either overweight or obese. RESULTS: For 1985-1997, the population prevalence of overweight increased by 60-70%, obesity increased 2-4-fold, and the combined overweight and obesity categories doubled. The findings were consistent across data sets and between the sexes. For 1969-1985, there was no change in the prevalence of overweight or obesity among girls, but among boys the prevalence of overweight increased by 35%, the prevalence of obesity trebled, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined increased by 60%. CONCLUSIONS: The data show that in 1985-1997, the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined doubled and that of obesity trebled among young Australians, but the increase over the previous 16 y was far smaller. These results should increase our sense of urgency in identifying and implementing effective responses to this major threat to public health.

How should activity guidelines for young people be operationalised?

Background: If guidelines regarding recommended activity levels for young people are to be meaningful and comparable, it should be clear how they are operationalised. It is usually open to interpretation whether young people are required to meet activity and screen time targets (1) all days of the week, (2) on most days of the week, (3) on average across all days, or (4) whether compliance should be understood as the probability that a randomly selected young person meets the guidelines on a randomly selected day. This paper studies this question using data drawn from the Australian Health of Young Victorians study.


Methods: The subjects for this study were 885 13–19 year olds who recalled four days of activities using a computerised use-of-time instrument, the Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adolescents (MARCA). Daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time were calculated. The prevalence of compliance to Australian guidelines (≥ 60 min/day of MVPA and ≤ 120 min/day of screen time outside of school hours) was calculated using the four methods.


Results: The four methods resulted in significantly different prevalence estimates for compliance to the MVPA guideline (20–68%), screen guideline (12–42%) and both guidelines (2–26%). Furthermore, different individuals were identified as compliant by the different methods.


Conclusion: Clarification of how compliance to guidelines should be operationalised would assist in comparisons between studies, and in consistency in determining correlates of compliance.

Predictors of body mass index change in Australian primary school children

Objective. To assess associations between multiple potential predictors and change in child body mass index (BMI). Methods.In the 1997 Health of Young Victorians Study, children in Grades preparatory to three (aged 510 years) had their height and weight measured. Parents provided information on potential predictors of childhood overweight across six domains (children’s diet, children’s activity level, family composition, sociodemographic factors, prenatal factors and parental adiposity). Measures were repeated three years later in 2000/1. BMI was transformed to standardised (z) scores using the US 2000 Growth Chart data and children were classified as non-overweight or overweight according to international cutpoints.Regression analyses, including baseline BMI z-score as a covariate, assessed the contribution of each potential predictor to change in BMI z-score, development of overweight and spontaneous resolution of overweight in 1 373 children.Results. BMI z-score change was positively associated with frequency of take-away food, food quantity, total weekly screen time, non-Australian paternal country of birth, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and maternal and paternal BMI.Inverse associations were noted for the presence of siblings and rural residence (all pB0.05). Predictors of categorical change (development and resolution of overweight) were less clearly identified, apart from an association between maternal BMI and overweight development (p0.02). Multivariable models suggested individual determinants have a cumulative effect on BMI change. Conclusions. Strong short-term tracking of BMI makes it difficult to identify predictors of change. Nonetheless, putative determinants across all domains assessed were independently associated with adiposity change. Multi-faceted solutions are likely to be required to successfully deal with the complexities of childhood overweight.

Comorbidites of overweight/obesity experienced in adolescence : longitudinal study

Objectives: Adolescent obesity is linked to measurable, asymptomatic metabolic and cardiovascular precursors, but its associations with adolescents’ experienced health and morbidity is less clear. The objective of this paper was to determine (1) Prevalence of comorbidities experienced by overweight/obese adolescents; (2) Associations between timing of overweight/obesity and morbidity.

Methods: Data were drawn from the three waves (1997, 2000, 2005) of the Health of Young Victorians Study (HOYVS), an Australian school-based longitudinal study. The main outcome measures were blood pressure; self- and parent-proxy reported health status (PedsQL, global health); self-reported mental health (SDQ), psychological distress (K-10), physical symptoms, sleep, asthma, and dieting; parent-reported health care needs (CSHCN screener) and visits. Regression methods, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, were used to assess associations with (1) Body mass index (BMI) status (non-overweight, overweight or obese) and (2) Timing of overweight/obesity ( never , childhood only , adolescence only , ‘persistent ).

Results: Of the 923 adolescents (20.2% overweight, 6.1% obese), 63.5% were categorised as ‘never’ overweight/obese, 8.5% as ‘childhood only’, 7.3% as ‘adolescence only’, and 20.8% as ‘persistent’. Current BMI status was strongly associated with poorer physical and global health, hypertension and dieting behaviours. Associations were weaker for emotional morbidity, and there was no clear evidence of association with any other variable. Other than dieting, adolescent morbidity was not associated with resolved childhood overweight/obesity.

Conclusions: Despite poorer overall health, overweight/obese adolescents were not more likely to report specific problems that might prompt health intervention. Morbidity was mainly associated with concurrent, rather than earlier, overweight/obesity.