Time trends in socio-economic inequalities for women and men with disabilities in Australia: evidence of persisting inequalities

Introduction The socio-economic circumstances and health of people with disabilities has been relatively ignored in public health research, policy and practice in Australia and internationally. This is despite emerging evidence that the socio-economic circumstances that people with disabilities live in contributes to their poorer health. Compared to other developed countries, Australians with disabilities are more likely to live in disadvantaged circumstances, despite being an economically prosperous country; it is therefore likely that the socio-economic disadvantage experienced by Australians with disabilities makes a significant contribution to their health. Despite the importance of this issue Australia does not routinely monitor the socio-economic inequalities for people with disabilities. This paper addresses this gap by describing time trends in socio-economic conditions for Australians with and without disabilities according to the severity of the disability and sex. Methods Cross-sectional analyses of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers were carried out at three time points (1998, 2003 and 2009) to estimate the proportions of women and men (aged between 25 and 64 years) who were living on low incomes, had not completed year 12, were not in paid work, living in private rental and experiencing multiple disadvantage (three or more of the indicators). Results People with disabilities are less likely to have completed year 12, be in paid work and are more likely to be living on low incomes and experiencing multiple disadvantage. These conditions worsened with increasing severity of disability and increased or persisted over time, with most of the increase between 1998 and 2003. While women with milder disabilities tended to fare worse than men, the proportions were similar for those with moderate and severe/profound disabilities. Conclusion People with disabilities experience high levels of socio-economic disadvantage which has increased or persisted over time and these are likely to translate into poorer health outcomes. A large proportion experience multiple forms of disadvantage, reinforcing the need to tackle disadvantage in a coordinated way across sectors. People with disabilities should be a priority population group for public health. Monitoring socio-economic conditions of people with disabilities is critical for informing policy and assessing the impact of disability reforms.

Gender, sexuality and embodiment : access to and experience of healthcare by same-sex attracted women in Australia

This article identifies the way same-sex attracted women negotiate healthcare in a rural Australian setting. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 women. Respondents choose general practitioners (GPs) carefully, `interviewing' them to see if they hold acceptable attitudes to same-sex attraction. However, sexuality is not the only evaluative criteria women use. Some women invoke gender-based discourse, evaluating GPs by how well they treat women's bodies. In other instances, women utilize a framework based on sexuality; good healthcare is associated with how the practitioner dealt with same-sex attraction. Sometimes women evaluated care by reference to a model of the body that did not implicate gender or sexuality and GPs are evaluated on the basis of clinical knowledge. This shows that women do not define themselves in a unitary way in relation to gender or sexuality. They selectively and strategically employ discourses of gender, sexuality and embodiment to structure and evaluate healthcare

Singing in La Voce Della Luna Italian women's choir in Melbourne, Australia

Australia is a country of ongoing migration that embraces diversity, creative expression and cultural activity. Membership of community music groups by older people can enhance life quality, and may provide a space through which cultural and linguistic identity may be shared and celebrated. This qualitative phenomenological case study explores engagement by older members of La Voce Della Luna, an Italian women’s community choir based in Melbourne, Victoria. This article presents one case study from a larger ongoing research project, Well-being and ageing: community, diversity and the arts in Victoria. In this study, data were gathered from documentary sources and by individual and focus group semi-structured interviews in 2013. Employing interpretative phenomenological analysis two significant themes emerged: Social connection and combatting isolation; and New horizons: music-making and social justice. This article describes how active music for older women provides opportunities to learn new skills, new ideas, and create for themselves a resilient community.

Sexist attitudes in Australia are on the rise, young women tell gender study

Women aged from 14 to 25 say they will avoid certain careers because of sexism and less than 1% want to be in politics.

Breastfeeding practices in women with type 1 diabetes: A discussion of the psychosocial factors and policies in Sweden and Australia.

Women with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) face many challenges during their pregnancy, birth and in the postnatal period, including breastfeeding initiation and continuation while maintaining stable glycaemic control. In both Sweden and Australia the rates of breastfeeding initiation are high. However, overall there is limited information about the breastfeeding practices of women with T1DM and the factors affecting them. Similarities in demographics, birth rates and health systems create bases for discussion.

Modern therapeutics, medical and surgical; including the diseases of women and children. A compendium of recent formulae and therapeutical directions from the practice of eminent contemporary physicians, American and foreign.

Combined ed. of his Modern medical therapeutics, Modern surgical therapeutics, Therapeutics of gynecology and Obstetrics, and Therapeutics of diseases of children.

Wine, women & waltz : a romantic biography of Johann Strauss, son and father /

Mode of access: Internet.

Children's diet in home and school, with classified recipes and menus; a reference book for parents, nurses, teachers, women's clubs, and physicians,

Mode of access: Internet.

The romance of biography; or, Memoirs of women loved and celebrated by poets, from the days of the troubadours to the present age; a series of anecdotes intended to illustrate the influence which female beauty and virtue have exercised over the characters and writings of men of genius,

First published under title: Loves of the poets. London, 1829.

State education for the people in America, Europe, India and Australia : with papers on The education of women, Technical instruction and payment by results.

Mode of access: Internet.

American medical biography: or, Memoirs of eminent physicians who have flourished in America. To which is prefixed a succinct history of medical science in the United States, from the first settlement of the country.

Mode of access: Internet.

American medical biography, or, Memoirs of eminent physicians who have flourished in America to which is prefixed a succinct history of medical science in the United States from the first settlement of the country.

Reprint of the 1828 ed.