Non-disabled and disabled women sexual health comparison

Background: Disabled women constitute approximately 16% of all women in Europe. Regardless of disability level women are interested in maintaining sexual activity. The study aim was to compare, understand if there are sexual health disparities between disabled women and non-disabled women.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in non-governmental associations and the general practitioner's office in Latvia from November 2018 to January 2019. Data were collected from self-filled questionnaires of 34 DW and 34 NDW.Results: The mean age of NDW was 32 years and 43 years for DW. 73.5% of DW and 41.2% of NDW were partially satisfied with their sex life, p=0.009. 47.1% of DW and 32.4% of NDW admitted having an irregular sex life, p=0.002. 58.8% of NDW and 29.4% of DW had last sexual intercourse within 6 days period, p=0.011. 67.6% NDW and 20.6% DW thought their sex life will improve in future, p=0.001. 70.6% of DW was interested in maintaining sexual relations as well as 91.2% of NDW. 20.6% of DW was interested in maintaining sexual relationships but less than before disability. 29.4% of respondents from both groups noted that the level of disability or other health disorders had little impact on their sexual health. 8.8% of disabled women and 2.9% of non-disabled women had severe symptoms of depression.Conclusions: The study demonstrated that NDW had regular sex life and were more satisfied with it than DW. Regardless of the state of health women were interested in maintaining sexual activity.

Physical Disability Affects Women’s but Not Men’s Perception of Opposite-Sex Attractiveness

Physical appearance influences our perceptions, judgments, and decision making about others. While the current literature with regard to the perceptions and judgments of nondisabled people’s attractiveness is robust, the research investigating the perceived physical attractiveness and judgments of physically disabled individuals is scarce. Therefore, in the current study, we investigated whether people with physical disabilities are perceived by the opposite sex as more or less attractive relative to nondisabled individuals. Our results, based on over 675 participants, showed a positive effect for women’s attractiveness ratings of men with physical disabilities, but not men’s attractiveness ratings of physically disabled women. Moreover, social desirability bias was positively associated with attractiveness ratings of physically disabled individuals, meaning those with higher tendency to be viewed favorably by others rated physically disabled individuals more attractive. Finally, our results revealed that attractiveness ratings of individuals with physical disabilities are positively associated with extroversion and empathy in both men and women, and positively with agreeableness and negatively with neuroticism in women. In conclusion, our study showed women rate men with physical disabilities as higher on attractiveness than nondisabled men, which is also influenced by their social desirability bias.

Older people's experiences of dignity and support with eating during hospital stays: analytical framework, policies and outcomes

There is growing recognition of the importance of dignity and support with eating as markers of high-quality and older-person-centred hospital services. We use data on these markers from the national Adult Inpatient Survey for England to build up statistical evidence on older people's experiences. We find that poor and inconsistent experiences of being treated with dignity and respect, and of receiving support with eating, affect a substantial proportion of inpatients across the vast majority of acute hospital trusts. There has been remarkably little change over time, although small improvements provide some grounds for optimism relating to policy developments in the period following the Francis Inquiry. Amongst people over 65, the prevalence of inconsistent and poor experiences of dignity and support with eating was higher amongst the ‘oldest of the old’ (inpatients aged over 80), individuals who experience a long-standing limiting illness or disability, and women. The highest rates of prevalence were observed amongst disabled women over 80. Perceptions of inadequate nursing quantity and quality, and lack of choice of food, stand out from logistic regression analysis as having consistent, large associations with lack of support with eating. These factors provide potential policy levers since they are within the control of hospitals to a certain extent. In drawing lessons from our analysis for inspection, regulation and monitoring, we highlight the importance of inequalities analysis – including systematic disaggregation and separate identification of at risk sub-groups (e.g. older disabled women) – rather than relying on a ‘population average approach’.

Disability, Caste, and Intersectionality: Does Co-Existence of Disability and Caste Compound Marginalization for Women Seeking Maternal Healthcare in Southern Nepal?

Background: Disability and caste are two different forms of oppression; however, people of the Dalit caste in Nepal and people with disabilities commonly face similar types of marginalities. Dalit women with disabilities may experience double discrimination because of the intersectionality of disability and caste. This study examines whether the disability and caste identity of women together affects and compounds the utilization of maternal healthcare services. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire among a total of 354 Dalit and non-Dalit women, with and without a disability aged between 15–49 years. Maternal healthcare service utilization was assessed by antenatal care (ANC), health facility (HF) delivery, and postnatal care (PNC) during the last pregnancy. Logistic regression was performed to detect the predictors of service utilization and identify whether disability and caste were associated with service utilization. First, disability and caste were fitted separately in models. Secondly, the intersectionality of disability and caste was tested by inclusion of a disability*caste interaction term. Finally, the confounding effect of socio-demographic factors was investigated. Results: Out of surveyed women, 73% had 4+ ANC visits, 65% had HF delivery, and 29% had a PNC visit during their last pregnancy. Women with a disability had lower odds of HF delivery (OR 0.50, CI 0.30–0.84) and PNC (OR 0.47, CI 0.25–0.88) than women without a disability. Adjustment for women’s age and household wealth explained associations in HF delivery by women with disabilities. There was no association between caste and service utilization. Disability overrode caste, and there was no other evidence of effect modification by women’s caste status in the utilization. However, a weak interaction effect in the utilization of ANC services was found in the caste group by their education (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.05–0.74). Conclusions: Disabled women—whether Dalit or non-Dalit—had lower rates of utilizing all maternal healthcare services than non-disabled women. Interestingly, Dalit women with disabilities were more likely to receive PNC than non-Dalit women with disabilities. Increasing equity in maternal healthcare service utilization requires that traditional approaches to service development and program intervention be re-examined and more nuanced interventions considered to ensure improved access and outcomes among all vulnerable groups.

I see you but you don’t see me: the “two-way mirror effect” of gender and disability in employment

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to prior gender-based conceptual models within organisational and management studies by incorporating an additional lens of disability. The authors present a context specific and embodied based model that we call the “two-way mirror effect” which accounts for the environmental and discursive effects of gender and disability within the workplace. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews existing literature on gender, disability and employment and uses that literature to construct and support the concept of a two-way mirror effect. Findings By drawing on organisation and management-based studies, the authors have shown how previous models do not currently account for the experiences of disabled women within the workplace. Disabled workers, and especially disabled women face a myriad of unique barriers, including masculine and able-bodied employment practices (e.g. performative expectations) and exclusionary physical spaces (e.g. access, location to required facilities), that exclude them from full employment participation. Practical implications The review of existing literature and conceptual models reveal the gaps in research that academics and practitioners can build upon and the paper identifies the dominant norms that are embedded within organisational practices, which can be challenged to promote inclusion and equality. Originality/value The authors present a new intersectional-based conceptual model to fill a gap in organisational and management-based studies that accounts for the unique employment experiences of disabled employees, specifically disabled women.

Social Care for the Elder Disabled Women in Urban China: The Roles of Community

Background This article concentrates on analyzing the community care for urban disabled elderly women. With the emergence of aging society in China and the empty nest Chinese families, the number of the elderly who can't take care of themselves is increasing. With the miniaturization of family size and the weakening of family pension function, the traditional family pension in China is facing great challenges. On the one hand, a growing number of disabled elderly women are in urgent need of care, they have many difficulties in daily life, including poor health status, losing spouses and living alone, cannot support themselves economically, lack of spiritual life, and mostly relying on their children to take care of them. On the other hand, the family's function of providing for the aged is weakened, and the traditional way of care is impacted by the changes of modern society. Methods Based on a qualitative study in Beijing, this article examines the demand for care from the disabled elder women and the current supply of community care for the disabled elder women. Results After analyzing the demand for care from elder disabled women and current community care, this study puts forward the existing problems and the reasons behind the community care for the disabled elder women. This article discusses that community care system for disabled elderly women in urban areas should focuses on four aspects: life care, medical care, spiritual consolation and emergency assistance. Conclusions The urban disabled elder women living care service system should be constructed. It mainly provides daily life care for the disabled elder women, and the main body of the service is home-based elderly care service centre, community day care centre, and the elderly's family members or some volunteers. A protection mechanism should be improved to support elder disabled women from three aspects: protection system, fund guarantee and services from health and social cafe staff.

Facilitate This! Reflections from Disabled Women in Popular Music

This article is a reflection by the authors on the impact that their identities as disabled women have had on their ongoing music careers. Skinner and Kapuscinski-Evans make up two-thirds of the Australian crip-folk trio, the Bearbrass Asylum Orchestra (the term “crip” is a cultural reappropriation of “cripple”). The Bearbrass Asylum Orchestra is a band that performs as part of the Disability Music Scene in Melbourne, Australia, using folk music to portray their experiences as people with disabilities. In this article Skinner and Kapuscinski-Evans discuss the formation of and philosophy behind the band, as well as the impact that growing up as disabled women had on their musical education, careers, and influences.

Disabled Women, Care Regimes, and Institutionalised Homophobia: a Case Study From Poland

Introduction The intersection of non-heterosexuality, gender, and disability became a prolific field of research among both queer, crip, and disability studies scholars, though focusing mainly on Western regions. In the paper discusses how women narrate their experiences in relation to ableist and heteronormative regimes in the context of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The case study of Poland, a country characterized by institutionalization, lack of individualized disability support, and state homophobia contributes to a growing body of research on non-western sexuality and disability studies. Methods We conducted interviews with 11 non-heterosexual disabled women living in Poland. Results By tackling care regimes, our analysis explores women’s experiences in the context of discursive confusions resulting from being at the intersection of often-contradictory local narrations on gender, disability, and sexuality. We identified three intertwined processes to understand how care regimes work in Poland: (1) the separateness between queer and disabled policies and discourses, (2) the coopting/obscuring of homosexual relations between women by category of care, and (3) familiarisation of care and its consequences for non-heterosexuality. Policy Implication We suggest that social support systems must better address the needs of non-heterosexual women with disabilities which are profoundly impacted by structural, political, and cultural constraints and possibilities.