School of Geography - Research Publications
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 4 of 4
-
ItemDiscrimination reported by older adults living with mental health conditions: types, contexts and association with healthcare barriers(SPRINGER HEIDELBERG, 2021-06)OBJECTIVE: Australian policy-making needs better information on the prevalence, context and types of discrimination reported by people living with mental health conditions and the association of exposure to discrimination with experiencing a barrier to accessing healthcare. METHODS: Secondary data analysis using the national representative General Social Survey 2014 to examine discrimination and healthcare barriers. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between discrimination and barriers to healthcare. RESULTS: Around 10% of older adults without mental health conditions reported an instance of discrimination in the last 12 months, compared to 22-25% of those with mental health conditions. Approximately 20% with mental health conditions attributed discrimination to their health conditions, along with other characteristics including age. Discrimination was reported in settings important to human capital (e.g., healthcare, workplace), but also in general social and public contexts. Everyday discrimination (OR = 2.11 p < 0.001), discrimination in healthcare (OR = 2.92 p < 0.001), and discrimination attributed to the person's health condition (OR = 1.99 p < 0.05) increased the odds of experiencing a barrier to care two-to-three-fold. For each type of discrimination reported (e.g., racism, ageism etc.), the odds of experiencing a barrier to care increased 1.3 times (OR = 1.29 p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This new population-level evidence shows older adults with mental health conditions are experiencing discrimination at more than twofold compared to those without mental health conditions. Discrimination was associated with preventing or delaying healthcare access. These findings indicate that future strategies to promote mental healthcare in underserved groups of older people will need to be multidimensional and consideration given to address discrimination.
-
ItemDiscrimination and disability: Types of discrimination and association with trust, self-efficacy and life satisfaction among older Australians(WILEY, 2020-06)OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence, context and types of discrimination reported by older Australians (aged 55 years and over) and associations between outcomes (trust, self-efficacy and life satisfaction) and exposure to discrimination. METHODS: The 2014 General Social Survey was used to measure discrimination. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between levels of trust, self-efficacy and life satisfaction and exposure to discrimination. RESULTS: A sizeable minority of older Australians with a disability reported discrimination (15%), with higher exposure for those with more severe or multiple disabilities. In addition to disability, age and nationality, race or ethnic group were cited as reasons for discrimination. Discrimination was reported across a variety of contexts, including everyday social interactions. Lower levels of trust, self-efficacy and life satisfaction were associated with exposure to disability discrimination. CONCLUSIONS: Focusing on disability discrimination alone underestimates the level of exposure to discrimination. Discrimination may reinforce social exclusion by reducing trust and self-efficacy in familial and community contexts.
-
ItemComponents of disability exclusion: Discrimination, avoidance and accessibility in later life(WILEY, 2020-06)OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and context of disability exclusion reported by people with disability, with and without communication and mobility problems. METHODS: The 2015 Survey of Disability Ageing and Carers was used to measure the prevalence of reported exclusion. Tests of proportions were used to examine differences in prevalence rates. Proportional Venn diagrams were used to examine the intersection of measures of exclusion. RESULTS: Approximately 53% of those with a communication or mobility difficulty reported at least one measure of exclusion. Among this group, 7% reported an instance of discrimination, 44% reported avoidance, and 29% reported an accessibility problem. The levels of discrimination and avoidance for those without communication or mobility difficulties were approximately half this level (16% avoidance and 3% discrimination). Avoidance and discrimination reduced with age, but accessibility was age-invariant. Exclusion measures intersected and occurred in a variety of contexts. CONCLUSION: Despite protections provided in Australian law, disability exclusion persists and is high among those with communication and mobility difficulties.
-
ItemPast and projected growth of Australia's older migrant populations.(Springer, 2020-08-05)In recent years, Australia's older population (aged 65 and over) has been growing rapidly, accompanied by a shift in its country of birth composition. Although a great deal of research has been undertaken on past and current aspects of Australia's migrant groups, little attention has been paid to future demographic trends in older populations. The aim of this paper is to examine recent and possible future demographic trends of Australia's migrant populations at the older ages. We present population estimates by country and broad global region of birth from 1996 to 2016, and then new birthplace-specific population projections for the 2016 to 2056 period. Our findings show that substantial growth of the 65+ population will occur in the coming decades, and that the overseas-born will shift from a Europe-born dominance to an Asia-born dominance. Cohort flow (the effect of varying sizes of cohorts moving into the 65+ age group over time) will be the main driver of growth for most older birthplace populations. The shifting demography of Australia's older population signals many policy, planning, service delivery and funding challenges for government and private sector providers. We discuss those related to aged care, health care, language services, the aged care workforce, regulatory frameworks and future research needs in demography and gerontology.