The experiences and needs of female adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorder

There is limited large-scale research into the lived experiences of female adults who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with no co-occurring intellectual disability (ID). Drawing on the findings of an Australia-wide survey, this paper presents self-report data from n=82 women with high functioning ASD with respect to their health, education, employment, social and community activities. Where relevant, comparisons are provided with the male subset of the same study population: however, in the majority of analyses no discernible gender differences emerged. The findings highlight the diverse and complex challenges faced by women with high functioning ASD, including high levels of mental health disorder, unmet support needs in education settings and the workplace, and social exclusion and isolation

The Queensland cancer risk study: General population norms for the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G)

Objective: To derive Australian normative scores for the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General Population (FACT-GP) and to confirm its factor structure. Methods: Quality of life (QoL) data (as measured by the FACT-GP) were collected within the Queensland Cancer Risk Study (QCRS) in 2004. The QCRS explored cancer screening and cancer risk behaviours among 9419 English-speaking residents of Queensland aged 20–75 years. Information was collected through computer-assisted telephone interviews and augmented by mailed, Self-Administered Questionnaires (SAQ). A total of 2727 participants largely comparable to the general population of Queensland self-completed the FACT-GP; however, participants were somewhat higher educated, more likely to have had cancer and less likely to be of indigenous heritage. Results: The Queensland population reported a FACT-GP summary score of 85.9 (SD515.1), with subscale scores (range: 19.2 for social well-being to 25.1 for physical wellbeing (PWB)). In this study, men and women within different age groups reported similar QoL. QoL was clinically and significantly lower among participants not married, with a body mass index (BMI) deviating from normal weight and with one or more self-reported morbidities. A four-factor solution was confirmed with good goodness-of-fit indices (RSMEAo0.05 for all three age groups). Conclusions: The reference values from the general population reported here can be used for comparison with the QoL measured in populations of cancer patients, providing a benchmark against which clinicians can evaluate the impact of the disease and/or the treatments on QoL

Where will we live when we get older?

Ageing populations, although exhibiting marked differences across countries and cultures, are a global phenomenon. Old-age dependency ratios in most developed countries are projected to double by the year 2050. In Australia there will be a strain on economic growth as a large part of the population moves from pre-retirement to post-retirement age over the next 25 years. A disproportionate amount of this strain will be concentrated in aged-care housing or retirement accommodation. Current evidence suggests that existing housing stock for older people is inadequate. As the Australian population ages, the maintenance and long-term performance of retirement housing is a key concern of government and housing providers. This study looked at four aged-care or retirement providers across Australia and examined the performance of the current housing stock managed by these providers. The interviews revealed that housing design decisions in retirement stock, although critically important to the changing needs of occupants and the adequate supply of suitable housing, are often ill-considered. The findings critically question the idea of simply building &lsquo;more of the same&rsquo; to relieve demand. This study has major implications for the future of Australian retirement housing, especially as the population ages dramatically.<br /

Modelling direct and indirect water requirements of construction

Water consumed directly by the construction industry is known to be of little importance. However, water consumed in the manufacture of goods and services required by construction may be significant in the context of a building\u27s life cycle water requirements and the national water budget. This paper evaluates the significance of water embodied in the construction of individual buildings. To do this, an input-output-based hybrid embodied water analysis was undertaken on 17 Australian non-residential case studies. It was found that there is a considerable amount of water embodied in construction. The highest value was 20.1 kilolitres (kL)/m2 gross floor area (GFA), representing many times the enclosed volume of the building, and many years worth of operational water. The water required by the main construction process is minimal. However, the water embodied in building materials is considerable. These findings suggest that the selection of elements and materials has a great impact on a building\u27s embodied water. This research allows the construction industry to evaluate design and construction in broad environmental terms to select options that might be cost neutral or possibly cost positive while retaining their environmental integrity. The research suggests policies focused on operational water consumption alone are inadequate. <br /

A sub-national economic complexity analysis of Australia’s states and territories

© 2017 Regional Studies AssociationA sub-national economic complexity analysis of Australia’s states and territories. Regional Studies. This paper applies economic complexity analysis to the Australian sub-national economy (nine regions with 506 exported goods and services). Using a 2009 Australian multi-regional input–output table for base data, we determine the number of export goods or services in which each state and territory has a revealed comparative advantage, and visualize the complexity of Australia’s interstate and international exports. We find that small differences in industrial capability and knowledge are crucial to relative complexity. The majority of states (especially Western Australia) export primarily resource-intensive goods, yet interstate trade has many complex products that are not currently internationally exported

Substance use outcomes following treatment : findings from the Australian Patient Pathways Study

Background and Aims: Our understanding of patient pathways through specialist Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) treatment and broader health/welfare systems in Australia remains limited. This study examined how treatment outcomes are influenced by continuity in specialist AOD treatment, engagement with non-AOD community services, and mutual aid, as well as exploring differences between clients who present with a primary alcohol problem compared to those presenting with a primary drug issue. Method: In a prospective, multi-site treatment outcome study, 796 clients from 21 AOD services in Victoria and Western Australia completed a baseline interview between January 2012 and January 2013. 555 (70%) completed follow-up assessment of subsequent service use and AOD use outcomes 12-months later. Results: Just over half of the participants (52.0%) showed reliable reductions in use of, or abstinence from, their primary drug of concern. This was highest among clients who reported meth/amphetamine (66%) as their primary drug of concern and lowest among those who reported alcohol (47%), with 31% achieving abstinence from all drugs of concern. Continuity of specialist AOD care was associated with higher rates of abstinence than fragmented AOD care. Different predictors of treatment success emerged for clients with a primary drug problem as compared to those with a primary alcohol problem; mutual aid attendance (OR=2.5) and community service engagement (OR=2.0) for clients with alcohol as PDOC, and completion of the index treatment (OR=2.8) and continuity in AOD care (OR=1.8) for those with primary drug issues. Conclusion: This is the first multi-site Australian study to include treatment outcomes for alcohol and cannabis users, who represent 70% of treatment seekers in AOD services. The results suggest a substantial proportion of clients respond positively to treatment, but that clients with alcohol as their primary drug problem may require different treatment pathways, compared to those with illicit drug issues, to achieve desirable outcomes

Labour markets and wages in Australia: 2008

The Australian economy in 2008 was one of contrasts: the resource based states continued to grow at relatively higher rates than the remainder; wage and employment outcomes varied widely for different groups in the labour force; and domestic climate change policies achieved prominence just as a global economic downturn lead to rapidly changing macroeconomic conditions. Within this rapidly changing context, ongoing concerns with labour utilization, wage equity and issues of compliance appear likely to grow in significance

Issues facing the future health care workforce: the importance of demand modelling

This article examines issues facing the future health care workforce in Australia in light of factors such as population ageing. It has been argued that population ageing in Australia is affecting the supply of health care professionals as the health workforce ages and at the same time increasing the demand for health care services and the health care workforce. However, the picture is not that simple. The health workforce market in Australia is influenced by a wide range of factors; on the demand side by increasing levels of income and wealth, emergence of new technologies, changing disease profiles, changing public health priorities and a focus on the prevention of chronic disease. While a strong correlation is observed between age and use of health care services (and thus health care workforce), this is mediated through illness, as typified by the consistent finding of higher costs in the months preceding death. On the supply side, the health workforce is highly influenced by policy drivers; both national policies (eg funded education and training places) and local policies (eg work place-based retention policies). Population ageing and ageing of the health workforce is not a dominant influence. In recent years, the Australian health care workforce has grown in excess of overall workforce growth, despite an ageing health workforce. The authors also note that current levels of workforce supply compare favourably with many OECD countries. The future of the health workforce will be shaped by a number of complex interacting factors. Market failure, a key feature of the market for health care services which is also observed in the health care labour market - means that imbalances between demand and supply can develop and persist, and suggests a role for health workforce planning to improve efficiency in the health services sector. Current approaches to health workforce planning, especially on the demand side, tend to be highly simplistic. These include historical allocation methods, such as the personnel-to-population ratios which are essentially circular in their rationale rather than evidence-based. This article highlights the importance of evidence-based demand modelling for those seeking to plan for the future Australian health care workforce. A model based on population health status and best practice protocols for health care is briefly outlined