Intersectionality in the Hospital Setting
Press play on the video below to understand Elise's experience of intersectionality in the hospital setting.
Download the transcript for Elise Intersectionality in the Hospital Setting
There are a number of factors that when combined create intersectionality. They include both individual and environmental factors.
Individual factors include gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity and psychosocial status.
Environmental factors include physical access, transportation, legislation and social norms.
Review the tabs below to learn how culture, sexuality and gender intersect with disability.
1 in 3 First Nations people aged 15-24 report living with disability compared to the national average of 1 in 5 people.
Negative attitudes towards people with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse communities can lead to isolation, exclusion and increased risk of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds may not identify as having disability to avoid the negative attitudes and beliefs that can result.
People with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds report that GPs and hospitals don’t always consider the additional time needed to have an interpreter or to book an interpreter.
(Royal Commission 2021 & Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2018 & Mortimer & McMahon 2018)
People with disability who also identify within the LGBTQIA+ community can experience increased violence and discrimination.
People with disability who identify as LGBT are twice as likely to experience anxiety and psychological distress than LGBT people without disability.
People with disability who choose not to disclose their sexuality may experience increased risk of diagnostic overshadowing or misdiagnosis.
(O’Shea 2021 & Leonard & Mann 2018)
9 in 10 women with intellectual disability have been sexually abused.
Disadvantage that can be experienced by women with disability include social exclusion, economic insecurity and high levels of violence and discrimination. This can affect their mental and physical health and lead to unmet health needs.
Over one third of women with disability experience some form of intimate partner violence.
67% of women with disability report harassment during admission to mental health inpatient services.
Women with disability are less likely to receive health promotion opportunities such as breast and cervical screening.
(Women with Disabilities Victoria 2019, Women with Disabilities Victoria 2020, World Health Organisation 2020 & Australian Human Rights Commission 2014)