Inclusion of Legally Blind Women in the Randolph-Sheppard Program: Issues and Practices

A national survey of directors of the Business Enterprise Program Vending Facility Program indicated that women who are legally blind are significantly under-represented, making up about 24% of the licensed facility managers. This article reports on the survey and suggests ways to eliminate barriers to the recruitment of women into the program.

Women and schizophrenia

Women's mental health is closely linked to their status in society. This paper outlines the clinical features of women with schizophrenia and highlights the interpersonal and social ramifications on their lives. There is no significant gender difference in the incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia. There is no clear trend in mortality, although suicides seem to be more in women with schizophrenia. In India, women face a lot of problems, especially in relation to marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. Most studies have shown better premorbid functioning, and social adjustment for women compared with men. There is a great need to plan for gender-sensitive mental health services targeting the special needs of these women. Women caregivers also deserve due attention.

Gender and the association between mental disorders and disability

BACKGROUND

Prior data, especially population data, on gender differences in the association between mental disorders and disability are very sparse and therefore earlier conclusions that women with mental disorders are more disabled than men may be premature. The aim of this study was to determine whether gender moderates the associations between 30 day mood, anxiety and substance use disorders and self-reported 30 day disability in five domains of functioning, in a general population sample.

METHODS

Nationally representative face-to-face household survey of New Zealanders (n=7435) aged 16 years and older, with a response rate of 73.3%. Mental disorders were measured with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). Health-related disability was measured in all participants with a version of the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS-II).

RESULTS

Men with either mood or anxiety disorders (aggregated into one category) reported significantly more Role, Social and Cognitive disability than did women with those disorders. There were no gender differences in the associations between mental disorders and the Mobility or Self-Care disability domains, nor were there gender differences in the associations between substance use disorders and any disability domain.

LIMITATIONS

The temporal direction of the association between mental disorders and disability is unknown. Disability is measured by self-report only, which is affected by insight.

CONCLUSIONS

Men with emotional disorders experience disproportionately greater role, social and cognitive disability than women with these disorders. More needs to be understood about how to engage and retain men in mental disorder treatment.