abstract: 'Background

  Families of children with disabilities experience extra financial

  strains, and mothers are frequently unable to participate in paid work

  because of caregiving obligations.

  Methods

  A mailed survey and follow-up phone calls were used to gather data about

  mother''s health, workforce participation and barriers to inclusion in

  the workplace (n = 152). Verbatim reports of issues that hindered

  workforce participation were analysed qualitatively to derive themes.

  Maternal health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured using the

  Short Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-36v2). Norm-based conversions

  were used to compare HRQoL between working and non-working mothers and

  to compare to population norms.

  Results

  Eighty-two per cent of mothers in the sample wanted and needed to work

  for pay but indicated over 300 issues that prevent their work

  participation. Data analysis revealed 26 common issues which prevent

  work participation. These issues fit into three main categories:

  mother-related reasons (28\%), child-related reasons (29\%) and service

  limitations (43\%). Mothers who worked (n = 83) reported significantly

  better HRQoL than mothers who did not work (n = 69) on five of the eight

  SF-36v2 dimensions and overall mental health.

  Conclusions

  Compared to other working Australians, mothers in this study had higher

  education yet reported poorer health, lower family income and lower

  workforce participation. Respondents reported that service system

  limitations were the main barriers to participation in the paid

  workforce. Investigation of service changes such as increased respite

  care, availability of outside hours school care, improved professional

  competency and family-centred services is recommended in order to

  improve maternal participation in paid work.'
affiliation: 'Bourke-Taylor, H (Corresponding Author), Monash Univ, Sch Primary Hlth
  Care, Dept Occupat Therapy, Fac Med Nursing \& Hlth Sci, Peninsula Campus,POB 527,
  Frankston, Vic 3199, Australia.

  Bourke-Taylor, H., Monash Univ, Sch Primary Hlth Care, Dept Occupat Therapy, Fac
  Med Nursing \& Hlth Sci, Frankston, Vic 3199, Australia.

  Howie, L., La Trobe Univ, Fac Hlth Sci, Sch Occupat Therapy, Bundoora, Vic, Australia.

  Law, M., McMaster Univ, Sch Rehabil Sci, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

  Law, M., McMaster Univ, CanChild Ctr Childhood Disabil Res, Hamilton, ON, Canada.'
author: Bourke-Taylor, H. and Howie, L. and Law, M.
author-email: helen.bourke-taylor@monash.edu
author_list:
- family: Bourke-Taylor
  given: H.
- family: Howie
  given: L.
- family: Law
  given: M.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2011.01407.x
eissn: 1365-2788
files: []
issn: 0964-2633
journal: JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH
keywords: 'disability; family QoL; maternal well-being; health-related QoL; paid

  work'
keywords-plus: 'QUALITY-OF-LIFE; SCHOOL-AGE-CHILDREN; INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES;

  DEVELOPMENTAL-DISABILITY; BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS; CEREBRAL-PALSY;

  MENTAL-HEALTH; MIXED METHODS; PRIMARY-CARE; MOTHERS'
language: English
month: MAY
number: '5'
number-of-cited-references: '49'
pages: 511-520
papis_id: 4c0a2058d7ebe42b567dbd0ed23641b5
ref: Bourketaylor2011barriersmaternal
times-cited: '44'
title: Barriers to maternal workforce participation and relationship between paid
  work and health
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000288705000006
usage-count-last-180-days: '2'
usage-count-since-2013: '14'
volume: '55'
web-of-science-categories: 'Education, Special; Genetics \& Heredity; Clinical Neurology;

  Psychiatry; Rehabilitation'
year: '2011'