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This review aimed to synthesise studies examining the presence of gender stereotypes and biases expressed by young children aged 3-5 years, with a focus on informing early childhood settings. Our review located only 21 separate studies in 16 articles, highlighting a dearth of research in this area. There was substantial heterogeneity in the operationalisation of gender stereotypes and biases. There was evidence that children in early childhood are aware of, and can apply, gender stereotypes. There was also evidence of the malleability of these biases and stereotypes. The social and cultural environment plays a large role in defining the cues by which young children classify on the basis of gender. Research is needed to understand ways to support the establishment of equitable gender attitudes amongst children in early childhood, as this could deliver important benefits to individuals across their lifetime, as well as society more broadly.

: Objective: To quantify the prevalence of known health‐related risk factors for severe COVID‐19 illness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, and their relationship with social determinants. Methods: Weighted cross‐sectional analysis of the 2018‐19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey; Odds Ratios for cumulative risk count category (0, 1, or ≥2 health‐related risk factors) by social factors calculated using ordered logistic regression. Results: Of the adult population, 42.9%(95%CI:40.6,45.2) had none of the examined health‐related risk factors; 38.9%(36.6,41.1) had 1, and 18.2%(16.7,19.7) had ≥2. Adults experiencing relative advantage across social indicators had significantly lower cumulative risk counts, with 30‐70% lower odds of being in a higher risk category. Conclusions: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must continue to be recognised as a priority population in all stages of pandemic preparedness and response as they have disproportionate exposure to social factors associated with risk of severe COVID‐19 illness. Indigeneity itself is not a ‘risk’ factor and must be viewed in the wider context of inequities that impact health Implications for public health: Multi‐sectoral responses are required to improve health during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic that: enable self‐determination; improve incomes, safety, food security and culturally‐safe healthcare; and address discrimination and trauma., The COVID‐19 pandemic has again put a spotlight on health inequities across populations globally, including differential risk of COVID‐19 exposure and transmission, consequences of infection, access to vaccines and consequences [...]

ObjectiveTo determine whether greater emotional and instrumental support during childhood is associated with less dysregulation across multiple physiological systems in midlife.MethodsData are from participants in the second wave of the Midlife in the United States study (2004-2005) who participated in a clinic-based assessment of health status. Emotional and instrumental support was measured using a seven-item scale (α=0.89) based on participant retrospective self-report. Biological dysregulation was assessed using an allostatic load (AL) score constructed from 24 measures across seven physiological systems (N=1236, aged 34-84 years).ResultsEmotional and instrumental support in childhood was associated with lower AL in a monotonic fashion: compared to individuals in the lowest quartile of support, respondents in the second, third, and fourth quartiles had -0.08 (standard deviation (SD)=0.08), -0.13 (SD=0.08) and -0.21 (SD=0.08) units lower AL, adjusting for age, sex, and race. This pattern was maintained after adjustment for reporting bias, childhood socioeconomic disadvantage, past-year depression, and physician-diagnosed cardiovascular disease or diabetes (p≤0.01). The inflammation and metabolic-lipid subscales showed the strongest associations.ConclusionsGreater emotional and instrumental support in childhood was associated with less biological dysregulation in midlife, even after accounting for socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood and other potential confounders.

The study examines how white teachers talked to children about national identity and cultural diversity by drawing on qualitative research with eight- to 12-year-old students and their teachers from four Australian primary schools with different racial, ethnic and cultural demographics. Despite a range of explicit and implicit approaches that fostered different levels of critique among students, teachers often communicated Australian national identity as commensurate to white racial and Anglo-Australian cultural identity. We identified three main approaches teachers used to talk about national identity and cultural diversity: cultural essentialism, race elision and a quasi-critical approach. We conclude that the wider education system needs to develop a more formal curriculum structure that guides teachers in developing a better awareness of the power of white normativity, and to critically and explicitly counter discourse and practice that centres whiteness as foundational to dominant conceptualisations of national identity.

This study investigates associations between religious involvement and identity and attitudes related to domestic violence using nationally representative cross‐sectional data from n = 1287 Australian adults in the 2018 Australian Survey of Social Attitudes (AuSSA). Linear regression models were used to analyse the association between religious involvement (frequency of service attendance and prayer) and identity (religious, spiritual or both) with attitudes related to domestic violence (patriarchal beliefs, failure to acknowledge domestic violence as an issue and trust in faith leaders' responses to domestic violence). Results showed that religious service attendance, frequency of prayer and spiritual/religious identity were associated with more patriarchal beliefs about gender roles. There was no evidence that religious involvement or identity was associated with failure to acknowledge domestic violence as a national issue. In contrast, frequent (but not infrequent) religious involvement and religious identity were associated with failure to acknowledge domestic violence in participants' own faith communities. Addressing patriarchal beliefs and acknowledgement of domestic violence within faith communities among those who regularly attend services, pray and identify as religious are key targets for action to address domestic violence and improve population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercultural understanding (ICU) is becoming an essential part of living and contributing effectively in our increasingly diverse society. In fact, ICU is a key capability in the Australian schooling curriculum, alongside other general capabilities such as numeracy and literacy. While there are current instruments assessing ICU, there is little evidence-based research surrounding their use in primary and secondary school settings. In the context of a larger project, this study outlines the development and validation of a new ICU instrument specifically for use in primary and secondary schools. Among a sample of teachers and students from 12 Australian primary and secondary schools, the study found a teacher ICU instrument with a four-factor structure and a student ICU instrument with a two-factor structure. Further research and implications are discussed.

Ethnic-racial socialisation is broadly described as processes by which both minority and majority children and young people learn about and negotiate racial, ethnic and cultural diversity. This article extends the existing ethnic-racial socialisation literature in three significant ways: (1) it explores ways children make sense of their experiences of racial and ethnic diversity and racism; (2) it considers ways children identify racism and make distinctions between racism and racialisation; and (3) it examines teacher and parent ethnic-racial socialisation messages about race, ethnicity and racism with children. This research is based on classroom observations, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with teachers, parents and students aged 8-12 years attending four Australian metropolitan primary schools. The findings reveal that both teachers and parents tended to discuss racism reactively rather than proactively. The extent to which racism was discussed in classroom settings depended on: teachers' personal and professional capability; awareness of racism and its perceived relevance based on student and community experiences; and whether they felt supported in the broader school and community context. For parents, key drivers for talking about racism were their children's experiences and racial issues reported in the media. For both parents and teachers, a key issue in these discussions was determining whether something constituted either racism or racialisation. Strategies on how ethnic-racial socialisation within the school system can be improved are discussed.

In parallel with many nations' education policies, national education policies in Australia seek to foster students' intercultural understanding. Due to Australia's location in the Asia-Pacific region, the Australian government has focused on students becoming "Asia literate" to support Australia's economic and cultural engagement with Asian countries. Drawing on Allport's optimal contact principles and key factors supporting intercultural understanding, this study examines two "sister school" cultural immersion trips in Indonesia and East Timor to explore ways in which their different approaches supported positive intergroup contact and helped foster intercultural understanding among students. Focus groups and interviews with school project teams and analysis of both researcher and teacher project field notes and documents suggested that these schools' programmes could be mapped onto Allport's contact principles in different ways. The paper concludes with promising approaches that can help to inform sister school programmes.