Gendered meanings and mechanisms of intimacy for people living with chronic pain.

Cisheteronormative assumptions about women as able-bodied caregivers responsible for men's sexual pleasure compound the stigma associated with chronic pain because of an assumed inability to fulfil gender roles in intimate relationships. There is a need to move beyond this deficit model of gender, chronic pain and intimacy. People of all gender identities live with chronic pain, forming fulfilling intimate relationships regardless of their condition(s). Starting from a strengths-based assumption that individuals living with chronic pain develop their own understanding of and pathways to intimacy, I conducted written interviews with thirteen people living with a range of pain and pain-related conditions to theorise gendered differences in understandings and experiences of intimacy in the context of dating. Findings show that intimacy is associated with vulnerability and authenticity. These connotations vary between men, women and gender diverse participants, aligning with gendered socialisation about intimacy and relationships. Men tend to prioritise physical intimacy. Women and gender diverse participants emphasise their obligation to perform the labour necessary for forming and maintaining connections. However, regardless of gender, experiencing intimacy requires implementing flexible approaches to dating because doing so makes closeness accessible.

Understanding the Associations among Social Vulnerabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and COVID-19 Cases within Canadian Health Regions.

Indigenous Peoples are at an increased risk for infectious disease, including COVID-19, due to the historically embedded deleterious social determinants of health. Furthermore, structural limitations in Canadian federal government data contribute to the lack of comparative rates of COVID-19 between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. To make visible Indigenous Peoples' experiences in the public health discourse in the midst of COVID-19, this paper aims to answer the following interrelated research questions: (1) What are the associations of key social determinants of health and COVID-19 cases among Canadian health regions? and (2) How do these relationships relate to Indigenous communities? As both proximal and distal social determinants of health conjointly contribute to COVID-19 impacts on Indigenous health, this study used a unique dataset assembled from multiple sources to examine the associations among key social determinants of health characteristics and health with a focus on Indigenous Peoples. We highlight key social vulnerabilities that stem from systemic racism and that place Indigenous populations at increased risk for COVID-19. Many Indigenous health issues are rooted in the historical impacts of colonization, and partially invisible due to systemic federal underfunding in Indigenous communities. The Canadian government must invest in collecting accurate, reliable, and disaggregated data on COVID-19 case counts for Indigenous Peoples, as well as in improving Indigenous community infrastructure and services.