Deregulation,workplace, and women: Nurses in private health care in India

The paper examines the growth of private health care in India in the context of its regulatory provisions and questions the work and employment conditions of female care workers (nurses) employed there. Nurses constitute 80% of the total workers in each nursing home/hospital. In the wake of increased demand for private health care since mid‐1990s, insertion of technology and investment is inducing transformation of nursing homes into multi‐ and super‐speciality hospitals resulting in changes in work organization of nurses. This has led to demand for larger numbers of workers. Employers gain by the segmentation in the nursing labor market, paying low wages. Workers face widespread social discrimination, long working hours, and high work intensity. The deplorable situation of a significant section of workers employed in this sector indicates state failure to control the private health sector. Lack of effective standards of work impacts nature of work of the workforce employed in various levels in the healthcare system.     

Determinants of the use of parental leave benefits by women in Sweden in the 1980s

Sweden is famous for its high rates of female employment and fertility. This study uses longitudinal data from a nationwide Swedish company for 1983–1987 to address the role of the national parental leave program in facilitating women's combination of childbearing and paid work. In particular, we study how Swedish women used the options of paid parental leave (full time or part time), unpaid leave and reduced hours after childbirth. The flexibility and generosity of the program makes it possible for women to choose the combination of program usage and paid work that fits their family and work situation. We identify five distinctly different patterns of program usage (strategies) that are also found to differ in their determinants. For example, women who plan another child are more likely to stretch out their leave longer, and those older and more educated choose strategies that imply a quicker return to work.     

Psychiatric nursing in the Netherlands and Great Britain: class,status and gender in the making of a profession

ABSTRACT

In most Western countries psychiatric nursing, from the late nineteenth century onwards, developed as a specialization under medical supervision and within one general training scheme for all nurses. In the Netherlands as well as in the United Kingdom (UK), this occupation, initiated by psychiatrists, more or less distanced itself from somatic nursing. A comparison of the twentieth-century development of psychiatric nursing in these two countries shows similarities in its basic conditions and some of the problems it faced, but also some remarkable differences, which are largely of a social nature. We argue that Dutch mental health nurses, in cooperation with asylum doctors rather than in opposition to them, succeeded in establishing a stronger professional identity than their British colleagues: earlier in time and to a greater extent they had opportunities to voice their views on their work and to define the social and didactic nature of their vocation. Our explanation of these national contrasts focuses on gender, class and social status, which had dissimilar effects in the two countries because of some fundamental differences in the hierarchies and religious affiliations of institutional psychiatry as well as in the more general class structure of the Netherlands and the UK.     

Implications of Male and Female Same-Gender Dyads

ABSTRACT

A sample of 222 Swedish social services officers were surveyed in regard to their opinions on a fictitious case addressing the needs of a same-gender client. The 49-question survey was statistically analyzed through a comparison of female and male same-gender dyads. The findings suggest that gender is an important factor in assessment, and this seems to be influenced by the gender of the client, the gender of the assessor, and how the problem area or situation of the client is “gendered.” Also, same-gender dyads tend to strengthen stereotypical expectations of men and women as clients and influence what forms of assistance are offered to the client. The male same-gender dyad tends to reduce the likelihood of assistance being offered, while the female same-gender dyad increased it. These results suggest that assessments are based upon stereotypical beliefs about men and women rather than being focused directly on individual differences and needs. Further research is recommended that incorporates a number of more refined “gendered” problem areas and situations and how these assessments can affect social work practice.     

Gender Differences in Determinants of Self-Rated Health Among African American in Omaha Nebraska: A Church-Based Study

Abstract

This study assessed the gender differences in determinants of fair/poor self-rated health among African American churchgoers in Omaha, Nebraska. Using data collected from 353 African American (245 women and 108 men) by the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2017, univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to examine the gender differences in the relationships between fair/poor self-rated health and potential health determinants. Overall, 14.3% of women and 17.6% of men reported fair/poor self-rated health. There was a significant association between depression and poor/fair self-rated health among women (p?=?0.044) and men (p?=?0.001). For women, the fully controlled model confirmed the crude association between perceived poor/fair self-rated health and heart disease (OR = 3.10) and education (OR = 2.19). For men, the final model identified significant determinants of perceived fair/poor self-rated health such as depression (OR = 12.51) and diabetes (OR = 3.89). When assessing gender differences in determinants of self-rated health, similarities are higher than differences between the two groups. In both groups, the presence of depression was the strongest determinant of poor health. Future research should assess the immunological aspects of the association between psychological factors and perceived chronic diseases.     

‘More time for what?’ Exploring intersecting notions of gender,work, age and leisure time among people with cognitive disabilities

This article explores intersecting notions of leisure among middle‐aged people with intellectual disabilities in the setting of the Swedish welfare state. The participants are recipients of long‐term disability services and have experienced the changing ideological frameworks of the welfare effort, which has recently focused on normalisation, inclusion and participation. Structured activities are arranged by disability services in order to normalise living conditions and provide recreation for disabled people. However, the range of activities is constrained by financial resources, by notions of gender and age and by an institutionalised emphasis on the work ethic – leading to constructions of leisure partly as ‘time beside’ where ‘free time’ activities should not interfere with the duties of the working week. The participants' limited resources and their lack of a strong voice limit their ability to demand their legal rights and leave many of them with ‘too much time with too little to do’. Key Practitioner Message: ● A common idea of leisure is the relationship between social and physical activities, well‐being and health; ● People with disabilities, regardless of age, engage in fewer leisure activities than the general population due to a lack of resources; ● Even with legal rights, the lack of a strong voice as well as institutional constraints limit their leisure opportunities.     

Swedish and Lithuanian employed women's subjective well-being

National differences in subjective well-being (SWB) and relationships between SWB and socio-demographic factors were investigated in samples of middle-aged employed Swedish (N = 316) and Lithuanian (N = 308) women. The results showed that the Swedish women scored significantly higher on each SWB component than their counterparts in Lithuania, except in extrinsic job satisfaction. For the Swedish sample, the largest mean differences between different socio-demographic groups were found for global life satisfaction between married/co-habiting and single women and between women who had at least one child and those without children. For the Lithuanian sample, the largest differences in all SWB components were found between women characterised by high or low education/income.     

Female genital mutilation: implications for social work

This article examines the different aspects of female genital mutilation (FGM) which is more commonly known as "female circumcision." It also discusses the Women-at-Risk Program in Canada, mental health issues, and Canadian laws and bans on this practice. Implications of FGM for the social work are also addressed. FGM is a global issue, occurring across different cultures and ethnic groups. It is estimated that between 85 and 14 million women have been mutilated worldwide. There are three forms of FGM: circumcision, excision, and infibulation. Despite the many serious risks arising from these procedures, the practice still continues for reasons that are often based on myths, tradition, and beliefs that religion requires it. Females can suffer from severe consequences of FGM. Various fields, which address health needs, however, failed to recognize the physical and psychological impact of the practice, and have not effectively trained health workers to confront this issue. Putting an end to FGM requires a global action from professionals in mental health, social work, medicine and nursing to challenge laws and lobby for new policies; advocate for the human rights of women and children; negotiate for changes in the health care system to address the needs of women have been mutilated; and create educational literature, thus, increasing awareness on FGM.     

Daughters helping their elderly mothers: impact of early attachment, daughter's trait anxiety and helping interaction characteristics

The aim of the study was to explore the relationships between early attachment between mother and daughter, the adult daughter's general anxiety level, and characteristics of the helping interaction between the adult daughter and her elderly mother on the one hand and the quality of this help on the other. One sample consisted of 46 Swedish women (mean age: 55 years) who acted as informal caregivers for their elderly mothers. A second sample consisted of 106 Swedish female nursing students (mean age: 27 years). The participants rated the quality of the practical, physical and psychosocial help they gave their elderly mothers (imagined helping activities in a predefined situation among the nursing students). Subjects also rated their mother's degree of caring and overprotection in childhood, their own trait anxiety, and various characteristics of their helping interactions. A high degree of motherly caring and a low degree of motherly overprotection in childhood covaried with a lower level of trait anxiety in the adult daughters. These conditions, in turn, covaried with mutual friendliness during the helping interactions. All these conditions covaried with high-quality psychosocial support. The quality of practical help and physical caring covaried with friendliness during the helping interactions only.     

Elder Abuse in Turkey and Associated Risk Factors

Abstract

Elder abuse is one of the most important problems encountered by the elderly. Health, economical and psychological dimensions of the experience of aging also pose risk for elder abuse. This study aims to determine the abuse to which elder people are exposed based upon their own evaluations and to investigate the risk factors associated with elder abuse. This is a cross-sectional study among quantitative designs. Population of the study comprises 309 outpatient elders over the age of 65 referring to Ayd?n Do?an Geriatrics Clinic of Ankara University, Turkey. Collected data were analyzed by chi-square test and logistic regression. In total, 70.9% of the elderly participating in this study experienced abuse more than once. Majority of the participants were victims of emotional abuse (64.1%), followed by neglect and abandonment (26.9%) and economic abuse (12.6%). There was significant relation between sex, marital status, health status of the elderly and being abused (p?p?相似文献   

Perceptions of Students about Younger and Older Men and Women who May Be Homeless

ABSTRACT

Future human service providers will interact with homeless persons in health, mental health, and social service practice contexts. This study investigated the perceptions of students enrolled in social work courses who are pursuing degrees in human service programs toward older and younger female and male homeless individuals. Respondents (N = 207) were given one of four vignettes in which a character was identified as an older male, a younger male, an older female, or a younger female who was frequently seen near an interstate highway, talking to him/herself and appearing unkempt, thin, and frail. Most respondents perceived the vignette character as mentally ill, neglectful of health, likely to have HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis A and/or hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C, likely to experience suicidal thoughts/ideation, and to have head lice/scabies/body lice. Older men were more likely to be perceived as military veterans with a history of mental illness and substance abuse. Older women were least likely to be perceived as having a history of substance abuse or using a handout to purchase ethanol. Older women were perceived to be homeless because they could not afford other living accommodations. A general linear model revealed significant differences in 7 of 41 items that respondents answered based on the gender and age of the vignette characters. These perceptual differences between male and female homeless persons will require additional investigation.     

Unemployment, shame and ill health — an exploratory study

Unemployed young people in six Swedish municipalities were studied in respect of the degree of shaming elements experienced by them in their social environment and in respect of mental ill health. The nature of the investigation was exploratory. The study shows that experience of shaming elements in the environment owing to unemployment is relatively frequent. A larger proportion of the long-term unemployed and men account for more shaming elements than do the short-term unemployed and women. It seems as if the factor of shaming elements in the environment is important in order to understand the adverse health-related consequences of unemployment. A greater proportion of those who live in a more shaming environment show mental disorders, deteriorated health, changes in living habits, activities and social relations, than do those living in a less shaming environment. This report discusses possible explanations of the results in the light of existing moral concepts of work and unemployment, as well as of shaming attitudes towards the unemployed.     

双薪家庭的家务性别分工：经济依赖、性别观念或情感表达

基于２０１０年第三期中国妇女地位调查数据的分析显示,城镇家庭的家务劳动分工具有“女性为主,男性为辅”的特征。研究表明,经济依赖关系、工作时间、性别角色观念均显著地影响着两性的家务分工,但其影响机制存在差别。对于男性而言,经济上的独立与成就对于其家务劳动投入的影响最大,其次是工作时间与性别角色观念,这些要素均相对独立地发挥作用,男性家务劳动的承担不存在“性别表演”。对于女性而言,纯粹的经济独立（对配偶收入的依赖程度、本人的绝对收入状况等）并非其家务劳动投入的最好预测,性别角色观念也不独立地对家务劳动参与产生影响。部分女性的家务劳动在经济依赖与性别角色观念交互影响下存在着形态与效应各异的“性别表演”。这一特征揭示了两性在劳动力市场中的经济地位与社会文化期待交互影响的形塑作用。     

Health and living conditions of Samis compared with other citizens based on representative surveys in three Swedish regions

This is the first general health survey of Samis compared with other Swedes to be based on randomised samples. In three regions, Samis were compared with respondents to the Public Health Investigation (n = 613 Samis and 6,309 respondents). Samis were also compared as to gender and membership in reindeer‐herding Sami villages (SVs). The survey shows that Samis of today have better education, work situation and health, and a healthier lifestyle than other Swedish citizens living in the same regions. There are, however, great differences among the Samis themselves. Members of SVs have weaker finances, and they report having less societal trust and worse health than non‐members do. Male members have lower education, are less involved in social activities and report worse overall health, but do not have a higher incidence of psychiatric problems, than other Samis. Samis, in general, have similar or better health and social situation than non‐Samis, but male SV‐members face greater problems and higher risks than other Samis. Key Practitioner Message: ? Health and welfare authorities in cooperation with the Sami parliament and the Sami villages should develop special strategies to assist the herding communities in culturally sensitive ways.     

敬老院老年人精神生活状况的调查与思考——以长沙市F敬老院为例

人口老龄化是世界性问题,中国已经步入老龄社会,人口老龄化压力已经显现,并将随着老龄化的发展而不断加重。机构养老成为越来越多的老年人的选择。为了了解机构老年人的精神生活状况,笔者对长沙市F区敬老院进行了调查。调查发现,老年人对敬老院的日常生活照料满意度较高;但老年人精神生活存在的问题比较多,如：社会交往少、精神负担重、敬老院精神服务能力与水平有限等等。要改善老年人的精神生活状况,一是要加强护理人员的专业培训,提高护理人员的专业水平;二是建立专业的社工站,拓展老年人精神生活的专业支持;三是构建多元服务模式,丰富老年人精神生活;四是建构老年人社会支持网,发挥社会支持系统的作用。     

Personal financial situation during unemployment and mental health

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the personal financial situation during unemployment and the connection between financial situation and mental health in a sample ( n =213) of unemployed Norwegians. The results indicate that the unemployed suffered high financial deprivation compared with their own subjective standards, their situation when working, their neighbors and friends, and the average population. However, the unemployed did not constitute a homogeneous group in financial terms. In particular, the young unemployed experienced substantial financial problems. Among men, the reduction in income, few leisure facilities and many financial adjustments were closely related to mental health problems. Women who experienced that their income was substantially reduced compared with that of neighbors and friends and women who had carried out many financial adjustments were in poorer mental health than the other women in the sample. The findings are discussed in relation to relevant aspects of the life situation of the unemployed and other research results.     

Assessment processes in social work with children at risk in Sweden and Croatia

The aim of this article is to compare Swedish and Croatian social workers' assessments and protection of a 4-year-old child exposed to risk in its own family. The data were collected from 87 Croatian and 72 Swedish social workers by means of a questionnaire, which incorporated a vertical vignette. Effects of the participant's country of residence were investigated with respect to: (i) risk assessments; (ii) perception of the main problems; (iii) tolerance of corporal punishment; (iv) judgements about appropriateness of interventions. The results suggest that Croatian social workers have a more child-protective approach than their Swedish colleagues. Swedish social workers have a more supportive approach than Croatian social workers. Despite fundamental similarities in assessments between the countries, significant differences were found in preferred interventions. The Swedish social workers were more in favour of keeping the child at home with the support of social services. The Croatian social workers were more in favour of removing the child from home by means of a care order. This might primarily be attributed to the differences in availability of family support services and to different discourses in Sweden and Croatia.     

Job Satisfaction: A Study of Sydney Adults

About one quarter of the 20,434 men and about one fifth of the 17,211 women who had a Medicheck screening expressed dissatisfaction with their job. Single men and single women were the least satisfied. The most positive aspects of work for men and women were that the job was interesting and that there was independence and freedom. Boredom, as well as not using one's potential, discriminated clearly between those satisfied with their job and those not, for both men and women. Job dissatisfaction was closely associated with other psychosocial problems and in particular with life dissatisfaction.     

Is Gender Inequality in Social Work Management Relevant to Social Work Students?

Correspondence to Ms C. Taylor, Research Fellow, Social Work Research Centre, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA. Summary This paper reports on a study carried out in 1991 based on questionnaireswhich asked 169 female and male social work students about theiraspirations and expectations in respect of promotion in theirfuture career. Underlying the study is a concern about the unequalrepresentation of male and female workers at management levelsin social services in the UK, there being at present a predominanceof male managers. The phenomenon is not regarded as unique tosocial services, but as part of the pattern of gender inequalityin the workforce as a whole. The view that women contribute to the phenomenon by a fundamentallack of interest in, or unwillingness to apply for, promotionwill be challenged. It will be argued that the differences inthe aspirations and expectations of male and female employees,which previous research studies have reported, may be an effectof the experience of the organization rather than a cause ofthe scarcity of female employees in promoted posts. The paper will focus on some of the findings, including students'aspirations and expectations, their opinions about the unequalrepresentation of men and women in social work management, theimplications of this for their own career and whether they considerthis issue is, or should be, a significant component of socialwork training.     

Ethical Dilemmas and Areas of Social Work Intervention in Spain

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the types of ethical dilemmas that Spanish social workers face in their respective areas of intervention. The intervention areas that have been studied are health, children, immigrants, women, family, marginalized persons, ethnic minorities, young people, prisoners, elderly people, refugees and asylum seekers, schools and social and employment-related integration, mental health, disability and drug addictions. A quantitative methodology was chosen using a version of the questionnaire prepared by Eileen J. Ain in a sample of 700 Spanish social workers. The statistical analysis shows the correlation between the different areas of intervention in Social Work and the most significant ethical dilemmas that such professionals have to solve. The most pertinent ethical dilemmas are found in the healthcare sector (confidentiality, disclosure of personal information and patient autonomy). The article is an important contribution for Social Work at the national level that emphasizes the importance of the ethics of Social Work in social interventions. It is proposed to deepen the investigation of each of the areas of intervention for future research, as well as to carry out comparative studies between different countries.