HIV-infected African families living in Stockholm/Sweden: their social network, level of disclosure and knowledge about HIV

Most HIV-infected parents in Stockholm are of African origin. Many of them have several children, but their social network is often limited. This article looks at the networks of these families in relation to different aspects of HIV in order to improve the support strategies. The theoretical basis of the study rests on network and ecological systems theory. The social networks of the families in the study were found to be generally of similar size in Sweden and in the home country. However, of 47 HIV-infected parents only 21 (45%) had disclosed their HIV status to friends and relatives in Sweden. The lack of a social network was especially prominent among single women. Contact with counsellors at the HIV clinic and the social welfare office increased the probability of disclosure about HIV infection. The lack of knowledge about HIV transmission and about whom to inform about the infection stresses the importance of improved counselling. The support strategies aimed at broadening the patient's network and breaking their isolation need to be continued and strengthened.     

Maternal-biased parental leave

The division of parental leave time between parents is in most countries extremely skewed towards mothers. In this paper we argue that, although it may be rational for a family to let the mother take the main part of the parental leave, the division is too skewed towards the mother even from the family’s own perspective. The reason for this inefficiency is that parents have present-biased preferences, which make them place too much weight on the immediate utility effects of childcare. Time-consistent welfare can therefore be improved by increasing fathers’ share of the family’s parental leave time. In the light of recent regulations in the parental leave system in many countries, we argue that provision of commitment devices is more preferable than regulation when preferences are heterogeneous or uncertain.     

Parents in child custody disputes: Why are they disputing?

Since 2000, the number of custody disputes has increased in Sweden. Living in the midst of a parental conflict places the children under great stress. Research on parental conflicts is predominantly theoretical; thus, there is a need for empirical studies to better understand the problems and needs of the children and parents. This article examines parental disputes regarding custody, residence, and access for children, and aims to understand the characteristics of the conflicts behind the disputes. The article is primarily based on qualitative analyses of court documents. The results show that the majority of the parents’ conflicts are defined as conflicts of values, stemming from concern about the other parent’s capability to care for younger children.