Childcare Responsibilities Research Articles

Jämställdhet och mäns medellivslängd

The average life expectancy of men in Sweden has rapidly approached that of women over the past twenty years. Deaths related to the consumption of alcohol and tobacco as well as to suicide have decreased among both sexes. However, this means that more men than women are being saved to live longer lives, since these causes of death are more common among men than women. Surprisingly, the relatively strong status of women in Swedish society may be an important factor underlying the levelling out of the gender differences in average life expectancy. As women's entry into the labour märket during the 1960s and 1970s resulted in an expansion of women's life space into previously male domains, this has also resulted in men's increased engagement with child care and household work during the 1980s and 1990s. The fact that men have taken on a more concrete responsibility for child care may in turn have significance for attitudes towards taking risks in traffic and the over-consumption of alcohol and smoking, both among men and in society in general. An overall greater impact by women's views on which societal issues should receive high priority is perhaps of even more importance. For example, the relatively prominent position of women in society led to early priority being given to child safety issues. All in all, this means that we have a society where health risks are viewed from a more "feminine" perspective than was previously the case, and that both women and men adopt more pronounced attitudes towards safety and care, which influences trends in health. This article shows that gender differences in average life expectancy are caused by factors that are highly sensitive to social change. There is no reason to mystify the fact that women live longer than men by attributing it to something inaccessible in women's biological nature. There is a great and still undeveloped potential in the study of how gender differences in average life expectancy arise/exist that can lead to new perspectives in our knowledge about the determinants of public health. Improved public health is one of many arguments for a more gender equal society.

Balancing work and family? Young mother’s coordination points in contemporary China

ABSTRACT China’s transition from a centrally planned to a market economy has substantially intensified the pressure on women in playing their dual roles as care givers and income earners. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 34 young mothers in Jilin, China, this article employs the framework of ‘coordination point’ Skinner, C. [2003]. Running around in circles: Coordinating childcare education and work. Bristol: Policy Press). It looks at the daily journeys made in young women’s families and provides detailed information about the numbers of journeys take place and how these journeys are coordinated. The results show that Chinese young mothers retain the primary responsibility for childcare, not only transporting and caring for children, but taking the responsibility for organising the journeys to ensure the continuity of care. I argue that Chinese young mothers are not just taking on the ‘dual burden’ of work and care, but actually the ‘triple burden’ of worker, carer and manager as they deal with coordination points. Furthermore, grandparental support has been found to be particularly important in supporting working mothers by helping with coordination points and childcare activities. By contrast, long working hours and employed-favoured flexible arrangements, as well as the absence of childcare services for children under three, act as a hindrance to work–family balance.

Untangling the gender pay gap in radiation oncology.

Untangling the gender pay gap in radiation oncology.

“Even if I’m undetectable, I just feel like I would die”: a qualitative study to understand the psychological and socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women living with HIV (WLWH) in Chicago, IL

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and well-being of people worldwide, yet few studies have qualitatively examined its cumulative effects on ciswomen living with HIV (WLWH). We aimed to explore how the pandemic has impacted WLWH, including challenges related to HIV care, employment, finances, and childcare. We also investigated how HIV status and different psychosocial stressors affected their mental health.MethodsWe performed 25 semi-structured qualitative interviews with WLWH regarding the ways in which COVID-19 impacted their social determinants of health and physical well-being during the pandemic. 19 WLWH who received care at the University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) and 6 women who received care at Howard Brown Health, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Chicago, were interviewed remotely from June 2020 to April 2021. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Interviews were thematically analyzed for commonalities regarding HIV-specific and general experiences of WLWH during the pandemic.ResultsThe majority of participants reported COVID-19 impacted their HIV care, such as appointment cancellations and difficulties adhering to antiretroviral therapy. In addition to HIV care obstacles, almost all participants described perceived heightened vulnerability to or fear of COVID-19. The pandemic also affected the socioeconomic well-being of participants, with reported financial strains and employment disruptions. Some mothers took on additional childcare responsibilities, such as homeschooling. Increased mental health concerns and negative psychological effects from the social isolation associated with the pandemic were also experienced by most participants.ConclusionsWe gained invaluable insight into how WLWH were challenged by and adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its destabilizing effects on their HIV care and mental health. Women described how they undertook additional childcare responsibilities during the pandemic and how their HIV status compounded their concerns (e.g., perceived heightened vulnerability to COVID-19). Strategies to better support WLWH in maintaining their overall health throughout the pandemic include childcare assistance, access to affordable mental health services, support groups, and education from HIV care providers. These findings have significant implications for examining future health crises through the perspective of potential gender inequalities.

Analysis of the Literature and Patient Counseling Considerations for Planned Oocyte Cryopreservation.

As oocyte cryopreservation use increases among reproductive-aged women, health care professionals are challenged with counseling patients on fertility-sparing technology based on limited high-quality research. Since the first successful slow freezing of mouse embryos in England in 1972, reproductive scientists have employed various protocols for successful cryopreservation and warming of gametes. From outdated slow-freeze technologies to improved vitrification methods, science has successfully shifted the pendulum from cryoinjury-related cell death to the preservation of cellular immortality. The clinical applications of oocyte cryopreservation first increased among oncofertility patients faced with limited fertility-sparing options. Breakthroughs in oncofertility opened a window of opportunity for the transgender community, which also led to an entirely new frontier-planned oocyte cryopreservation for potential future use. Reasons for cryopreservation are complex and often overlap. Socially, these can include not having a support person to share childcare responsibilities, prioritizing career goals and aspirations, and the financial constraints of the ever-rising cost of childrearing. Medically, reasons can include diseases, primary ovarian insufficiency, traumatic injury, planned female to male gender transition, and fertility loss that occurs with aging. Women are faced with many, if not all, of the above scenarios during their "ideal" reproductive window. These women are presenting to fertility centers in hopes of allowing for future reproductive freedom. Owing to media influence, women may be misled of the success potential of cryopreserved oocytes as a guarantee of future biological children. Here, we review current literature and propose guidelines for counseling patients on planned oocyte cryopreservation.

Examining the barriers faced by female surgical trainees: a qualitative study.

Today, women make up 56% of medical students, yet just 13% of surgical consultants - a number that has remained static since 2013. This qualitative study explored some of the barriers to female success in modern surgery. Semistructured qualitative interviews were undertaken primarily with female surgical trainees to determine the barriers they face. Male trainees and training programme directors (TPDs) were also interviewed for triangulation. 20 interviews were performed (16 female trainees, 3 male trainees, and 1 TPD) between October 2019 and March 2020. Family pressures and becoming a mother were significant barriers for women training in surgery - a barrier that did not apply to male trainees who were fathers, often resulting in women choosing to train less than full time (LTFT). Unfortunately LTFT training presents further obstacles for female trainees. The set-up of the national training programme in surgery provides many non-gender-specific barriers, chiefly moving hospital every 6months causing disrupted training and long commutes, disproportionately affecting females with child care responsibilities. Sexism and discrimination are still common, both from colleagues and patients. Many participants perceived inherent differences between genders in communication and methods for coping with stress. Greater gender equality in surgery may be achieved by changes in the structure and organisation of training to reduce the tension between the professional role and the predominantly female-led role of raising children. Better equality and diversity training and awareness at all levels in surgery may help to mitigate some of the conscious and unconscious bias that still exists.

Maternal Employment and Childcare Responsibilities: Challenges and Coping Strategies of Working Mothers in Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, Western Region of Ghana

Women's engagement in the workforce has risen significantly and has been accompanied by greater challenges in balancing roles between paid work and childcare. This article identified the challenges confronting working mothers with children aged 0-3 years and examined how working mothers managed the challenges they encountered in the care of their children in Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis. A cross-sectional descriptive survey research approach was adopted. A sample of (N = 150) working mothers comprising teachers, nurses, bankers, traders, hairdressers and seamstresses were conveniently sampled from four Reproductive and Child Health Centers to complete questionnaires. Findings revealed that challenges of working mothers were time constraints, safety and security of their children at care center, mother child relationship affected due to less time spent with children and increased financial cost as a result of using alternative childcare. The areas of childcare most affected by mothers work were eating routines and time of introducing weaning foods whereas areas the least affected by mothers’ work were breastfeeding and inculcating family values in kids. To cope with the challenges of maternal employment, working mothers worked shifts, alternated work hours, enjoyed maternity leave and used alternative childcare. Challenges and constraints of working mothers influenced their decision on the use of alternative childcare and invariably determined the coping strategies adopted. An effective child care arrangement for working mothers should be institutionalized and there should be an extension of the three month maternity leave to six months to help minimize the challenges working mothers encounter.

Analysing the impact of being a sole or primary carer for dependent relatives on the sentencing of women in the Crown Court, England and Wales

Most quantitative sentencing research treats women and men as a homogeneous group leading to gaps in the literature regarding women’s experiences of sentencing procedures. This is problematic given the vast array of known harms that result from incarcerating women, particularly those with caring responsibilities for children. This exploratory article shares the findings from a quantitative study which considers the sentencing of women, with a particular focus on the ‘sole or primary carer for dependent relatives’ mitigation when applied to mothers. Using data from the Crown Court Sentencing Survey 2011–2015, a sample of 18,314 women defendants was derived and investigated using descriptive, bivariate and regression analysis to explore the relationship between the ‘caring’ mitigation and non-custodial sentences. The findings suggest that when the mitigation is applied to sentences of women who are carers of dependents, it does not have a strong enough relationship with non-custodial sentences. This article provides hitherto unknown statistical data and highlights the need for further research.

Father involvement, couple relationship quality, and maternal Postpartum Depression: the role of ethnicity among low-income families.

Maternal postpartum depression (PPD) has been recognized as a serious and wide-spread mental health disorder that has long-term negative impacts on children's cognitive, social, and emotional development. This study extends prior research by examining the associations among predictors of PPD, including two different facets of father involvement and couple relationship quality, with a focus on testing these pathways across ethnic groups. This study analyzed data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) including mothers' baseline interviews and one-year follow-up data sets (n = 2,794). Several models were tested using bootstrapping in structural equation modeling to explore the mediating paths and ethnic differences. This study found that father involvement in sharing childcare responsibility had direct effects on reducing mothers' parenting stress and promoted maternal psychological adjustment, which was consistent across the three ethnic groups. The mediation pathways through couple relationship quality between father involvement (both father involvement in direct infant care and shared responsibilities) and PPD were detected significant for Black and white mothers. This study provided empirical evidence that father involvement in infant care is critical for mothers' perceived relationship quality. Maternal postpartum mental health may benefit from interventions and policies that encourage positive father engagement in infant care.

Experiences of Canadian Female Orthopaedic Surgeons in the Workplace: Defining the Barriers to Gender Equity.

Only 13.6% of orthopaedic surgeons in Canada are women, even though there is nothing inherent to the practice of orthopaedic surgery that favors men over women. Clearly, there is a need to identify, define, and measure the barriers faced by women in orthopaedic surgery. An electronic survey was distributed to 330 female-identifying Canadian orthopaedic surgeons and trainees and included the validated Gender Bias Scale (GBS) and questions about career burnout. The barriers for women in Canadian orthopaedics were identified using the GBS. The relationships between the GBS and burnout were investigated. Open-text questions explored the barriers perceived by female orthopaedic surgeons. The survey was completed by 220 female orthopaedic surgeons and trainees (66.7%). Five barriers to gender equity were identified from the GBS: Constrained Communication, Unequal Standards, Male Culture, Lack of Mentoring, and Workplace Harassment. Career burnout correlated with the GBS domains of Male Privilege (r = 0.215; p < 0.01), Disproportionate Constraints (r = 0.152; p < 0.05), and Devaluation (r = 0.166; p < 0.05). Five main themes emerged from the open-text responses, of which 4 linked closely to the barriers identified in the GBS. Work-life integration was also identified qualitatively as a theme, most notably the difficulty of balancing disproportionate parental and childcare responsibilities alongside career aspirations. In this study, 5 barriers to workplace equity for Canadian female orthopaedic surgeons were identified using the validated GBS and substantiated with qualitative assessment using a mixed-methods approach. Awareness of these barriers is a necessary step toward dismantling them and changing the prevailing culture to be fair and equitable for all. A just and equitable orthopaedic profession is imperative to have healthy and thriving surgeons who are able to provide optimal patient care.

Experiences of WNGER II Ph.D. Fellows During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Case Study

Since January 2020 there have been over 97 million reported cases and 2 million deaths worldwide from COVID-19 and it is not over yet. In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic is a slow-motion disaster and an ‘external intervention’ that suddenly began in early 2020 and has maintained its grip on the world. The pandemic has influenced the education sector strongly as well, and Ph.D. candidates enrolled in Ph.D. programs during COVID-19 (‘the Ph.D. corona generation’) at Western Norway Graduate School of Educational Research II (WNGER II) were examined in this case study. WNGER II is a research school consortium with seven universities and universities colleges, 97 Ph.D.-candidates, and 48 supervisors and was established in 2018 to complement the Ph.D.-programs and strengthen the Ph.D. education in Western Norway. A pilot phase (2016–2017) was used to identify and address specific challenges in Ph.D. education as experienced in the seven universities and university colleges in Western Norway. The pandemic has presented an urgent need for a better knowledge base to understand the professional, social, and existential conditions for doctoral fellows when society is shut down for an extended period. This explorative case study examined what the doctoral fellows experienced when home office, digital teaching, and digital supervision suddenly replaced physical presence in the workplace (more or less) from March 12, 2020 to November 30, 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods research, formative dialog research, and case study design was applied to try to bridge the conceptual and contextual understanding of this phenomenon. The main data sources were a survey (N= 62, 85% women, 15% men, response rate 70%) and semi-structured interviews (with six Ph.D. fellows). Supplementary data collection was based on formative dialog research and comprised field dialog (13 seminars, eight Ph.D. courses, three Ph.D. supervision seminars, and two Ph.D. gatherings,N= 26), one focus group (n= 11), 21 online observations, and document analysis of Ph.D. policy documents and course evaluations (N= 15). The explorative case study found that the WNGER II Ph.D. fellows are satisfied with the educational quality concerning digital teaching and supervision (micro-level) but have experienced several research-related and psycho-social challenges during the pandemic (meso-level). These changed frame factors have impeded their feasibility and doctoral progression. Even if the WNGER II Ph.D. fellows experienced support during the pandemic, it seems like it entailed incremental measures that have not been sufficient. The Ph.D. regulations were created before the pandemic under normal conditionsfornormal conditions, but it appears that no substantial adjustments have been made for these extraordinary pandemic conditions in which frame factors attached to data collection, publication delays, childcare responsibilities, social distancing, etc. have changed the premises for their feasibility. This has been particularly critical for these Ph.D. fellows, who have been in this slow-motion disaster for up to 20 months (55% of their 3-year scholarship). Therefore, results from the case study indicate it is more important than ever to understand the gap between formulation, -transformation, and realization arena when it comes to the distinction between incremental, semi-structural changes and fundamental changes in Ph.D. regulations and guidelines caused by societal crises. Even if time compensation has been offered, it seems like the overall Ph.D. guidelines, regulations, and assessment norms have remained unchanged in the transformation arena (meso-level), which might have given some unforeseen implications for some Ph.D.-candidates, which calls for better crisis preparedness on a doctoral level in the years to come.

Translational researchers’ training and development needs, preferences, and barriers: A survey in a National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre in the United Kingdom

The objective was to identify translational researchers’ training and development needs, preferences, and barriers to attending training. This cross‐sectional study involved an online questionnaire survey. The research population comprised a convenience sample of translational researchers and support staff (N = 798) affiliated with the National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. The response rate was 24%. Of 189 respondents, 114 were women (60%) and 75 were men (40%). The respondents were mainly research scientists (31%), medical doctors and dentists (17%), and research nurses and midwives (16%). Many of the respondents had attended at least one training course in the last year (68%). Training in statistics and data analysis was the most common training received (20%). Leadership training was the most wanted training (25%). Morning was the most preferred time of training (60%). Half a day was the ideal duration of a training course (41%). The main teaching hospital site was the most preferred location of training (46%). An interactive workshop was the most favored delivery style of training (52%). Most common barriers to attending training were the lack of time (31%), work (21%) and clinical commitments (19%), and family and childcare responsibilities (14%). Some differences in training needs, preferences, and barriers were found by gender and role, though these were not statistically significant. Translational researchers want short, easily accessible, and interactive training sessions during the working day. The training needs, preferences, and barriers to attending training need to be considered while developing inclusive training programs in biomedical research settings.

Which Volunteering Settings Do Medical Students Prefer During a Novel Respiratory Virus Pandemic? A Cross-Sectional Study of Multiple Colleges in Central Saudi Arabia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PurposeNovel respiratory virus outbreaks are a recurring public health concern. Volunteering medical students can be a valuable asset during such times. This study investigated the willingness of medical students to volunteer during the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the barriers to doing so, considering the possibility of exposure to COVID-19 and mode of contact.Patients and methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered online questionnaire adapted from the literature. The questionnaire comprised four parts: demographic variables, COVID-19-related variables, willingness scale, and barrier scale. The target population was medical students at four different colleges in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.ResultsA total of 802 students participated in the study. A small proportion of students (10.6%) were willing to participate in volunteering activities that could involve contact with patients with COVID-19 as compared to other settings (39.4–43.4%). More than one-quarter of students (26.8%) had risk factors for severe COVID-19. The main barrier to volunteering was the concern of transmitting the infection to family members (76.8%). Registration to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was positively associated with more willingness to volunteer (β=0.17, p <0.001), whereas residing in a household with an elderly person was negatively associated (β=−0.13, p <0.001). Female sex was positively associated with higher barrier score (β=0.12, p <0.001).ConclusionMedical students were more willing to volunteer in activities that did not involve direct contact with patients with COVID-19. A considerable proportion of participants had risk factors for severe illness. Sharing a household with an elderly person or child was associated with lower willingness to volunteer. Organizers of volunteering activities should offer various volunteering options considering the risk of infection; and be mindful of barriers to volunteering, especially risk factors for severe illness and eldercare and childcare responsibilities.

A report from the Irish women in cardiology survey, exploring Europe's largest gender gap in cardiology.

AimsIn Ireland, 8% of public cardiology consultants are female; this is the lowest proportion in Europe. We sought to understand perceptions amongst Irish trainees and consultants regarding aspects of working in cardiology in order to identify areas that can be targeted to improve gender equality.Methods and ResultsIn September 2021, the Irish Cardiac Society distributed a questionnaire to trainees and consultants in the Republic and Northern Ireland. Ethical approval was obtained from the University College Dublin, Ireland. There were 94 respondents (50% male, 50% consultants) which equates to ∼30% of all trainees and consultants in all Ireland. Although females were more likely to be single, overall, they had additional child-care responsibilities compared with male counterparts. Despite 53% of the respondents preferring to work less than full time, 64% reported a perceived lack of support from their departments. Males were significantly more likely to go into procedural/high radiation sub-specialities. Bullying was reported by 53% of females. Almost 80% of females experienced sexism and 30% reported being overlooked for professional advancement based on their sex. Females also rated their career prospects lower than males. Key challenges for women were: sexism, maternity leave/child-care responsibilities, cardiology as a ‘boys club’ and lack of flexible training. There was interest from both males and females in a mentorship programme and support for women in leadership positions.ConclusionDiscrimination including sexism, bullying, and equal opportunity for professional advancement are key aspects that need to be addressed to improve gender balance in cardiology within Ireland and Northern Ireland.

COVID-19 – a crisis of care and what we can learn from the SEWA experience in India

ABSTRACT As women across the globe continue to be overburdened with child-care responsibilities owing to the closure of institutional child-care facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper attempts to posit a viable disaster-resilient model through the idea of community-based care infrastructure. Based on research conducted among parents from low-income groups, whose children attended child-care centres run by Sangini Co-operative of Self-employed women's association (SEWA) in Gujarat in western India, this paper wants to highlight the spontaneity with which the Cooperative responded to the pandemic, underlining the efficacy of community-based interventions in times of crisis. This paper argues that solidarity between care workers and the larger community is only likely to increase during times of crisis, which makes community-based solutions an integral part of addressing future care emergencies.

When home becomes classroom: The shifting roles of Korean immigrant mothers in the management of children's education during COVID-19 in the US

COVID-19 has disrupted women's lives by increasing their childcare and household labor responsibilities. This has detrimentally affected immigrant women with limited resources, who invest in their children's education for upward mobility. Based on a content analysis of 478 posts on the MissyUSA website, this study explores the ways in which Korean immigrant mothers in the U.S. navigate the management of middle and high school children's online education during lockdown. Before the pandemic, mothers' tasks were largely limited to scheduling and coordinating private-paid after-school programs that occurred outside the home. However, the pandemic transformed mothers into active coordinators of public middle and high school classes and of private online tutoring, and de facto schoolteachers at home. This breakdown of boundaries between the home and tasks normally relegated to the outside world has burdened mothers with augmented roles managing the ordinary functioning of their children's education during the pandemic.

Program Impact Pathway of the Positive Deviance/Hearth Interactive Voice Calling Program in a Peri-Urban Context of Cambodia

ABSTRACTBackgroundPositive Deviance/Hearth (PDH) is an internationally recognized nutrition rehabilitation program. However, nutritional improvements are inconsistent across contexts. It is unclear if variations are due to differences in program design, implementation, utilization, or other contextual factors. Furthermore, few PDH programs have addressed the high time and work burdens of caregivers and volunteers. To address this, the study integrated interactive voice calling (IVC) with PDH.ObjectivesA program impact pathway (PIP) analysis was used to evaluate the secondary outcomes of facilitators, barriers, and contextual factors that influenced the design, implementation, and utilization of a Positive Deviance/Hearth-Interactive Voice Calling program to improve the nutritional status of children in Cambodia.MethodsA PIP analysis was done on data collected through in-depth interviews with caregivers (n = 32), key informant interviews with volunteers (n = 16) and project staff (n = 3), and surveys of project staff (n = 5).ResultsIn the design phase, facilitators included quality training, technical support and design tools, community mobilization, and linkage to existing health services. Barriers included poor community mobilization. For the implementation phase, facilitators were good volunteer knowledge, follow-up tools and guidance, supervision, and spot checks of volunteers. Barriers were lack of time and overworked older caregivers. For the utilization phase, facilitators included family and volunteer support and access to phones, whereas barriers were lack of support, time, and financial resources; low levels of education and old age of caregivers; and inconsistent phone use. Contextual factors included food insecurity and increased childcare responsibilities of grandmothers due to migration of mothers.ConclusionsThe PIP analysis identified facilitators, barriers, and contextual factors that may affect the design, intervention, and utilization of IVC interventions for health and nutrition behavior change and elements to consider when designing and implementing them. When implementing child nutrition programs in Cambodia, supporting interventions addressing mental health and time and resource constraints of elderly caregivers should also be included.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03399058.

Role of social determinants in anxiety and depression symptoms during COVID-19: A longitudinal study of adults in North Carolina and Massachusetts

Trajectory studies of the COVID-19 pandemic have described patterns of symptoms over time. Yet, few have examined whether social determinants of health predict the progression of depression and anxiety symptoms during COVID-19 or identified which social determinants worsen symptom trajectories. Using a racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse sample of adults participating in a randomized clinical trial with pre-existing moderate to severe depression and/or anxiety symptoms, we compare symptom patterns before and during COVID-19; characterize symptom trajectories over a 20-week follow-up period; and evaluate whether social determinants are associated with within- and between- person differences in symptom trajectories. Data were collected before and during COVID-19 in Massachusetts and North Carolina. On average, depression and anxiety symptoms did not seem to worsen during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. During COVID-19, anxiety scores at follow-up were higher for participants with baseline food insecurity (vs no food insecurity). Depression scores at follow-up were higher for participants with food insecurity and for those with utilities insecurity (vs no insecurity). Participants with child or family care responsibilities at baseline had depression symptoms decreasing at a slower rate than those without these responsibilities. We discuss the important implications of these findings.

Parenting and childcare responsibilities, harm reduction service engagement, and opioid overdose among women and men who use illicit opioids in New York City

BackgroundLittle is known regarding relationships among parenting, engagement in harm reduction services, and overdose risk among people who use illicit opioids (PWUIO), and whether associations differ by gender. MethodsUsing baseline data from an ongoing study among PWUIO in New York City (n = 575), we measured childcare factors (i.e., residing with children, avoidance of drug treatment for fear of child welfare, difficulty accessing harm reduction due to childcare issues), and harm reduction services and overdose-related outcomes. Among those with children, we estimated prevalence ratios (PR) using modified Poisson regression with a product-interaction term for gender differences. ResultsIn the total sample (n = 575), approximately 70% reported having children. Compared to men, women were more likely to reside with children (25% vs 36%; p-value=0.04), avoid treatment for fear of child welfare (16% vs 26%; p-value=0.04), and less likely to be trained in naloxone administration (68% vs 61%; p-value=0.09). Among participants with children (n = 403), residing with children was associated with naloxone training among men (aPR 1.28, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.62). Avoiding treatment for fear of child welfare was associated with carrying naloxone overall (aPR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.99), with a stronger association among women (aPR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.92). Difficulty accessing services due to childcare was associated with lifetime overdose (aPR 1.53, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.23). ConclusionChildcare responsibilities may be a barrier for accessing substance use services and treatment for men and women. Further qualitative and mixed-methods research is needed to understand how to make treatment and services accessible for parents.

Stereotyping and Gender Gap during COVID-19: Backlash or Gender Convergence? A Systematic Literature Review

What have been the short- and medium-term net effects of the pandemic on working mothers, both in the early stages and over the course of the pandemic? The goal of this paper, positioned within the research field of stereotyping and gender discrimination, is to provide an updated view of academic studies investigating the dichotomy “backlash vs gender convergence” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic shock. The paper has been structured as a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA Statement approach. We found a complex but, to a certain extent, predictable picture, with COVID-19 unable to produce strong and consistent macrodynamic changes on gender gap. Ultimately, therefore, the existing research seems to conclude that there is no support for either the backlash or the gender convergence notions; rather, there seems to be an equilibrium characterised by stability in gender roles, especially medium-to-long term. Other major findings include i) There seems to have been a general increase in equal childcare responsibilities even though, on average, mothers still carry the heavier load; ii) Mothers in dual-career couples were more exposed to work-hour reductions or losing their job completely; iii) Temporary gender convergence shifts were largely motivated by female working arrangements and/or necessity; iv) A new gap in psychological distress emerged for working mothers compared to both men and childless women.