People In Flanders Research Articles

Worlds apart? An empirical assessment of education as a social boundary among young people in Flanders

ABSTRACT Educational tracking refers to the grouping of students based on their academic abilities. Although tracking has been intensively debated in terms of its impact on academic outcomes, this study assesses whether educational tracks effectively constitute a social boundary between youth. Data from 11 surveys (Total N = 38,372) gathered among pupils enrolled in secondary education in Flanders were used to assess to what extent young people’s educational track position relates to a wide range of opinions and behavior in general (471 outcomes) and the potential moderating role of gender and migration status. Subsequently, we focused on indicators that refer to intergroup processes (i.e. cross-track friendships and perceived contempt). Educational differences are especially large for tastes, indicators of lifestyle, and societal attitudes. Moreover, we find that differences in educational track position are connected with perceived status differences and constitute an important structuring factor regarding their friendships.

Perceptions on Oral Care Needs, Barriers, and Practices Among Managers and Staff in Long-Term Care Settings for Older People in Flanders, Belgium: A Cross-sectional Survey.

Background and ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore oral health perception and oral care needs, barriers, and current practices as perceived by managers and staff in long-term care organizations for older people in Flanders.Research Design and MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study where 2 questionnaires were developed, one for managers and one for caregivers, and were validated in Flemish long-term care organizations. Descriptive analyses and multivariable generalized linear models evaluated the main outcomes and their associations with determinants such as the size of the organization, the presence of an oral health policy, collaboration with a dentist, among others.ResultsA total of 145 managers and 197 caregivers completed the questionnaire. More than 50% of caregivers and managers perceived their residents’ oral health as mediocre to good. Collaboration with a dentist (B = 0.84) and oral health care involvement (B = 0.08) within the organization showed a strong association with a positive perception of oral health. Lack of time (57%) and care resistance (70%) were the most important barriers perceived by caregivers. Guidelines concerning oral care were not available or were unknown to 52% of the caregivers. Having an oral health policy within the organization was strongly associated with the correct use of guidelines for daily care of natural teeth (B = 1.25) and of dental prosthesis (B = 1.15).Discussion and ImplicationsThe results emphasize that collaborating with a dentist and the presence of an oral health policy in care organizations are important for a positive perception of the oral health of the residents and for the adoption of guidelines by caregivers and managers. In addition, training on handling care refusal should be included in the overall training. These results are crucial input for the development of a methodology for implementing a structured oral care policy in long-term care facilities.

Locked Down Together: Determinants of Verbal Partner Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The global spread of the coronavirus has drastically impacted people's lives. Due to governmental lockdown measures, most people's work and social life were suddenly confined to their own home. For partners who lived together, this could put serious strain on their relationship, which could result in conflicts and violence. In this study, we aimed to identify which groups of people particularly experienced verbal partner violence during the pandemic lockdown, and how stress regarding the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in the occurrence of partner conflicts. Through an online survey, which was distributed through online (social) media channels, we gathered data from 2889 people in Flanders, of which 1491 people lived together with their partner during the lockdown. We found that partner violence during the lockdown particularly occurred among women; younger age groups; students; people whose partner was long-term unemployed or was (temporarily) unemployed due to the pandemic; parents of children younger than 18 years; people without the ability to seclude themselves from other members of the household; and people with less personal contacts. In addition, higher levels of stress about the COVID-19 pandemic itself and lower levels of stress about potential coronavirus infection were associated with more partner violence during the lockdown. These findings provide important information for policy makers and health professionals, offering guidance to direct greater resources in prevention and intervention efforts towards higher risk individuals and groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oral healthcare delivery in institutionalised older people: A health-economic evaluation.

This health-economic evaluation aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of a number of alternatives for preventive and curative oral health care in institutionalised older people in Flanders. A six-state Markov model was used to compare expected costs and healthy oral years (HOYs) of four alternatives: (1) usual care; (2) on-site preventive care; (3) on-site preventive care+curative care in the community; and (4) on-site preventive care+on-site curative care. A healthcare payer perspective was adopted, and the time horizon was 10years. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of alternatives 2, 3 and 4 (all compared to alternative 1) were as follows: (2) 7944 €/HOY gained; (3) 1576 €/HOY gained; and (4) 1132 €/HOY gained. Hence, alternatives 2 and 3 were not cost-effective compared to alternative 4. The probability that oral care interventions are more effective and cost-saving than usual care was <3% for all three interventions. For institutionalised older people, on-site solutions for preventive and curative oral health care might be the most cost-effective alternative. It should be kept in mind that on-site solutions require large initial investment and that the advanced age of the population and the high costs of oral health care make it unlikely that these interventions would become cost-saving, even in the long term.

Personal budgets and the pedagogical project of care institutions in Flanders

ABSTRACT The care for disabled people in Flanders is currently undergoing a major social policy reform under the introduction of a personal budget scheme. Disability services in Flanders are explicitly expected to develop a demand-driven provision of care services. This transition stems from the urge for autonomy and self-determination of disabled people and is aimed to deinstitutionalise the care for people with disabilities. The central question addressed is the way in which the introduction of personal budgets influences the ability of Flemish care institutions to shape their practice. Our findings depict that care institutions emphasise the importance of a dialogical process, in which different views of ‘good care’ can be discussed. However, in policy implementation, a particular focus on ‘a self-aware and autonomous individual’ as an objective would make this process more challenging. Our analysis identifies how a far-reaching focus on autonomy and self-determination does not guarantee high-quality care. Nor would the opposite: major autonomy for care institutions. Rather than balancing the negotiating positions, the Flemish personal budget scheme tends to push disability services into an executive role in which the possibilities of a pedagogy as an emancipatory project shrink.

Planning for nodes, places and people in Flanders and Brussels: Developing an empirical railway station assessment model for strategic decision-making

Against the backdrop of current policy discussions in Flanders dealing with differentiated urban development schemes for strategic railway stations, this paper develops an empirical railway station assessment tool. We build on the node-place modeling literature, and more specifically on the tradition of quantitative station assessment models which has emerged from it. First, a series of methodological contributions are proposed in which we suggest strategies to improve the analytical strength of some standard node-place parameters, we broaden the model with temporal variability in accessibility, and we complement the model with a user-based accessibility account. Second, the conceptual model is applied to the case of Flanders and Brussels (the north of Belgium). Drawing on factor and cluster analysis, two intelligible station typologies are produced for both node-place and user-based data. Both typologies are interpreted and complemented with station-specific rose diagrams summarizing a station’s accessibility profile. These diagrams reveal insightful and detailed knowledge about station-specific accessibility characteristics, some of which are not captured by standard node-place analyses. Lastly, a more in-depth discussion focusing on five exemplary cases reveals what the results of these analyses may mean for planning practice.

Policy recommendations for the implementation of fall and fracture prevention in community-dwelling older persons

Several factors impede the implementation of effective strategies for fall and fracture prevention. The Centre of Expertise for Fall& Fracture prevention Flanders organized a symposium, "Implementation of fall en fracture prevention in older people", with the aim to elaborate on the facilitation of effective strategies for falls and fall-related injuries in community-dwelling older people in Flanders. This article summarizes the main bottlenecks for implementation and provides recommendations for optimizing dissemination and implementation.

De slagkracht van populisme. Een onderzoek naar de houding tegenover populisme bij jongeren en jongvolwassenen in Vlaanderen

Populism is usually studied by investigating the political discourses of parties considered to be populist. In contrast, this paper attempts to measure the support for a populist attitude among adolescents and young adults (age 14 to 30) in Flanders (N = 2618), the Dutch speaking part of Belgium. This paper answers two research questions: (1) Which adolescents and young adults support the populist attitude and which are the core elements of populism that get the most support? (2) To what extent are adolescents and young adults who support the core elements of populism willing to be politically engaged? The results show that: (1) the support for the populist attitude is widespread among young people in Flanders, and (2) the relationship between a support for populism and political engagement is nuanced. Implications of the support of the populist attitude for democratic participation are discussed.

Meaning matters. An empirical analysis into public denotations of the label ‘strangers’ and their relationship with general ethnic prejudice

Survey research on ethnic prejudice often relies on statements focusing on generic labels such as ‘immigrants’, ‘strangers’, or ‘foreigners’. In this paper we argue that there are, however, good reasons to expect certain heterogeneity in the denotations respondents assign to these labels, and that the specific group respondents think of matters with respect to their response. We tested this assumption by using survey data from Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium, N=1375) that includes an open-ended question asking respondents which groups they associate with the label ‘strangers’ (Dutch: ‘vreemdelingen’). Content analysis revealed that the ten different meanings people in Flanders give to this label can be organized into four main groups concerning the content of the criterion (nationality, culture, race, no answer/refusal) and two ways concerning how the criterion is used (strangers defined as ‘them’ versus ‘not us’). Regression analyses subsequently showed systematic differences in general ethnic prejudice depending on the meaning of strangers, with people in Flanders who associate strangers with Muslims or people from predominantly Muslim countries reporting the highest level of prejudice. Finally, our data suggests that that the group people in Flanders associate with the label stranger varies according to respondents' socio-demographic background. Not taking into account these different meanings of strangers might lead to an underestimation of the social differences in ethnic prejudice.

What socio-demographic factors influence poverty and financial health care access among disabled people in Flanders: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundCurrent literature shows that people with a disability have a lower income than people without a disability. Disabled people often experience difficulties with health care access.The objective of this study is to assess the current financial situation and poverty rate amongst disabled people in Flanders. Furthermore we wanted to analyze factors that contribute to the risk of poverty and problems with financial health care access in adult people with a disability in Flanders.MethodsAn online and paper survey were constructed and made available through two large organizations for people with different types of disability in Flanders. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were performed.ResultsIn this convenience sample, 20.9% of the 889 respondents live under the poverty threshold. Important contributing factors to the risk of poverty are having children (OR 3.43, 95% CI 2.10-5.59) and a low level of dependence (OR 16.40, 95% CI 6.21-43.28). 25.2% of the respondents did not access health care because of financial shortcomings. A low level of dependence is one important contributing factor (OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.41-6.98) to limited financial health care access.ConclusionThis research confirms that disability is associated with a higher risk of poverty and impaired financial health care access.

Geography textbooks and the reproduction of a racist and ethnocentric world view among young people in Flanders

The final attainment levels of Flemish secondary geography education stress the importance of respect for other societies and the specific way of life of other people. As a consequence, curricula focus more than ever on topics such as the global north-south divide, migrations and the multicultural city. Drawing on an analysis of fifty Flemish geography textbooks published between 1896 and 2004, this paper critically addresses the way in which these topics have been presented. The study reveals that an emphasis on racial differences has been largely replaced by a focus on cultural differences. Yet, because of the strong emphasis on cultural otherness, the one-sided explanation of cultural conflicts, the manifest silencing of discrimination and xenophobia and the use of an exclusionary us-them-perspective, the textbooks (re)produce a racist and ethnocentric world view among young people in Flanders. Hence, the article concludes with four propositions for geography textbooks which motivate students to become part of a more inclusive, more diverse and more just society.

The involvement of the general practitioner in an interRAI assessment for the care of elderly in Flemish nursing homes and home care: an explorative study

Introduction: Since complexity of the care for the elderly increases and since a frail older person often moves across different care settings, interprofessional collaboration matters. Therefore, the BelRAI web tool with the interRAI instruments was developed in Belgium. The interRAI instruments are internationally validated, comprehensive geriatric assessments, used to collect data of clients in a structured and standardized way by different professionals and across settings. In a pilot study, financed by the Belgian Federal Government, other professionals such as nurses and social workers complained about the lack of collaboration of general practitioners (GPs). Not only this pilot study, but also scientific literature underlines that physicians are reluctant to engage when a new electronic tool is implemented. However, the studies also show that their involvement is crucial. This paper tries to explain how other professionals evaluate the collaboration with the GP and how the involvement of the GP can be improved. Methods: Data was gathered via semi-structured telephone interviews with 39 GPs. Other professionals shared their views on the role of the GP in focus groups and 123 other professionals by filling out a survey. Results: The questionnaire shows a higher GP involvement in nursing homes than in home care. The interviews reveal that the more the GPs are involved with BelRAI, the more positive their views. GPs state their involvement would increase under the following conditions: limited time investment per client (n=11), BelRAI output usable in GP practice (n=10), a more user-friendly application (n=9) and financial compensation (n=8). Conclusions and Discussion: There is room for improving GPs involvement in BelRAI and thus to increase interprofessional collaboration in care for older people in Flanders (Belgium). The findings from this study can be of help to improve the involvement of the GP and to optimize the use of the interRAI instruments via a web based tool. 13 th international Conference on Integrated Care, Berlin, Germany, April 11-12, 2013 2 International Journal of Integrated Care – Volume 13, 23 October – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-114684– http://www.ijic.org/

Chaotic, fluid and unstable: an exploration of the complex housing trajectories of homeless people in Flanders, Belgium

This article analyses the housing and homeless pathways of (ex)homeless persons in the coastal city of Ostend. After a short review of the literature on the causes and meaning of the vulnerability of homeless persons, we describe how our case study with (former) homeless persons in Ostend was organised. We deal with some methodological issues and the analytic results, revealing a very complex housing trajectory. We focus on these dynamic and complex housing pathways and look at the role of relationships and relationship breakdown, work and unemployment, eviction after rent arrears and moving as an escape strategy. We also deal with the searching process for housing and the role of social networks. We end with some conclusions and interest points for policy.

Attitudes and stigma in relation to help-seeking intentions for psychological problems in low and high suicide rate regions

Accessibility and availability of mental health care services are necessary but not sufficient for people to seek help for psychological problems. Attitudes and stigma related to help seeking also determine help seeking intentions. The aim of this study is to investigate how cross-national differences in attitudes and stigma within the general population are related to professional and informal help seeking intentions in low and high suicide rate regions. By means of a postal structured questionnaire, data of 2999 Dutch and Flemish respondents between 18 and 65 years were gathered. Attitudes toward help seeking, perceived stigma, self-stigma, shame and intention to seek help were assessed. People in the Netherlands, where suicide rates are low, have more positive attitudes toward help seeking and experience less self stigma and shame compared to the people in Flanders, where suicide rates are relatively high. These attitudinal factors predicted professional as well as informal help seeking intentions. Perceived stigma was negatively associated with informal help seeking. Shame was positively associated with higher intention to use psychotropic drugs and perceived stigma was negatively associated with the intention to seek help from a psychotherapist in Flanders but not in the Netherlands. Help seeking for psychological problems prevent these problems to aggravate and it is assumed to be a protective factor for suicide. Our results stress the importance of the promotion of positive attitudes and the reduction of stigma within the general population to facilitate help seeking from professional providers and informal networks. Focusing on these attitudinal factors is believed to be a key aspect of universal mental health and suicide prevention policies.

In Search of a Future for Large-Scale Care Homes in Flanders

Housing for older people in Flanders evolves toward small-scale facilities and better quality of life. Ageing population strains the means to achieve this to the limit. The authors investigate whether and how Flemish large-scale facilities can adapt to meet contemporary and future requirements of housing for older people. By analyzing current tendencies, they depict what this housing should look like, both now and in the future. They then investigate how an existing large-scale care home could fit this picture by using design as a mode of knowledge production. They propose to redesign the site such that its actual evolution would be thoroughly redirected. Beyond the facility at issue, the study shows how Flemish large-scale facilities could develop to keep playing a role in the future. They should timely adapt their size with qualities of small-scale housing schemes, and integrate in the neighborhood.

ICT as cultural capital: The relationship between socioeconomic status and the computer-use profile of young people

This study explores the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the computer-use profile of 1241 school students in Flanders, the northern region of Belgium. More specifically, the article examines whether varying patterns of computer access, attitudes, competencies and uses can be seen as constituting differences in cultural capital. Additionally, gender was included in the survey as an important background characteristic in digital divide research. Path analysis was used to model the complex relationships between the influencing factors upon the ICT-related variables. What emerged from the analyses was that SES affects the computer-use profile only moderately. No relationship between SES and computer ownership was found. Moreover, the acquisition of ICT competencies can no longer be attributed to computer ownership. Apart from a small effect on ICT use (a higher SES tends to be associated with more ICT use), SES does not seem to affect the computer-use profile of young people in Flanders. The results of this study indicate that the existing differences in SES on computer-use profile are not sufficiently marked to deduce that ICT can be seen as an indicator of differing cultural capital.

School well‐being among young people: is it influenced by the parents’ socioeconomic background?

The aim of this study is to explore whether the socioeconomic background of the parents has an impact on the school well‐being of young people aged 14–18. The literature concerning the position of young people with a lower socioeconomic background in education, reports the so‐called gaps between home and school, unequal opportunities, unequal treatment, etc. As a consequence, it is possible that their school well‐being is lower too. To investigate this research question, a survey was conducted among 1265 young people in Flanders. This study found no evidence that young people with a lower socioeconomic background have a lower school well‐being. When investigating boys and girls separately, a small correlation appears between the educational qualification and the school well‐being of the girls. Several explanations are discussed, and recommendations for further research are made.

Tussentaal wordt omgangstaal in Vlaanderen

Can the language of young people in Flanders tell us something about the future look and sound of Dutch in Flanders? To answer that question we start from the results of recent research on the informal language of people between 18 and 24 years old. The recordings used are part of the Corpus Gesproken Nederlands (CGN – Corpus of Spoken Dutch). When asked to hold an informal conversation in standard Dutch, most young people in Flanders will not use standard Dutch, but an intermediate variety between dialect and standard Dutch, the so-called tussentaal (literally: language-in-between). In the eyes of the propagators of the official language policy in Flanders this intermediate variety is unacceptable; people should either use dialect or standard Dutch, but not a mixture of both. In the eyes of the young people the tussentaal is no less than their mother tongue, and perfectly fit for all types of supra-regional informal communication. If urged to use standard Dutch, as with the CGN recordings, they will make a few adjustments – lexical, phonological, morpho-syntactical – to their colloquial speech, but they will not switch to the standard code. This behaviour may be very informative when speculating about the status of Dutch in Flanders. However, if we want to know whether standard Dutch still has a future as a spoken language in Flanders, we need to collect more and better data on the linguistic perception and attitudes of the younger generations in Flanders.

Suïcide bij jongeren

Suicide in young people This manuscript aimed at reviewing the literature on suicide in young people and to present the most recent findings regarding several important issues such as: the prevalence of suicidal behaviour in young people in Flanders and the Netherlands; the causes and risk factors of suicidality in this young age group; and the most effective prevention strategies. Recent epidemiological studies indicate that rates of fatal and non-fatal suicidal behaviour are high in Flemish young people in comparison with international figures and especially in comparison with Dutch youngsters. Research findings suggest that this increased risk for suicidality in Flemish youngsters can be associated with less adaptive coping-responses such as less communication, more use of alcohol and drugs, less problem-oriented coping and more anxiety. Socio-cultural differences in coping behaviour can therefore be associated with differences in risk of suicidal behaviour. An amplitude of studies regarding the causes and risk factors of suicidal behaviour in young people have led to a growing understanding of the pathways leading to suicidal behaviour. This knowledge makes it possible to describe a heuristic explanatory model of suicidal behaviour in which this behaviour can be viewed as the consequence of an interaction between trait- and state-dependent characteristics. The trait-dependent vulnerability includes a persistent predisposition or diathesis to suicidal behaviour and can be described in terms of biological and psychological characteristics. State-dependent factors include stressor-induced characteristics such as psychiatric and social variables. With regard to the prevention of suicidal behaviour in adolescents the abovementioned findings regarding the causes and risk factors, indicate that, at the individual level, prevention of suicide should include psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic strategies in the treatment of the associated psychiatric disorders and underlying vulnerability. At a more general population level, prevention is often directed or implemented at the school. Research regarding school-based prevention strategies have clearly shown that broad prevention programmes are needed, which focus not only on the youngsters themselves but also on the school personnel and in addition not only focus on suicide but more broadly on mental health and problem-solving/communication skills.

Filmpubliek en (Europese) cinema: theoretische verkenning en survey bij jongeren in Vlaanderen

Empirical research on film audiences is marginal in contemporary film studies. The research field has to incorporate contributions from media and television studies, since video, television and internet have fundamentally changed the context of film consumption. We argue that there is a need for audience research, because it can provide fresh insights into important issues such as the state of European cinema. Concepts of European and national cinema are put in an audience perspective. We present results of a survey on the role of film in the everyday life of young people in Flanders, Focusing on varying consumption contexts and the divide Hollywood-Europe-Flanders, we find that European film is more foreign to young audiences than Hollywood fare. Even local cinema has to deal with prejudice. Reconsidering European cinema from an audience perspective opens up new lines of thought that traditionally were obscured by macro-approaches and theoretical notions of spectatorship.