Performance Of Chores Research Articles

‘I Do Not Want Her to be Doing Anything Stressful’: Men’s Involvement in Domestic Work During Pregnancy in Ghana

Drawing on qualitative research from rural and urban areas, this article contributes to evolving social research in Ghana on possible changes in the gendered distribution of domestic labour. Formulated within debates on ‘doing gender’ and ‘undoing gender’, this study examines the extent to which acts of gender transgression may potentially occur during peak reproductive periods in the lives of Ghanaian couples. The findings of the study indicate that the participants reiterated normative gendered definitions of men as primary providers and women as primary domestic caretakers. Nonetheless, it was noted that during their partner’s pregnancy, men in both urban and rural areas were willing to modify their daily schedule to incorporate more housework. Simultaneously, men’s involvement in all or most of the household chores was perceived as potentially dangerous to the gendered balance of labour in the family and could, according to the participants, stimulate laziness among female partners. Despite the apparent resistance to male performance of domestic chores, the article argues that men’s willingness to do housework during their partner’s pregnancy may be an early indicator of slow but steady transformations in gender relations in Ghana.

Modern family on the Zambian Copperbelt

The family model promoted amongst Zambian mineworkers since the colonial period was based on a male breadwinner and a female housewife. This article examines the family dynamics in a context in contemporary Zambia of growing employment precariousness, declining incomes for men and increased labour market participation for women. It shows that, though wives still publicly present their husbands as breadwinners and family heads, their role in family decision-making has increased whilst their performance of household chores has decreased, and spousal relations have improved. In a context in which men’s jobs are uncertain and incomes inadequate, men have had to sacrifice their gender stereotypes to be more supportive of and cooperate with women, for their own economic security. It draws on interviews with 50 couples, a simple survey and participant observation conducted in the towns of Mufulira and Kitwe on the Zambian Copperbelt.

Selected Abstracts From the 2019 APSARD Annual Meeting

Objective: To assess the relationship between ADHD and performance of household chores. Method: A 72-question online questionnaire was developed to collect demographic/clinical information as well as parents’ assessment of their child’s performance of self-care (SC) and family-care (FC) chores. Results: The sample consists of 797 primary caregivers of children with ADHD. The overwhelming majority of parents believed that ADHD to some extent affected their child’s ability to independently and satisfactorily complete SC and FC chores. An inverse relationship was noted between parent ratings of a child’s ability to do chores independently and satisfactorily and the likelihood they believed ADHD affected chore performance. There was no difference in chore performance between children with or without co-morbid oppositional defiant disorder. Conclusion: Given that household routines, including chores, play an important role in children’s development and psychosocial adjustment, clinicians must be sensitive to the adverse impact that ADHD may have in this regard.

Personal factors associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS): a case-control study

BackgroundCarpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common nerve entrapments in the upper limb. In Saudi Arabia, few studies have investigated CTS in the general population. This study aimed to determine the association between personal factors and CTS.MethodsA case-control study involved adults aged 18 and above. Cases were recruited from electrophysiology lab records as consecutive case series, while controls were individuals who were free of CTS symptoms according to the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ). The electronic medical records of participants were reviewed to obtain age, height, weight, medical conditions, and mobile numbers. Cases and controls were contacted via phone to complete a questionnaire that was designed based on previous literature. We used multivariate binary logistic regression to identify the personal factors significantly associated with CTS.ResultsA total of 95 cases and 190 controls were included. Most of the participants were female (84.2%) and Saudi (93%). Most of cases were above 45 years of age (73.7%), while 84.7% were 45 year – old or younger among the control group. Stratified logistic regression showed that performance of household chores was significantly associated with CTS. While physical exercise associated with decreased odds of CTS.ConclusionsThis study adds to the body of evidence on personal factors associated with CTS. However, the degree of differences in the age structure of the cases compared with the controls suggest that there is a considerable potential for residual confounding affecting the results.Trial registration numberNot applicable.

Assessment of Household Work as Compensation for Physical Activity Deficit Amongst Older Adults in a Nigerian Urban Setting

Urban older adults tend to be physically inactive and often remain indoors. Household work of a sample of 300 urban-dwelling adults (50-65 years) from a Nigerian state capital was therefore investigated for physical activity (PA) levels. Questionnaire on participation in household tasks, time and days/week for the tasks, awareness of health benefits of PA and household work as exercise was used. Greater participation occurred in household chores than outdoor/yard work (70.0 vs 44.0%) while participation varied with specific chores (55.0-70.0%) and yard work (28.7-34.0%). Gender, education, age and living with spouse or children/helper were associated with performance of household chores (P<0.05) as well as with yard work except living with spouse. Prevalence of low-intensity household PA was high with only 0.9-13.8% attaining moderate-intensity level and no vigorous-intensity. Low prevalence of awareness of PA health benefits (32.3%) and household work as exercise (14.4%) was observed, but were related to good performance of household work (OR, 1.50-1.55; CL, 0.55-3.54). The finding that 13% of the respondents attained moderate-intensity PA indicated the potential of household work to compensate for the absence of other physical activities. Thus public health campaigns based on household work as exercise in a gender sensitive African society becomes necessary.

Evaluating Interventions that Improve Participation in Chores in Children and Youth with Disabilities: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT The purpose of this systematic review is to describe current evidence regarding interventions that improve the participation and performance of chores in children and youth with disabilities from the ages of 3 to 21. A systematic review of articles published between 2000 and 2019 was conducted using the PRISMA-P systematic review methodology. An a priori PICO framework was used to search databases, article reference lists, and selected journals. Chosen articles were annotated, evaluated for risk of bias, and synthesized to develop recommendations for school and early intervention practitioners. Titles and abstracts of 632 articles were reviewed and 7 articles that evaluated interventions that improve performance of chores in children and youth met inclusion criteria. There is evidence to support the use of occupation-based intervention, care-giver coaching, cognitive-behavioral strategies, and technology supports in occupational interventions to improve performance of chores in children and youth with disabilities and improve their long-term outcomes.

ASSESSING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CARE QUALITY AND HOUSEHOLD CHORE RULES IN RESIDENTIAL CARE INSTITUTIONS IN JAPAN

The performance of household chores by children in Japanese residential care institutions has been widely accepted as a practice that fosters children’s independence and self-sufficiency. However, children coming from neglectful or dysfunctional families often require sensitive, individualized care, which they did not receive from their family of origin. While a shift away from large-scale institutions has begun, with smaller units or group homes now accounting for 40% of all care institutions, it is not clear that family-like, individualized care has been achieved in these smaller group homes. This study involved 61 participants aged 10 to 15 years and their care workers from six residential care institutions in the greater Tokyo area. It explored what aspects of care quality were related to the presence of certain characteristics of traditional management-oriented care: fixed rules for household chores and lack of choice in daily living. Care workers were asked whether children washed their own dishes, did their own laundry, chose their own clothes when shopping, and had mandatory events to attend in the residential care institutions. Care quality was assessed using the Early Adolescent HOME (Home Observation for Measurement of Environment) developed for Japanese residential care institutions (EA-HOME-JP). The findings suggest that care workers should re-examine their intentions in setting and applying household chore rules while exploring which aspects of child care, including regulatory activities and modeling, should be emphasized in order to actualize family-like and individualized care in institutions.

Impact of ADHD on Household Chores

Objective: To assess the relationship between ADHD and performance of household chores. Method: A 72-question online questionnaire was developed to collect demographic/clinical information as well as parents’ assessment of their child’s performance of self-care (SC) and family-care (FC) chores. Results: The sample consists of 797 primary caregivers of children with ADHD. The overwhelming majority of parents believed that ADHD to some extent affected their child’s ability to independently and satisfactorily complete SC and FC chores. An inverse relationship was noted between parent ratings of a child’s ability to do chores independently and satisfactorily and the likelihood they believed ADHD affected chore performance. There was no difference in chore performance between children with or without co-morbid oppositional defiant disorder. Conclusion: Given that household routines, including chores, play an important role in children’s development and psychosocial adjustment, clinicians must be sensitive to the adverse impact that ADHD may have in this regard.

Teaching/Learning of the Topic “Individual Obligation in the Family” and Students’ Performance of House Obligations

The purpose of this study was to find out the impact of the “teaching of individual obligation in the Family” on the attitudes of SHS students towards the performance of household chores in their homes. The study was conducted at Tema Metropolis. The descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted for this study. The method was chosen because the study did not focus on causal effects in the population. Also, it was chosen because it is based on a representative sample of the population, the results can be generalized to the overall population from which the sample came. A sample size of 240 first year students and 260 second year students were used for the study, with questionnaires being administered to the sample. The researchers had 220 and 245 complete questionnaires from first years and second years respectively. The simple random sampling was adopted for this study. The main data collection tool used was the questionnaire, and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for the collation and presentation of the results. The results revealed that the main household chores performed by the respondents are running errands for their parents/guardians, cooking, ironing of clothes, baby-sitting, home repairs and maintenance, and hawking. In addition, the majority of respondents, irrespective of their academic year of study, agreed that it is their responsibility to perform house chores at home. The findings also showed that most of the respondents, especially the second year students, felt they are obliged to perform household chores. It was recommended that a forum should be organised to educate parents/guardians on how to nurture and engage their children in chores in order not to affect their academic performance. Finally, it was recommended that the Government of Ghana and the Ministry of Education should ensure that the topic “Individual obligations in the family” is moved from the second year syllabus to that of the first years so that students will get to know their obligations in the family at a very early age. Keywords: Teaching/Learning, obligation, student, attitudes, house obligations DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-34-06 Publication date: December 31 st 2019

Drug utilization pattern and analysis of quality of life in Indian patients of Parkinson’s disease

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a highly debilitating disease characterized by tremors, bradykinesia and rigidity. It leads to lowered self-esteem and psychological consequences which affect quality of life. The aim of this study is to study the drug utilization pattern and assess the quality of life in patients of Parkinson’s Disease.Methods: 40 patients of PD at least 1 month duration and 20 age-based controls were analyzed for quality of life using Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39). Drug prescriptions were analyzed.Results: Mean number of anti-Parkinson drugs prescribed is 2.65±1.21. Of 106 anti-Parkinson drugs prescribed, 45% were levodopa and carbidopa combinations, followed by dopamine agonists (18%), anticholinergic drugs (15%), amantadine (12%), MAO inhibitors (5%) and COMT inhibitors (5%). There were significant problems in speech, performance of daily chores and daytime somnolence (p<0.0001). Depression, isolation, cognitive decline and memory loss were noteworthy in the patients as compared to controls (p<0.05). 25% patients felt embarrassed due to their disease; 59% felt affected by others’ opinion, 60% felt difficulty in communicating with others (p<0.05). Almost 2/3rd patients needed help in personal care as compared to the control group (p<0.0001).Conclusions: Quality of life of parkinsonian patients is severely affected in spite of them receiving a large number of drugs. This may be both due to disease progression as well as medication. Levodopa-carbidopa combination is the most prescribed medication. Use of levodopa and carbidopa combination must be evaluated properly. Newer guidelines and interventions are the need of the hour which may provide a better outcome on the quality of life of parkinsonian patients.

Physical Activity, Sleep, and BMI Percentile in Rural and Urban Ugandan Youth

BackgroundUganda is experiencing a dual burden of over- and undernutrition, with overweight prevalence increasing while underweight remains common. Potential weight-related factors, particularly physical activity, sleep, and rural/urban status, are not currently well understood or commonly assessed in Ugandan youth. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to pilot test a survey measuring weight-related factors in rural and urban Ugandan schoolchildren. MethodsA cross-sectional survey measured sociodemographics, physical activity, sleep patterns, and dietary factors in 148 rural and urban schoolchildren aged 11-16 in central Uganda. Height and weight were objectively measured. Rural and urban youth were compared on these factors using χ2 and t tests. Regression was used to identify correlates of higher body mass index (BMI) percentile in the full sample and nonstunted youth. FindingsYouth were on average 12.1 ± 1.1 years old; underweight (10%) was more common than overweight (1.4%). Self-reported sleep duration and subjective sleep quality did not differ by rural/urban residence. Rural children overall had higher BMI percentile and marginally higher stunting prevalence. In adjusted analyses in both the full and nonstunted samples, higher BMI percentile was related to living in a rural area, higher frequency of physical activity, and higher subjective sleep quality; it was negatively related to being active on weekends. In the full sample, higher BMI percentile was also related to female gender, whereas in nonstunted youth, higher BMI was related to age. BMI percentile was unrelated to sedentary time, performance of active chores and sports, and dietary factors. ConclusionsThis study is one of the first to pilot test a survey assessing weight-related factors, particularly physical activity and sleep, in Ugandan schoolchildren. BMI percentile was related to several sociodemographic, sleep, and physical activity factors among primarily normal-weight school children in Uganda, providing a basis for understanding weight status in the context of the nutrition transition.

Impact of knee osteoarthritis on the quality of life

The aging of the population is of osteoarthritis a major public health problem. It is a source of pain and functional disability and therefore has a very important social and professional impact. To review the quality of life for knee osteoarthritis people across scales. descriptive prospective study over 6 months of 30 knee OA patients collected in physical medicine and functional rehabilitation of Ibn Rushd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco. The patients underwent clinical and paraclinical evaluation. Rating scales used: visual analogue scale (VAS pain), the algofunctional Lequesne score, score and WOMAC SF36. The mean age was 42.53 ± 11.41 years with predominantly female (80%) VAS pain was 5 on average. The algofunctional Lequesne score was 9.31 on average. WOMAC score was 63.63 on average. SF36 physical health was at 40.63 and mental health SF36 was on average 44.20 each. In conclusion, algofunctional rating scales and quality of life were impaired in knee OA patients. Osteoarthritis is one of the ten most disabling diseases in developed countries and increasing life expectancy and aging populations should bring the fourth leading cause of disability for 2020. Knee osteoarthritis is the most common arthritic location and the impact of its symptomatic form is estimated at 240/100,000 people per year. It limits the movement of patients in 80% of cases and 25% find themselves unable to perform the tasks of daily life. These disabilities, mainly related to pain, manifested by difficulty in walking, climbing stairs, to the performance of household chores or when sitting upright and change is accompanied by a decrease in quality of life and an important psychological impact.

Programmed body weight loss in morbidly obese women and its influence on general physical fitness, knee status and every day life activity

Abstract Introduction. Obesity is a serious health and social problem. Various sources indicate that it affects approx. 20% of the world’s population. It is also counted among the diseases of affluence. Excessive body weight adversely affects a number of systems in the human body, including the locomotor system. Studies have shown that there is a close relationship between obesity and either a dysfunction or osteoarthritis of knee joints. Aim. To evaluate the impact of weight reduction on the basic parameters of the overall capacity of obese women and their well-being. Material and methods. 7 extremely obese women aged 28-51 looking to reduce their body weight participated in the study. The weight reduction program lasted for 12 months and consisted of reported intervention. The validated survey by Johanson was used to assess the performance of the lower limbs. Each tested person filled in 3 surveys of the same kind – the first at the beginning of the research project, the second after losing 20 kg of body weight, and the third after 12 months of weight reduction. Results. There has been a statistically significant decrease in body weight (p=0.002) and BMI (p=0.002) of women surveyed between the specific periods of observation. The pain from the knee joints decreased or was resolved through weight reduction (p=0.004) in the respondents. The participants also started to take less painkillers for knee discomfort (p=0.005). Authors also noted an increase of the walking distance without rest (p=0.01) and less problems while walking upstairs (p=0.004). There was a statistically significant improvement in their self-care for the feet (p=0.003), as well as in the ability to use public transport (p=0.05) or to do shopping (p=0.05). There were no significant differences in the performance of household chores, getting out of bed, using the bath or shower or in need of orthopaedic equipment. Conclusions. Significant weight reduction in obese women proportionally reduces or relieves knee pain and improves their performance. It reduces the need for using analgesics. Weight reduction in obese people has a significant impact on improving the performance of lower limbs.

Baking together—the coordination of actions in activities involving people with dementia

This study explores interaction and collaboration between people with dementia and their spouses in relation to the performance of household chores with the focus on instruction as an interactional context to engage the person with dementia in collaboration to accomplish joint activities. Dementia is generally associated with pathological changes in people's cognitive functions such as diminishing memory functions, communicative abilities and also diminishing abilities to take initiative as well as to plan and execute tasks. Using video recordings of everyday naturally occurring activities, we analyze the sequential organization of actions (see Schegloff, 2007) oriented toward the accomplishment of a joint multi-task activity of baking. The analysis shows the specific ways of collaboration through instructional activities in which the person with dementia exhibits his competence and skills in accomplishing the given tasks through negotiating the instructions with his partner and carrying out instructed actions. Although the driving force of the collaboration seems to be a series of directive sequences only initiated by the partner throughout the baking activity, our analyses highlight how the person with dementia can actively use the material environment—including collaborating partners—to compensate for challenges and difficulties encountered in achieving everyday tasks. The sequential organization of instructions and instructed actions are in this sense argued to provide an interactional environment wherein the person with dementia can make contributions to the joint activity in an efficient way. While a collaborator has been described as necessary for a person with dementia to be able to partake in activities, this study shows that people with dementia are not only guided by their collaborators in joint activities but they can also actively use their collaborators in intricate compensatory ways.

Transungual permeation: current insights.

Nail disorders are beyond cosmetic concern; besides discomfort in the performance of daily chores, they disturb patients psychologically and affect their quality of life. Fungal nail infection (onychomycosis) is the most prevalent nail-related disorder affecting a major population worldwide. Overcoming the impenetrable nail barrier is the toughest challenge for the development of efficacious topical ungual formulation. Sophisticated techniques such as iontophoresis and photodynamic therapy have been proven to improve transungual permeation. This article provides an updated and concise discussion regarding the conventional approach and upcoming novel approaches focused to alter the nail barrier. A comprehensive description regarding preformulation screening techniques for the identification of potential ungual enhancers is also described in this review while highlighting the current pitfalls for the development of ungual delivery.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Prevalence and Long-Term Factors Impacting Bladder Function in an Australian Community Cohort

Background and PurposeUrinary dysfunction is associated with significant morbidity in persons with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). The aim of this study was to describe prevalence and long-term impact of bladder dysfunction on daily activities and quality of life (QoL) in persons in chronic phase of GBS and to examine the relationships between commonly used continence measures in this cohort.MethodsProspective cohort (n=66) following GBS treatment (1996-2009) was recruited from a tertiary hospital and assessed using standardised measures for bladder dysfunction: American Urological Association (AUA) Symptom Index, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, Urogenital Distress Inventory.ResultsSixty-six participants (64% male, mean age 56 years, median disease duration of 6.1 years) completed the study. Of these more than half reported nocturia and one-third reported urinary urgency and frequency. Urinary problems impacted on participants' daily activities: physical recreation (21%), emotional health and mood (17%), entertainment (14%), participation and mobility (>30 min) (12%), and performance of household chores (8%). Since GBS, 49% reported interference of urinary symptoms with daily life to some extent; and adverse impact on QoL (10.6%). Significant relationship between bladder symptoms; and the level of urogenital distress (p<0.001) and the impact of urinary problems (p<0.001), was noted. Higher scores on the bladder scales showed significant correlations with psychological, functional and participation scales. The single QoL item (AUA scale) correlated significantly with all other bladder scales (rho=0.63-0.86). This can be a potential 'screening tool' to identify patients for further assessment.ConclusionsBladder dysfunction in chronic phase of GBS is not well studied. More research in longer-term screening and outcomes for bladder intervention are needed for integrated care and to guide treating clinicians.

TO MAKE SPANISH A SACRED LANGUAGE: WRITING AND THE CRYPTO‐JEWISH ALLEGORY IN SABINA BERMAN’S LA BOBE

The prominent Jewish‐Mexican author Sabina Berman explores her relationship to Judaism in the semi‐autobiographical novel La Bobe (1990; Bubbeh, 1998) via a loving portrait her grandmother. Undeterred by her Ashkenazi background, Berman employs a Crypto‐Jewish allegory in her portrayal of the grandmother. Through this allegory, Berman is able to restructure Jewish identity as female centered and mouldable. The allegory also opens up a tradition of women’s religious knowledge and prayer that becomes the foundation of the narrator’s future as a Jewish‐Mexican writer. In her narrative, Berman argues for a spiritual identity based not on strict observance of ritual form but on the devotion with which the rituals are undertaken, be they the transmission of a sacred text, the performance of domestic chores, or the writing of stories and plays.

'Forced Marriages' and 'Conscription and Enlisting of Children Under the Age of 15 Years': What Precedent Has the Special Court for Sierra Leone Set for Dealing With These Offences?

'Forced Marriages' and 'Conscription and Enlisting of Children Under the Age of 15 Years': What Precedent Has the Special Court for Sierra Leone Set for Dealing With These Offences?

Working Hard or Hardly Working? Gender, Humor, and the Performance of Domestic Chores in Television Commercials

This content analysis updates the literature regarding gender and the depiction of housework in television commercials by exploring not just the distribution of chores but also the success or failure of chore performance. A sample of 477 commercials featuring domestic chores that aired in a week of primetime television programming on all of the broadcast networks was analyzed. Among the key findings: Male characters' performance of chores was often humorously inept as measured by negative responses from others, lack of success, and unsatisfactory outcomes. These depictions have important implications for the learning of gender roles from television exposure.

Gender differences in depressive symptoms and self-esteem in different physical activity categories among older adults

The purpose of this prospective study, which is part of the Finnish Evergreen project, was to study depressive symptoms and positive self-esteem in different physical activity categories among men and women aged 65 and over during an eight-year period. Only subjects (N=663) who participated in both the baseline (1988) and the follow-up (1996) interviews were selected for the analyses. Depressive symptoms and positive self-esteem were assessed using a modified version of Beck’s 13-item scale (RBDI; Raitasalo, 1995). The intensity of physical activity was assessed on a seven-point scale ranging from the performance of necessary chores only to competitive sports. In addition, lifelong physical exercise was assessed by two questions. Number of chronic diseases and marital status were obtained from the participants themselves. Gender, lifelong physical exercise, intensity of physical activity and chronic diseases were associated with depressive symptoms and self-esteem. Physically active men and women and lifelong exercisers reported fewer depressive symptoms than their sedentary counterparts both at baseline and follow-up. The self-esteem scores were fairly similar among both sexes in the different categories of physical activity in both study years. The most active women had higher self-esteem scores than the more sedentary ones. Based upon these results, physical activity and lifelong physical exercise may prevent depressive symptoms and maintain positive self-esteem in older age. Positive measures should therefore be taken to support regular physical activity among older men and women.