Responsibility For Care Research Articles

Caring, Coping and Rebuilding—The Role of Social Infrastructure During and After the 2021 Flood Event in Germany

ABSTRACTPrevious research has indicated the important role of social infrastructures during and after flood events. While struggling to uphold their caring responsibilities, they are also deemed relevant for coping and rebuilding after a disaster. We revisit this line of argument for the 2021 flood event in western Germany to deepen the understanding of the societal dimension of caring, coping and rebuilding (CCR) in and after flood events. Based on 21 semi‐structured interviews in three case study regions, we analyse how social infrastructures were affected during the flood, their contribution to resilience in the acute and rebuilding phases, and factors influencing their response to extreme events. Moving beyond the conventional focus on technical solutions for flood management, our study examines the significant societal aspects of responding to and recovering from flood events. Our research empirically underscores the critical role of social infrastructure during and after flood events. Recognising the assistance provided by these infrastructures, our findings offer a basis for policy recommendations. Ensuring sufficient financial and political support for social infrastructures is crucial, as is actively involving them in rebuilding initiatives. These measures are vital for facilitating the expansion of social infrastructure and enhancing its resilience potential during flood events.

Perceived stress in relation to working hours and caring responsibilities: A cross-sectional study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction Stress is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes. While work hours have been linked to health and stress outcomes, part-time work may be used to manage work and care responsibilities and thus potentially reduce stress. We examined this relationship in the Netherlands, where part-time work is very common among women, during the COVID-19 pandemic – a period when stress levels were potentially high(er). Methods Data included 1,220 men and women in the Netherlands aged 24 to 64 years from the COGIS-NL study (Wave 2, June 2020) and other modules of the Longitudinal Internet studies for the Social Sciences panel. Kitagawa-Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analyses were used to analyse gender differences in perceived stress in relation to weekly work hours (<20 hours, short part-time; 20-34 hours, long part-time; 35 hours or more, full-time). Cross-sectional ordinary least squares regression analyses further tested these associations, and any potential mediation by perceived work-life balance, controlling for age, educational level, family situation, and employment situation. Results Gender differences in stress can be attributed to differential effects of part-time employment on men and women’s perceived stress levels. Long part-time work hours were associated with lower stress levels for women, but not for men, and it was only associated with lower stress levels for mothers with co-resident minor children and not for women without. Perceived work-life balance was independently associated with stress but did not mediate the relationship between work hours and stress. Conclusions Higher stress levels among women are likely attributable to differential effects of part-time work on men and women’s stress levels. Working fewer hours (<35) buffered perceived stress for mothers, but not for fathers or individuals without co-resident minor children. Although perceived work-life balance was associated with perceived stress, it did not influence the relationship of work hours with stress.

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS OF STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT

The paper aims to determine the strategic directions for developing social responsibility within the healthcare sector. The report of the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee on Social Responsibility and Health updates the concept of social responsibility in the context of providing medical care, which forms a new paradigm in the management of health care facilities. In the process of research, both general scientific and special methods were used: analysis of the source base; comparative method for characterizing the subject of research; analysis and synthesis to reveal the features of social responsibility in health care; logical generalization of results (formulation of conclusions). The relations of subjects in health care with respect to compliance with the relevant norms of activity are investigated. The goal is to guarantee patient safety, coordinate stakeholder interests, and manage relationships among various stakeholders. These relationships are represented by an algorithm of actions that healthcare institutions can follow to address the primary conflicts involving interested parties. The corporate social responsibility (CSR) of these institutions is also examined separately. The strategic directions for developing a CSR system are defined as increasing transparency in decision-making, maintaining the institution's reputation, transitioning to a monitoring system, among others. In general, CSR is viewed as a special form of social capital. Additionally, the paper substantiates the importance of interaction with local authorities, providing relevant recommendations for strengthening the social responsibility of healthcare institutions. Based on the obtained results, further research should be aimed at determining the strategic directions of the development of corporate social responsibility.

Mothering (un)belonging: Politics of care in the new wave of Turkish outmigration

A new wave of migrants has been leaving Turkey in increasing numbers. This wave has multiple, intersecting master narratives: brain drain, flight, and lifestyle migration. A less visible characteristic is that many migrant women have been coming together under the banner of motherhood on social media. Based on semi-structured interviews with 36 migrant mothers, this article illustrates how this new wave of migrants also needs to be viewed in light of the contemporary politics of the family in the country. I examine how women’s socially determined reproductive responsibilities inform their migration motivations as well as experiences. Migration leads to a re-distribution of care responsibilities between the state, the market and the family, which transforms women’s experience of reproductive in/security. However, achieving the actual promise of reproductive security requires new struggles against the threat of ethnicization and transformations in class identity in destination countries. This article focuses on education as an area of state-family relations, where the re-distribution of care responsibilities most impacted women’s sense of reproductive security and belonging. Such a reading of the new wave of migrants highlights how care relations constitute a site of intersectional belonging at both ends of the migration journey and thus contributes to the growing literature on migrant mothering.

The Number Of Family Caregivers Helping Older US Adults Increased From 18Million To 24Million, 2011-22.

The evolving composition and experiences of the family caregiver workforce have profound ramifications for public policy but are not well understood. Drawing on the linked National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving, we found that the numbers of family caregivers providing help to older adults increased by nearly six million between 2011 and 2022, rising from 18.2million to 24.1million. Among older adults receiving care, network size was stable, at about two caregivers per older adult at both points in time. However, in 2022, family caregivers were assisting older adults who were younger, more likely to be male and better educated, and less likely to have dementia. We found few changes in competing work and child care responsibilities, weekly care hours, and caregiving-related difficulty. A smaller number of family caregivers were assisting fewer older adults with dementia, but in this group, co-residence increased by 25percent, average care hours increased by 50percent, and employment decreased. For family caregivers as a whole, challenges persist, and for those assisting people with dementia, tailored surveillance and effective support programs are needed.

Wolontariat jako narzędzie aktywizacji osób w wieku senioralnym

The aim of the article is to present the idea of volunteering, which is becoming increasingly noticed by political decision-makers as an instrument for activating senior citizens. The text offers a look at the issue from a different perspective, i.e., senior citizens as potential volunteers. The article begins by recalling the theories and concepts of activity that had a significant impact on senior policies. The second section focuses on volunteering as an instrument for activating senior citizens. The activity of elderly people in Poland, both in terms of work and involvement in volunteering, places Poland behind most European countries. Then the author presents the benefits and analyses some of the barriers that may limit or prevent this type of older people’s activity. The article concludes with the statement that being an active senior citizen requires systemic support, especially when caring responsibilities for dependent aged relatives must be combined with professional work.

Lifestyle risk reduction engagement during interconception: a qualitative descriptive study of women’s preferences

BackgroundPrevention and self-management of lifestyle risks can reduce non-communicable disease risks and improve the health of mothers and their children. We explored Australian women’s preferences for lifestyle risk reduction engagement...

The Minority Tax: Stories from Family Physicians.

The minority tax has been defined as a set of disparities that those who are underrepresented in medicine face in addition to clinical care, education, and research responsibilities. These taxes include systemic racism, diversity efforts, clinical and promotion disparities, lack of faculty development, and isolation. Much has been added to the literature to better define and characterize the minority tax and propose suggestions for mitigations. This article builds on the existing literature that defines clinical efforts and diversity efforts disparities by exploring the intersections of these disparities through the experiences of family medicine faculty in the clinical environment. The authors, who are all academic family medicine physicians from minoritized communities, use their lived experiences to share how the diversity efforts disparity impacts patient care. Themes noted include health system wide challenges for patients whose preferred language is not English and the importance of racial and ethnic concordance between patients and the physician workforce.

Leaving the Institution: Academic Women and Retirement

ABSTRACT Only relatively recently have significant numbers of women been able to have academic careers and develop a sense of academic identity that encompasses scholarly contributions to their discipline. The literature has traced the progress and accomplishments of academic women and has now begun to consider the transition to retirement. Arguably, the institution that shaped academic identity is powerful in the decision to retire and permeates life in retirement. We explore this affective relationship through oral histories with 32 academic women, focusing on the decision to retire and how women narrate the academic self. The decision to retire was multi-faceted reflecting personal circumstances, such as health or caring responsibilities, but inseparable from institutional contexts that were often negative. Women often spoke of relentless demands of their institutions and their tiredness. Many remained critical of their institution after retiring while continuing unpaid academic activity, particularly research. While retirement was usually a continuation of academic identity, this was sometimes rejected for new endeavours. Leaving behind performative expectations, in retirement many women academics found greater space for pleasure and fulfilment.

APOIO MATRICIAL EM SAÚDE MENTAL A PARTIR DA IMPLEMENTAÇÃO DE UM GRUPO DE MANEJO DE ANSIEDADE: RELATO DE EXPERIÊNCIA

This experience report describes the implementation of a psychoeducational group for anxiety management as a matrix support strategy in primary health care (APS). The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach in training teams and providing comprehensive care to users. The group was conducted in two basic health units (UBS) in the federal district, involving participants with mild to moderate anxiety symptoms who were not eligible for psychosocial care centers (CAPS). The proposal included weekly meetings, the application of techniques such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, and integrative practices, as well as playful activities that promoted emotional self-regulation and strengthened the connection with the territory. Despite challenges such as low adherence due to logistical limitations, the experience yielded positive results, with reports of improved coping strategies and a better understanding of anxiety. The group also equipped phc professionals with tools for managing mental health, reducing unnecessary referrals, and fostering greater shared responsibility in care. It is concluded that replicating this strategy in other contexts, with appropriate adjustments, can significantly contribute to the comprehensiveness and humanization of mental health care in APS.

Family experiences with professionals’ health care attention during end-of-life care at home: a narrative study

ABSTRACT Families experience significant emotional, physical, social and psychological difficulties and challenges at the end of life at home. Healthcare professionals’ care is key to the family's ability to continue to care for the ill person and fulfil dying wishes at home. This study aimed to comprehend families’ experiences concerning the end-of-life care attention received from health professionals at home. A narrative study was carried out with families cared for by the Primary Care System of a region of Pamplona, Spain. Nine families participated, including a minimum of two and a maximum of four people per family. Group and individual narrative interviews were conducted (9 family interviews and 23 individual interviews). These interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic narrative analysis. The themes identified were (1) experiencing the need to be cared for; (2) taking responsibility for the patient's care; and (3) missing continuity in patient care. This research revealed the deficiencies in health care experienced by families during end-of-life care. A change in the health care paradigm is necessary to ensure that professionals work together with families in patient care and include them in their care if the highest quality end-of-life care at home is to be achieved.

How Important are Carer Tasks in Determining Carer Quality of Life? Evidence from a Shapley Decomposition Approach

Abstract While there is a large literature that examines the determinants of carer quality of life, there is a dearth of research that focuses on the usual activities that carers perform and how they are related to carer-specific measures of quality of life. We use data from the Survey of Adult Carers in England to investigate the role that the tasks that carers perform play in determining carer quality of life. We model the relationship between the variables through a series of simple linear regressions, multiple linear regressions, and a Shapley decomposition. We find that all of the individual tasks that we have information on are statistically significant predictors of carer quality of life. In addition, the Shapley decomposition shows that, when taken together, carer tasks explain a higher proportion of variance in carer quality of life than any other group of determinants. These results are largely robust to different measures of carer tasks, different measures of carer quality of life, and different subgroups. We also find that there is evidence of a causal link between carer tasks and carer quality of life as carers report that their caring responsibilities have affected tangible health outcomes such as illnesses and GP visits. From a policy perspective, local government services that are used to support carers should know that policies designed to help carers with their tasks could have a large impact on carer quality of life.

NATIONAL POLICY OF CARE VERSUS THE INFORMAL CAREGIVER STATUTE: A CASE STUDY ON PUBLIC CARE POLICIES IN PORTUGAL AND BRAZIL

This article takes a critical approach to recent developments in care policies in Portugal and Brazil, focusing on statutory and legislative changes aimed at addressing care work and its socioeconomic implications. The article focuses on two case studies: Portugal’s Informal Caregiver Statute, which intends to legally recognize and support informal caregivers but has limitations, such as restrictive definitions, inadequate implementation, and perpetuation of gender roles, effectively privatizing care within the family unit. Brazil’s approach, which although still in the legislative stages, on the other hand, aims to create an equitable and more advanced care policy, promoting a collective approach, a balanced division of labour, and addressing gender, racial, and territorial inequalities. In a call for recognition, fair compensation, and support for caregivers, we emphasize the need for collective responsibility and public care policies. Inspired by Marxist feminism and Social Reproduction Theory, we end by discussing the crisis of care, affirming the emotional and social tensions of balancing family and work within capitalism. It highlights how essential – albeit often unpaid – social reproduction work, predominantly performed by women, is for society.

Peran Guru Pendidikan Agama Islam dan Budi Pekerti dalam Membentuk Perilaku Sosial Siswa SMA Negeri 1 Waru

This study explores the role of exemplary Islamic religious education teachers and morals in shaping students’ social behavior at SMA Negeri 1 Waru. Using a qualitative field approach with descriptive-qualitative-phenomenological methods, the findings highlight that teachers significantly influence students' attitudes and behavior by serving as role models. Teachers are not only educators of religious material but also exemplify integrity, noble morals, and responsibility, inspiring students to develop character traits such as integrity, responsibility, and social care. This is evident in vertical interactions with God, such as congregational prayers and dhikr, which enhance students’ spiritual awareness, and in social interactions, characterized by politeness, collaboration, and mutual support, creating a positive learning environment. Supporting factors include teacher integrity, parental involvement, peer influence, and school facilities and regulations that strengthen social behavior development. However, challenges arise from students’ diverse backgrounds and external global influences, requiring concerted efforts to promote exemplification among stakeholders. Ultimately, the role of teachers as role models not only shapes individual student behavior but also fosters a positive school environment and strengthens the school community at SMA Negeri 1 Waru.

Impact of care guilt on the health status of female medical staff: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn this study, we explored changes to female medical staff’s health status under the influence of care guilt in the process of balancing work and family care responsibilities. The mediating role of time pressure within this nexus was examined, and an ideal concept derived from the Confucian cultural context, “Zhong-yong,” was investigated as a moderator of the impact of care guilt on health status.MethodA questionnaire survey of 407 full-time female medical staff with family care needs, recruited using convenience sampling from eight hospitals in China, was conducted. The survey tools comprised the Relationship Guilt Scale, Dapkus’ time pressure scale, Zhong-yong scale, and Self-rated health status scale. A moderated mediation model was established to test the hypotheses.ResultsCare guilt had a significant negative impact on health condition after controlling for variables such as age, educational level, and professional position. Time pressure mediated the association between care guilt and health status. Zhong-yong levels moderated the effects of care guilt on time pressure and had a direct effect on health condition. Care guilt weakened health condition, partly through the experience of time pressure. However, low levels of Zhong-yong predicted a greater negative impact of care guilt on health condition.ConclusionFemale medical staff require a comprehensive approach to balancing their work and family responsibilities to mitigate their experience of guilt and poor health.

Perceived fairness and legitimacy of parental workplace discrimination

ABSTRACT Parental discrimination has been shown to be related to several risks, including impaired health, increased job stress, and decreased job satisfaction, which calls for increased awareness of parental discrimination. This paper analyzes fairness and legitimacy judgments of unequal treatment based on parental status at work and the antecedents that influence these judgments. Stereotypes of symbolic vilification that suggest lower commitment due to caring responsibilities, and symbolic amplification, which refers to rational economic organizational needs, are expected to rationalize discrimination. Moreover, we expect specific values and ideologies to be related to judgments of fairness and legitimacy, mediated by resonance with symbolic vilification and amplification. Analyses are based on survey data from a sample of employees aged between 20 and 45 years (n = 376). Respondents’ evaluations of parental discrimination were measured using two fictional cases. The results suggest that greater acceptance of vilifying and amplifying justifications is triggered by a stronger preference for the ideal worker norm and traditional gender role expectations. Women tend to view discrimination as more unfair and illegitimate than men, while men’s judgments are more strongly driven by economic reasoning.

Effects of a workplace participatory approach to support working caregivers in balancing work, private life and informal care: a randomized controlled trial.

Many employees combine their work with informal care responsibilities for family and friends, potentially impacting their well-being and sustained employability. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a workplace participatory approach (PA) intervention in supporting working caregivers to prevent and solve problems related to balancing work, private life, and informal care tasks. We conducted a two-armed randomized controlled trial (ISRCTN15363783) in which working caregivers either received the PA (N=57), under guidance of an occupational professional serving as process facilitator, or usual care (N=59). We recruited 125 working caregivers from four Dutch organizations. Questionnaire-based measurements were assessed at baseline, 4, and 7 months. The primary outcome was work-life imbalance. Secondary outcomes were perceived social support from supervisors and colleagues, role overload, distress and perceived burden of combining work and informal care. Intervention effects were analyzed using intention-to-treat analysis and linear mixed models. The PA was not effective in reducing work-life imbalance, improving support from colleagues or reducing role overload, distress and perceived burden of combining work and informal care. However, the PA significantly improved perceived social support from supervisors at 4 months [β=0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21-0.88] and 7 months (β=0.36, 95% CI 0.02-0.70). Interaction effects indicated that improvement in supervisor support varied depending on the organization. The PA improved supervisor support but not work-life imbalance. Further research should explore PA effects on working caregivers with and without balance issues and the role of supervisor support in reducing work-life conflict.

Analysis of the Implementation of Social Entrepreneurship Management for the Sustainability of Orphanages

Children orphanage is defined as a non-profit social organization with the responsibilities of caring, fostering and educating abandoned and orphaned children, which is funded by the society’s incidental donation. An orphanage requires a lange amount of funding to provide for the children’s needs and its operational costs, for which relying sosely on donation does not suffice. The most suitable solution is to run a social entrepreneurship management to gain income. This research is amined at analyzing the implementation of social entrepreneurship management for the sustainability of the orphanage, in terms of the benefits and challenges, the strategies to overcome the challenges, and its relation the SDGs and ISO 26 000. The objects of the research are the proprietorships at Abhimata Orphanage and Santa Maria Ganjuran Orphanage. This research is qualitative descriptive, untilizing the data collection technique, content analysis and triangulation for data amalysis, with the descriptive statistic analysis and qualitative data analysis. Results hane shown that the management implemented in the orphanages’ social entrepreneurship has brought about positive impacts on the orphanages, although the income obtained does not entirely fulfil their needs. Apart from that, the orphanages’ social entrepreneurship has contributed to the national purpose of creating the welfare of the society, as stated in the SDGs and ISO 26 000.

Supporting a Family Member with Dementia to Live at Home: The Experiences of Caregivers.

In the United Kingdom, specialist teams managing crises in dementia make efforts to reduce inpatient admissions by supporting people to live for longer in their own homes. However, fluctuations in the health and social circumstances of both the person with dementia and/or their family caregiver can lead to 'crisis': a breakdown in home care often leading to inpatient admissions. At this point, a team managing crises in dementia (TMCD) might become involved. These multidisciplinary teams begin with a rapid assessment to establish the needs of the person with dementia and their caregiver(s), followed by intensive but short-term interventions to reduce the risk of inpatient admission. There is little evidence as to how family caregiver experience input from a TMCD. A thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with caregivers supporting a family member with dementia to live at home and who have received support from a TMCD. The personal troubles of family caregivers are intertwined with their experience of engaging with and trying to gain support from human services, particularly TMCDs. While respondents describe how specific individuals have addressed or added to the troubles they face, the most impactful interventions from their perspectives are medication for managing challenging behaviour and knowing that there is a service they can telephone in a crisis. Efforts to reduce inpatient admissions by supporting people to live in their own homes for as long as is practicable, even when carers may have reached the limits of their caring capacities, can, at best, only delay inpatient to long-stay residential accommodation. This is because when one frail older person has the responsibility of caring for another frail older person, even with support from TMCD and other health and social care services, crises are difficult to manage.

Whatever happened to F International?

F International was a pioneering company set up by Dame Stephanie “Steve” Shirley in the 1960s specifically to provide flexible, free-lance opportunities for highly skilled women who needed to juggle childcare and other domestic or caring responsibilities with a desire to continue using and developing their programming and other computer-related skills and expertise. From the 1980s onwards it was lauded by many, with coverage in the media and in top management journals. Yet by the early years of this century, it had all but disappeared, having lost its distinctive features along the way. Was this an unavoidable outcome of its growth and strategy of mergers and acquisitions? Were opportunities lost or did key decisions unwittingly lead to this result? Or was there an inevitability to such a project?