Welfare Associations Research Articles

An Investigation on Network Relationship of Elderly Nursing Home

All developed countries have been facing the trend of aging population and view it as an importance social policy which has to plan care and nurse senior citizens. The elderly caring and nursing organizations are obligated to provide more comfortable and suitable environment for a high quality life of elders. Based upon Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory, there is a hierarchy of five needs within each individual, including physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love Needs, self-esteem needs and self-actualization needs. Individuals would acquire emotional support, materiality and service through social network. This study investigates two main issues related to network relationship of elderly nursing home. First, this study demonstrates the network relationship between elderly nursing home and other related groups, including family and friends of elderly resident, exclusive volunteers, neighborhood community centre, religion groups and other welfare associations. Second, this study investigates what the network relationships would influence the satisfaction of five elderly residents’ needs. To better understanding the real connection among groups related to nursing home, this study uses case study with the perceptions of social network to know the network relationship in the nursing home and what it influences their residents’ needs.

Accord on “Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh”: A Breakthrough Agreement?

This discussion aims to review the emergence of the “Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh” signed on May 13, 2013, and evaluate if it is an international agreement “breakthrough”. The Accord is signed not only by the global clothing brands and national garment unions but also by international trade union organizations, which is a new development. This raises a question: could this agreement set a new international negotiating precedence in industrial relations between transnational corporations and international trade union organizations? In Bangladesh, globalization has played an important role for booming garment industries. Yet, lack of workers’ rights, weak safety situations, and poor working conditions have continuously been reported. Local and international solidarity movements and garment workers’ welfare associations have been emphasizing workers’ rights and better and safer working environments in workplaces since the beginning of the 1990s. However, their voices were not highly considered even there were some initiatives. Following the ‘Rana Plaza’ garment factory building collapse in April 2013, one of the world’s worst industrial accidents, with more than 1,100 dead workers, some strong measures have been taken—one of these, signing the ‘Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh’. This is a strong achievement of a long struggle to take collective action for improving the safety in garment factories in Bangladesh. Although the Accord is understood as a game changer or breakthrough in relation to national and international agreements, do we really know yet if it is a breakthrough or not when it comes to its implementation?

Transnational social welfare associations and religion: the protestant social advocacy network “Eurodiaconia” in Europe

This paper explores the transnational character of the European association of protestant diaconia “Eurodiaconia”. The historical roots of this network are to be found in the religiously motivated social movement of the “Inner Mission” of Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–1881). The paper describes the process of transnationalization in Eurodiaconia from a German perspective and argues that the success of this non-governmental organization (NGO) lies in its roots in Pietism and the Evangelical Revival, which produced a Christian network that spanned the European continent. A documentary analysis is used to find out which social concerns the transnational network deals with and how it cooperates with other (religious/issue-related) transnational networks within the European Union in order to increase its impact. The paper is primarily literature-based. In addition, secondary data relating to the issues of concern are collated and synthesized. The analysis shows that the involvement in different Christian faith-...

Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP)

In recent years nearly 5000 seafarers have been hijacked and detained for months often in appalling conditions, while thousands of others have been the victims of a pirate attack. Given these numerous concerns, a pan-industry alliance of ship owners, unions, managers, manning agents, insurers and shipping- and welfare associations (maritime, labor, faith or secular) has come together to establish the Maritime Piracy: a Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP). The objectives of this Program address the three phases of pre-, during and post-incident, with the aim of implementing a model of assisting seafarers and their families with the humanitarian aspects of a traumatic incident caused by a piracy attack, armed robbery or being taken hostage.

Evolving a Movement to Curb Violence Against Women by Building Safe Cities for Women

In this cyber era of globalization, at the peak of modernization, gender discrimination and inequality still haunts the city women. No matter how educated a woman is, she faces gender bias at every step and opportunity, at home and in the outside world.The matter of concern is that women experience multiple and various forms of violence and harassment in public spaces. These could be in the form of obscene humour, intentional physical contact or a disturbing stare. Studies on several cities across the Globe reveal similar results. Maximum number of women in these urban areas feels unsafe. There is a need for serious thinking, action and movement aiming towards ‘Growing safe cities for women’. It is evident that violence and the fear of violence restrict the women to reach out to their city amenities like employment, education, health, recreation and political facilities and they are unable to enjoy the same rights to cities as men.Not going very far, Are the areas we are living in safe for women? Do we really think how and what initiatives to be taken to make our areas safe instead of telling girls not to go out after sunset and unintentionally preparing them to experience that unseen fear of violence. Small initiatives taken by Resident welfare associations and active women groups can make positive changes in the area by improving vigilance, introducing help lines, Safe Toilets, providing well lit corners etc. Safe small colonies and areas will together build safe cities. The paper focuses on creating awareness on building safe inclusive cities for women, its relevance, need and requirement of a safe city for a woman, to be able to give her “The Right to city” by eliminating violence and fear of violence at the same time.

Landlords, Tenants and Agrarian Reform: Local Elites and Regime Transitions in Avis, Portugal, 1778–2011

Abstract:In a small municipality in the Alentejo region of Portugal, the same group of families, defined by latifundia landownership or tenancy, dominated local political institutions for two centuries during which great changes occurred. Three revolutions resulted in regime transitions: the 1820 Liberal Revolution, the 1910 Republic and the 1926 Dictatorship, which led to Salazar's Estado Novo. Even though a few members of these families offered some resistance to each of these revolutions at an early stage, they all adapted their behaviour and kept local political control within their ranks. Local traditional institutions, such as the local council and mayor, charitable and welfare associations, and corporate institutions created in the 1930s and 1940s to direct economic activities, were all presided over and controlled by members of the same rural elite. This continued until 1974, when the Carnation Revolution and agrarian reform removed and replaced these old elites with new ones. The lords of the land remained lords of the village for as long as control over the main economic resource of the region was the major factor in the maintenance of political power. These land occupations were not permanent. The process was reversed as a result of political factors relating to Portugal's accession to the European Economic Community in 1986. Agrarian elites in Southern Portugal no longer control jobs or the economy and therefore they no longer control local politics as they had for several generations. The Carnation Revolution and agrarian reform removed the old elites and replaced them with new ones. Agriculture is no longer the main economic activity of the countryside. The rural environment has become a hiking ground or an all-terrain vehicles track. The future is elsewhere and the current economic situation and the absence of elites have transformed rural areas into depopulated regions.

Economic recovery from natural disaster

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse as to how the benefits to Tsunami affected small industry were misplaced and carried wrong priorities. Besides the support provided was insufficient for an effective recovery. There existed many governance‐related problems. Overall recovery was at a low figure of 64.8 percent. The occurrence of the natural disaster of this high magnitude leaves a trail of lessons to be learnt by both the government agencies and also the donor community. There was no shortage of either the funds or the commodities, but it was sadly the governance and the sensitivity to the suffering of the people.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed the proven methodologies of a survey of available literature, web sites, and publications to obtain secondary data and information on industry especially the micro and SMEs in areas of disaster damage occurred because of Tsunami. The second methodology of research is in areas of collection of data on industry at national level and categorization for selection of sample size. Interviews formed an important source of information. Interviews were conducted with relevant stakeholders conducting various rehabilitation and re‐establishment programmes.FindingsMicro and SMEs are important for economic development of Sri Lanka. These carry a strategic importance to generate employment. As such rehabilitation of industry affected by Tsunami is vital. Tsunami could have been used by the government, development agencies and donors as opportunity for rebuilding on modern lines. The main damage was caused to the plant and machinery. A right expenditure should have been in the direction of procurement of tools, equipment and machinery for the affected units. Unfortunately the help could not be organized to reach the right industry, in right quantity, and right way. Surprisingly, it was not because of shortage of funds.Originality/valueThe present case leaves lessons for development agencies, government departments and welfare associations. No such extensive study seems to have carried out.

Role of women as risk communicators to enhance disaster resilience of Bandung, Indonesia

This study addresses the need for women risk communication and highlights the potential role of Women Welfare Associations (WWAs) of Bandung, Indonesia, as risk communicators. A risk communication framework is modeled for women’s risk communication process. A set of indicators in social, institutional, and economic resilience activities (SIERAs), with a scope of 45 activities covering three different disaster periods, were developed to characterize the delivery process of risk information by women in WWAs through their activities at sub-district and ward levels. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey method using the risk communication SIERA approach. Women’s leaders at wards were surveyed concerning their perceptions on these 45 scopes of SIERA, ongoing activities, and their risk information source and dissemination process. Correlation analysis was applied to determine the relationship between the variables such as periods of disaster, types of activities (social, institutional, economic), and attributing factors (location, population, and education institution) in finding variations in risk communication activity that functions for women and communities. Five risk communication processes of WWAs are identified and implemented that work for women in Bandung. When their perceptions and ongoing activities are compared, activities such as dissemination of disaster risk information, conveying early warnings to their peers, and involvement of the local government have been confirmed to match the risk communication plans and implementation of WWAs. These indicate that WWAs’ activities in Bandung implement a certain degree of risk communication that is embedded in their activities. The results confirm that women through their social networks can become active agents of change and thus act beyond their usual domestic roles and responsibilities in order to contribute to the overall enhancement of community resilience.

Disentangling the Relationship between Nonprofit and Social Capital: The Role of Social Cooperatives and Social Welfare Associations in the Development of Networks of Strong and Weak Ties

We use a unique dataset to study how participation in two specific types of nonprofit organizations, i.e. social welfare associations and social cooperatives, affects individual social capital. A descriptive analysis shows that both the types of organization have a positive impact. The econometric analysis reveals that social welfare associations play a significantly greater role in the development of volunteers’ networks of cooperative relationships, favouring the creation of weak ties which are used to exchange information and advice, and offering the opportunity to establish stronger ties entailing concrete mutual support. Within social cooperatives, workers develop their individual social capital to a greater extent than volunteers.

Women's Associations and the Emergence of a Social State: Protection for Mothers and Children in Buenos Aires, 1920–1940

AbstractThis paper examines the women's association movement in Buenos Aires between 1920 and 1940, and its connection with the emergence of a social state. Subsidised by the state, associations led by upper-class women provided a significant number of social assistance services to mothers, working women and children, and had a notable impact on the design of social policy. While historiography concurs that by 1930 the significance of this charitably oriented women's movement had started to decline, being replaced by public welfare services, this paper seeks to question such a conclusion by analysing three of the most important women's social welfare associations in the period and showing how, having become the maternal face of the state, they retained a central role in the provision of social assistance until well into the 1930s, thus helping to prevent the state from becoming a ‘colossal bureaucratic machine’.

1422 – Culture sensitive analysis of psychosomatic complaints in migrants in germany

Background To ensure an adequate health care of migrants, differentiated information on the association of cultural background and migration related factors and psychosomatic complaints are necessary. Method Cross-sectional questionnaire based survey regarding psychosomatic complaints of migrants from Turkey (n = 77), Italy (n = 95), and Spain (n = 67) and ethnic German resettled from the states of the former Soviet Union (n = 196). Questionnaires distributed by non-health specific counselling agencies of welfare associations. Results The cultural background was a relevant factor for psychosomatic complaints, showing Turkish and ethnic German resettled migrants a higher likeliness, also compared to a sample of age corresponding Germans. Whereas Spanish and Italian migrants showed a lower risk for psychosomatic complaints. Also gender, feeling unwell in Germany and fatalism showed a significant association with psychosomatic complaints. Conclusion Migrants in Germany do not have per se a higher risk for psychosomatic complaints. A distinct differentiation by cultural background is necessary.

Community action planning in East Delhi: a participatory approach to build urban disaster resilience

The paper addresses disaster risk of an urban community in a mega city, which experiences high risk to natural hazards. The Community Action Planning (CAP) tool is used in this case. It has been developed from five resilience dimensions (physical, social, economic, institutional, and natural), 25 parameters and 75 actions. A detailed CAP structured questionnaire survey was conducted with 89 Residential and Welfare Associations (RWAs) in East Delhi, India situated in three types of settlements: planned Delhi Development Authority (DDA) housing and societies, colonies, and urban villages. The result identifies and prioritizes 32 actions as important for all three settlements. The result shows both consistent and inconsistent responses from RWAs. To give some examples, parameter S3 is “tasks to reduce number of people suffer from water borne diseases after a disaster”. In response to this parameter, approximately 80% of total respondents prioritized action (A1), “promoting people to take preventive measures after a disaster”. It shows consistent response from all three settlements. However, parameter S5 is “tasks to improve the awareness and knowledge about threat and impact of disasters”. Approximately 40% of total respondents prioritized A1, “organizing training program for awareness and knowledge building”. This action was prioritized in planned DDA housing and societies (56%) as well as in colonies (52%). However, none of the respondents from urban villages prioritized this action. These responses show inconsistency in response to specific action. In addition, the study shows the potential impact of CAP process for other communities in cities that are experiencing disaster risks and impact of climate change.

Vergleichende Analyse psychosomatischer Beschwerden bei Personen mit spanischem, italienischem, türkischem und russischem Migrationshintergrund

To ensure an adequate health care of migrants, differentiated information on the association of cultural background and migration related factors and psychosomatic complaints are necessary. Cross-sectional questionnaire based survey regarding psychosomatic complaints of migrants from Turkey (n = 77), Italy (n = 95), and Spain (n = 67) and ethnic German resettled from the states of the former Soviet Union (n = 196). Questionnaires distributed by non-health specific counselling agencies of welfare associations. The cultural background was a relevant factor for psychosomatic complaints, showing higher complaints in Turkish and ethnic German resettled migrants, also compared to a sample of age corresponding Germans. In contrast, Spanish and Italian migrants showed a lower risk for psychosomatic complaints. Also gender, feeling unwell in Germany and fatalism showed a significant association with psychosomatic complaints. Migrants in Germany do not have per se a higher risk for psychosomatic complaints. A distinct differentiation by cultural background is necessary.

Combining welfare mix and New Public Management: The case of long‐term care insurance in Germany

Theobald H. Combining welfare mix and New Public Management: The case of long‐term care insurance in GermanyWith the introduction of Long‐term Care Insurance, Germany restructured formal care provision by implementing reforms inspired by New Public Management (NPM), emphasising the market, competition and efficiency. The article analyses the process of implementation of NPM measures within the preconditions of Germany's welfare mix of care responsibility and the political‐administrative system of the social insurance‐based welfare state. Conceptually, it combines welfare mix approaches with NPM concepts. Empirically, it is based on a literature review and representative statistics. The article reveals how the German assumptions on welfare mix paved the way for NPM reforms and how the social insurance‐based welfare state strengthened the position of the state. It shows the increase of for‐profit providers, tensions emerging due to new organisational forms of care provision and underlying values within welfare associations, and the situation of care workers. The analysis undermines the idea of NPM as a mere management technique.

Thyroid function and bone mineral density among Indian subjects

Background:Thyroid hormones affect bone remodeling in patients with thyroid disease by acting directly or indirectly on bone cells. In view of limited information on correlation of thyroid function with bone mineral density (BMD) in euthyroid subjects, we undertook this study to evaluate the correlation between thyroid function with BMD in subjects with normal thyroid function and subclinical hypothyroidism.Material and Methods:A total of 1290 subjects included in this cross sectional study, were divided in Group-1 with normal thyroid function and Group-2 with subclinical hypothyroidism. Fasting blood samples were drawn for the estimation of serum 25(OH)D, intact parathyroid hormone, total and ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase. BMD at lumbar spine, femur, and forearm was measured.Results:BMD at all sites (radius, femur, and spine) were comparable in both groups. There was no difference in BMD when subjects were divided in tertiles of TSH in either group. In group-1, FT4 and TSH were positively associated with BMD at 33% radius whereas FT3 was negatively associated with BMD at femoral neck in multiple regression analysis after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, 25(OH)D and PTH levels. In group-2, there was no association observed between TSH and BMD at any site. Amongst all study subjects FT4 and FT3 were positively correlated with BMD at lumbar spine and radius respectively among all subjects.Conclusion:TSH does not affect BMD in euthyroid subjects and subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormones appear to have more pronounced positive effect on cortical than trabecular bone in euthyroid subjects.

P-585 - Depression and anxiety in elderly immigrants in Germany - a transcultural analysis

Background The association between migration and mental health remains unclear. To ensure an adequate health care of migrants, differentiated information on the association of migration and cultural background and mental disorders is necessary. Method Cross-sectional study on depression and anxiety of migrants from Turkey, Italy, Spain, and ethnic German resettled from the states of the former Soviet Union (n = 435). Questionnaires were distributed by non-health specific counselling agencies of welfare associations and migrants’ self-organisations. Results High rates of anxiety (anxiety: 43.2%; generalised anxiety disorder: 23.0%) as well as depression (minor depression: 20.4%; major depression: 15.8%) were found. The Turkish migrants have the highest degrees of symptoms, whereas the Spanish migrants have the lowest one. Logistic regression analyses show that retired migrants with lower school qualification and feeling unwell in Germany have a higher probability of suffering from anxiety or depressive disorders. Additionally, Turkish migrants show a higher likeliness for depression, than the other migrant groups. Conclusion Our results suggest that migrants in Germany have a higher risk of current anxiety and depression than natives. The cultural background is an independent predictor for depression but not of anxiety.

Urban governance and health care provision in Delhi

This paper considers how changes in urban governance in Delhi over the last two decades have influenced the provision of health care services. It begins by describing the introduction of, or return to, elected governments for the National Capital Territory of Delhi and for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. It then discusses public health care, which in effect serves low-income groups as most higher-income groups now use private services, and how this has changed, drawing on interviews and direct observations of elected representatives and officials at state and municipal levels, political cadres, NGOs, members of residential welfare associations and public health care users. The research focused on four municipal wards that included a middle-class area, a mixed-income area, a ward where many slum communities had been relocated and an “urban village”. The research also included an analysis of the priority given to health care issues (and what those issues are) in the Legislative Assembly and in the Municipal Health Department and Municipal Health Committee. The paper suggests that the opening by state government of new invited spaces for resident welfare associations meant that the elected members of the Legislative Assembly and of the municipal government were by-passed. It increased the influence of resident welfare associations, but these are a feature of middle-class areas whose inhabitants use private health care. It avoided contestation, as the state could decide who was invited. The role of NGOs as advocates for the urban poor also diminished, as many were drawn into becoming implementers of government programmes. In effect, this increase in participation can be seen as a new form of centralization, strengthening the position of senior bureaucrats and by-passing the elected politicians.

P01-321 - Mental health of immigrants in Germany

With respect to mental health disorders, there are cultural and migration-related differences in the personal experience and the way of dealing with them. However, the association between migration experiences and the development and the continuation of mental health disorders respectively, remain unclear. Epidemiological studies on mental health disorders of migrants rarely exist, even though such information is decisive for the appropriate medical care of this target group. We therefore conducted a cross-sectional survey regarding mental health of immigrants in Germany attending in non-health specific counseling agencies of welfare associations. Besides somatization symptoms (Beschwerdeliste (BL)) and symptoms of mental disorders (depression: patients’ health questionnaire (PHQ-D); anxiety: GAD-7; hazardous alcohol consumption: AUDIT), data on the social and occupational situation, as well as on the migration background was acquired. Data of n= 506 immigrants (55.5% female) were analyzed (age: 54.7 ± 12.4). The immigrants stems from the states of the former Soviet Union (n= 196), Turkey (n= 77), Italy (n= 95) and Spain (n= 67). Overall, 27.1% show evidence for a somatization disorder, 15.8% for a depressive disorder and 23.1% for increased anxiety (GAD-7 ≥ 5). 16.0% of the respondents show evidence of hazardous alcohol consumption. The study provides empirically profound information about the mental health of immigrants, who attend non-health specific counseling agencies. The analysis, subject to the migration status and socio-demographic factors, allows the development of measures of the enhancement of health care for this group regarding mental health.

Deutsche Minderheiten in Europa und Landsmannschaften in Deutschland: Ein Vergleich (I)

70 years have passed since Hitler has entered into separate agreements with Stalin and Mussolini which – inter alia – formed the basis for mass resettlements of peoples (Baltic Germans and South Tyroleans) from their respective homelands. After World War II, these mass resettlements were succeeded by the mass expulsions and escape of Germans from almost all parts of eastern Europe. This article deals with the question of the current cultural identity of the formerly displaced Germans now living in Germany and compares their identity with those who stayed behind in their respective homelands. The article also poses the question what is the relationship between the Landsmannschaften (welfare and cultural associations) founded by the German refugees in Germany and the German minorities in Europe. The author tries to answer these questions by initially defining the various historical starting positions of both groups (part I). Part II of this article (that will be published in no. 4-2009) will then reveal the existing conflicts between these groups, propose solutions and at the same time – using the example of the Sudeten Germans – open up new perspectives in future (German-Czech) crossborder cooperations.

Policy Networks and Immigrants’ Associations in Italy: The Cases of Milan, Bologna and Naples

This article analyses the role played by immigrants’ associations in local policy networks in Italy. The aim is to find out if differences in the political opportunity structure have an impact on the development of immigrant organisations and on their influence in the policy-making process. In the first part of the article I describe the evolution of immigrants’ associations in Italy by focusing on the institutional opportunity structure, defined here as the resources granted by national legislation to support immigrants’ associations. In the second part I focus on three cases that represent different areas of the country: Milan, Bologna and Naples. These cities have been governed by different political majorities since the mid-1980s, and are thus characterised by differences in the political opportunity structure. The question I ask is: do different configurations of power, right-wing or left-wing, provide different institutional opportunities for immigrants’ associations? And how do these different opportunities influence levels of immigrant organisation? My analysis shows that immigrants’ associations are poorly organised and play a marginal role in the local decision-making process in the three cities considered. Left-wing administrations have attempted to open some opportunities, but these were scarce and often of a contradictory nature. Local governments seem in general to prefer Italian pro-immigrant associations, especially as far as access to funding and running for public contracts is concerned. As a consequence, in all the three cities considered, national welfare associations appear to have crowded out immigrants’ own initiatives.