| 1. |
- Ahlgren, Christina, et al.
(författare)
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Engagement in New Dietary Habits : Obese Women's Experiences from Participating in a 2-Year Diet Intervention
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. - : Springer. - 1070-5503 .- 1532-7558. ; 23:1, s. 84-93
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Dietary weight loss interventions most often result in weight loss, but weight maintenance on a long-term basis is the main problem in obesity treatment. There is a need for an increased understanding of the behaviour patterns involved in adopting a new dietary behavior and to maintain the behaviour over time.PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to explore overweight and obese middle-aged women's experiences of the dietary change processes when participating in a 2-year-long diet intervention.METHODS: Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 12 overweight and obese women (54-71 years) were made after their participation in a diet intervention programme. The programme was designed as a RCT study comparing a diet according to the Nordic nutrition recommendations (NNR diet) and a Palaeolithic diet (PD). Interviews were analysed according to Grounded Theory principles.RESULTS: A core category "Engagement phases in the process of a diet intervention" concluded the analysis. Four categories included the informants' experiences during different stages of the process of dietary change: "Honeymoon phase", "Everyday life phase", "It's up to you phase" and "Crossroads phase". The early part of the intervention period was called "Honeymoon phase" and was characterised by positive experiences, including perceived weight loss and extensive support. The next phases, the "Everyday life phase" and "It's up to you phase", contained the largest obstacles to change. The home environment appeared as a crucial factor, which could be decisive for maintenance of the new dietary habits or relapse into old habits in the last phase called "Crossroads phase".CONCLUSION: We identified various phases of engagement in the process of a long-term dietary intervention among middle-aged women. A clear personal goal and support from family and friends seem to be of major importance for long-term maintenance of new dietary habits. Gender relations within the household must be considered as a possible obstacle for women engaging in diet intervention.
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| 2. |
- Aléx, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Balancing within various discourses--the art of being old and living as a Sami woman.
- 2006
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Ingår i: Health Care for Women International. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0739-9332 .- 1096-4665. ; 27:10, s. 873-92
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this part of the Umeå 85+ Study was to explore how indigenous women narrate their lives and their experience of being old as Sami women. Interviews with 9 old Sami women were analyzed using grounded theory. The categories identified were "reindeer as the basis of life," "longing for significant Sami values," "feeling valued as a Sami woman," and "changing for survival;" these evolved into the core category: "balancing within various discourses-the art of being old and living as a Sami woman." Knowing how to balance provided the ability to make use of available opportunities.
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| 3. |
- Alex, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Beyond a Dichotomous View of the Concepts of 'Sex' and 'Gender' Focus Group Discussions among Gender Researchers at a Medical Faculty
- 2012
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public library of science. - 1932-6203. ; 7:11, s. e50275-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: The concepts of 'sex' and 'gender' are both of vital importance in medicine and health sciences. However, the meaning of these concepts has seldom been discussed in the medical literature. The aim of this study was to explore what the concepts of 'sex' and 'gender' meant for gender researchers based in a medical faculty. Methods: Sixteen researchers took part in focus group discussions. The analysis was performed in several steps. The participating researchers read the text and discussed ideas for analysis in national and international workshops. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The authors performed independent preliminary analyses, which were further developed and intensively discussed between the authors. Results: The analysis of meanings of the concepts of 'sex' and 'gender' for gender researchers based in a medical faculty resulted in three categories; "Sex as more than biology", with the subcategories 'sex' is not simply biological, 'sex' as classification, and 'sex' as fluid and changeable; "Gender as a multiplicity of power-related constructions", with the subcategories: 'gender' as constructions, 'gender' power dimensions, and 'gender' as doing femininities and masculinities; "'Sex and gender as interwoven", with the subcategories: 'sex' and 'gender' as inseparable and embodying 'sex' and 'gender'. Conclusions: Gender researchers within medicine pointed out the importance of looking beyond a dichotomous view of the concepts of 'sex' and 'gender'. The perception of the concepts was that 'sex' and 'gender' were intertwined. Further research is needed to explore how 'sex' and 'gender' interact.
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| 4. |
- Aléx, Lena, 1948-, et al.
(författare)
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Construction of masculinities among men aged 85 and older in the north of Sweden.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Nursing. - : Wiley. - 0962-1067 .- 1365-2702. ; 17:4, s. 451-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIM: The aim was to analyse the construction of masculinities among men aged 85 and older. BACKGROUND: All societies have a gender order, constructed from multiple ideas of what is seen as feminine and masculine. As the group of men aged 85 and older is increasing in size and their demand for care will increase, we must recognize the importance of studying these men and various discourses of masculinities. DESIGN: Qualitative explorative. METHODS: Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse thematic narratives. Masculinity theories provided the point of departure for the analysis. RESULTS: The analysis coalesced into three masculinities. 'Being in the male centre', developed from subthemes as: taking pride in one's work and economic situation; being in the centre in relation to others; regarding women as sexual objects; and belonging to a select group. 'Striving to maintain the male facade' developed from subthemes as: emphasizing 'important' connections; having feelings of loss; striving to maintain old norms and rejecting the fact of being old. 'Being related' was formulated from subthemes as: feeling at home with domestic duties; being concerned; accepting one's own aging; and reflecting on life. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates the importance of being aware of the existence of multiple masculinities, in contrast to the generally unproblematic and unsubtle particular healthcare approaches which consider men as simply belonging to one masculinity. Relevance to clinical practice. Diverse masculinities probably affect encounters between men and healthcare providers and others who work with an older population and therefore our results are of importance in a caring context.
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| 5. |
- Aléx, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Constructions of various femininities among the oldest old women.
- 2006
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Ingår i: Health Care for Women International. - Washington, D.C. : Informa UK Limited. - 0739-9332 .- 1096-4665. ; 27:10, s. 853-72
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study forms part of the Umeå 85+ Study, and the aim was to explore various gendered constructions of femininities among the oldest old women. Femininities are seen as various ways of shaping oneself as a woman in relation to the impact of historical, social, and cultural circumstances. Thematic narratives were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Through interpreting these narratives in the light of gender theories, we were able to discern four femininities: "being connected," "being an actor," "living in the shadow of others," and "being alienated." The oldest old women displayed complex outlooks on femininities, and no femininity was interpreted as being in the center related to the other femininities. Further research is needed in order to disclose the complexity of femininities related to factors such as social class, ethnicity, and financial situation among the oldest old, and to acquire a greater knowledge of various femininities.
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| 6. |
- Aléx, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Reflections of men and women in advanced old age on being the other sex
- 2010
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Ingår i: Ageing & Society. - 0144-686X .- 1469-1779. ; 30:2, s. 193-206
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The study reported in this paper is part of the Umeå 85+ project in Sweden. The aim was to investigate gender perspectives among ‘the oldest old’, by asking men and women in advanced old age living in a sparsely populated area of northern Sweden to reflect on how life might have been if they had been born the other sex. Thematic narratives from nine men and seven women were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The content of these narratives was resolved into eight categories in two domains, respectively men's and women's reflections about being born the opposite sex. The narratives of both the men and women indicated that they were satisfied with their actual birth sex. The men were aware that if they had been born female, they would probably have experienced more hard work and had a more restricted life, and they were conscious of both women's relative powerlessness and their greater ability to manage and organise work within the home. The women's narratives described a femininity characterised by longing for a state of being unconcerned when young, and their narratives also displayed awareness of women's physical strength and that men's lives had also been hard.
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| 7. |
- Aléx, Lena, 1948-, et al.
(författare)
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Shift in power during an interview situation : methodological reflections inspired by Foucault and Bourdieu
- 2008
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Ingår i: Nursing Inquiry. - : Wiley. - 1320-7881 .- 1440-1800. ; 15:2, s. 169-176
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper presents methodological reflections on power sharing and shifts of power in various interview situations. Narratives are said to be shaped by our attempts to position ourselves within social and cultural circumstances. In an interview situation, power can be seen as something that is created and that shifts between the interviewer and the interviewed. Reflexivity is involved when we as interviewers attempt to look at a situation or a concept from various perspectives. A modified form of discourse analysis inspired by subject positioning was used to reflect on power relations in four different interview situations. The analyses indicate that reflection on the power relations can lead to other forms of understanding of the interviewee. The main conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that power relations are created within an interview situation and therefore it is important to be aware of dominant perspectives. Researchers and nurses face the challenge of constantly raising their level of consciousness about power relationships, and discursive reflexivity is one way of doing this. Thus, reflexivity is an important part of the qualitative research process.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Almquist B., Ylva, et al.
(författare)
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Associations between social support and depressive symptoms : social causation or social selection-or both?
- 2017
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Ingår i: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press. - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 27:1, s. 84-89
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between social support and health, almost regardless of how social support and health have been conceptualised or measured. Even so, the issue of causality has not yet been sufficiently addressed. This issue is particularly challenging for mental health problems such as depressive symptoms. The aim of the present study is to longitudinally assess structural and functional aspects of social support in relation to depressive symptoms in men and women, through a series of competing causal models that, in contrast to many other statistical methods, allow for bi-directional effects.METHODS: Questionnaire data from the Northern Swedish Cohort (n = 1001) were utilised for the years 1995 (age 30) and 2007 (age 42). Associations were analysed by means of gender-specific structural equation modelling, with structural and functional support modelled separately.RESULTS: Both structural and functional support were associated with depressive symptoms at ages 30 and 42, for men and women alike. A higher level of support, particularly functional support, was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms over time among men. Among women, there were bi-directional effects of social support and depressive symptoms over time.CONCLUSION: Concerning social support and health, the social causation hypothesis seems relevant for men whereas, for women, the associations appear to be more complex. We conclude that preventive and health promoting work may need to consider that the presence of depressive symptoms in itself impedes on women's capability to increase their levels of social support.
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| 10. |
- Almquist, Ylva B, et al.
(författare)
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Growing through asphalt : What counteracts the long-term negative health impact of youth adversity?
- 2017
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Ingår i: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press. - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 27:Suppl 3, s. 47-47
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Adversity in the family of origin tends to translate into poor health development. Yet, the fact that this is not the always the case has been seen an indicator of resilience. The current study highlights factors outside the context of the family with the potential to counteract the long-term negative influences of social and material adversity in adolescence on general health status.Methods: The study was based on the Northern Swedish Cohort born in 1965 (n = 1,001). Measures of social and material adversity, health, and protective factors related to school, peers, and spare time, were derived from questionnaires distributed to the cohort members and their teachers at age 16. Self-rated health was measured at age 43. The main associations were examined by means of ordinal regression analysis, with the role of the protective factors being assessed through interaction analysis.Results: Social and material adversity in youth was associated with poorer self-rated health in midlife among males and females alike, net of health status at baseline. However, having an advantaged situation with regard to school, peers, or spare time – particularly in terms of being seen as having good educational and work prospects, as well as a high-quality spare time – appeared to protect against the detrimental influences of disadvantaged circumstances in the family context on subsequent health.Conclusions: There are several factors outside the context of the family that seemingly have the potential to buffer against the negative health consequences stemming from having experienced a disadvantaged upbringing. Initiatives targeted at increasing academic motivation and commitment as well as social capital and relationships in youth, may here be of particular relevance.Key messages:While the experience of disadvantageous living conditions in adolescence tends to translate into poor health development across the life course, this is not always the case.Advantages related to school, peers, and spare time have the potential of counteracting the negative health impact of an adverse family context.
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