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| 2. |
- Vicente, Joana, et al.
(författare)
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Informal care provision among male and female working carers : Findings from a Swedish national survey
- 2022
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 17:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IntroductionInformal carers in paid employment–working carers (WKCs)—have complex support needs. However, little is known about WKCs’ pattern of informal care provision, the support they receive, the impact providing care has on their employment, and how these vary between male and female WKCs. This study describes the pattern of informal care provision and received support among Swedish WKCs.Research method/DesignThe study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey of a stratified random sample of the Swedish population aged 18 or over. The questionnaire addressed the type and extent of informal care provided, support received and the impact of care provision on employment. Of the 30,009 people who received the questionnaire, 11,168 (37.3%) responded, providing an analytic sample of 818 (7.32% of respondents) employed or self-employed informal carers.FindingsA typical Swedish WKC was a middle-aged female, providing weekly or daily care to a non-cohabitant parent, who experiences care as sometimes demanding and receives no formal support as a carer. Female WKCs were more likely than males to care alone and with higher intensity, to report a need for help in meeting their care-recipient’s needs, and to experience care as demanding. Approximately 17% of WKCs reported their employment had been affected due to caring, 40% their ability to work, and 31% their career development opportunities. Female WKCs’ ability to work was affected more than males’, and they were more commonly prevented from applying for work.ConclusionSwedish female WKCs compared to males provide more hours of informal care, across more care domains, more often alone. This places them in a challenging situation when combining paid work and care. Greater recognition of the challenges faced by WKCs is required in Sweden and other countries, as are policies to reduce gender inequalities in informal care provision in this group.
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| 3. |
- Andersson, Stefan, et al.
(författare)
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Valued and received forms of support among Swedish working carers of older people : a descriptive study with focus on ICT-mediated support
- 2019
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Ingår i: Technology and Disability. - : IOS Press. - 1055-4181 .- 1878-643X. ; 31:4, s. 189-202
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Working family carers are an important resource for the care of older people but can experience negativepressures without support.OBJECTIVE: This study examined the perceived value of forms of support and the level of receipt of valued forms of supportamong Swedish working carers, with a focus on information and communication technology (ICT)-mediated support.METHODS: A convenience sample (N = 129) of working carers caring for an older (> 65 years) relative completed a webbasedquestionnaire that addressed: caring characteristics; work-care conflict; and valued and received forms of support.RESULTS: Overall non-ICT forms of support were the most highly valued, while receipt of valued support was low: on averageonly 16.9% of participants who valued ICT-mediated forms of support received such support, while the figure was only slightlyhigher (23.4%) for non-ICT forms of support. Higher levels of work-care conflict were associated with higher perceived value ofsupport for 13 out of fourteen forms of support.CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that ICT-mediated and non-ICT forms of support should be regarded as complementary,while the low level of receipt of valued forms of support could indicate high levels of unmet need in working carers. Implicationsfor further research and policy on working carers are considered.
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| 4. |
- Bagyura, Márton, et al.
(författare)
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The Usability of the COPE Index in a Hungarian Sample : Testing the Reliability and Component Structure of the Three Subscales of the Index
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Long-Term Care. - 2516-9122. ; , s. 322-333
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: The COPE Index is a standardised instrument for use as a first assessment of negative impact, positive value, and quality of support among informal carers of older people, validated and available in several languages. However, this instrument has not been tested in a Hungarian sample. Objectives: The aim of the present study is to translate and adapt the COPE Index for use with Hungarian-speaking informal carers, exploring the Index’s component structure and internal consistency. Method: Following standard translation procedures, a Hungarian version of the Index was included in a questionnaire used in a cross-sectional online survey of carers. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine the component structure of the instrument, followed by an analysis of the internal consistency reliability of the emergent components. Findings: PCA produced three components from the Index that largely matched those of the original instrument in the case of the full sample; however, in the case of active carers, we could not replicate the same components. Cronbach’s α was satisfactory for all subscales derived from the components. Conclusion: The Index is used in many European countries, and this study has produced a comparable and reliable instrument for use among Hungarian-speaking carers, considering the characteristics of the examined sample. Limitation: The sample is primarily drawn from Facebook, thus it may not fully represent the characteristics of family caregivers in the population. Implications: The Index help in examining the impacts of caregiving and the quality of support among Hungarian-speaking carers, which can contribute to developing more appropriate and effective policies to support them.
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| 5. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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A social exclusion perspective on loneliness in older adults in the Nordic countries
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Journal of Ageing. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1613-9372 .- 1613-9380. ; 19:2, s. 175-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several factors associated with loneliness are also considered indicators of social exclusion. While loneliness has been proposed as an outcome of social exclusion, there is limited empirical evidence of a link. This study examines the associations between social exclusion indicators and loneliness in older adults (60+ years) in four Nordic countries. Data from four waves of the European Social Survey were pooled, providing a total of 7755 respondents (Denmark n = 1647; Finland n = 2501, Norway n = 1540; Sweden n = 2067). Measures of loneliness, demographic characteristics, health, and eight indicators of social exclusion were selected from the survey for analysis. Country-specific and total sample hierarchical logistic regression models of loneliness were developed. Significant model improvement occurred for all models after social exclusion indicators were added to models containing only demographic and health variables. Country models explained between 15.1 (Finland) and 21.5% (Sweden) of the variance in loneliness. Lower frequency of social contacts and living alone compared to in a two-person household was associated with a higher probability of loneliness in all countries, while other indicators were associated with loneliness in specific countries: lower neighbourhood safety (Sweden and Denmark); income concern (Sweden and Finland); and no emotional support (Denmark, Finland, and Sweden). A robust relationship was apparent between indicators of social exclusion and loneliness with the direction of associations being highly consistent across countries, even if their strength and statistical significance varied. Social exclusion has considerable potential for understanding and addressing risk factors for loneliness.
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| 6. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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A systematic review of longitudinal risk factors for loneliness in older adults
- 2021
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Ingår i: Aging & Mental Health. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 26:2, s. 225-249
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To effectively reduce loneliness in older adults, interventions should be based on firm evidence regarding risk factors for loneliness in that population. This systematic review aimed to identify, appraise and synthesise longitudinal studies of risk factors for loneliness in older adults.METHODS: Searches were performed in June 2018 in PsycINFO, Scopus, Sociology Collection and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria were: population of older adults (M = 60+ years at outcome); longitudinal design; study conducted in an OECD country; article published in English in a peer-review journal. Article relevance and quality assessments were made by at least two independent reviewers.RESULTS: The search found 967 unique articles, of which 34 met relevance and quality criteria. The Netherlands and the United States together contributed 19 articles; 17 analysed national samples while 7 studies provided the data for 19 articles. One of two validated scales was used to measure loneliness in 24 articles, although 10 used a single item. A total of 120 unique risk factors for loneliness were examined. Risk factors with relatively consistent associations with loneliness were: not being married/partnered and partner loss; a limited social network; a low level of social activity; poor self-perceived health; and depression/depressed mood and an increase in depression.CONCLUSION: Despite the range of factors examined in the reviewed articles, strong evidence for a longitudinal association with loneliness was found for relatively few, while there were surprising omissions from the factors investigated. Future research should explore longitudinal risk factors for emotional and social loneliness.
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| 7. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Correlates of social and emotional loneliness in older people : evidence from an English community study
- 2014
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Ingår i: Aging & Mental Health. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 18:4, s. 504-514
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Loneliness is an important influence on quality of life in old age, and has been conceptualised as consisting of two dimensions, social and emotional. This paper describes analyses that sought to produce models of social and emotional loneliness in older people, using demographic, psychological and health, and social variables.Method: Older people (aged 65+, N=1255) from the Barnsley metropolitan area of the United Kingdom were recruited randomly from within a stratified sampling frame, and received a questionnaire-based interview (response rate: 68.1%). The questionnaire contained items and scales on demographic, psychological and health and social characteristics, and a validated measure of loneliness that assesses both social and emotional loneliness.Results: Of the respondents, 7.7% were found to be severely or very severely lonely, while another 38.3% were moderately lonely. Social and Emotional Loneliness shared 19.36% variance. Being male, being widowed, low well-being, low self-esteem, low income comfort, low contact with family, low contact with friends, low Activity, low Perceived Community Integration, and receipt of community care were significant predictors of Social Loneliness (R=.50, R2=.25, F(18, 979)=18.17, p<.001). Being widowed, low well-being, low self-esteem, high activity restriction, low income comfort, and non-receipt of informal care were significant predictors of Emotional Loneliness (R=.55, R2=.30, F(18, 973)=23.00, p<.001).Conclusion: This study provides further empirical support for the conceptual separation of emotional and social loneliness. Consequently, policy on loneliness in older people should be directed to developing a range of divergent intervention strategies if both emotional and social loneliness are to be reduced.
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| 8. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Ensamhet bland äldre personer i Norden
- 2020
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Rapporten presenterar översikter av tidigare forskning och analyser av känslan av ensamhet bland äldre personer. Överlag finns det kunskap om ensamhetens konsekvenser för ohälsa, men det behövs ytterligare forskning där starkare slutsatser kan dras om sambandens riktning, och ett tydligare fokus på ensamhet i gruppen äldre personer. En systematisk översikt visar att det finns god kunskap om en del faktorer som ökar risken för ensamhet, men mer forskning behövs om andra potentiella riskfaktorer. Analyserna visar en relativt låg och stabil förekomst av ensamhet bland äldre personer i Norden, samt att ohälsa och olika indikatorer för social exkludering (t.ex. bristande sociala relationer, otillräcklig inkomst, samt otrygghet i närområdet) har samband med ensamhet. Slutligen konstateras att forskningen om nordiska interventioner för att minska ensamhet bland äldre personer är begränsad.
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| 9. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Living on the edge : Social exclusion and the receipt of informal care in older people
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Aging Research. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2090-2204 .- 2090-2212. ; , s. 1-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Older people have been identified as being at risk of social exclusion. However, despite the fact that care is commonly required in later life and the majority of that care provided by informal carers, a connection between social exclusion and informal care-receipt has rarely been considered. The aim of this study was to examine how informal care-receipt is related to social exclusion.A face-to-face questionnaire survey on social exclusion and informal care-receipt was carried out among older people (n=1255) living in Barnsley, United Kingdom. Multivariable analyses examined the association between social exclusion and categories of informal care-receipt: care receiver; assurance receiver; non-receiver with no need; non-receiver with need.Compared to being a non-receiver with no need participants were more likely to be a care receiver or assurance receiver if they had higher levels of social exclusion. The highest level of social exclusion, however, was found in non-receivers with need. Despite a lack of informal care and support, formal practical support and personal care was also low in this latter group. Findings are discussed in relation to the conceptualisation of care-receipt and how contact with medical services could be an opportunity for identification and appropriate referral of non-receivers with need.
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| 10. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Predictors of loneliness among older women and men in Sweden : A national longitudinal study
- 2014
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Objectives: To examine the extent to which older women and men (70+) report feelings of loneliness with a focus on: a) changes in reported loneliness as people age, and b) which factors predict loneliness.Methods: Data from the 2004 and 2011 waves of SWEOLD, a longitudinal national survey study, was used. The prediction of loneliness in 2011 by data collected in 2004 was examined in three logistic regression models for the total sample (n=587), for women and for men.Results: Older people moved in and out of frequent loneliness over time, but there was a general increase in loneliness as they aged. Recent widowhood and depression increment were associated with loneliness in both women and men. Loneliness, widowhood, depression and mobility problems measured in 2004 predicted loneliness uniquely in women in 2011; whereas low level of education and social contact reduction predicted loneliness uniquely in men.Discussion: Loneliness is not always a stable condition, demonstrating the importance of longitudinal research. Gender differences in incidence and predictors make it important to look at women and men separately both when researching loneliness and when targeting interventions to prevent or reduce loneliness in older people.
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