Purpose: Our aim is to get an insight on how home care workers experience, handle and looks upon their work. We also want to form an opinion of how home care workers experience the relationship to the clients they meet. Questions: How does home care workers experience their daily work with their clients? Home care workers daily meet many different sorts of clients with different needs, how do they handle this? What kind of support does home care workers get in their work? Method: A qualitative design with semistructured interviews. Conclusion: The most central conclusion from all of our interviews were: that home care service workers has a very stressful and demanding occupation, that the work has a low status, that the personnel has a big responsibility for the wellbeing of other people and that they often find their work satisfying and fun. To have someone to talk to and exchange ideas with was also mentioned by the informants as a vital part of feeling support in their work. From the Antonovskys theory, a sense of coherence, and Goffmans views of the society, we also find that the larger part of our informants feel a high sense of coherence and that when they have to adjust to their different caretakers they play different roles.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between gender and self reported symptoms (physiological and psychological) and sense of coherence (SOC) and Job Demand-Control-Social support (JDCS). The sample consisted of 360 respondents (nfemale= 261, nmale= 99), in the ages between 19-53 (M=25,57, SD=5,77), all students from Växjö University. A quantitative work method was used in the study; data was collected using questionnaires that consisted of self-reported questions, based on three parts: A modified symptom checklist, SOC 13 and a modified JDCS questionnaire. The result of our study showed that both SOC and JDCS had an effect on self-reported symptoms but there were no interaction between SOC and JDCS. No significant gender differences were found regarding the level of SOC. Female students reported symptoms in a significant higher extent than male students. There were no gender differences regarding JDCS. Our results are discussed in relation to previous studies. Our conclusion is that it is important to perform further research on students’ health and work environment.

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine whether there are differences in Sense of Coherence between people in monotonous and non – monotonous jobs with regard to birth order. In this present study, 89 individuals from three different working organizations participated, of which 51 (57, 3 %) of them were men and 38 (42, 7 %) women. The results showed that in varying occupations, firstborn children showed a higher level of Sense of Coherence. In monotonus jobs, middle children prove to have the lowest level of Sence of Coherence. The results from this study also show that Sense of Coherence is associated with the individuals’ age and their experienced relationship with their parents during childhood. / Sammanfattning Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka om det finns skillnader i känsla av sammanhang mellan personer på monotona och icke – monotona arbeten med hänsyn tagen till syskonplacering. I den här studien deltog 89 personer från tre olika arbetsorganisationer i södra Sverige, varav 51 (57,3 %) av dem var män och 38 (42,7 %) kvinnor. Resultatet visade att i varierade arbeten har förstfödda barn högre nivåer av KASAM. I monotona arbeten uppvisar mellanbarn inneha den lägsta nivån av KASAM. Resultatet från denna studie visar även att KASAM är kopplad till individers ålder och upplevda relation till föräldrarna under barndomen.

Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva vad starkt respektive svagt KASAM betyder för livskvalitet, välbefinnande och hälsa bland äldre (60 år och äldre). Studien designades med en deskriptiv ansats. Metoden var att systematiskt söka litteratur i databaserna; Medline, CINAHL samt Vård i Norden, detta kompletterades även med manuella sökningar. Femton artiklar som motsvarade syftet och inklusionskriterierna granskades och analyserades. Resultatet visade att KASAM hade signifikanta samband med de äldres upplevda livskvalitet, välbefinnande och hälsa. Antalet sjukdomar och fysiska begränsningar hade en liten inverkan på de äldre om de hade ett starkt KASAM, då KASAM hade ett svagt samband med den objektiva hälsan och ett starkt samband med den subjektiva hälsan. KASAM var den faktor som bäst förutsåg hur de äldre upplevde sin livssituation. De äldre som hade ett starkt KASAM upplevde även tillfredställande socialt stöd, som hade en stor inverkan på deras välbefinnande. De äldre med svagt KASAM hade även låg livskvalitet och försämrat allmäntillstånd. Slutsatsen var att om vårdpersonal kan stärka de äldres KASAM kommer även de äldres livskvalitet, välbefinnande och hälsa förbättras.

Bakgrund Uppföljning av utskrivna patienter inom intensivvård har utvecklats under de senaste decennierna, där fokus varit patienternas återhämtning och upplevelse av intensivvårdstiden. Huruvida sjukvårdspersonal har behov av uppföljning har varit oklart. Därför var syftet med denna studie att undersöka intensivvårdssjuksköterskors behov av uppföljning av utskrivna patienter och behovets relation till känsla av sammanhang (KASAM).   Metod En tvådelad enkät, med fokus på behov av uppföljning och KASAM, delades ut till intensivvårdssjuksköterskor vid sex intensivvårdsavdelningar i Västra Götaland under våren 2011.   Resultat Av 216 distribuerade enkäter returnerades 143 (66,2 %). Drygt 80 % av intensivvårdssjuksköterskorna skattade sig ha ett behov. Det fanns ingen skillnad i personliga faktorer (ålder, kön, erfarenhet, KASAM) mellan de med behovet och de utan. Vanligaste sätten att följa upp på var att besöka patienten, kontakta patientens sjuksköterska och att läsa i patientens journal. De vanligaste orsaker till behovet av uppföljning var feedback på utförda åtgärder samt av empati för patienten. Knappt 12 % såg nackdelar med att följa upp, medan drygt 67 % såg nackdelar med att inte följa upp.   Konklusion Intensivvårdssjuksköterskor har ett behov av att följa upp utskrivna patienter. Detta behov kan vara knutet till sjuksköterskans profession, snarare än till sjuksköterskans personliga egenskaper. Orsaken till behovet kan ses som två huvudsyften; verksamhetens lärande och patientens förståelse. / Background Follow-up on discharged patients in intensive care has emerged in the last decades. Focus has been patient recovery and experiences from the intensive care units (ICU). It is however unknown whether health care workers have a need of follow-up on discharged patients. Hence, the aim of this study was to survey ICU-nurses need of follow-up on discharged patients and the correlation to sense of coherence (SOC).   Method A two-parted questionnaire, with focus on the need of follow-up and SOC, was distributed to ICU-nurses at six ICU’s in the west ofSwedenin 2011.   Result A total of 216 questionnaires were distributed, and 143 was returned (66.2%). Approximately 80% of the ICU-nurses indicated that they had a need of following up on discharged patients. No personal attribute (age, gender, working experience, SOC) differed between those with a need and those without a need. The most common way of practically follow-up on patients was by visiting the patient, contacting the patient’s nurse, and by reading the patient’s electronical journal. The general reason for the need of follow-up was to gain feedback on the preformed interventions (nursing and medical), and by empathy for the patient. Almost 12% of the ICU-nurses emphasized disadvantages by following-up on discharged patients. But just over 67% experienced disadvantages with not performing follow-up on discharged patients.   Conclusion There is a need among ICU-nurse to follow-up discharged patients. This need could be connected to the nursing profession, rather than the nurses’ personal attributes. The reason of the need of follow-up could be interpreted as two main objectives; Organizational learning and Patient understanding.

The aim of this study was to provide an understanding of the situation of an often forgotten group in foster care, the carers’ own children. Our main focus was to explore this group’s experience of foster care, their experience of participating in caring for the foster children and their possible need of support and help. Our chosen method was qualitative interviews with six adult children of foster carers, two men and four women. The theory used in this study was Sense of Coherence. Our interviewees mainly gave a positive description of being part of a foster family, however they also gave examples of difficult situations and of loss. All of them gave different examples of how they had participated in the care of foster children, such as babysitting, defending foster siblings in school and supporting them. Despite their overall positive memories most of them wished they had been offered better support, preferably counseling with advice on how to act in difficult situations. The need for better information, as well as education about why the foster children act as they do, seemed important to the interviewees.

The present study investigated the role of gender, sense of coherence and total physical activity in positive and negative affect. The participants were 376 (169 female, 206 male, and 1 missing value) volunteered students from different faculties of Middle East Technical University. Three questionnaires, namely, Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC), Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire (PAAQ), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were administered to the students together with the demographic information sheet. Two separate stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the predictive power of gender (coded as dummy variable), sense of coherence and total physical activity on positive and negative affect scores. Results revealed that, sense of coherence and total physical activity predicted the positive affect whereas sense of coherence predicted the negative affect of university students. Findings are discussed in the light of sense of coherence, physical activity and positive and negative affect literature.

<p>The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between gender and self reported symptoms (physiological and psychological) and sense of coherence (SOC) and Job Demand-Control-Social support (JDCS). The sample consisted of 360 respondents (nfemale= 261, nmale= 99), in the ages between 19-53 (M=25,57, SD=5,77), all students from Växjö University. A quantitative work method was used in the study; data was collected using questionnaires that consisted of self-reported questions, based on three parts: A modified symptom checklist, SOC 13 and a modified JDCS questionnaire. The result of our study showed that both SOC and JDCS had an effect on self-reported symptoms but there were no interaction between SOC and JDCS. No significant gender differences were found regarding the level of SOC. Female students reported symptoms in a significant higher extent than male students. There were no gender differences regarding JDCS. Our results are discussed in relation to previous studies. Our conclusion is that it is important to perform further research on students’ health and work environment.</p>

<p>Abstract</p><p>The aim of this study was to examine whether there are differences in Sense of Coherence between people in monotonous and non – monotonous jobs with regard to birth order. In this present study, 89 individuals from three different working organizations participated, of which 51 (57, 3 %) of them were men and 38 (42, 7 %) women. The results showed that in varying occupations, firstborn children showed a higher level of Sense of Coherence. In monotonus jobs, middle children prove to have the lowest level of Sence of Coherence. The results from this study also show that Sense of Coherence is associated with the individuals’ age and their experienced relationship with their parents during childhood.</p> / <p>Sammanfattning</p><p>Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka om det finns skillnader i känsla av sammanhang mellan personer på monotona och icke – monotona arbeten med hänsyn tagen till syskonplacering. I den här studien deltog 89 personer från tre olika arbetsorganisationer i södra Sverige, varav 51 (57,3 %) av dem var män och 38 (42,7 %) kvinnor. Resultatet visade att i varierade arbeten har förstfödda barn högre nivåer av KASAM. I monotona arbeten uppvisar mellanbarn inneha den lägsta nivån av KASAM. Resultatet från denna studie visar även att KASAM är kopplad till individers ålder och upplevda relation till föräldrarna under barndomen.</p>

Syftet med undersökningen är att ta reda på om det finns ett samband mellan KASAM och motivation till att öva på sitt instrument, hos gymnasieungdomar i årskurs tre, två klasser, på estetiska programmet. Undersökningen är en kvantitativ enkätstudie med 29 gymnasieelever på en skola i en mellansvensk stad, med bortfall noll. Aaron Antonovskys livsfrågeformulär (KASAM 13) användes för att mäta gymnasieelevernas grad av KASAM, enkäten kompletterades med en egen fråga (benämnd Egen) gällande informanternas motivation till att öva på sitt instrument. De undersökta elevernas motivation till övning (EgenO) hade ett medelvärde på 3.79 varav 7 var det högsta värdet för maximal motivation till övning, vilket kan anses vara varken högt eller lågt. För att sammanfatta resultatet kring korrelationen mellan KASAM i förhållandet till motivation att öva på sitt instrument kan det konstateras att studien visar att informanterna har en relativt låg känsla av meningsfullhet i det de gör. Gällande begriplighet visar utfallet att 90 % av informanterna upplever låg känsla av begriplighet, vilket troligtvis leder till att drivkraften att öva minskar. Det skulle kunna bero på att motivation saknas att göra sådant de inte begriper. När det gäller hanterbarhet har ca 53 % av eleverna optimala värden (15-16). Utifrån utfallet gällande upplevd hanterbarhet kan antas att upplevd hälsa inom en majoritet av informanterna är god. Det finns inga signifikanta skillnader mellan könen i utfallet av någon av de 13 delfrågorna i KASAM13-enkäten. Även i tidigare forskning har könstillhörighet inte funnits ha någon signifikant betydelse. När det kommer till kön kopplat med meningsfullhet, begriplighet och hanterbarhet visas att kvinnorna i denna studie visar på sämre grad av meningsfullhet. Det finns också svag tendens till att kvinnorna i högre utsträckning än männen är skeptiska till begriplighet i sina liv, även när det gäller hanterbarhet. / The purpose of this study is to examine if there is a correlation between sense of coherence (SOC) and motivation in practicing musical instruments. The study is based on a survey with students in upper secondary school within the art program. Research questions was; is there a correlation between the motivation to practice and SOC and if there are any differences in SOC concerning gender based on comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. A quantitative study was made through a questionnaire with 29 participants from a secondary upper school in a midsize town in Sweden. The questionnaire made by Aaron Antonovsky was used (SOC13) and two questions were added; the degree of motivation to practice a musical instrument and what gender the participants belonged to. To conclude the result, a correlation between sense of coherence and motivation to practice musical instrument was found. However, the result shows that students have a low degree of comprehensibility and manageability but higher degree of meaningfulness. No significant differences are found between genders, which are in line with previous research.