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Combating domestic violence involves mobilizing a myriad of players throughout the victim's life cycle, including children: health professionals, social workers, law enforcement officers, judges, associations, etc. The mechanisms behind this kind of violence are complex, and every professional needs to have a good understanding of them to be able to identify and provide support. To be more effective, the fight against domestic violence must continue to be thought through. For example, the Observatoire des Violences Intrafamiliales of the Conseil Départemental de l'Allier organized an awareness-raising day on a new concept - coercive control - which is set to make its entry into the Penal Code, and which could change everything., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Although caregiving responsibilities and need for support persist and evolve across the life course in families with autistic youth or youth with other developmental disabilities (DDs), little is known about support during their child's adulthood years. Therefore, the present study used a mixed-methods approach to examine change and stability in formal and informal family support across the transition to adulthood. Caregivers of 126 individuals with autism or DDs completed a modified version of the Family Support Scale, including open-ended questions, at five time points from adolescence (age 16) into young adulthood (age 22). Caregivers reported that informal support from family members was the most frequently used, helpful, and valued source of support with relative stability across time. In contrast, the reported helpfulness, use, and value of formal support (e.g., professionals, schools) for caregivers declined over time. Qualitative content analyses revealed characteristics of highly valued support included support type (e.g., instrumental or emotional) and features of the support source (e.g., their understanding). There was a shift to valuing emotional support more than instrumental support over time, especially for caregivers of less able adults. Partnership and dependability emerged as highly valued features of the support source. These findings fit within a social convoy perspective and likely reflect the "service cliff" experienced by autistic individuals or people with DDs and their families. As social networks shrink over time and formal services are less readily available in adulthood, remaining sources of support, particularly from family members, become increasingly important., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To assess how the role of neighbors and friends in people's networks changes with age and how this is affected by cohort, marriage, employment, and socioeconomic status. The hypothesis is that for most aspects of the network, friends lose "importance" as people become older, with neighbors gradually becoming more dominant in the nonkin network., Methods: Data are used for people aged 55-90 between 1999 and 2019 from the Swiss Household Panel (N = 5,585). A total of 4 network aspects were measured: size, contact, practical support, and emotional support. Measures for neighbors and friends were compared and analyzed with fixed-effects and hybrid-effects regression models on person-year observations., Results: The sizes of both network segments declined with age but more strongly for friends than neighbors. Contact with friends was stable but contact with neighbors increased. Support from friends declined whereas support from neighbors was stable. Direct comparisons revealed that the relative share of neighbors vis-à-vis friends increased as people age. Friends were more common and supportive vis-à-vis neighbors for divorced and widowed people than for married people, but this gap declined with age. The share of neighbors increased with retirement, especially for men. The share of neighbors vis-à-vis friends was also larger for people with less income and education and this gap did not change with age., Discussion: In the nonkin part of older adults' networks, proximity eventually becomes dominant. This finding is interpreted in terms of rising needs, greater opportunity for local contact, and friend mortality risks, all favoring the neighbor segment of the network., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.)

The phenomenon of early motherhood, although marginal, is slightly higher in Le Havre than the national average. This observation, combined with a worrying socio-economic context, prompted a reflection on the need for specific support for these pregnancies: it led to the creation of a coordination system for early parenthood, piloted by Le Havre's Centre communal d'action sociale (CCAS). This article reports on the experience., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of living with glioblastoma from the perspective of patients themselves as well as their closest relatives, focusing on the changes in the life situation and the need for support., Methods: Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 patients (mean age 61 years, 7 male, 5 female) and 10 relatives (mean age 56 years, 3 male, 7 female). The relatives comprised of partners (n = 7), child (n = 1), sister (n = 1), or friend (n = 1). Questions focused on changes in the life situation and support needed to face these changes. Data was analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis (QCA)., Results: Living with glioblastoma dramatically changes the lives of both patients and relatives. Cognitive symptoms (e.g., speech and memory disturbances), deterioration of physical function (e.g., paresis), and psychological function (e.g., behavioral changes, anxiety) can lead to impaired family dynamics, social isolation, and fear of the future. Support from other family members, friends, and healthcare professionals is crucial. Timely, tangible, and easily available support from the healthcare system the entire disease trajectory is sought after, enabling individualized care with emotional support, clearer information, and faster feedback., Conclusion: The changes in life situations faced by patients with glioblastoma and their closest relatives are dramatic and underline the importance of providing integrated care throughout the entire healthcare continuum, encompassing specialist neuro-oncological care, municipal support, and palliative care. Individualized support for both patients and relatives can enhance the sense of safety amid the chaos in their life situation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

While the literature on well-being and stress following natural disasters is well-developed, it is less so when it comes to ongoing war experiences. Between September and October of 2022, 223 Ukraine-based civilian adults (156 women and 67 men) completed a survey measuring symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), peritraumatic experiences, paranoia, quality of life, death anxiety, anxiety about weapons of mass destruction and depression (i.e. assumed 'war consequence' factors), as well as perceived social support, resilience, loneliness and expected military support from the West (i.e. assumed 'buffer' factors). Our exploratory structural equation model (SEM) suggests that Perceived Social Support predicted fewer PTSD Symptoms and more Peritraumatic Experiences. The regression modelling, however, shows that Perceived Social Support was also positively correlated with Peritraumatic Experiences. Highlighting the need for a civilian war stress buffer disruption theory, we argue that when composed of one's circle of family and friends, social support could likely mean greater exposure to war stressors through the mutual sharing of ongoing war experiences with no end in sight. Such a possible war stress sharing deterioration effect would imply that Perceived Social Support may compound peritraumatic distress if the support in question is offered by those facing the same grim reality., (© 2023 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Applied Psychology.)

Peer support plays an essential role in patient recovery by encouraging a supportive approach based on experiential knowledge. It helps to create individualised care centred on life projects and individual strengths. Within the teams, the knowledge of the peer health mediator and the carers is shared. This approach helps to improve care by drawing on the depth of people's experiences and feelings, and their resilience in the face of illness., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: COVID-19-related stigmatization refers to COVID-19-related judgements by others that devalue the individual. Such stigmatization towards healthcare workers may cause psychological burden and negative consequences. Such stigmatization may have particularly overwhelmed allied health trainees (AHTs) and post-graduate year doctors (PGYDs) because they just started their medical career. Social support and resource support have been reported to benefit psychological health and reduce stigmatization. Therefore, the present study used a cross-sectional study design to investigate the association between perceived stigma, self-stigma, psychological distress, and negative outcomes (including emotional exhaustion, insomnia and suicidal ideation) among AHTs and PGYDs in Taiwan., Methods: An online survey distributed between July and December, 2022 received 522 responses. Variables were assessed using the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, Insomnia Severity Index and a series of self-designed questions to assess social support, resource support, perceived stigma, self-stigma, emotional exhaustion, and suicidal ideation., Results: Structural equation modeling showed that perceived stigma was associated with self-stigma (standardized coefficient [β] = 0.428, p < 0.001), and self-stigma was associated with psychological distress (β = 0.197, p < 0.001), as well as being associated with emotional exhaustion, insomnia, and suicidal ideation (β = 0.349, 0.556 and 0.212, all p-values < 0.001). While social support and resource support were negatively associated with perceived stigma (β= - 0.175 and - 0.152, p < 0.01), additional associations were found between social support and emotional exhaustion (β= - 0.093, p < 0.001), as well as between resource support and insomnia (β= - 0.120, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: The results showed that COVID-19 related stigmatization was correlated to the detrimental consequences of emotional exhaustion, insomnia and suicidal ideation. Clear paths regarding the associations of social support and resource support with the three negative associations were found as the possible solutions. Strategies to reduce the stigmatization and these negative outcomes, or improve the psychological health will benefit AHTs and PGYDs in maintaining a healthy mental status., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Children born to mothers living with HIV may experience greater risk of poor growth and development outcomes than their HIV-unexposed peers. Few studies have examined the relationship between maternal depression and social support with infant growth and development in the context of HIV. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 2,298 pregnant women living with HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, assessing antenatal depression (Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25) and social support (Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire) at 12-27 weeks of gestation. At one-year age, infant anthropometry and caregiver-reported infant development were assessed. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess mean differences (MD) and relative risks (RR) for growth and developmental outcomes. Symptoms consistent with maternal antenatal depression had 67% prevalence and were associated with infant wasting (RR 2.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-6.65; z = 2.02; p = 0.04), but no other growth or developmental outcomes. Greater maternal social support was not associated with infant growth outcomes. Greater affective support was associated with better cognitive (MD 0.18; CI 0.01-0.35; z = 2.14; p = 0.03) and motor (MD 0.16; CI 0.01-0.31; z = 2.04; p = 0.04) development scores. Greater instrumental support was associated with better cognitive (MD 0.26; CI 0.10-0.42; z = 3.15; p < 0.01), motor (MD 0.17; CI 0.02-0.33; z = 2.22; p = 0.03), and overall (MD 0.19; CI 0.03-0.35; z = 2.35; p = 0.02) development scores. Depressive symptoms were associated with greater risk of wasting, while social support was associated with better infant development scores. Strategies to improve mental health and social support for mothers living with HIV during the antenatal period may benefit infant growth and development., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Caring for a relative or friend at the end of life can be rewarding but all-encompassing. These caregivers are often not identified, meaning their diverse needs remain unmet, and the lack of assessment, support and planning increases the likelihood of crisis and burnout. The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 places responsibility on local authorities to implement such a plan, which will be fast-tracked for carers supporting someone at the end of life. Our research described the factors which might influence this planning, triangulating primary focus groups with 15 carers and secondary qualitative data from transcripts with 30 carers, all of whom who had looked after someone with a terminal illness. Analysis was iterative, and constant comparative analysis of the secondary data informed the primary focus groups. Three main themes were identified; 1. The importance of early identification as a carer to enable timely assessment and support. 2. Carers experience isolation and loneliness which limits opportunities for support. 3. Responding in a timely fashion to carer assessment and support is vital to avoid crises. This research confirms that identifying carers early in the illness trajectory, ideally at diagnosis, is vital to avoid carer burnout. Health and social care providers have a key role in identification and should ensure, where possible, that carer needs are dynamically assessed, supported and documented. Finally, caring does not end after death, it extends into bereavement. Thus, we need to consider system and cultural change to ensure the experiences and needs of carers are addressed and valued., (© 2021 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Work-related post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop in nurses. Pediatric oncology nursing is a potentially high-risk subspecialty for PTSD secondary to the nature of the work. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of PTSD symptomology and explore relationships between nurse psychological capital, workplace social supports, and PTSD symptomology in pediatric oncology nurses. Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional correlational survey design. Pediatric oncology nurses working in direct patient care in the United States completed a demographics questionnaire, Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), Coworker Support Scale, Supervisor Support Scale, and the Post traumatic Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PCL-5). Descriptive and inferential statistics, including logistic regression models, were used to analyze data. A cutoff score of ≥31 on the PCL-5 was used to determine the prevalence of PTSD symptomology. Results: The sample included 424 nurses. The prevalence of PTSD symptomology was 13.4%. Work setting (inpatient), decreased coworker and leadership social support, and psychological capital were independently associated with PTSD symptomology. After controlling for covariates, only psychological capital was associated with PTSD symptomology. For a 1 unit decrease in PCQ score, pediatric oncology nurses were 4.25 times more likely to have PTSD symptomology. Discussion: PTSD prevalence rates in pediatric oncology nurses are aligned with rates found in other nursing specialties. Nurse psychological capital may play a protective role against PTSD symptomology. Implications for Future Research: Findings support PTSD as a serious workplace concern for nurses. Workplace programs that foster nurses' psychological capabilities should be considered to protect against the development of PTSD symptomology.

The study was conducted in order to determine the relationship between women's perception of support and control during childbirth on fear of birth and mother's satisfaction. This descriptive study was carried out at the postpartum clinics of a state hospital. Seven hundred and twenty-five puerperal women were included in the sample. T test in independent groups and Pearson's correlation test were used in the evaluation of the data. Seventy-six percent of the puerperal women had vaginal birth, 24% had caesarean section. The mother's perception of control and support at birth was moderate (99.04 ± 17.30), the fear of birth was at clinical level in most of them (92.8%), and the satisfaction at vaginal and caesarean births was low. Puerperal women who had a planned pregnancy, non-invasive birth, birth without perineal tear had higher support and control perception at birth and lower fear of birth than who had unplanned pregnancy, invasive birth, or birth with a perineal tear ( p <.05). Puerperal women who did not have any health problems during pregnancy and postpartum period had higher satisfaction levels compared to those who did ( p <.05). The high level of perception of support and control at birth decreases the fear of childbirth and increases the satisfaction levels of puerperal women in vaginal and caesarean births. All health professionals, especially perinatal nurses and midwives, should strive to implement care initiatives that are appropriate to the needs of women.Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? The mode of delivery, insufficient supportive care during delivery, or perception of supportive care received are among the causes of trauma among women. Birth trauma may cause women to experience stress, anxiety, fear and loss of control, and maternal and foetal/neonatal health is adversely influenced during the delivery and postpartum period. A literature review revealed no study examining the effect of maternal perception of support and control during delivery on fear of childbirth and maternal satisfaction. What the results of this study add? Stronger perception of support and control during delivery reduces fear of childbirth, and also increases puerperal women's levels of satisfaction from care during vaginal and caesarean deliveries. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Facilitating women's achievement of personal control and expectations during childbirth should be the focus of care interventions. In line with these results, it may be recommended that all healthcare professionals, especially perinatal nurses and midwives, strive to implement care initiatives that comply with the needs of women.

Introduction: pregnancy is a stressful condition during which women require family and in-laws´ support. This study was aimed to explore the women´s perceptions regarding their husband and in-law´s support during pregnancy., Methods: by using qualitative exploratory design ten pregnant women in third trimester of pregnancy and living in joint family system were recruited through purposive sampling technique from a village of district Nowshehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Approval for conducting this study was obtained from Ethics Review Committee of Khyber Medical University. Data were collected from the recruited participants through face to face in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. One hundred open codes were generated from the data. Through axial coding, extra and unnecessary codes were omitted and then eleven categories were identified from open codes., Results: the identified categories were kept under three salient themes of lack of comprehensive support mechanism, physical and mental strain, and barriers to antenatal services. Perceived support of husbands and in-laws, needs and barriers to maternal and child health were discussed by the participants., Conclusion: the study findings suggest that family relationship quality might not be improved by taking interventions i.e. making policies only but the incorporation of health professionals´ support with family member´s behavior can improve maternal health., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright: Sehrish Naz et al.)

Background: Mothers of premature newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have complex needs and require a significant amount of support during the NICU admission. However, little is known about mothers' support needs in the NICU. This study aimed to explore health care staff and mothers' experiences of meeting the mothers support needs in the NICU. This study aimed to explore health care staff and mothers' experiences of meeting the mothers' support needs in the NICU., Methods: A focused ethnographic approach was adopted. Observations and interviews with 21 mothers, 18 nurses, and five physicians were undertaken over a seven months period. Qualitative data analysis was conducted using the Roper and Shapira (2000) five-step framework., Result: Two main themes of "insufficient provision of the mothers' support needs" (subthemes: inadequate accompany of the mothers in care, assigning monitoring and care to the mothers, inadequate sharing of medical the information) and "supporting the mothers in certain circumstances" (subthemes: reassuring the mothers, supporting the mothers with reduced functional capacity, providing information) were obtained., Conclusion: The mothers experienced a gap between expected and actual support provided by health care staff. Although, the health care staff believed that mothers' support was a necessity, it was not their main concerns, and they considered workload as a barrier for the mothers support in the NICU., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Breastfeeding behaviour remains a public health priority worldwide. Despite evidence-based guidelines, healthy women who give birth to healthy, term infants continue to face barriers to breastfeeding. Understanding women's experiences of feeding in the early postnatal period is crucial to identify how support may be better tailored to improve breastfeeding outcomes, including women's experiences., Question: To understand women's experiences of infant feeding amongst healthy women who give birth to healthy, average-weight, term infants., Methods: Grounded Theory methodology was used to analyse data from a nested qualitative interview study. Twelve women between four and twelve months postpartum were recruited from a longitudinal cohort study and public advertisements. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed for analysis., Findings: Three distinct themes were found, subsuming identified super-categories: Perceived indicators of 'good' feeding (infant 'output'; infant crying; weight gain; feeding frequency and duration); Women's experiences of breastfeeding latch ('good' latch; 'bad' latch with pain and discomfort); and Overall breastfeeding experience (positive; negative; and uncertain). Data suggest women give precedence to their latch experiences over indicators of 'good' feeding, highlighting breastfeeding latch as a possible mediating factor to the overall breastfeeding experience. Feeding experience can be achieved through four distinct pathways., Discussion: The physical and psychological impacts of latch pain were pronounced. Even amongst healthy women with healthy infants, a positive breastfeeding experience overall was uncommon, highlighting the difficulties women continue to encounter. Understanding women's perceptions of 'good' feeding, and ensuring a pain-free latch, may better support women to have a positive breastfeeding experience., (Copyright © 2020 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Non-maternal carers (allomothers) are hypothesized to lighten the mother's workload, allowing for the specialized human life history including relatively short interbirth intervals and multiple dependent offspring. Here, using in-depth observational data on childcare provided to 78 Agta children (a foraging population in the northern Philippines; aged 0-6 years), we explore whether allomaternal childcare substitutes and decreases maternal childcare. We found that allomother caregiving was associated with reduced maternal childcare, but the substitutive effect varied depending on the source and type of care. Children-only playgroups consistently predicted a decrease in maternal childcare. While grandmothers were rarely available, their presence was negatively associated with maternal presence and childcare, and grandmothers performed similar childcare activities to mothers. These results underscore the importance of allomothering in reducing maternal childcare in the Agta. Our findings suggest that flexibility in childcare sources, including children-only playgroups, may have been the key to human life-history evolution. Overall, our results reinforce the necessity of a broad conceptualization of social support in human childcare. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health'.

This study explores the level of support for gay and lesbian rights among social work and psychology undergraduate students (N = 870). While students were generally supportive of gay and lesbian rights, 43% believed that social workers and psychologists should support gay and lesbian rights only 'when lesbians and gay men do not offend or upset others', while 31.3% agreed that these rights should be supported 'as long as they don't contradict the prevalent religion and values of the society they live in'. Social work students were more supportive of all items compared to psychology students; they were also more supportive regarding professionals' obligation to challenge negative discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Religiosity, gender and having gay and lesbian friends or acquaintances were important correlates of students' level of support for gay and lesbian rights. Findings are discussed in relation to social work and psychology education.

Objectives : Previous studies investigated the physical, psychological and sociological effects of infertility; however, stigma and violence experiences of infertile women haven't yet been studied in the US. The objective of the study is to examine the perceived stress, stigma, violence experiences, and social support of US infertile women and to compare with fertile women in order to understand the effects of infertility on stress levels, violence exposures, and support. Methods : The descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with fertile and infertile women who use social media for an online support group. A convenience sample of 786 women completed an online survey. Results : In the study, 41.6% of participants were fertile and 58.4% were infertile. We found infertile women experienced high levels of stigma and moderate stress. One in five infertile women has been exposed to emotional or physical violence. Compared to fertile women, infertile women had significantly higher perceived stress levels and were less likely to experience emotional or physical violence. Conclusion : These findings highlight that infertile women have experienced stigma and high levels of stress in a developed country. They are also exposed to emotional or physical violence, but surprisingly infertile women are less likely to report violence than fertile women.

This study assessed relations between exposure to trauma and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, and whether perceived social support from family and friends and gender moderated these associations. Syrian refugee youth (N = 418, 55.0% female) attending public schools in Jordan participated. Boys reported more age-adjusted PTS symptoms than girls. Analyses revealed that family support and gender moderated the association of trauma on PTS symptoms. For males, the benefits of family support were most evident under conditions of high traumatic stress exposure, while for females, benefits of family support were evident when no loss or injury to family members had been reported. Support from friends was not helpful for either gender. School- or family-based interventions designed to treat PTS symptoms need to consider the different needs of boys and girls, particularly within the Syrian Muslim cultural context., (© 2020 International Union of Psychological Science.)

For married adults with chronic illnesses or functional limitations, informal support from a spouse is often essential for their well-being, but support around health issues is not confined to later life. Attention to processes of support throughout the entire intimate relationship can provide insight into support dynamics in later life. Additionally, health-related support from a spouse tends to be gendered with women providing more support. Our analysis of relationship timeline interviews with 23 older adult couples demonstrates that these gendered support dynamics develop and are sustained throughout a marriage. We identify three patterns of support: (1) acknowledged gender inequality in support in which women readily provided support when their husbands had health issues but men provided support less consistently for their wives' health issues throughout the relationship; (2) mutual support in which both spouses provided support for the other whenever there were health needs; and (3) independence, in which men and women provided relatively little support to one another, viewing each other as responsible for their own health and well-being. These support patterns are established early within marriages and continue as health issues intensify. These patterns of spousal support are linked to broader systems of gender inequality and societal messages about gender. Our study moves away from conceptualizations of support provisions around health issues as only being situated in later life. We instead show how dynamics of support are developed and normalized throughout a marriage and suggest that spousal support studies should take into account long-term marital dynamics.

When the treatment process of cancer patients changes to outpatient treatment, the burden on family members increases and they often experience burnout. Burnout not only effects the family members themselves but may also have a negative effect on the health of the cancer patient. Therefore, healthcare providers should evaluate burnout in the family members of cancer patients and actively make efforts towards their burnout management. This study investigated the mediating effect of depression on the relationship between social support, spirituality, and burnout in family members of patients with cancer. Participants were 151 family members of patients with cancer who were receiving chemotherapy as outpatients at a single university hospital in Korea. Data was collected from 2 March to 31 May 2016, using self-reported questionnaires. Collected data was analyzed with t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson's correlations, Baron and Kenny's three-step regression method, and the Sobel test. The participants' mean burnout was below the median. The participants' depression partially mediated the relationship of both social support and spirituality on burnout. Strategies to assess depression and strengthen social support and spirituality should be developed to manage burnout in family members'.

Background: Worldwide, only 41 % of infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months while South Africa has an alarming figure of only 12 %. First-time mothers are inexperienced in the initiation and maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding, hence a need for support. Data on forms and quality of exclusive breastfeeding support as experienced by first-time mothers is minimal. The study explored the exclusive breastfeeding support available to first-time mothers in the Buffalo City Metro, South Africa., Methods: A qualitative explorative, descriptive and contextual study, and a non-probability, purposive sampling was used with 10 first-time mothers within the first six months postpartum. The in-depth face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews for data collection and Creswell's steps of thematic analysis were used., Results: Two themes emerged; challenges, empowerment, support and resilience during initiation of exclusive breastfeeding, and diverse support and resilience during maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding. First-time mothers received practical support majorly from nurses and other mothers during the initiation; social support was from family members, friends, and community members for the maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding. Sometimes there was a disjuncture between practical support from nurses and that from family members and the community. There were instances where the support was needed but not given or not supportive of exclusive breastfeeding., Conclusions: These findings illustrate that professional, practical and social support for first-time mothers is crucial in the initiation and maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Timing and the kind of support given to these mothers is crucial for successful exclusive breastfeeding.

Background: The support needs of people with neurodevelopmental disorders are not sufficiently met during the initial years of adulthood., Aim: To evaluate feasibility and preliminary effects of a novel programme designed to empower young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to make progress within significant life domains (i.e. work, education, finance, housing/household management, health, leisure/participation in society, and relationships/social network)., Material and Method: TRANSITION is a 24-week programme that combines group-based workshops with personalised support based on goal attainment scaling. The study enrolled 26 young adults (50% females; age 17-24 years) in the normative intellectual range, diagnosed with ASD ( n  = 8), ADHD ( n  = 4), or both ( n  = 14). The intervention was delivered by the regular staff of publicly funded psychiatric services in Stockholm, Sweden., Results: The programme was possible to implement with minor deviations from the manual. Participants and staff generally viewed the intervention positively, but also provided feedback to guide further improvement. There was a high degree of attendance throughout, with 21 participants (81%) completing the programme. All completers exceeded their predefined goal expectations within at least one domain., Conclusions: The TRANSITION-programme is a promising concept that deserves further evaluation.

Objectives: To explore the different types of support (e.g., financial, informational) and support providers (e.g., fathers, siblings) in the development of male cricket players across different levels of skill expertise., Methods: A quantitative questionnaire (developed as a part of a broader Australian Research Council Linkage project) assessing support providers and types of support accessed by players was distributed to participants through involvement with a national sporting organisation. Descriptive trends across support types for each provider were explored for the total cohort of athletes, n=1383 (as relative percentages), and community and elite differences were explored using chi-squared analyses (p<0.05)., Results: Mothers and fathers were primary providers of financial and emotional support (>80%), mentors offered meaningful sport-specific informational and technical (or coaching related) support, and siblings and peers played an integral development role in acting as fellow participants for practice and play. Access to coaching emerged as a dominant point of difference between community and elite players consistently across all support providers (p<0.05). Mentors and siblings also featured more frequently for elite players across broader ranges of support factors (p<0.05)., Conclusion: Regardless of level of skill expertise, there were unique context-specific roles that different providers played in supporting cricket players. When differentiating between levels of expertise, elite players drew on more "contact" points to assist them in accessing the right type of coaching. Mentors and siblings also featured more frequently for elite players across a broader range of support factors. Taken together, these findings show that elite players are distinguished in their reliance on multiple components within a complex family system, bolstered by additional significant others. This work further underscores the previously limited exploration of social networks in athlete development, highlighting avenues for continued enquiry and action in sport development systems., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Appropriate breastfeeding is vital for infant and young child nutrition. Annually, oral clefts affect 0.73 per 1000 children in Uganda. Despite this low incidence, children with a cleft face breastfeeding difficulty which affect their nutrition status. In addition, knowledge on maternal experiences with breastfeeding and support is limited. We explored maternal perceptions, experiences with breastfeeding and support received for their children 0 to 24 months with a cleft attending Comprehensive Rehabilitative Services of Uganda (CoRSU) Hospital., Methods: This cross-sectional study combined quantitative and qualitative methods. We consecutively recruited 32 mothers of children with a cleft aged 0 to 24 months attending CoRSU hospital between April and May 2018. A structured questionnaire collected data on breastfeeding practices and device use (n = 32). To gain a broad understanding of mothers' perceptions and experiences with breastfeeding and support received, we conducted two Focus Group Discussions (in each, n = 5), and 15 In Depth Interviews. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS software. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically., Results: Of the 32 children with a cleft, 23(72%) had ever breastfed, 14(44%) were currently breastfeeding, and among those under 6 months, 7(35%) exclusively breastfed. Of 25 mothers interviewed in IDIs and FGDs, 17(68%; IDIs = 8/15, FGD1 = 5/5 and FGD2 = 4/5) reported the child's failure to latch and suckle as barriers to breastfeeding. All ten mothers who used the soft squeezable bottle reported improved feeding. Nineteen (76%) mothers experienced anxiety and 14(56%), social stigma. Family members, communities and hospitals supported mothers with feeding guidance, money, child's feeds and psycho-social counselling. Appropriate feeding and psycho-social support were only available at a specialized hospital which delayed access., Conclusions: Breastfeeding practices were sub-optimal. Mothers experienced breastfeeding difficulties, anxiety and social stigma. Although delayed, feeding, social and psycho-social support helped mothers cope. Routine health care for mothers and their children with a cleft should include timely support.

Context: A multidisciplinary approach is one of the many forms of professional practice that can be utilized by sports medicine professionals to provide care to injured athletes. While this approach has been empirically supported in the health care domain, studies supporting its utilization in the sport injury rehabilitation context-particularly at the high school level-are limited., Objective: To investigate former high school athletes' experiences of a multidisciplinary model of care for sport injury rehabilitation., Design: Cross-sectional survey design., Setting: In-person, in a classroom setting at 2 Division I universities., Patients: A total of 186 former high school athletes., Main Outcome Measure: An author-constructed instrument developed using the multidisciplinary model of care for sport injury rehabilitation as a guide., Results: Family, athletic coaches, and athletic trainers were the closest professionals/individuals that injured athletes reported interacting with during sport injury rehabilitation. The data also revealed that these professionals/individuals had the closest and most direct relationships with the injured athletes., Conclusions: The findings from the present study provided support for the utilization of the multidisciplinary model of care for sport injury rehabilitation with high school athletes.

This qualitative, exploratory study aimed to investigate the perception of benefits and the challenges of Peer Support services to carers of people with dementia. Four focus group interviews were conducted with volunteer Peer Supporters (n = 40)-all former carers-on their experience of supporting such carers. One overriding theme was of making the carers' path smoother by giving the possibility for free time and reflection, and three themes summarised their experience: 'filling the gap between health care and everyday life challenges', 'importance of mutual and unique experience based on skills and knowledge' and 'the importance of setting limits'. The findings showed that voluntary work is valuable to both carers and Peer Supporters. Peer Supporters' experiences as former carers are valuable. They offer the opportunity to engage in mutually supportive relationships with carers based on shared experience and similar interests by contributing to a better management of everyday life. Being able to see positive changes in carers' lives, guarding their privacy and providing them with free time were important for volunteers in gaining enjoyment and satisfaction over time. Enabling recovery and reflection might be crucial for carers to avoid burnout. How to recruit, support Peer Supporters and incorporate them in the formal healthcare system will be of great interest in the future., (© 2020 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The report of Saving Mothers indicated a decline of maternal mortality from 12.8% to 12.5% last triennium of 2017. This shows that regardless of availability of national maternal health guidelines, midwives and managers, 25% of maternal deaths were caused by preventable and avoidable factors. As such, support provided by managers is vital in promoting the utilisation of maternal guidelines., Objectives: The objective was to determine the support offered by managers to midwives during the implementation of maternal health guidelines., Method: The study design was cross-sectional descriptive in a quantitative domain. Simple random sampling was used to select 58 operational managers and two maternal managers. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23. Descriptive statistics provided by Microsoft Excel in the form of charts was used to describe data. Pearson's correlation test was used to describe relationships amongst variables., Results: The results revealed that 83.3% respondents indicated a shortage of staff to attend pregnant women. Fifty-six per cent of managers indicated that shortage of material resources contributed to substandard implementation of maternal guidelines. Supervision and monitoring of implementation of maternal guidelines was difficult as indicated by 53.3%, and 63.3% indicated lack of supervision., Conclusion: Limited support in terms of monitoring and supervision by managers was strongly indicated as having a negative effect on implementation of maternal guidelines. Capacity building was offered; however, shortage of resources led to poor implementation of maternal guidelines by midwives.

Aim: The aim of this review was to identify and synthesise literature reporting on support needs of older male caregivers, who are providing care for a chronically ill spouse/partner at home., Background: Traditionally, informal caregiving has been perceived as a feminised activity. Consequently, caregiving research has been dominated by female samples, and male caregivers are grossly under-represented. Given the growing recognition of caregiving as a gendered concept, and the rise in number of male caregivers, particularly in later life, the need for better understanding of the needs of male caregivers is important in order to plan effective support for this population., Design: A systematic literature review., Methods: Four electronic databases and grey literature were systematically searched., Results: The systematic search resulted in 3,646 papers, eligibility criteria were applied to the full texts of 104 papers, and 11 papers met the inclusion criteria. Two core themes were identified: the need to maintain masculinity and the provision of social support., Conclusion: Findings suggest that men may have a gendered approach to caregiving based on dominant masculine norms. This can be manifested in a reluctance to ask for or accept help and a desire to retain control over caregiving. Findings also revealed isolation and loneliness experienced by older male caregivers, along with a preference for support to address this within a male-specific context. It is suggested that healthcare professionals should be cognisant of the male caregiver approach and should have an increased awareness of male caregivers support preferences, and of their own gendered assumptions, in order to provide effective support for this population., Implications for Practice: Nurses have a key role in providing family support. Findings from this review suggest that nurses should be aware of the specific needs of older male spousal caregivers if they are to provide effective care and support to this population group., (© 2020 The Authors. International Journal of Older People Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put an enormous stress on the mental health of frontline health care workers., Objective: Psychiatry departments in medical centers need to develop support systems to help our colleagues cope with this stress., Methods: We developed recurring peer support groups via videoconferencing and telephone for physicians, resident physicians, and nursing staff, focusing on issues and emotions related to their frontline clinical work with COVID patients in our medical center which was designated as a COVID-only hospital by the state. These groups are led by attending psychiatrists and psychiatry residents. In addition, we also deployed a system of telehealth individual counseling by attending psychiatrists., Results: Anxiety was high in the beginning of our weekly groups, dealing with fear of contracting COVID or spreading COVID to family members and the stress of social distancing. Later, the focus was also on the impairment of the traditional clinician-patient relationship by the characteristics of this disease and the associated moral challenges and trauma. Clinicians were helped to cope with these issues through group processes such as ventilation of feelings, peer support, consensual validation, peer-learning, and interventions by group facilitators. People with severe anxiety or desiring confidentiality were helped through individual interventions., Conclusions: Our experience suggests that this method of offering telehealth peer support groups and individual counseling is a useful model for other centers to adapt to emotionally support frontline clinical workers in this ongoing worldwide crisis., (Copyright © 2020 Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In Australia, one of the most frequent reasons for not breastfeeding is a previously unsuccessful experience. This qualitative study used an appreciative inquiry approach to co-design a model of peer and professional breastfeeding support, in a metropolitan area of New South Wales (NSW) Australia, in collaboration with women who have had previous negative experiences of breastfeeding. In total, 30 mothers, health professionals and peer supporters participated in a two-part study, involving interviews and a collaborative workshop. The data were analysed using content analysis. The appreciative inquiry approach led to a solution focused attitude among participants and a commitment to improving breastfeeding support. We noted a level of apathy when the participant groups were interviewed individually prior to the collective workshop. During the collaborative workshop, all three participant groups came together to look at what was currently working well and designed improvements for the future. Midwifery care was identified as important for the start of the breastfeeding journey, during pregnancy and for the first 1-2 weeks after birth, but thereafter it was community and trained peer counsellors who were prioritised for breastfeeding support. Participants identified the need for a variety of support options including face-to-face meetings, Skype meetings, phone calls and/or texting. Workshop participants emphasised the need for women, especially those with previous negative experiences, to be linked in with their local peer support community group. An appreciative inquiry approach brought together all key stakeholders to develop practice-based change which included the end user and care providers. The collaborative workshop enabled participants to come together, as individuals, rather than as designated health professionals or trained peer counsellors, or breastfeeding women with negative experiences. This led to a unified approach and a harnessing of collective energy to initiate positive change., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The prevalence of preterm birth and low birth weight has been increasing slightly in recent years. A few studies have suggested that psychosocial stress during pregnancy may increase risk for these adverse birth outcomes. To extend those observations, we analyzed various major life event stressors separately and cumulatively as potential risk factors for preterm birth and low birth weight using granular categories of each outcome in a large, population-based study. Additionally, we assessed if greater social support buffered any effects., Methods: Data were from a nested prevalence study of 4395 women in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study who delivered live-born non-malformed infants (controls) between 2006 and 2011. Participants completed a standardized, computer-assisted interview between 6 weeks and 24 months after delivery that included questions on stress and social support from 3 months before pregnancy to the 3rd month of pregnancy. Cumulative stress and support indices were also calculated. Preterm birth was divided into "early preterm" (< 32 weeks), "late preterm" (32-36 weeks) and "term." Low birthweight was divided into "very low birth weight" (< 1500 g), "low birth weight" (1500-2499 g) and "normal birth weight" (≥2500 g). Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using Poisson regression., Results: For women reporting relationship difficulties, there was a suggestive risk of early preterm birth (RR: 1.9, 95%CI: 0.9-3.9) and very low birthweight (RR: 2.0, 95%CI: 0.9-4.4). For women reporting that they or someone close to them were victims of abuse, violence, or crime, there was an increased risk of low birthweight (RR: 1.8, 95%CI: 1.1-2.7) and late preterm birth (RR: 1.5, 95%CI: 1.0-2.2). There were no strong associations observed between social support questions and the various outcomes., Conclusions: Our results add some support to prior evidence that certain stressors may be associated with increase selected adverse birth outcomes risk. We did not find strong evidence that social support buffered the observed risks in our study.

Background: Despite evidence that family members' support to each other can be of importance to its members, there are limited studies of factors related to family members' sense of such support during palliative care., Aim: Based on the family systems approach, we evaluated which factors were associated with family members' sense of support within their closest family in a palliative home care context and developed a model that predicts such sense of support., Design: A cross-sectional design was used. We interviewed 209 adult family members (69% of eligible) of adult patients with expected short survival receiving palliative home care., Methods: Generalised linear models were used to evaluate individual factors related to family members' sense of support within their closest family during palliative care. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was applied in the model-building analyses., Results: Nineteen variables were identified that were significantly associated with the family members' sense of support within the closest family. Model building selected six variables for predicting this sense of support (decreasing Wald values): family member perceiving support from other more distant family members; feeling secure with the provided palliative home care; possibility of respite if family member needed a break; family member living alone; being a child of the patient (inverse relationship); perceiving that the patient was supported by other family members., Conclusions: Our findings support clinical application of the Family Systems Theory in the context of palliative care. The factors identified may be of value in assisting practitioners in detecting and treating family members sensing a low level of support within the closest family.

The purpose of this study was twofold. The first aim was to analyze the detrimental effect that emotional dissonance may have on service workers by testing its relationship with job satisfaction, intention to leave the organization, and organizational deviance. The second was to test whether two types of social support (i.e., co-worker and organizational support) and their combination moderate these relationships from a multilevel perspective. The sample was composed of 556 employees from Spanish service sector. Using random coefficient models analyses, results showed, first, that emotional dissonance was related to lower levels of job satisfaction (PE = -.1, p < .05) and higher levels of intention to leave the organization (PE = .12, p < .05); second, that co-worker support moderate the relationship between emotional dissonance and job satisfaction (PE = .10, p < .05), organizational deviance (PE = -.08, p < .05), and intention to leave the organization (PE = -.13, p < .05); third, organizational support, conceptualized as a collective construct at organizational level, moderate the relationship between emotional dissonance and organizational deviance (PE = -.08, p < .05); and finally, the combination of both types of support do not explained additional variance of the emotional dissonance-outcomes relation. These results underline the need to take into consideration different source of social support and their levels of analysis to better understand emotional dissonance and its outcomes.

Introduction: The prevalence of cancer diseases among migrants is lower relative to nonmigrants, although this equalizes with increasing duration of residence. There are differences in the health behaviors and disease coping strategies between these two groups. The aim of this analysis is to compare migrant and nonmigrant colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in Germany regarding their sources of support and information during disease. Method: Data from 522 CRC patients, collected through a survey about satisfaction with care, were analyzed by descriptive and multivariate statistics. Results: Migrants and nonmigrants differed in two aspects: Migrants reported to receive the most relevant support during disease more often by nonmedical people, compared with nonmigrants, and they favored videos explaining the therapeutic steps of CRC more than nonmigrants. Discussion: Anticipating which types of support and information sources patients will access during their disease may help guide future diversity management across the field of cancer care.

Background: When a relative with a critical illness is admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), it can be a life-changing event for the partner. There is a lack of studies that focus on the partners' experiences of the time after intensive care., Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of partners of intensive care survivors and their need for support after intensive care., Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used., Methods: Six semi-structured interviews was conducted in Sweden and analysed using inductive content analysis with inspiration from Graneheim and Lundman., Results: Three categories emerged from the data: Being in chaos when a partner needs intensive care, Being the one who everyone depends on, and Life goes on after intensive care. The findings indicate that life goes on after intensive care even if recovery takes time, and during that time, the partners need comforting support from people around them., Conclusion: Partners need extensive and continuous support from health care staff and others during and after intensive care. Intensive care leads, on the one hand, to a sense of chaos for the partner, but on the other hand, if the family relations are strengthened and the partner receives the right kind of comforting support, it can relieve the chaos and facilitate a smoother recovery path to help them view the future more positively., Relevance to Clinical Practice: This study can contribute knowledge that guides nurses in the ICU and at the ICU follow-up service and could also help nurses in other areas of care in communication with relatives., (© 2019 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.)

Background: According to the fact that women make up half the population of each community and are considered as a family health center, exploring the factors promoting their quality of life and health must be prioritized., Objective: This study aimed to understand the meaning of social support in young women's life., Methods: Participants were 40 Iranian youth women who were selected by purposive sampling from the capital of Iran, Tehran. Interviews were carefully recorded and concurrent with data collection, analysis was done using conventional content analysis method. After securing the data saturation, interviews were finished and data were categorized by eight stages of zhang technique., Results: From the interviews three main themes were identified: (i) financial support; (ii) informational support, and (iii) service-based social support., Discussion: Awareness about aspects of social support in women' life could help health care providers and politicians in Iran to provide more effective programs to promote QOL and as a result total health of women., (© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Interpersonal theories of adolescent depression assume that adolescent and maternal depression symptoms affect adolescent and maternal perceptions of their relationship quality. However, little attention has been given to examining potential bidirectional prospective associations between both adolescent and maternal perceptions of the mother-adolescent relationship and adolescent and maternal depression symptoms across adolescence. We hypothesized that the longitudinal associations between adolescent and maternal depression symptoms and adolescent and maternal perception of conflict and support in the mother-adolescent relationship would be bidirectional. In this 6-year longitudinal study, 497 adolescents (M age  = 13.03) and their mothers participated. Each year both adolescents and their mothers completed questionnaires of their depression symptoms and their perception of conflict and support in the mother-adolescent relationship. Structural equation modelling cross-lagged panel models were constructed and analyzed. The cross-lagged panel models found bidirectional longitudinal associations between adolescent depressive symptoms and higher adolescent-reported conflict and lower adolescent-reported support. In contrast, maternal depressive symptoms were only unidirectionally associated with higher maternal-reported conflict, lower maternal-reported support and higher adolescent depression symptoms. Finally, positive bidirectional longitudinal associations were found between adolescent-reported and maternal-reported conflict, and between adolescent-reported and maternal-reported support. The findings of this study are discussed in relation to Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A).

Background : Nystagmus is a disorder of rhythmic, involuntary oscillations of the eyes and can be classified as either infantile or acquired. Whether it occurs in isolation or as a part of other visual or neurological disorders, it causes significant visual dysfunction and problems with social functioning. In this study, we seek to understand ways in which people with nystagmus are currently supported across the UK and identify any geographical variations or disconnects between current practice and best practice, as judged by patients and their carers. Methods : A nationwide, qualitative, cross-sectional, questionnaire study of people with nystagmus and their carers. Recruitment was achieved through specialist clinics, charity events, online advertisements and social media calls. Data was gathered using five, age-appropriate questionnaires which were completed and returned to the research team between November 2016 and August 2018. Results : 184 respondents were included (89 carers, 47 patients aged 4-10 years, 5 aged 11-14 years, 4 aged 15-17 years and 39 > 18 years). Notably, respondents rated social media as the best source of information they have received, even compared with face-to-face consultation with medical professionals. Additionally, only 33% of the respondents had been offered visual impairment support. Notably, patterns of clinical practice and patient experience emerged according to geographical location, particularly provision of initial information and ongoing VI support. Conclusions : This study highlights a significant variation in the support and information received by people in the UK with nystagmus. It also supports the role of charities and increasingly, social media in the provision of patient information. The study also highlights the need for standardized guidelines for the management of patients with nystagmus, particularly with regard to support and information.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of a structured nurse-led supportive intervention and its effects on family caregivers in end-of-life care at home., Background: Family caregivers are crucial in end-of-life care. They may experience burden due to the responsibilities associated with caregiving. Some family caregivers feel insufficiently prepared for their caregiver role. Nurses have a unique position to provide supportive interventions at home to reduce caregivers' burden and improve preparedness. However, few nurse-led interventions are available to support family caregivers in end-of-life care at home., Design: We will perform a cluster randomized controlled trial. The clusters consist of twelve home care services, randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group., Methods: The study population consists of family caregivers of patients in the last phase of life. In the intervention group, nurses will systematically assess the supportive needs of family caregivers, using an assessment tool and the method of clinical reasoning. Family members of the control group receive care as usual. Primary outcome is burden measured by the Self-Rated Burden Scale. Secondary outcomes are preparedness for caregiving, caregiving reactions and acute (hospital) admissions of the patient. In addition, the feasibility of the intervention will be evaluated. The study was funded in October 2016 and was ethically approved in April 2019., Impact: Findings from this study will contribute to the scientific and practical knowledge of nursing interventions to support family caregivers in end-of-life care., Trial Registration: The Netherlands Trial Register (NL7702)., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Despite growing numbers of people engaging in embryo donation for the purposes of family building, public access to information about the process may be limited. As such, support and counselling - both formal (i.e. through clinics) and informal (i.e. through online communities) - can play an important role in information provision. This article draws on a sub-sample of nine people from a qualitative study of embryo donation and receipt in Australia undertaken in 2017-2018. Themes developed suggest that formal support and counselling provided by clinics can be useful, though can require persistence to access and may not sufficiently address needs. In terms of informal support, themes developed suggest that sharing lived experiences in online communities can be important; however, there may also be challenges associated with differing viewpoints and threats to anonymity. The article concludes with a discussion of the ongoing importance of formal support and counselling while also suggesting that informal support is an avenue requiring further investigation., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

To systematically review the quality of evidence regarding the effectiveness of supports for people affected by suicide. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO were searched for evaluations of community-based supports for people affected by suicide. Outcomes included suicide-related behavior, depression, grief, quality of life, caring ability, and qualitative experiences. Fifteen studies evaluated 15 supports of various modalities. Study quality was generally poor; most studies examined bereaved individuals with mixed findings. Few reduced suicide-related behavior, half improved depression, and grief, while studies of caring ability, quality of life, or qualitative experiences reported positive effects. Supports associated with better outcomes connected peers with similar experiences, were provided over a period of months, and involved veteran rather than novice facilitators. Supports for people affected by suicide may be effective for improving suicide-related behavior, psychological adjustment, quality of life and caregiving, but require further evaluation.

Background: To investigate the role of eye clinic liaison officers (ECLOs) in the United Kingdom and analyse patients' demographics and services provided., Methods: This is a retrospective observational study. Data were collected from the Royal National Institute of Blind People for ECLOs in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England for the first quarter of 2015. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square and t test as appropriate., Results: Trusts with ECLOs support vary greatly in the UK regions. Only one-third of NHS trusts in England have an ECLO service. Over 4000 patients were assessed. The majority of patients were of White ethnic background (94%), lived alone (37%), had no carers (58%) and were in their 80s (29.5%). The principal ocular conditions causing sight loss and certification were age-related macular degeneration (41.6%) and glaucoma (18.1%). Approximately 70% of patients are first seen at 13 to 18 months from diagnosis., Conclusions: ECLO services vary in the UK regions. England has the lowest ECLO availability per trust and the majority of those assessed were of White British origin with AMD. There are significant delays from diagnosis to the first visit indicating the need for improved services. Further studies are necessary to develop the evidence base for the expansion and funding of ECLO services., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Family-like professional helping relationships have the potential to alter the trajectories of young people facing significant disadvantage. This study seeks to identify the worker attributes that allow the formation of deep bonds with young people in these circumstances. Access to young people in difficult circumstances was secured via organisations that provided support to this population. Interviews about positive-helping relationships were conducted with young people (n = 30) and support workers (n = 35) from 11 UK and 5 US not-for-profit organisations. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Three sets of worker qualities were identified and linked to how relationships change young people's trajectories in the context of adversity. This study has implications for the selection, training, and support of workers who provide support to young people facing difficult challenges underscoring the qualities needed to provide support and change young people's outcomes., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Social entrepreneurship is a growing trend that reflects a shift in contemporary policy towards entrepreneurship and self-employment as viable employment option for people with disabilities. Entrepreneurship is intended to promote autonomy and reduce dependence on entitlement-based services as well as reduce employment disparities while stimulating business and job creation.However, it is not well understood what exactly this means for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) involved in social entrepreneurial ventures., Methods: Dyadic interviews were conducted with people with ID participating in social entrepreneurship (n = 7) as well as with the person they identified as instrumental in providing support (n = 7). Interviews focused on understanding the management processes used by people with ID, or "how they act" in negotiating between formal and informal systems of services and supports and barriers encountered., Results: Themes that emerged include the main barriers they experienced, how their businesses are organized; and the use of formal and informal services and supports., Conclusions: This research expands upon our understanding of social entrepreneurship and the management processes involved in customized employment for people with ID. It offers new insights and information for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to inform the expectations we set for entrepreneurship as a sustainable employment option, from the perspective of social entrepreneurs with ID themselves., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the lived experience of parents with children who have had retinoblastoma., Methods: The study adopted a qualitative approach using the data collection method of written accounts. Eleven parents were recruited via snowball sampling from across the UK. Parents were asked to retrospectively produce a written account of their experiences. These narrative autobiographical accounts were analysed using thematic analysis., Results: Data analysis elicited three themes: waiting and misdiagnosis; emotional rollercoaster; and support needs. Parents described experiencing prolonged periods of waiting from referral to clinical investigations and the implementation of a treatment plan. Difficulties in obtaining an accurate diagnosis for their child elicited anxiety for parents. Emotions were described in terms of a rollercoaster with highs and lows and times of despair, anger, relief, and hope. Experiences of personal support varied and had lasting impacts on relationships. However, the support from other parents with a child with retinoblastoma was perceived to be instrumental in facilitating coping., Conclusions: The findings show parental experiences were characterised by numerous difficulties and suggest a need for greater awareness of childhood eye cancer. This research highlights the importance of psychological and social support for parents of a child with retinoblastoma., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Psychosocial risk and protective factors specific to acute burn patients have been shown to impact on longer-term health outcomes. Yet the nature and impact of such factors throughout the acute hospital admission phase have not been extensively examined to date. This study analysed the psychosocial pre-admission, hospitalisation and discharge factors for a sample of burn patients at an Australian specialist acute burns unit (The Alfred) and the relationship with their admission length., Methods: A retrospective audit was undertaken of psychosocial factors documented in patient medical records, Victorian Adult Burns Service registry data, and social work files (January-December 2014)., Results: Two hundred and forty-nine patients were identified, with a mean age of 42.83 years and a preponderance of men (73.9%). The majority (71%) had a low burn severity (<10%), and an average of eight psychosocial factors. Independent of the severity of the burn, two psychosocial domains were strongly predictive of length of stay - coping with treatment and discharge planning - along with pre-existing psychosocial factors and family support., Conclusion: A diversity of psychosocial factors was identified, highlighting the clinical complexity of this patient group. Given three domains of admission-related psychosocial factors were predictive of the length of patient stay, more targeted psychosocial interventions in these areas may ensure patients and their families are supported more effectively throughout an admission, and length of stay costs may also be reduced., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Gay men's experiences with prostate cancer and its impact on health-related quality of life are poorly understood. This qualitative study explored gay men's experience with prostate cancer with a focus on the emotional, physical, and sexual impact of cancer; support needs; and healthcare interactions. Three semi-structured focus groups of gay men with prostate cancer were conducted. A conventional content analytic approach was used to identify six primary content areas that described poignant aspects of the men's experience with prostate cancer: minority stress, intimacy and sexuality concerns, impact on life outlook, healthcare experiences, social support and the gay community, and intersectional identities.

Background: Working with a chronic condition can be challenging. Providing support to workers with a chronic condition can help them to stay at work and prevent work-related problems. Workers with a chronic condition who successfully stay at work can provide valuable input for the development of effective supportive interventions to prevent exit from work and facilitate sustainable employment. The aim of this study is to explore the lived experiences of workers with a chronic condition and identify existing barriers, facilitators and possible support needs for staying at work., Methods: Four focus groups were conducted between August and December 2017 with workers with one or more chronic conditions (n = 30). Participants included employees and (partially) self-employed workers. All focus group data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed., Results: Disclosure and expressing one's needs were considered important personal facilitators for staying at work. Environmental facilitators included receiving practical information on working with a chronic condition and social and employer support. Environmental barriers were identified in the work environment, the health care system and service provision, e.g., manager and co-worker's lack of knowledge about working with a chronic condition, a lack of focus on work in the course of treatment for a chronic condition, dissatisfaction with occupational physician support, and the absence of support for self-employed workers. Provided support should be available to all workers, and be proactive and tailored to the workers' specific support needs., Conclusions: A variety of facilitators, barriers and support needs were identified in various domains. By addressing environmental barriers (e.g., by integrating work in the course of treatment and creating supportive work environments), sustainable employment by workers with a chronic condition can be promoted.

Purpose: Pediatric cancer presents many challenges to the life of the child diagnosed with cancer and his/her family. Among the studies investigating risk and protective factors, social support has emerged as an important construct. However, little is known on how family members support each other in this particular context., Method: In order to further explore this process, interviews were performed separately with mothers, fathers and siblings. For the purpose of this study (as this is part of a larger project), data from four families in which both parents and at least one sibling participated, were used. Multi Family Member Interview Analysis was used as the methodological framework to analyze the individual interviews, allowing a detailed and systematic analysis of shared family experiences., Results: The analysis of the data revealed three themes: Being together matters: the families identified the need of being physically together; Finding support in (not) talking: the complexity of sharing emotions was explained and Working together as a team: the families described working together as a team in order to get everything organized., Conclusions: This study broadens our understanding of the interpersonal process of family support-giving when facing pediatric cancer. When meeting with families, families should be invited as a unit in order to best capture family level experiences. Also, clinicians should be sensitive to the different cancer-related communication needs within the family (i.e., the need to talk or not to talk) and incorporate this knowledge into their care., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)