THE CHALLENGES AND COPING RESOURCES OF YOUTH HEADING HOUSEHOLDS IN SOUTH AFRICA

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-48
Author(s):  
Petro Botha

There is a large number of youth-headed households in South Africa. This is linked to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country. Various studies have been undertaken on child-headed households, but there is a lack of research on the personal experiences of youth heading households. The assumption has been made that youth are older and able to cope with their situation. Youth heading households have not been defined as a separate group, but have been included in Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth (OVCY). The aim of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges and coping resources of youth heading households. A qualitative approach and a descriptive and contextual design were used. It is important that governments and NGOs clearly define a youthheaded household and include youth heading households in research evaluating current services to OVCY, and that they plan services focusing specifically on the needs of this group.

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-437
Author(s):  
Paula Smith ◽  
Konstantina Vasileiou ◽  
Ashraf Kagee

Palliative care staff are exposed to a plethora of work-related stressors that negatively affect their psychological well-being and work engagement. Using qualitative interviews, this study sought to explore the experiences of work-related stress and coping among a multidisciplinary group of 12 palliative care staff employed by a non-governmental hospice in South Africa. Data were analysed using the principles of thematic analysis. Four domains of stressors were implicated in the experience of work-related stress: stressors accruing from the nature of work and were specific to palliative care; stressors relating to working in the community; those deriving from certain encounters with patients and families; and organisational stressors. Broader structural factors pertinent to the socio-political and economic context in South Africa and the perception of palliative care were interwoven with the experience of work-related stress. Receiving social support from co-workers, professionals, and family and friends; accepting limits; setting work–life boundaries; relying on personal resources and reconstructing the hospice in positive ways were coping strategies deployed by staff to manage stress. Arguably much of the experience of work-related stress and coping among palliative care staff in South Africa is similar to that reported in resource-rich contexts. However, the particularities of the broader socio-political and economic environment and its subsequent impact on palliative care organisations appear to augment and expand work-related stress for these practitioners. Deployment of intra-individual and interpersonal coping resources could be supplemented with efforts to address structural factors contributing to the subjective experience of stress.


Author(s):  
Zamani Maqoko ◽  
Yolanda Dreyer

By the year 2002 14 million children had been orphaned globally because of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. A great number of these have become the heads of households, are forced to look after themselves and siblings, drop out of school, are vulnerable to many forms of abuse and have found work to take care of themselves and their siblings. Misinformation, ignorance and prejudice concerning HIV/AIDS limit the willingness of a community to provide for the orphans who have been affected by the disease. This article aims to address the question why this is also the case in South Africa and why the African philosophy of “ubuntu” (humaneness), does not seem to make a difference. This study build upon fieldwork undertaken in the Bophelong area among HIV/AIDS orphans who function as heads of households and children who have been orphaned due to circumstances other than HIV/AIDS. The article concludes that religious communities can fill the gap left by the lack of “ubuntu” and can play a major role in nurturing HIV/AIDS orphans who function as heads of households. Churches can build a supportive environment where HIV/AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children can feel accepted.


Curationis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Mogotlane ◽  
M. E. Chauke ◽  
G. H. Van Rensburg ◽  
S. P. Human ◽  
C. M. Kganakga

The aftermath of the HIV and AIDS pandemic has resulted in great suffering in terms of loss of income, poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality, with children being destitute and orphaned at an alarming rapid rate. Families and communities are currently unable to cope with the effects of HIV and AIDS with special emphasis on the care and support of the affected orphans and vulnerable children, who as a result have been compelled to look after themselves giving rise to a new type of family, the child-headed household. The emergence of this type of family requires government’s response in terms of care and support. The purpose of this study was to provide a broad picture of the location, prevalence, composition, functions, needs and challenges of child-headed households in South Africa, and explore available and required services, resources and safety nets for children in child-headed households. An exploratory and descriptive design was used for the purpose. The sample consisted of children heading households and those living in the households that are headed by children; government departments responsible for child welfare, such as, the Departments of Social Development, Health, Education and Agriculture; non-profit organisations and communities where these households are predominant. From the data collected, it was found that the rights of the affected children were compromised. Those heading the households were often not at school and were responsible for domestic chores. The households needed food, clothes, money, shelter, and education. Government in attempting to address these needs required clear policies which will provide a distinction between orphaned and vulnerable children and child-headed households.The study recommended a collaborative approach as it was shown that there was no single model of best practice to appropriately and effectively address the needs of child-headed households.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. JCM.S39766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Satoh-Asahara ◽  
Hiroto Ito ◽  
Tomoyuki Akashi ◽  
Hajime Yamakage ◽  
Kazuhiko Kotani ◽  
...  

Purpose Depression is frequently observed in people with diabetes. The purpose of this study is to develop a tool for individuals with diabetes and depression to communicate their comorbid conditions to health-care providers. Method We searched the Internet to review patient-held medical records (PHRs) of patients with diabetes and examine current levels of integration of diabetes and depression care in Japan. Results Eight sets of PHRs were found for people with diabetes. All PHRs included clinical follow-up of diabetes and multidisciplinary clinical pathways for diabetes care. No PHRs included depression monitoring and/or treatment. In terms of an integrated PHR for a patient comorbid with diabetes and depression, necessary components include hopes/preferences, educational information on diabetes complications and treatment, medical history, stress and coping, resources, and monitoring diabetes and depression. Conclusion A new PHR may be suitable for comorbid patients with diabetes and depression.


2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 703-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lim Geok-choo ◽  
Ko Yiu-chung ◽  
Chan Kwok-bun

AbstractThis paper studied the work stressors and coping strategies of lawyers in Singapore. Data collection involved the use of both quantitative and qualitative research methods — a survey of 450 lawyers and in-depth interviews with 27 lawyers. This study found that while time pressure and work overload were the most stressful aspects of lawyering work, social interactions and interpersonal relationships at work proved to be a salient work stressor, when lawyers were dealing with clients, fellow lawyers and judges — that is, interpersonal stress. This study explains how lawyers constantly monitor and adjust their actions to negotiate for control or 'power' over others in their attempts to cope with work stress. In examining the correlation between lawyers' perceptions of work stress and their coping behaviours, this paper reveals that while lawyers tended to report more problem-focused than emotion-focused coping ways, the correlation analysis informed that emotion-focused and help-seeking coping ways were significantly correlated with interpersonal stress, such as in dealing with clients and colleagues. This study further shows that lawyers invoke social and psychological coping resources to position themselves strategically within prevailing power relations to cope with their interpersonal stress at work.


Author(s):  
Doni Whitsett ◽  
Helen Land

The relationship among role strain, coping, and marital satisfaction is examined in a cross-sectional sample of 73 stepparents. New information is discussed pertaining to differential types of role strain identified in stepparent groups. The association between types of role strain and differential types of coping strategies and coping resources is analyzed. Results document the association between coping resources of self-esteem and self-efficacy and certain dimensions of role strain. An inverse relationship between role strain and marital satisfaction is noted. Based on study results, the authors identify vulnerable subgroups and suggest implications for practice with stepfamilies.


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