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Book part
Publication date: 15 October 2013

Rosalina Pisco Costa

Despite all recent changes in families, and maybe because of them, the birth of a child remains an event of intense expectation, investment, and symbolic meaning. In this chapter…

Abstract

Despite all recent changes in families, and maybe because of them, the birth of a child remains an event of intense expectation, investment, and symbolic meaning. In this chapter, we offer a simultaneously new, innovative, and contemporary perspective on the social construction of the family through the lens of family rituals, specifically directed to the postnatal hospital visit following the birth of a child. The raw data were collected through episodic interviews carried out to Portuguese middle-class men and women. A qualitative content analysis of their detailed descriptions was then conducted making use of software NVivo (©QSR International). The sociological perspective we used allows us to conclude that the moment of the birth of a child is a quintessential time–space for the social construction of the family. Around the baby, for the task of rocking the cradle, men and women join and take on their old and new roles. While the postnatal hospital visit allows the presentation of the newborn family member for the extended family and friends, it strongly underlies the strategies and senses of belonging to one particular family, thereby serving the purpose of its social construction.

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Visions of the 21st Century Family: Transforming Structures and Identities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-028-4

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Book part
Publication date: 1 January 2006

Vicky M. MacLean, Patricia Parker and Melissa Sandefur

The study assesses public health programs to shed light on the experiences of low-income and minority women with children seeking health services. Thirteen focus groups were…

Abstract

The study assesses public health programs to shed light on the experiences of low-income and minority women with children seeking health services. Thirteen focus groups were conducted with 111 pregnant women or women with children. Women consumers of public health services experience difficulties accessing health services due to a lack of insurance, information and language barriers about programs and eligibility, a shortage of Medicaid providers and specialist services, long waits, bureaucratic barriers, and dismissive treatment. Accessibility and information barriers were more prominent in rural regions whereas bureaucratic barriers were more pronounced in urban areas. Lower satisfaction with services was reported among ethnic minority women compared to whites.

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Access, Quality and Satisfaction with Care
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-420-1

Book part
Publication date: 7 April 2022

Caroline Chautems

Since the 1990s, public health agencies as well as nutrition and child health experts have recognized breastfeeding as the most appropriate infant-feeding mode for optimal health…

Abstract

Since the 1990s, public health agencies as well as nutrition and child health experts have recognized breastfeeding as the most appropriate infant-feeding mode for optimal health and psycho-emotional development. Consequently, breastfeeding has become a standard of good mothering, internalized by mothers, who implement a demanding self-discipline to perform breastfeeding. This dedication reflects the delegation of biopolitics to individuals in modern neoliberal societies: authoritative experts inform new parents, who then bear the responsibility of their children's health risk management. They are expected to choose appropriate practices as part of a collective strategy of risk management and anticipation of the future by changing current behaviours, aiming at the emergence of a ‘healthy body and mind’ society. Among these practices, breastfeeding holds a central place due to medical consensus about its benefits. In my ethnography of postpartum consultations by independent midwives in Switzerland, I studied the breastfeeding practices and experiences of home birth parents as part of the ‘holistic care’ provided by these midwives. Shadowing midwives during their postpartum visits between 2014 and 2017, I witnessed parents committing to the body and emotional work required to carry out their ‘breastfeeding project’, designed in continuity with their out-of-hospital birth choice. During their follow-ups, midwives engage with parents in a shared construction of meanings around breastfeeding, anchoring parenting identities in the body. I explore in this chapter the issues raised by the production of lactating maternal bodies and how women engage in body and emotional work to achieve it.

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Reproductive Governance and Bodily Materiality
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80071-438-0

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Book part
Publication date: 27 October 2015

S. Ramakrishna Velamuri, Priya Anant and Vasantha Kumar

We study three private hospital organizations in India that were set up to deliver affordable high quality, services to the poor. Their distinctive feature is that they have…

Abstract

We study three private hospital organizations in India that were set up to deliver affordable high quality, services to the poor. Their distinctive feature is that they have successfully balanced two apparently contradictory logics: financial (doing well) and social (doing good) through business model innovations. By analyzing abundant primary and secondary data, we document in detail the key features of their business models – customer identification, customer engagement, value chain and linkages, and monetization – and document how they contribute to the organizations’ ability to deliver high quality healthcare at very low prices. We analyze the impact of these organizations, both direct and indirect, on the healthcare delivery landscape in India. We show that while their direct impact is significant, their indirect impact could potentially transform healthcare delivery in India and in other developing countries.

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Business Models and Modelling
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-462-1

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Book part
Publication date: 29 December 2023

Ashok Dalwai, Ritambhara Singh, Vishita Khanna and S. Rutuparna

According to Global Healthcare Security Index 2021, India ranked 66 out of 195 countries, indicating the need and scope for improvement. The Cooperative healthcare system which…

Abstract

According to Global Healthcare Security Index 2021, India ranked 66 out of 195 countries, indicating the need and scope for improvement. The Cooperative healthcare system which has been rendering exemplary services is yet to gain visible recognition in India. Given the need for upgrading the health infrastructure in India and providing more affordable health services to the country’s growing population, it would help appreciate the large role that cooperative healthcare can play along with others. This study explores the structure, conduct, and performance of healthcare co-operatives in India, the factors contributing to their success and failure, and the challenges they face. The Health Cooperatives have a strong presence in Kerala and Karnataka and are also coming up in other parts of the country. However, a detailed database of them for public awareness is very limited. The cooperative hospitals can meet the basic requirements of curative treatment in rural and poorly-endowed urban areas. The democratic way in which they function makes them a destination for a financially weaker section. They must retain this feature. The study covers two successful cases which reveal that India needs a more dense healthcare cooperative network. Since cooperative hospitals in tune with the spirit of service run on the principle of being ‘Not-for-Profit’ they need to be supported by the governments more liberally, without however interfering with their governance and administration.

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World Healthcare Cooperatives: Challenges and Opportunities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-775-4

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Book part
Publication date: 28 December 2006

Sarah McCue Horwitz, Julia Bell and Rebecca Grusky

Depression is a prevalent, debilitating condition that will replace cancer as the second leading cause of morbidity within the next decade and, according to the Global Burden of…

Abstract

Depression is a prevalent, debilitating condition that will replace cancer as the second leading cause of morbidity within the next decade and, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study, ranks number one in disability-adjusted life years for females 5 years and older worldwide (Blehar & Oren, 1997; Murray & Lopez, 1996). Depression in the workplace has been linked to increased absenteeism and productivity loss, is equal to the costs of diabetes and hypertension, and these costs are almost equal to the direct costs of depression treatment (Kessler et al., 1999; Marlowe, 2002; Druss, Rosenheck, & Sledge, 2000; Elinson, Houck, Marcus, & Pincus, 2004). A national study of individuals 15–54 years documented a lifetime prevalence of 17.1% and found that depression was more common in females, young adults, and those with less education (Blazer, Kessler, McGonagle, & Swartz, 1994; Kessler, McGonagle, Swartz, Blazer, & Nelson, 1993; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2000; Kessler et al., 1994a, 1994b; Bebbington et al., 2003).

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Research on Community-Based Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-416-4

Book part
Publication date: 4 December 2023

Zarjina Tarana Khalil and Samira Rahman

Although healthcare and healthy living are integral to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, the coronavirus epidemic has dealt a devastating blow to these efforts…

Abstract

Although healthcare and healthy living are integral to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, the coronavirus epidemic has dealt a devastating blow to these efforts. As governments and policymakers were compelled to shift their focus to lockdowns, sustenance, procurement, and distribution of vaccines, the momentum for health initiatives slowed, and the already fragile health systems of emerging markets were subjected to additional shocks. However, in many underserved regions of the globe, the introduction of technology has greatly facilitated the distribution and adoption of healthcare services.

This chapter highlights mini-cases from four emerging nations: Bangladesh, Nigeria, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Although the countries are emerging, each one of them are in a distinct stage of development and face a unique set of healthcare-related challenges. The chapter showcases how four different organizations based in these countries leveraged the use of technology to take healthcare services to underserved populations. In doing so, they addressed the key challenges of imparting healthcare: geographic accessibility, availability, financial accessibility, and acceptability.

This chapter concludes with a discussion of the implications of expanding healthcare industries leading to increased healthcare waste. To prevent mass population exposure to hazardous substances, the emergence of intelligent healthcare waste collection and disposal systems will be an absolute necessity. Hence, with the development of healthcare services, governments and policymakers need to mechanize smart waste management systems to safeguard humans, animals, and the environment.

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Fostering Sustainable Businesses in Emerging Economies
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-640-5

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Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 6 May 2019

Mitch Blair and Denise Alexander

Equity is an issue that pervades all aspects of primary care provision for children and as such is a recurring theme in the Models of Child Health Appraised project. All European…

Abstract

Equity is an issue that pervades all aspects of primary care provision for children and as such is a recurring theme in the Models of Child Health Appraised project. All European Union member states agree to address inequalities in health outcomes and include policies to address the gradient of health across society and target particularly vulnerable population groups. The project sought to understand the contribution of primary care services to reducing inequity in health outcomes for children. We focused on some key features of inequity as they affect children, such as the importance of good health services in early childhood, and the effects of inequity on children, such as the higher health needs of underprivileged groups, but their generally lower access to health services. This indicates that health services have an important role in buffering the effects of social determinants of health by providing effective treatment that can improve the health and quality of life for children with chronic disorders. We identified common risk factors for inequity, such as gender, family situation, socio-economic status (SES), migrant or minority status and regional differences in healthcare provision, and attempted to measure inequity of service provision. We did this by analysing routine data of universal primary care procedures, such as vaccination, age at diagnosis of autism or emergency hospital admission for conditions that can be generally treated in primary care, against variables of inequity, such as indicators of SES, migrant/ethnicity or urban/rural residency. In addition, we focused on the experiences of child population groups particularly at risk of inequity of primary care provision: migrant children and children in the state care system.

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Issues and Opportunities in Primary Health Care for Children in Europe
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78973-354-9

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Book part
Publication date: 30 September 2019

Bankole Allibay

It is estimated that approximately 3,000 women develop obstetric fistula, leading to unhealthy pregnancy, early and prolonged labor, and in some cases stillbirth in Tanzania every…

Abstract

It is estimated that approximately 3,000 women develop obstetric fistula, leading to unhealthy pregnancy, early and prolonged labor, and in some cases stillbirth in Tanzania every year. Fistula often compounds the vulnerability of the women who are victims of a poor health facility, early marriage, and other gender gaps.

In this chapter, the author explores the extra-medical causes of fistula in remote locations (Pwani Region) of Tanzania from a practitioner’s perspective. The author considers the stories of four women who experienced fistula. The author interviewed the women over a period of five years between 2013 and 2018. Using narrative analysis, the author examined the interviews.

The narrative analysis indicates that fistula is a product of a gender biased social system that favors men, ultimately limits women’s freedom, stifling their development. Importantly, the main value of this analysis is to promote awareness that aside from medical treatment, social interventions are required to reconstruct the social belief system and eliminate the stigma associated with obstetric fistula. A list of social interventions that proactively manage the incidence of fistula and help integrate affected women back into the society sustainably is recommended.

Details

Gender and Practice: Insights from the Field
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83867-383-3

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 7 October 2010

Rouselle F. Lavado, Leizel P. Lagrada and Brian C. Gozun

The Philippine health care system is comprised of both private and public hospitals, clinics, and health care providers, and public health units serve a huge majority of the…

Abstract

The Philippine health care system is comprised of both private and public hospitals, clinics, and health care providers, and public health units serve a huge majority of the population because of their number and accessibility to more people in terms of price and location. It is therefore important to examine the performance of these public health units and see if they could become more efficient in the delivery of health services. This study will apply data envelopment analysis (DEA) to assess the efficiency of provinces in providing health care services in order to assist the Department of Health in identifying the performance level of each province, determining the targets for improvements in securing benefits and using resources, and identifying the peers of provinces in the delivery of health care. The data used in this study are taken from the Field Health Service Information System and Philippine Health Insurance System of the Department of the Health and the Statement of Income and Expenditure of the Department of Finance. The following programs were analyzed in this study: Maternal Health Care, Child Health Care, and Environmental Sanitation. These programs’ outcomes comprise the percentage of the prevalence of contraceptive use and fully immunized children, for maternal and child health care programs; and the percentage of people who have access to potable water and sanitary toilets, for environmental sanitation. As for inputs, expenditure efficiency is analyzed by the health unit budget per capita and technical efficiency includes the number of doctors and midwives per 100,000 population and the percentage of rural health units accredited by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. The DEA results for efficiency expenditure shows that only 9 out of 77 provinces are efficient in providing health programs given their budgets and the average input efficiency score is 54 percent and the average output efficiency score is 87 percent. As for the DEA results for technical efficiency, 24 out of 77 provinces are efficient in providing health care programs given the percentage number of doctors, midwives, and accredited health facilities by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. The average input efficiency score is 79 percent and the average output efficiency score is 80 percent. This study has shown the importance of DEA in analyzing the efficiency of delivery of public health services in provinces using expenditure, number of available health care providers, and the presence of accredited rural health units vis-à-vis environmental sanitation and maternal and child health care programs. DEA can rationalize the allocation of budgets among similar health units in order to further improve the efficiency in the delivery of health services in provinces. Moreover, benchmarking using DEA results can improve the accountability of provincial health units in the utilization of their budgets in order to further increase the reach of province-based health programs which could lead to a marked improvement in the health of Filipinos.

Details

Applications in Multicriteria Decision Making, Data Envelopment Analysis, and Finance
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85724-470-3

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