A qualitative perspective of working women care providers and care receivers on eldercare: a study from India.

BACKGROUND: The paper aims to explore the elderly caregiving process in India from the perspective of both elderly as well as working women care providers, along with the challenges faced and the coping strategies adopted by them during the process. METHODS: In-depth interviews with 48 participants (care providers and care receivers) from 25 multi-generational households were conducted in the slums of Mumbai and analysed using QSR-NVivo-10. RESULTS: Working women care providers supported the needs of the dependent elderly along with performing household chores and paid work. However, the way the care was perceived and demanded, was not often same as delivered by the care providers. Care provider suffered silently with poor social, physical and emotional welling in absence of support system and lack of time. Sometimes, physically exhausted care providers unknowingly resorted to elderly abuse and neglect. At the same time, a bidirectional flow of support from elderly also existed in the form of childcare, household chores and financial support. Though caregiving overstrained the care providers, strong family ties, acknowledgement of the contributions of the elderly during their young days, and the desire to set a precedent for the young generation did not let them step back from their duties. The main coping mechanism for both care receivers and providers was largely centred around the notion of acceptance of their situation. CONCLUSION: Conversations between generations can help in enhancing family ties and reduce conflicts. The support of family and community can also ease the burden of caregiving.

Family-friendly work conditions and well-being among Malaysian women.

BACKGROUND: Although participation in paid work improves women's quality of life and well-being, the health benefits decline for women with young children. Implementing family-friendly work conditions is one strategy for improving working women's well-being, especially those with competing unpaid work responsibilities. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the extent to which accessibility and use of 11 specific family-friendly work conditions were associated with physical health, anxiety and depression in Malaysian women with young children. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design using a retrospective self-complete, anonymous, online survey was conducted between March and October 2021. METHODS: Women with a child aged 5 years or less (N = 190) completed an online survey measuring their exposure (availability and use) to 11 specific family-friendly work conditions, and their physical health, anxiety, and depression. The sample included women who were currently and recently working and with both formal and informal employment. RESULTS: After accounting for potential confounders, women who used paid maternity leave have a lower likelihood of having anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSION: Future research is needed to extend the findings from this study by over-sampling women who are informally employed and not currently working. Policy creation and development processes, including research and decision-making, should be led by and inclusive of women. For example, research funding could be allocated to 'lived experience' research that privileges the co-design of research with consumers. Based on these findings, the extent to which family-friendly work conditions fulfill their intent to improve the well-being for working women requires further critique.

Impact of parental leave system on the childbirth plan among working married women: a three-year follow-up study of the Korean longitudinal survey of women and families.

BACKGROUND: The Korean government seeks to balance work and family and alleviate low fertility by implementing a parental leave system. This study aimed to identify the impact of the parental leave system on childbirth among married working women in South Korea. METHODS: This study used three-year follow-up data from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families (2016, 2018, and 2020). The number of participants was 324 at baseline. Logistic regressions using a generalized estimating equation model were performed to examine the impact of parental leave on childbirth. Sub-analyses of covariates, childbirth support, and parental leave systems were conducted. RESULTS: Of workers covered by the parental leave system, 31.7% considered childbirth. Women covered by parental leave were 3.63 times more likely to plan childbirth (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-9.99). The tendency to plan childbirth was pronounced among those in their early 30s (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 7.20) and those who thought that having children was necessary (AOR, 4.30). Child planning was more influenced by leave support (AOR, 6.61) than subsidies. CONCLUSIONS: Parental leave systems can have a positive impact on working married women's childbirth plans. Although this system was effective in a group interested in childbirth, it did not create a fundamental child plan. Time support is more important than money concerning childbirth plans. The parental leave system had an impact on childbirth plan. Appropriate parenting policies can effectively increase the fertility rate.

Sense of coherence promotion and occupational and family stress mitigation may improve heart health behaviors in middle-aged working women: a structural equation modelling approach.

Aims: This study aimed to construct a model that describes heart health behaviors in middle-aged working women and verify the goodness-of-fit of the model based on Salutogenesis. Methods and results: This study adopted a cross-sectional design. Participants were 330 middle-aged working women in South Korea. Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling with Sobel's Z test. In the multiple mediation model, stress coping strategy (ß = 0.26; p < 0.001), social support (ß = 0.41; p < 0.001), and health self-efficacy (ß = 0.36; p < 0.001) had significant direct effects on sense of coherence (SOC). SOC had a significant direct effect on occupational (ß = -0.72; p < 0.001) and family stress (ß = -0.76; p < 0.001). Additionally, SOC (ß = 0.67; p < 0.001), occupational stress (ß = -0.46; p < 0.001), and family stress (ß = -0.28; p < 0.001) had significant direct effects on heart health behaviors. Moreover, SOC had a significantly partial mediating effect on heart health behaviors through occupational stress (Z = 3.17; p = 0.002) and family stress (Z = 2.26; p = 0.024). Conclusion: Occupational and family stress mediated the relationship between SOC and heart health behaviors in middle-aged working women. Clinical evidence: Interventions that mitigate occupational and family stress may improve heart health behaviors among middle-aged working women.

Association Between Length of Maternity Leave and Breastfeeding Duration in the United States: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review to assess the association between the length of maternity leave and breastfeeding duration in the United States. DATA SOURCES AND METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: This review was conducted with a five-stage model for reviews. We included publications from 2000 to 2023, U.S.-based studies written in English, and primary research and peer-reviewed articles. In February 2023, a medical librarian conducted a search across seven databases, yielding 1,540 results. ClinicalTrials.gov was later searched, yielding no results. After duplicates were removed, 835 abstracts were screened. A full-text article review was then conducted of the remaining 34 articles. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Twenty-three articles met inclusion criteria, two of which were reviews. Of the nonreview articles, all found a positive relationship between increased maternity leave and duration of breastfeeding. Data showed that earlier return to work for the birth parent decreased the odds of breastfeeding dyads meeting breastfeeding recommendations. Many studies adjusted for confounders (eg, race, socioeconomic status); however, Black or Latinx mothers still experience shorter breastfeeding durations or lower breastfeeding exclusivity when given equal leave compared with White mothers. CONCLUSION: Results show a positive relationship between length of maternity leave and breastfeeding duration. Advocacy for longer, paid parental leave and more robust research rooted in rigorous methods are needed.

Association of sociodemographic, anthropometric, and sleep quality factors with accelerometer-measured sitting and physical activity times among Emirati working women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Although a significant lack of physical activity has been linked to an increase in obesity among Emirati women, the factors associated with accelerometer-measured sitting and physical activity times in Emirati women remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: To explore the association of accelerometer-measured sitting and physical activity times with sociodemographic, anthropometric, and sleep quality factors among Emirati working women. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: A convenience sample of 163 healthy working Emirati women aged 18-45 years was used. Sedentary and physical activity times were measured using the Fibion accelerometers worn on the thighs for 4-7 days. General demographic information, anthropometric measurements, and self-reported sleep quality (Pittsburgh sleep quality index score) were collected. Only participants who had valid data (i.e. wear time of ⩾600 min (10 h) per day for a minimum of 4-7 days) were evaluated. All values were normalized to a 16-h day to mitigate differences in wear time among the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 110 Emirati women were included. The mean sitting time per 16-h day was 11.6 ± 1.1 h; mean moderate activity time per day, 40.88 ± 17.99 min; and mean vigorous activity time per day, 2.41 ± 1.21 min. Longer sitting time was associated with high body fat, secondary education, and divorce. Sitting time was reduced in those with good sleep quality. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity time was increased in women with postgraduate education and was decreased in women with a longer work experience and with comorbidities. The total activity time increased with increasing age and good sleep quality, whereas it decreased with increasing body fat, presence of at least one comorbidity, secondary education, and divorce. CONCLUSION: Certain demographic, anthropometric, and sleep quality factors were associated with accelerometer-measured sitting and physical activity times among Emirati working women. Future longitudinal studies should consider these factors when investigating predictors of physical activity levels in this population.

Early Infant Feeding Practices among Women Engaged in Paid Work in Africa: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Around the world, paid work without appropriate structural support is a key barrier to optimal breastfeeding practices. To better protect, promote, and support optimal breastfeeding practices among working women in Africa, this scoping review sought to understand how paid work influences infant feeding practices in the first 6 mo of life and what support women need to manage work and optimal infant feeding practices. We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Global Health, and CINAHL Plus, screened 2436 abstracts, and reviewed 322 full-text articles using Covidence for review and charting. We identified 203 articles that met the inclusion criteria. We identified 32 quantitative, 10 qualitative, 3 mixed-methods, and 2 review articles that focused on examining the relationship between work and breastfeeding, and 109 quantitative, 22 qualitative, 21 mixed-methods, and 4 review articles that included work as part of broader breastfeeding research but did not focus on work. Most studies reported a significant negative association between work and exclusive breastfeeding. Three major domains were reported in the qualitative studies: challenges to managing work and infant feeding, receiving support from employers and family members/caregivers, and strategies for feeding infants when the mother is working. Reviewed studies proposed recommendations to increase support for breastfeeding through changes to policies and support within worksites, the health system, and childcare; however, evidence of previously implemented policies or programs is limited. We recommend more consistent definitions and measurement of women's work. Future research is needed on the impact of implementing various strategies and benefits for breastfeeding at workplaces, as well as efforts to support breastfeeding among informal workers.

Etiology, consequences, and solutions of working women's work-life conflict: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Work-life conflict (WLC) is important in organizational behavior research and human resource management. The present research aimed to investigate the underlying causes, consequences, and solutions to WLC in Iranian working women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present qualitative study was conducted through a content analysis method among 19 working married women in Birjand, a city in the east of Iran, from December 2021 to February 2022. To collect the data, semi-structured interviews were held. The average interview time was 45 minutes, and all interviews were recorded upon the participants' consent. Finally, after coding, the information was analyzed with MAXQDA software. FINDINGS: The causes of conflict included 4 main categories of individual, interpersonal, organizational, and cultural factors, with seven subcategories: the pressure of the mother's role at home, personality traits, lack of individual skills, insufficient support, work characteristics, organizational policies, and the traditional role of women in society. The consequences of conflict included 2 main categories, Decreasing quality of life and work problems with 4 subcategories: physical and mental illnesses, forgetting one's role towards others, limiting social communication, and reducing productivity. Conflict resolution methods included 3 main classes of individual-oriented, other-oriented, and organization-oriented with 8 subclasses: program-oriented, meaning-oriented, emotion-oriented, avoidance, emotional support, instrumental and work support, support work policies, and correct management views. CONCLUSION: To solve the problem of conflict, different aspects should be considered and help to solve this challenge by influencing each dimension.

Relationship between sleep quality and marital satisfaction of working women during the premenopausal period.

Sleep disorders can adversely affect physical, sexual, and marital health, particularly among middle-aged women. This study aimed to determine the relationship between sleep quality and marital satisfaction of working women during the premenopausal period. In this cross-sectional study, we selected 150 women working at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran was selected using random cluster sampling. A demographic information form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Evaluation and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication, and Happiness (ENRICH) marital satisfaction scale were used for data collection. The Data were analyzed using SPSS.22 software at a significance level of P < 0.05. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to predict sleep quality based on marital satisfaction. Our results showed that 79 (52.7%) of the participants had undesirable sleep quality, 87 (58%) had high marital satisfaction, and 32 (21.3%) had very high marital satisfaction. Regression analysis revealed that the total marital satisfaction score could not predict the sleep quality score of the participants. However, as dimensions of marital satisfaction, personality issues negatively (ß = 0.327, P < 0.05) and ideological orientation positively (ß = 0.336, P < 0.01) predicted the sleep quality score. Based on the prediction of the sleep quality score by personality issues and ideological orientations among the dimensions of marital satisfaction, it seems that life skills training, especially in these two dimensions, may improve the quality of sleep and, as a result, the physical and mental health of working women.

COVID-19 lockdowns and working women's mental health: Does motherhood and size of workplace matter? A comparative analysis using understanding society.

The COVID-19 pandemic had detrimental and unequal repercussions on mental health. To date there is little evidence exploring how motherhood and workplace size moderates this relationship for working women. This study aimed to estimate changes in working women's mental health at the start of each UK lockdown and estimate the effect of motherhood and workplace size on mental health. We used Understanding Society data from women in paid employment, who participated in at least: one pre-COVID-19 Wave (9 or 10/11) and one COVID-19 lockdown wave (Lockdown 1: April 2020, Lockdown 2: November 2020, Lockdown 3: January 2021). Primary outcome was probable psychological distress (i.e., score≥4 in the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12)). In Model 1, exposure was motherhood (binary), interacting with a variable that split time in the pre-pandemic and lockdown periods. In Model 2, workplace size (Micro:1-24, Medium: 25-199, Large: More than 200 employees) was added as an exposure (3-way interaction) to investigate moderation effects. We fitted mixed-effects logistic regression models, adjusting for age, ethnicity, UK country of residence, cohabitation, educational qualifications, working hours, furlough, subjective financial difficulty and previous health condition. In the adjusted Model 1, pre-pandemic, odds of GHQ-12 caseness were lower for mothers compared to non-mothers (OR:0.89 95%CI:0.77,1.03). However post-pandemic compared to pre-pandemic, odds for mothers were higher than non-mothers, especially during lockdown 3 (Non-mothers: OR:1.93 95%CI:1.69,2.20; Mothers: OR:2.87 95%CI:2.36,3.49). In Model 2, workplace size did not modify the relationship. Pre-pandemic, there was no difference in the odds of GHQ-12 caseness by workplace size; however, the differences observed in Lockdown 3 between non-mothers and mothers, are mainly attributed to differences in medium-sized enterprises (Non-mothers: OR:1.95 95%CI:1.53,2.48; Mothers: OR:3.56 95%CI:2.54,4.99). Future policies should be designed to facilitate the working lives of mothers, but especially for medium-sized enterprises as extreme uncertainty appears to affect these employees more.

Experiences With Work-Family Conflict, Breastfeeding, and Perinatal Mental Health Among Women Returning to Work After Giving Birth: A Mixed Methods Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine working mothers' experiences with returning to work after giving birth, work-family conflict, breastfeeding, and mental health. METHODS: A sequential, mixed methods design was used to administer an online survey to capture job characteristics and perceptions of work-family conflict among first-time mothers in Georgia who gave birth within the previous year ( N = 26). Then, interviews were conducted to understand their experiences with returning to work, work-family conflict, breastfeeding, and mental health. RESULTS: Many participants worked in educational settings and returned to full-time work after giving birth. Qualitative themes from 12 interviews captured the context of participants' work environments, types of work-family conflict, and factors that alleviated work-family conflict. CONCLUSIONS: Employers need to incorporate support for work-family conflict and perinatal mental health into workplace breastfeeding programs and maternity leave policies.

The influence of perceptions of gender discrimination in the workplace on depressive symptoms among Korean working women: The moderating role of job satisfaction.

RATIONALE: While previous research has primarily examined the mental health implications of experiencing racial or gender discrimination in the workplace within a Western context, there remains a gap in understanding the impact of perceptions of workplace gender discrimination (WGD) on mental health in Asian countries. Additionally, the potential moderating role of job satisfaction in this relationship is yet to be thoroughly explored. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association between perceptions of WGD and depressive symptoms, independent of an individual's personal experiences of workplace discrimination. This study also examined whether this association is moderated by job satisfaction, distinguishing between intrinsic satisfaction (related to recognition of performance and achievement) and extrinsic satisfaction (related to wages, workplace relationships, and welfare). METHODS: The data utilized for this study were collected from 2170 employed women over four waves (eight years) of the Korea Women Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families, between 2012 and 2020. Fixed effects (FE) models were utilized to account for unobserved individual heterogeneity. RESULTS: FE estimates indicated that perceptions of WGD is significantly associated with an increase in depressive symptoms (b = 0.577, p < 0.001), even after controlling for personal experiences of workplace discrimination. Interaction analyses further revealed that this association is moderated by extrinsic job satisfaction (b = -0.318, p < 0.05), but not intrinsic job satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The perceptions of WGD may be a potential pathway by which gender inequalities at the workplace harms women's mental health. Interventions to reduce gender discrimination and enhance extrinsic job satisfaction may contribute to improving the mental health of working women.

Double jeopardy: Exploring the moderating effect of educational mismatch in the relationship between work-family conflict and depressive symptoms among Korean working women.

RATIONALE: Despite a growing body of empirical evidence on the detrimental effects of work-family conflict (WFC) on psychological health, little attention has been given to whether educational mismatch in the workplace, which refers to the perceived level of match between one's attained education and the required educational level for a position, may exacerbate these effects. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between WFC, educational mismatch, and depressive symptoms in Korean working women, with a particular focus on the potential moderating effects of educational mismatch on the association between WFC and depressive symptoms. METHODS: The data utilized for this study were collected from 5174 married working women over five waves (16,610 person-observations) of the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families spanning 8 years between 2012 and 2020. Fixed effects (FE) models were estimated to account for unobserved individual-level heterogeneity. RESULTS: FE estimates indicated that WFC is associated with an increase in depressive symptoms, even after accounting for unobserved confounding factors and time-varying covariates. The interaction model provides evidence for the moderating role of educational mismatch in the association between WFC and depressive symptoms. The positive association between WFC and depressive symptoms was more pronounced among those who perceive themselves as "overeducated." The estimated coefficient for the association was about 45% larger for those who perceive themselves as "overeducated" than their "well-matched" counterparts. CONCLUSION: The study's findings suggest a robust link between WFC and depressive symptoms and further elaborate on how this association varies depending on educational mismatch. In Korea, where conservative gender role norms of female-caregiver ideology are still prevalent, WFC and educational mismatch can act as double jeopardy, exacerbating the mental health of working women.

An analysis of actors participating in the design and implementation of workplace breastfeeding interventions in Mexico using the NetMap analysis approach.

Introduction: While breastfeeding is recognized as providing optimal nutrition for infants and toddlers, maternal employment is a commonly mentioned barrier to breastfeeding. The goal was to (a) identify key actors participating in the design and implementation of workplace breastfeeding interventions in Mexico, (b) understand the complexity of interactions between the actors, and (c) map the connections and influence between the actors when looking into networks of Advice, Command, Funding, and Information. Method: Following the NetMap methodology, a total of 11 semi-structured interviews with 12 interview partners from 10 organizations were conducted. Interview data were analyzed, and networks were analyzed and visualized, using a social network mapping software. Results: A total of 83 actors from five different actor groups were identified. Four networks were constructed along the four types of connections: Advice, Command, Funding, and Information. The actors were connected by 580 connections with 446 unique links. Based on various network statistics, the Mexican Institute of Social Security, the Mexican Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare, UNICEF, and the Mexican Secretary of Health were identified to be key actors. Conclusion: To increase the likelihood of success of workplace breastfeeding interventions, the role of the actors "Employers" and "Women" needs to expand. They should be actively involved in the decision-making process, together with the identified key actors. It is further recommended to re-introduce a national breastfeeding strategy for Mexico that includes policies for workplace breastfeeding interventions.

The quantity and quality of scientific evidence about the health of working women in occupational health of Japan: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to investigate the quantity and quality of scientific evidence dealing with comprehensive health issues of working women in occupational health. METHODS: This scoping review of original articles that investigated comprehensive health issues of working women aged 19-64 years in Japan was published in PubMed (1967-2022) and Igaku Chuo Zasshi (or Ichu-shi, 1982-2022). Using identical broad search terms, we first identified 17 122 English and 6154 Japanese articles. We excluded those with clinically relevant topics, or ethnicity other than Japanese and included 853 English and 855 Japanese articles for review and classified them into nine research areas considered to be critical factors for women in the workforce and five study design groups to investigate the quality of the evidence accumulated. RESULTS: Among 853 English-language articles in PubMed, "Mental health" was the most frequent area studied, followed by "Work-related disease" and "Lifestyle-related disease." Among 855 Japanese-language articles from Ichu-shi, "Mental health" was the most frequently studied area followed by "Work and balance," and "Work-related disease." "Infertility, pregnancy, and childbirth" and "Menstruation, menopause, and genital disease" were well studied in Ichu-shi but scarcely published in PubMed. "Harassment and discrimination" were sparsely reported in both databases. As for research designs, many articles in both PubMed and Ichu-shi employed descriptive or cross-sectional study designs. However, a few studies employed cohort/longitudinal or interventional studies. CONCLUSION: The results underscored the need for higher-quality study designs with more scientific evidence on working women's health in the field of occupational health.

Redefining work-life balance: women at the helm of the post-pandemic coworking revolution.

The post-pandemic era has transformed work-life boundaries, driven by factors such as working hours, an increased number of working women and single parents, the implementation of various ICTs, and the rise of flexible work arrangements. This study examines the role of female workers and entrepreneurs in establishing and managing coworking spaces (CSs) designed to improve work-life balance through flexible scheduling and location options. The challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in promoting an inclusive society and economic system are also explored, as well as the benefits experienced by independent workers and teleworkers in terms of networking, social interaction, knowledge exchange, and community building. The "She Economy" is analyzed in three stages: germination, growth, and maturity, considering challenges from both family and workplaces. This paper investigates the background of female identity and the ideological transformation of female identity in the consumption process after the pandemic, using mass media, especially female-focused media, as a lens. Finally, the paper proposes recommendations for the future development of the "She Economy" from the perspectives of communicators, women, and the social environment.