Browsing by Author "Bejerot, Eva"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1

Gränser i omsorgsarbete : En studie om arbetets innehåll, villkor och kvalitet
(Arbetslivsinstitutet, 2001) Astvik, Wanja; Bejerot, Eva; Petterson, Inga-Lill
Boundaries in home care work. A study of work content and its significance for working conditions and quality in care The aim of the study was to investigate work content and its significance for working conditions and quality in home care work. Work content refers to work tasks and client category. 341 home care workers in a Swedish municipality answered a questionnaire concerning work content, working conditions, client relations, quality in care and health (response rate 68 per cent). The workers were categorised according to the client group they worked with (mixed, elderly and demented) and according to work tasks (generalists vs. specialists). Differences between groups were tested using two way analyses of variance. The results reveal that those working with a mixed client group experienced more strain than those working with elderly or demented caretakers and task generalists expressed more problems in work compared to the specialists. Workers with a mixed client group reported lower level of decision latitude and greater qualitative and quantitative work load as well as a more problematic relationship with their clients. They also reported a higher degree of physical exhaustion. The task generalists more often felt they had to many caretakers to attend to and also reported a larger emotional and intellectual workload as well as work related stress. Task generalists who worked with a mixed client group had the most strainful working conditions. Different strategies for specialisation in home care are discussed with respect to quality in work and care.