Life in Rural Spain as an Immigrant Domestic Care Worker: Diverse Testimonies From Teruel

This article contributes to the limited literature on immigrant caregivers in rural Spain. Building upon interview data, it examines the question of social inclusion with a focus on employment from the perspectives of Latin American women working in private, home-based elderly care. The interviews were conducted in small towns and villages across Teruel; a landlocked, sparsely populated, predominantly rural province in eastern Spain. For these caregivers, employment generally offered a means to improve their financial situation and, in some cases, to obtain legal residency. However, their day-to-day experiences varied considerably. This wide spectrum included cases of isolation and exploitation, of marginal participation in their communities, and of genuine satisfaction with their lifestyles and social relationships. With particular attention to the rural context, the article examines how inclusion and exclusion were shaped by factors such as employment conditions and personal networks. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of supportive employers in bridging the gap between caregivers and their rural communities—employers who can potentially foster inclusion to a degree not commonly experienced by other immigrant workers in the southern European countryside.acceptedVersio

Can primary mental health services impact levels of involuntary admissions? A cluster-RCT of the ReCoN intervention

Purpose Internationally, policies and legal changes seek to reduce the use of involuntary psychiatric admissions. Usually directed towards specialist services, these initiatives show little sustained progress. We tested whether an intervention at the level of primary mental health services has potential to reduce the use of involuntary admissions. Methods We conducted a two-arm cluster-RCT following Zelen’s design (ClinicalTrials.gov:NCT03989765). Each cluster included the primary mental health service and their local collaborators in mid-sized Norwegian municipalities with rates of involuntary admissions above the national average. Five clusters were randomised to co-create and implement a compre hensive intervention. These could not be blinded, but the five control clusters were. Our primary hypothesis was that rates of involuntary admissions would be lower in the intervention arm when comparing change over time between arms, and that this would sustain. Secondary hypotheses were that rates of referrals for involuntary admissions and rates of referrals confirmed for involuntary status after the second statutory assessment, would be lower in the intervention arm. Results Data obtained from the Norwegian Patient Registry included all events in the study period. The difference between trial arms in changes of rates of involuntary admissions from baseline to the intervention period was 6.8 (95% CI 1.8 to 11.7; effect size (EC) 2.7), and reduced to 3.0 (95% CI -3.8 to 9.7; ES 0.9) between baseline and the post-intervention period. The difference between arms regarding changes in referral rates between the baseline and intervention period was 1.7 (95% CI -4.6 to 8.1; ES 0.5), and for changes in the rate of referrals resulting in involuntary status it was 1.3 (95% CI -3.4 to 6.0; ES 0.8). Conclusion We found a clear difference between trial arms in our primary outcome of involuntary admissions during the intervention period, but not beyond that period, and not regarding referrals for involuntary admissions, although the consis tent direction of change favoured the intervention. We interpret the results to constitute ‘proof of concept’ that adequately resourced primary mental health services might contribute to policy aims of reducing involuntary care. Further rigorous studies in heterogeneous contexts are required.publishedVersio

Does testing young children influence educational attainment and wellbeing?

Should young children be tested? Proponents view early testing as a necessary instrument for early targeting. Others consider it detrimental to child mental health and with little impact on educational performance. We exploit variation in low-stakes test-taking in mathematics amongst primary school children in Norway, traditionally a low-testing environment. We examine the introduction of difficult mathematics tests. These tests were introduced to provide information for a larger randomised controlled trial (RCT) in Norwegian primary schools. We demonstrate zero effects of testing exposure on educational attainment, but evidence of heterogenous effects across gender and educational background of children. We find no negative effects on student welfare, but testing improves student perceptions of teaching practices, feedback and engagement.publishedVersio

Navigating the Labor Market: A Study of Immigrant Domestic Care Workers in Rural Southern Europe

This study examines the factors driving employment, adaptation strategies, and labor market trajectories of female, immigrant domestic care workers in rural southern Europe. Through thematic analysis of fieldwork data collected in Potenza (Italy) and Teruel (Spain), it explores the interaction between local labor market dynamics and these workers’ migrant capital. Contributing to a body of literature that has largely overlooked the rural dimension of this conversation, the study emphasizes the importance of considering both individual as well as contextual factors when analyzing the diverse labor market trajectories of these workers. Findings suggest that limited access to quality employment, significant elderly care needs, and close-knit social contexts shape their labor market experiences in various ways. Despite facing “migrant penalties,” many adapt by acquiring skills, building networks, and navigating systemic barriers, including restrictive immigration policies. That said, precarious job conditions at times compel some of them to relocate to more dynamic regions or leave the sector.acceptedVersio

Building a Community Among Multicultural Healthcare Teams in Nursing Homes: A Qualitative Study of the International Caregiver Development Programme (ICDP)

Background: Healthcare workers in nursing homes are an educationally, experientially, culturally and linguistically diverse workforce who face increasing challenges in their working conditions. Studies indicate positive results with regard to coopera tion and care from experiencing a sense of community in diverse healthcare teams. Aim: This qualitative study aimed to explore healthcare workers' experiences of being part of a team in nursing homes before, during and after their participation in a psychosocial competence building intervention, the International Caregiver Development Programme (ICDP). Methods: Fifteen focus group interviews of five ICDP group courses were conducted before, during and after participation in ICDP with 31 cross-cultural healthcare workers in nursing homes. The findings emerged through hermeneutic analysis. The results were compared with the open responses in an anonymous written evaluation. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) served as a framework for reporting this study. Results: Before ICDP, the participants reported a lack of communication regarding priorities, challenges in interactions with the residents and cultural and linguistic diversity among the healthcare workers. During participation in ICDP, they described increased knowledge and understanding of one another in addition to inspiring each other and acknowledging each other's di versity as healthcare workers. After completing ICDP, they experienced a sense of relational and practical community, a sense of pride in the team, increased self-confidence related to practice and increased job satisfaction. Conclusion: This study indicated that ICDP has the potential to create a community of psychosocial practice in multicultural healthcare teams, which may be strengthened by experiences of mastery, confidence and pride. The participants in this study developed a common conceptual framework for understanding, prioritising and practising psychosocial care. The community seemed to facilitate cooperation between them and increase their job satisfaction. Implications for Practice: Healthcare workers in nursing homes need time and space to share experiences to establish relation ships that increase the quality of cooperation. While diversity among healthcare workers in nursing homes can pose challenges, participating in psychosocial competence building interventions like the ICDP can help it to be viewed as a valuable source of inspiration and means of preventing discrimination against migrant healthcare workers. More research is needed regarding how the ICDP can prevent discrimination and underestimation of migrant healthcare workers.publishedVersio

Perceptions of migrant domestic workers in rural Southern Europe: Insights from Italy and Spain

This study examined perceptions and sentiments toward female migrant domestic workers providing elderly care in two “predominantly rural” Southern European provinces: Potenza in Italy and Teruel in Spain. We analyzed field observations, interviews, and conversations collected mainly in small towns and villages. Our goal was to better understand how migrant domestic workers were perceived across different societal levels in their rural communities, the factors that shaped those views, and whether some of those perspectives were specific to these rural areas. Our findings revealed a high level of awareness among local residents about these workers, although this awareness did not necessarily imply friendship or inclusion in local social circles. Perceptions of migrant domestic workers as a group typically ranged from neutral to favorable, with local residents often valuing their contributions. However, skepticism and problematic views were also identified. Overall, increased contact and familiarity tended to reduce prejudice over time. We also discussed the critical issue of “trust” among care recipients and their family members, as well as the “contextual empathy” that residents often showed toward these workers—empathy that typically factored in local challenges.acceptedVersio

The political consequences of technological change that benefits low-skilled workers

Technological change often increases demand for high-skilled jobs, with low-skilled losers turning to the populist right in response. The political effects of technological change that increases demand for low-skilled workers are largely unknown. The growth of the salmon fish-farming industry in rural Norway improved the labor-market situation for low-skilled workers, and we find that support for the populist right-wing party increased in municipalities that benefitted from the industry growth. The electoral change is due to a right-wing shift on the economic, but not the cultural dimension. Our results support political economy frameworks that point to lower demand for state interventions after positive labor market shocks, but raise the question of in what contexts support for populism will decline.submittedVersio

ICCS 2022 : Redegjørelse for metode og gjennomføring av studien i Norge

I denne rapporten beskrives arbeidet med planlegging, forberedelse og gjennomføring av den norske delen av International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2022 (ICCS 2022). Rapporten utfyller og utvider de metoderedegjørelsene som er gitt i rapporten som presenterer hovedfunn fra datamaterialet (Storstad et al., 2023).ICCS 2022 : Redegjørelse for metode og gjennomføring av studien i NorgepublishedVersio

Survey data on public perceptions of salmon aquaculture industry in Norway, Tasmania, and Iceland

This article presents data collected using online surveys conducted in Norway, Tasmania (Australia) and Iceland, with the aim of exploring public perceptions of the salmon aquaculture industry in each country. A total of 2085 survey participants provided responses, with 1183 from Norway, 406 from Tasmania, and 496 from Iceland. The survey encompassed various aspects of attitudes towards and perceptions of the aquaculture industry. Participants were asked questions regarding their environmental concerns, trust in governance and management, and knowledge of the aquaculture industry in their respective country. Additionally, attitudes towards the industry were explored using questions related to preferences regarding information sources, perceptions of industry contributions, distribution of economic benefits, financial significance in local community, sustainability, and acceptance and tolerance of industry production. Respondents were also given the opportunity to provided text comments regarding the areas in which they thought the industry should become more sustainable. Demographic data on the respondents were collected, directly from the participants and from existing panel data from the survey company. However, the dataset excludes information on residence on the local level (postal code) to ensure anonymity of the respondents. The survey design was created by the SoLic-project (2019-2022, supported by the Research Council of Norway, no. 295114), drawing on the social license literature and the team's extensive research experience on topics related to the aquaculture industry, social acceptance, and legitimacy. The dataset presented in the article combines raw survey data with additional analysis data derived from grouping answer options or recoding data variables. The data provided in this article offers a valuable resource for researchers, industry representatives, public authorities, and other parties interested in salmon aquaculture. It enables comparative analyses and further investigations into public perceptions in Norway, Tasmania, and Iceland. This dataset can be used to explore a wide range of topics and extend the research conducted by the SoLic project team.publishedVersio

To Wear or Not to Wear, Was That the Question? Understanding Citizen Responses to COVID-19 Crisis Management in Social Media across Europe

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