Persuasive narrative during the COVID-19 pandemic: Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg’s posts on Facebook.

This article explores the Facebook posts of Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg to highlight the key features of her crisis communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws on data from Solberg’s Facebook posts from February 27, 2020 to February 9, 2021 (i.e., starting from the day when the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in Norway until the time of data collection for this study). Out of her 271 posts, 157 of them were about COVID-19 and were chosen for analysis. The analyses identified five major themes: (1) Promoting responsibility and togetherness (2) Coping (3) Being in control amidst uncertainty (4) Fostering hope and (5) Relating with the followers. Drawing inspiration from Boin, Stern and Sundelius’, work on persuasive narratives, this study shows the ways that Solberg’s posts about COVID-19 exhibit all five identified frame functions. In addition, the findings add contextual nuances to the frame functions through the theme of ‘Responsibilization and togetherness’, which are reflected through references to Norwegianness and the cultural concept and practice of dugnad. This study adds to our knowledge about how persuasive narratives are incorporated into the social media communication strategies of leaders and highlights the usefulness of this framework for studying ongoing and future crises.publishedVersio

Dispensing emotions: Norwegian community nurses' handling of diversity in a changing organizational context

Since the mid-1990s, public sector health care services in Norway have been restructured, in line with New Public Management ideas. This restructuring has coincided with demographic changes that have led to a more culturally diverse patient population. Both developments have created new challenges for community nurses in managing their work. This qualitative study applies the concept of “emotional labor” to examine nurses' experiences in working with ethnic minority patients in the context of pressures arising from organizational reforms. The analysis sheds light on the nurses' attempts to comply with system-induced efficiency considerations, while catering to the special situation of patients with language barriers and unfamiliar cultural traditions. The article demonstrates how efficiency requirements and time constraints either aggravate the nurses' insecurity in dealing with minority patients or, in some cases, compel them to assume more work responsibilities so as to mitigate the effects of such constraints

Changing dynamics of caregiving: a meta-ethnography study of informal caregivers’ experiences with older immigrant family members in Europe.

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativeco mmons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.Background: The population of Europe is ageing and becoming more ethnically diverse due to migration. Finding suitable long-term caring arrangements for older immigrants in Europe has been one of healthcare policymakers’ concerns in the last decade. However, relatively few older people with an immigrant background live in long-term care facilities, and many prefer to be cared for by their family members. Little is known about immigrant family caregivers’ experiences of caring for older family members and the support they need while providing care. This study aims to synthesize the qualitative literature exploring the experiences of individuals caring for older family members with immigrant backgrounds from Africa, Asia and South America living in Europe. Methods: We searched the electronic databases Medline Ovid, Embase Ovid, PsycInfo Ovid, SocIndex EBSCOhost, CINAHL EBSCOhost, Scopus, Social Care Online, ASSIA ProQuest, and Google Scholar for original, peer reviewed research articles, published in English from 2011 to 2022. The seven-step interpretive methodology in meta-ethnography developed by Noblit and Hare (1988) was followed for qualitative synthesis. Results: After assessing 4155 studies for eligibility criteria, 11 peer-reviewed articles were included in this review. The qualitative synthesis of these included articles resulted in four main themes: strong care norms for parents, the moral dilemma of continuing care, uneven care sharing, and the use of formal care services. Conclusions: Caregiving dynamics are changing, both in terms of motivations and approaches to caregiving. Furthermore, there are gender disparities in the distribution of caregiving duties, particularly with women carrying the more signifcant burden of care. The care burden is further exacerbated by the lack of culturally sensitive formal services complementing the care needs of the ageing immigrants and their family caregivers. Therefore, those searching for alternatives to informal care should be met with appropriate health and care services in terms of language, culture, religion, and lifestyle, delivered in a non-judgmental way.publishedVersio

The experience of motivation and adherence to group-based exercise of Norwegians aged 80 and more: a qualitative study

Background: Physical activity is crucial for public health; worldwide, across all age groups, exercise has been recognised as a factor that leads to improved health. However, many people do not engage in regular physical activity and hence miss the opportunity to achieve these significant physical and mental health benefits. With the benefits of exercise in mind, the aim of the present study is to describe the experiences of older people’s motivation for participating in and adhering to a group-based exercise intervention in a local community setting. Methods: A qualitative design was used in which semistructured interviews of three men and four women of an advanced age (81–92) were conducted; the participants described their experiences with their participation in and adherence to a long-term group exercise intervention programme in a community setting. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation and discussed in light of the salutogenetic theory. Results: Four main themes emerged from the data collection: (1) Experience of health challenges: A meaningful starting point; (2) Adherence motivated by increased life-manageability; (3) Comprehensibility through skilled instruction and (4) Social and professional support enhancing motivation. The participants; who had experienced negative changes to their health and function, as well as to their life situation, chose to sign up for the exercise groups and continued to participate throughout the entire intervention. Attending group exercise sessions meant positive changes to physical, mental and social functions enhancing the participants’ motivation to sustain their attendance and leading to positive behavioural changes that were important to their everyday lives. Conclusion: Essential factors for these participants’ decision to sign up for the exercise groups were the following: having important life areas connected to physical activity in their history and having belief in exercise as an effective way to restore function and coping; as well as having current experience of health challenges. Adherence to the group exercise was associated with better coping and the ability to fulfil roles and keep up with important life areas. Support from family, friends and professionals also contributed, both to the process of signing up, and adhering to this longterm intervention. The professionals’ skills and the way the instructor tailored group instruction were emphasized as very important to the participants’ adherence. Understanding of motivational factors for participation in and adherence to, exercise programmes is of great importance to older people, health professionals and society.publishedVersio

HPV-positive hode- og halskreftpasienters erfaringer med endret kropp, intimitet og seksualitet

The aim of this study was to explore how patients with human papilloma virus (HPV)- positive head and neck cancer live with treatment and radiation induced side effects. We investigated how the treatment impacts the patients` experiences of intimacy, sexuality due to the HPV induced diagnosis. This qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured in-dept interviews and a thematic analysis. Eleven patients were included, one year or more after completing radiotherapy. The findings in this study fall into three main themes; 1) Acquiring head and neck cancer – “like an existential earthquake” 2) “Tongue kissing is over!” - Experiences of intimacy, sexuality, and an altered body and 3) Living with an HPV positive diagnosis. Oncology nurses and other health professionals must provide better information about HPV and encourage patients to address issues of intimacy and sexuality. By recognizing the need for information, we can provide better support for the patients in living with the changes after cancer treatment.Hensikten med denne studien var å undersøke hvordan pasienter med Human papilloma virus (HPV)-positiv hode- halskreft lever med behandling og strålingsinduserte bivirkninger. Vi undersøkte hvordan behandlingen påvirker pasientenes erfaringer i tilknytning til intimitet, seksualitet på grunn av HPV-indusert diagnose. Denne kvalitative studien ble utført ved hjelp av halvstrukturerte dybdeintervjuer og tematisk analyse. Elleve pasienter ble inkludert, ett år eller mer etter å ha fullført strålebehandling. Funnene i studien deles inn i tre hovedtemaer; 1) Å få hode- og halskreft oppleves – ‘som et eksistensielt jordskjelv’ 2) Endringer knyttet til kropp, intimitet og seksualitet, og 3) Betydningen av å ha en HPV positiv diagnose. Kreftsykepleiere og annet helsepersonell må gi bedre informasjon om HPV og oppmuntre pasienter til å ta opp spørsmål om intimitet og seksualitet. Ved å erkjenne behovet for informasjon, kan vi bedre støtte pasientene med å mestre endringer etter kreftbehandling

Intergenerational ambivalence among families with a migrant background caring for older relatives

Introduction: Europe's population is aging and becoming more ethnically diverse due to migration. The growing number of aging migrants has raised concerns about their future eldercare arrangements and their implications for both families and formal care services. Many older non-European migrants prefer family care over formal, long-term care facilities. Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the family caregiving arrangements for older Pakistani migrants from the Ahmadiyya community in Norway. Methods: This exploratory qualitative study recruited 19 women between 25 and 62 years of age who were family caregivers for older adults. Semi-structured individual (18) and group interviews (2) were conducted in Urdu and English. Findings: Our analysis reveals four main themes: the need to share caring responsibilities with family, balancing personal relations in managing care, lack of privacy while caregiving, and feelings of inadequacy. Conclusion: While rotational care for older family members offers benefits such as the sharing of responsibilities and more privacy, reliance solely on family care arrangements led to greater ambivalence among family caregivers and provoked doubts about the ability to continue caring for older relatives in the future. Our findings highlight the urgent need to establish modes of collaboration with formal care systems to ensure the support and well-being of both older adults and their family caregivers

Renegotiating formal and informal care while ageing abroad: Older Pakistani women's healthcare access, preferences and expectations in Norway.

This study explores older Pakistani women's preferences and expectations of formal and informal care while ageing in Norway. Our study is based on qualitative interviews with older Pakistani women living in Oslo municipality, Norway. The participants were aged between 48 and 81 years and had been living in Norway for 26 to 46 years. Our analyses resulted in five themes: 1) renegotiating the expectations of informal care in light of the 'nazaam' (or social system and practices) of Norway, 2) fear of being left behind in residential care homes, 3) disloyalty and shame of being cared for by outsiders, 4) perceptions about the quality of formal care and 5) concerns about mixing with other cultures and genders. Our findings point to potential barriers beyond culture that influence older Pakistani women's preferences for, expectations of and access to formal care services. The study further highlights the structural barriers that older Pakistani women perceive and experience in accessing formal care services in a majority society

Female Pakistani carers' views on future formal and informal care for their older relatives in Norway.

BACKGROUND: The aging of Pakistani immigrants in Norway raises questions related to their increased need for care and help from relatives, as well as those concerning what future formal and informal care and healthcare accessibility for older immigrants may look like. The hidden nature of family caregiving means that the circumstances of carers, their views and their dilemmas related to future care are largely invisible. In this study, we explored female Pakistani carers' views of future care and healthcare accessibility for their older relatives in Norway. METHODS: Our data included interviews with family carers between the ages of 23 and 40 years old, living in Oslo, Norway. We recruited ten family carers, out of which eight were daughters and two were daughters-in-law. Interviews were conducted by the first author in Urdu or English and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. RESULTS: Our findings revealed several factors that influenced participants' perceptions about formal and informal caregiving, which can be organised into the following themes: 1) caring for family in Norway as in Pakistan, 2) worries about being 'dropped off' at a care home, 3) concerns about being cared for by outsiders, 4) questions about what other people might say and 5) adhering to society's expectations of a 'good' carer. CONCLUSION: Family carers' traditional views of filial piety do not entirely determine the use of or access to healthcare services of their older relatives. There is a need to develop culturally sensitive healthcare systems so that immigrant families and their carers have more options in choosing care in old age, which in turn will ease their families' care burden. Healthcare professionals and policymakers should not assume that immigrant families will take care of their own older members but should instead secure adequate support for older immigrants and their family carers

Ethnic boundary-making in health care: Experiences of older Pakistani immigrant women in Norway.

Older immigrant women experience several barriers in accessing health care. In this study, we explored how older Pakistani women are met with, and respond to, barriers to health care in Norway, using an ethnic boundary-making and intersectionality approach. Our data included interviews with 23 older Pakistani women and 10 caregivers. We found that ethnic boundaries were constructed in healthcare interactions and were influenced by participants' social positions. At the micro level, the interplay of language barriers and being an immigrant fuelled the making of ethnic boundaries. At the macro level, ethnicised cultural discourse in the public sphere fuelled the making of ethnic boundaries in health care. Having encountered ethnic boundaries in health care, older Pakistani women actively coped through compensatory, de-stigmatising and boundary-modifying strategies

Informasjonsflyt ved overføring av pasienter fra sykehus til kommunale tjenester: Erfaringer fra saksbehandlere ved forvaltningsleddet tildelingskontor (TK)

The aim of this study is to highlight the flow of information in the transfer of patients from the specialist to municipal healthcare services, by interpreting the experiences of employees in the administrative level of TK. The study is based on qualitative interviews with 11 informants. The data analysis is inspired by Granheim and Lundman’s qualitative content analysis.  Three themes were identified; 1. different perspectives in reporting, 2. frustration and control and 3. reciprocity in interaction. The topics are discussed in light of viewpoints such as information quality, consequences of different choices in perspective, reciprocity and recognition. The study finds a clear need for recognition of perspectives, responsibility and competence of TK employees, as well as a desire for formal dialogue around the challenges.Hensikten med denne studien er å belyse informasjonsflyt i overføring av pasient fra spesialisthelsetjenesten til kommunale helsetjenester, gjennom å fortolke erfaringer fra saksbehandlere i forvaltningsnivået TK. Studien er basert på kvalitative intervjuer med 11 informanter. Dataanalysen er inspirert av Granheim og Lundmans kvalitative innholdsanalyse.  Tre temaer ble identifisert; 1. ulike perspektiver i rapportering, 2. frustrasjon og kontroll og 3. gjensidighet i samhandling. Temaene diskuteres i lys av informasjonskvalitet, konsekvenser av ulike perspektivvalg, gjensidighet og anerkjennelse. Studien finner et tydelig behov for anerkjennelse av perspektiv, ansvar og kompetanse hos TK ansatte, samt et ønske om formell dialog rundt utfordringene