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A Need for Supportive Structure for Next-of-Kin Caregivers in Botswana

Dahlgren, Leah LU (2012) SIMT19 20121
Master of Science in Social Studies of Gender
Graduate School
Abstract
Abstract
Author: Leah Dahlgren
Title: A Need for Supportive Structures for Next-of-kin Caregivers
SIMV07, Master's Thesis (Two Years) in Social Studies of Gender
Supervisor: Bodil Rasmunsson
Lund University
Department of Social Work
Spring Term 2012
Botswana is one of the countries struggling with the control of HIV/AIDS pandemic. Due to the increase in numbers of sick people weighing financially on the health system, the government has introduced home-based care policy. The policy is characterized by the reliance on family members for the care of people with AIDS-related sicknesses and this care is mostly given by women, adding to an increase in their existing unpaid care work. This thesis explores the experiences of the... (More)
Abstract
Author: Leah Dahlgren
Title: A Need for Supportive Structures for Next-of-kin Caregivers
SIMV07, Master's Thesis (Two Years) in Social Studies of Gender
Supervisor: Bodil Rasmunsson
Lund University
Department of Social Work
Spring Term 2012
Botswana is one of the countries struggling with the control of HIV/AIDS pandemic. Due to the increase in numbers of sick people weighing financially on the health system, the government has introduced home-based care policy. The policy is characterized by the reliance on family members for the care of people with AIDS-related sicknesses and this care is mostly given by women, adding to an increase in their existing unpaid care work. This thesis explores the experiences of the next-of-kin women giving care to people with AIDS-related sicknesses in Botswana under the home-based care policy. The theories applied in the thesis include social role theory to understand the reasons why more women than men are caregivers; the concept of the situated knowledge in feminist standpoints to understand the how the women see their roles as caregivers; and gender perspective connected to poverty and care giving as more women are forced to continue to spend time in unpaid employment. Through the analysis of the interviews, the conclusion is that while the next-of-kin caregivers have to take on the increased burden of giving care for their sick relatives there is lack of supportive structures for both the sick persons and their caregivers to turn to for help. The author shows that the next-of-kin caregivers are unable of taking any kind of employment and therefore continue to live in poverty. The conclusion is even that there is a need for financial support, active support from the health care department and constructive support from the social services aimed at the next-of-kin caregivers in their daily work.

Keywords: Supportive structures, caregivers, home-based care, social roles, poverty, Botswana and feminist standpoints. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Dahlgren, Leah LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMT19 20121
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
poverty, social roles, home-based care, caregivers, Supportive structures, Botswana, feminist standpoints.
language
English
id
3048392
date added to LUP
2012-09-04 16:34:33
date last changed
2012-09-04 16:34:33
@misc{3048392,
  abstract     = {{Abstract
Author: Leah Dahlgren
Title: A Need for Supportive Structures for Next-of-kin Caregivers
SIMV07, Master's Thesis (Two Years) in Social Studies of Gender
Supervisor: Bodil Rasmunsson
Lund University
Department of Social Work
Spring Term 2012
Botswana is one of the countries struggling with the control of HIV/AIDS pandemic. Due to the increase in numbers of sick people weighing financially on the health system, the government has introduced home-based care policy. The policy is characterized by the reliance on family members for the care of people with AIDS-related sicknesses and this care is mostly given by women, adding to an increase in their existing unpaid care work. This thesis explores the experiences of the next-of-kin women giving care to people with AIDS-related sicknesses in Botswana under the home-based care policy. The theories applied in the thesis include social role theory to understand the reasons why more women than men are caregivers; the concept of the situated knowledge in feminist standpoints to understand the how the women see their roles as caregivers; and gender perspective connected to poverty and care giving as more women are forced to continue to spend time in unpaid employment. Through the analysis of the interviews, the conclusion is that while the next-of-kin caregivers have to take on the increased burden of giving care for their sick relatives there is lack of supportive structures for both the sick persons and their caregivers to turn to for help. The author shows that the next-of-kin caregivers are unable of taking any kind of employment and therefore continue to live in poverty. The conclusion is even that there is a need for financial support, active support from the health care department and constructive support from the social services aimed at the next-of-kin caregivers in their daily work. 

Keywords: Supportive structures, caregivers, home-based care, social roles, poverty, Botswana and feminist standpoints.}},
  author       = {{Dahlgren, Leah}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{A Need for Supportive Structure for Next-of-Kin Caregivers in Botswana}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}