Jónína Einarsdóttir

Intrafamilial conflict and emotional well-being: A population based study among Icelandic adolescents

OBJECTIVES During intrafamilial conflicts children are often innocent bystanders, caught in the crossfire. In such situations, they are at increased risk to become directly involved in abusive verbal behavior of the perpetrator, and exposed to being shouted or yelled at, threatened, rejected and even physically abused. The present study has two main objectives: (1) ascertain a national base rate of intrafamilial conflicts and physical violence at home among Icelandic adolescents; and (2) to investigate the association of witnessing and/or having been a part of intrafamilial conflict or physical violence at home with variables that relate to mental health and well-being. METHODS The participants were 3,515 students, 14- and 15-year-old, in the national compulsory school system in Iceland. As a part of the 2003 ESPAD survey, each pupil was asked about experiences of severe verbal arguments and physical violence at home as well as their background, behaviors, and mental health assessed with the use of tested measurement scales such as the Symptom Distress Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. RESULTS About 22% of the participants stated that they had witnessed a severe verbal argument between parents and 34% stated that they had been involved in a severe verbal argument with parents. This rate was slightly higher for girls compared to boys. All together 7% of adolescents had witnessed physical violence at home where an adult was involved and 6% of the participants stated that they had experiences of being involved in physical violence at home where an adult was involved. Witnessing or being involved in severe verbal arguments at home and/or witnessing or being involved in physical violence with an adult was significantly associated with greater levels of depression, anger, and anxiety, and negatively related with self-esteem (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Many adolescents in Iceland witness severe parental verbal arguments or physical violence between adults in their homes and some are directly involved in such acts. It affects their long-term emotional and behavioral development and well-being. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Preventive measures have to be implemented at an early age and should include, but not be limited to, information on disciplining and upbringing of children and the negative impact of intrafamilial conflicts on the long-term health of their children. Due attention should be given to the health and well-being of children where such violence is known to occur.

Happiness in the neonatal intensive care unit: Merits of ethnographic fieldwork

Research has focused on the destructive effects of distress on professionals who work in ethically complex wards such as neonatal intensive units (NICUs). This article examines the accounts of health professionals, including nurses, pediatricians and assistant nurses, of their work at a NICU in Iceland. The aim is to understand how health professionals, who work under stressful conditions in an ethically sensitive ward, can counteract the negative sides of work too such a degree that they experience happiness. The collection of data was based on the ethnographic fieldwork, and the methods used were participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The professionals evaluated their wellbeing in line with conventional definitions of happiness. Working with children and opportunities to help others, engage in social relations and experience professional pride contributed to their happiness at work. Nonetheless, they did not dismiss the difficult experiences, and when confronted with these the professionals negotiated their meanings and the goals and priorities of work. In contrast to the findings of much quantitative and survey-based research, the professionals attributed constructive meanings to stress and argued that the positive experiences at work buffered the negative ones. Research on happiness would benefit from multifaceted methodological and theoretical perspectives. Thanks to its openness to the unforeseen, controversial, contradictory, and ambiguous aspects of human life, ethnography can contribute to happiness research and research on job satisfaction.Research has focused on the destructive effects of distress on professionals who work in ethically complex wards such as neonatal intensive units (NICUs). This article examines the accounts of health professionals, including nurses, pediatricians and assistant nurses, of their work at a NICU in Iceland. The aim is to understand how health professionals, who work under stressful conditions in an ethically sensitive ward, can counteract the negative sides of work too such a degree that they experience happiness. The collection of data was based on the ethnographic fieldwork, and the methods used were participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The professionals evaluated their wellbeing in line with conventional definitions of happiness. Working with children and opportunities to help others, engage in social relations and experience professional pride contributed to their happiness at work. Nonetheless, they did not dismiss the difficult experiences, and when confronted with these the professionals negotiated their meanings and the goals and priorities of work. In contrast to the findings of much quantitative and survey-based research, the professionals attributed constructive meanings to stress and argued that the positive experiences at work buffered the negative ones. Research on happiness would benefit from multifaceted methodological and theoretical perspectives. Thanks to its openness to the unforeseen, controversial, contradictory, and ambiguous aspects of human life, ethnography can contribute to happiness research and research on job satisfaction.

Donor dilemmas in a fragile state: NGO-ization of community healthcare in Guinea-Bissau

ABSTRACT There is increased emphasis on donor engagement in the world’s poorest and most fragile states, but aid modalities tend to differ depending on the recipient countries’ governance. In fragile states, donors often bypass governments and collaborate with non-state development actors (NGOs) to prevent aid capture, improve effective delivery and increase effectiveness. Based on ethnographic fieldwork over 20 months in 2009–2012, the aim of this paper is to explore the role of NGOs in community-based primary healthcare vis-à-vis the Ministry of Health in Guinea-Bissau. Revitalization of Guinea-Bissau’s formerly extensive community healthcare services was initiated in 2010. The Ministry of Health, in charge of its implementation, emphasized ownership, harmonization and alignment that created tension with NGOs. However, as a result of a military coup in 2012, donors bypassed the Ministry and gave NGOs a central role. Through the voices of stakeholders, this paper outlines donors’ dilemmas in a situation of state fragility. They found NGO-ization reasonable to protect funds and secure implementation while some worried that it might counteract alignment, harmonization, ownership and sustainability. The paper argues that aid to the health sector in fragile states needs to be long-term and predictable.

Iceland and development aid in the era of the MDGs: a case study of an Alma Ata inspired primary healthcare project in southern Malawi

ABSTRACT The monitoring of relevant health indicators is important in the examination of work that aims to improve health, not only globally, as for example, through the Millennium Development Goals 2000–2015, but also at the national, regional and/or sectoral, level. During the period 2000–2011, the Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA) supported the strengthening of the primary healthcare system in the Monkey Bay area of Mangochi District, Malawi. Based on data collected through several evaluative approaches and the use of commonly used health indicators, we explore the overall performance and constraints of the services provided by ICEIDA during project implementation. Structural and diverse process indicators provided evidence that access to governmental services improved during the project period. The population expressed satisfaction with the ongoing improvement of the healthcare services they felt were of good value and quality. During the MDG era, Malawi succeeded in decreasing the under-5 mortality rate by 2/3 (MDG4 target), and maternal mortality by 66% by implementing evidence based interventions similar to those ICEIDA supported in the Monkey Bay area. Albeit small, ICEIDAs support was a relevant, effective, and efficient approach to strengthen primary healthcare services in the Monkey Bay area, resulting in tangible and sustainable benefits for the Monkey Bay communities, that may also be applicable in other settings.

Review shows that Icelandic society is taking firmer steps to tackle the diverse forms of child abuse and neglect that its children are exposed to

This review examined and summarised the research published on child abuse in Iceland, which was mainly in the countrys native language, to make the findings more accessible to English speakers. It specifically focused on child rearing and the physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect and intrafamilial conflicts suffered by children at the hands of their parents and other carers.

Becoming somebody: Bissau-Guinean talibés in Senegal

Parents of trafficked children are mostly ignored or represented in mass media and reports published by international institution and NGOs as desperately poor, ignorant or indifferent. This article gives voice to Bissau-Guinean Fula parents who are descendants of former slaves aiming to raise their social status by sending sons to Quran schools in Senegal. No parent argued they did so because of poverty. Concerned with discrimination, they sent their favourite son abroad hoping he would ‘become somebody’. At the same time, parents mentioned the importance of religious commitment, piety and serving Allah. To their outrage, global institutions and NGOs classify the practice of sending boys to Quran schools in Senegal as child trafficking. Anti-trafficking activities are ongoing, including repatriation of boys from Senegal, something seen as degrading and criminalising. Repatriation of their chosen son is seen as the worst outcome and proof of discrimination. Nonetheless, the parents are resistant and continue to send their sons to Senegal to seek knowledge and ‘fight ignorance’ through religious education.

Iceland’s Involvement in the Anti-Apartheid Struggle

The transnational anti-apartheid movement was heavily motivated by the postwar emphasis on human rights and decolonisation, and challenged by Cold War politics and economic interests. The aim of this article is to examine Iceland’s involvement in the anti-apartheid struggles with focus on the establishment of the unified anti-apartheid movement SAGA (Suður-Afrikusamtokin gegn apartheid), its organisation and activities. What were the motives of SAGA’s activists and their subjective experiences? The political background in Iceland is outlined as well as a historical overview of anti-apartheid activities including Iceland’s voting on resolutions against apartheid at UN and adoptions of sanctions against the South African regime. Iceland’s involvement in the antiapartheid struggle was contradictory. During two periods Iceland voted for more radical UN resolutions than did other Western countries, including the Nordic ones. Yet, Iceland adopted sanctions against the South African regime later than the neighbours and the same applies to the establishment of a unified anti-apartheid movement. The branding of the African National Congress (ANC) as communists allowed many to ignore the human right breaches of the South African regime. Most of the activists belonged to left-wing groups or the labour movement, and the relative absence of religious organisations and the Students’ Council of the University of Iceland is notable. Embedded in the transnational anti-apartheid network with particular ways of organisation and mobilisation, the activists became emotionally engaged and worked for a moral cause.

‘Vulnerable’ girls, education and non-governmental organisation sponsorship programmes in Kampala:

Many non-governmental organisations exclusively sponsor education of ‘vulnerable’ girls who are seen as poor, oppressed and sexually abused. Based on fieldwork conducted in Kampala, Uganda, in 2012, we explore the views of sponsored girls, non-governmental organisation staff and educators on ‘vulnerability’ and scholarship programmes. Educators and non-governmental organisation staff agreed the sponsored girls were at risk of having relationships with ‘sugar daddies’ and becoming pregnant. Although the girls acknowledged their lives had been tough, they did not see themselves as ‘vulnerable’. While western representations of Third World women identified by Mohanty mostly apply for ‘vulnerable’ girls, the sponsorship programmes might change the girls’ self-image.

Seasonal rural residence of Icelandic children

Research that focuses on children who migrate without a parent or legal guardian is most often carried out in low-income countries. Such migration is increasingly associated with child trafficking. In this article the Icelandic custom to send children to the country during the summer months in the last century will be examined. It is based on secondary documents such as journals, magazines, documents and reports from child protection authorities. The Icelandic population shared the opinion that seasonal rural residence for urban children was beneficial for the nation, the family and the child. In the country, the children would enjoy unspoiled nature, clean mountain air and nutritious food. In addition, they would learn to attend animals and proper work. Individuals, associations, charities and child protection authorities collaborated in an effort to organise rural residence for children during the summer months, either at farms or particular summer camps. Rural residence was considered to be particularly important for delinquent children, but also those who suffered from poverty, irresponsible parental behaviour and poor health. Data is lacking on the number of children sent to the country and their experiences however it is known to have varied greatly. Likewise, little is known about the considerations of the farmers who hosted the children and the children’s parents. This custom is typically per definition child migration without a parent or legal guardian. Care should be taken not to classify such customs routinely as child trafficking wherever they are practiced.