'This Isn’t Just about Things, It’s about People and Their Future': A Qualitative Analysis of the Working Conditions and Strains of Social Workers in Refugee and Homeless Aid
Autor: | Stefanie Mache, Janika Mette, Volker Harth, Albert Nienhaus, Tanja Wirth, Zita Schillmöller |
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Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2019 |
Předmět: |
homeless
Adult Male Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis Refugee Emotions lcsh:Medicine Social Workers Burnout Occupational safety and health Article 03 medical and health sciences Social support 0302 clinical medicine Humans 030212 general & internal medicine Burnout Professional Qualitative Research Refugees Social work job demands and resources business.industry social work lcsh:R fungi Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health food and beverages Social Support Public relations Middle Aged 030210 environmental & occupational health Health promotion Work (electrical) occupational health Ill-Housed Persons Female business Psychology Qualitative research |
Zdroj: | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Volume 16 Issue 20 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 16, Iss 20, p 3858 (2019) |
ISSN: | 1660-4601 1661-7827 |
Popis: | Large parts of Europe have been affected by an influx of refugees and increasing homelessness in recent years. Social workers provide care services for refugees and homeless people, but little is known about their working conditions. The aim of this study was to examine their job demands, resources and health strains. 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted with social workers in refugee and homeless aid in Hamburg and Berlin between October and December 2017. The interviews were analysed following Mayring&rsquo s qualitative content analysis. Additionally, the job demands and resources of social workers with and without long-term psychological strain were compared. Respondents particularly experienced demands concerning their job content and work organisation, including emotional and quantitative demands. Appreciation expressed by clients and social support from the team served as key resources. Respondents had problems switching off from work, were exhausted and exhibited signs of long-term psychological strain, such as symptoms of burnout or depressive states. Workers reporting long-term psychological strain were more likely to consider themselves as being adversely constrained by legal requirements and to describe inadequate supervision offers and team conflicts. In conclusion, the results indicate the need for job-specific health promotion measures reducing particularly demands concerning social workers&rsquo job content and work organisation and further strengthening their social support. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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