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People with dementia are living longer in the community and reliance on informal caregivers is increasing. Few studies have focused on the experiences of adult-daughter caregivers (daughter caregivers), who may have increased risk of depression and lack of support compared with spousal caregivers. We aimed to explore the experiences of accessing and receiving formal and informal support among daughter caregivers of people living with dementia in Sweden. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 daughter caregivers. A topic guide was used to explore experiences of accessing and receiving formal and informal support in their caregiving role. We analyzed the interviews using reflexive thematic analysis. We generated two themes: Types of support, and Mismatched support. The first theme, with subthemes Sharing experiences, Professional support, and Getting some relief, captured the caregiver support context with different types of support accessed and received by daughter caregivers, with peer support and informational support identified as important components of caregiver support. The second theme, with subthemes Lack of tailoring to daughter caregivers’ needs and Difficulties navigating support, captured how daughter caregivers perceived existing support to be inadequate to meet their specific needs and the complex structure of available support limited their opportunities to access support. Daughter caregivers experience a mismatch between the type of support accessed and received and their specific support needs. Support better tailored to the needs and situation of daughter caregivers of people with dementia in Sweden is required. The potential of utilizing peer support for caregivers warrants further research.

Purpose: Up to 40 % of parents of children with cancer experience relationship distress; a significantly higher proportion compared to the general population. Despite this elevated risk, there are few in-depth qualitative studies investigating relationship distress in the paediatric oncology context. Therefore, this study aimed to explore how parents of children with cancer experience relationship distress to thereby generate an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon.

Method: A sample of 25 parents (17 mothers, 8 fathers) who had experienced relationship distress related to their child's cancer participated in semi-structured interviews exploring relationship dynamics, communication, conflict management, and relational changes following the child's diagnosis. The interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using inductive content analysis.

Results: Three categories and nine subcategories were identified. In addition to these, one overarching theme emerged. The first category 'Pressure on the relationship', illustrated factors that placed strain on the couple relationship. The second category 'When unity fails' included parents' experiences of challenges in dealing with the situation together as a couple. The third category 'Fractured togetherness' highlighted relationship deterioration as a result of the cancer experience. The theme 'Fighting together, yet drifting apart' linked the categories by illustrating the process of experiencing joint hardships, of trying to manage these together, but ending up with a wounded relationship.

Conclusion: This study contributes with an in-depth understanding of relationship distress in parents of children with cancer. Thereby, it can contribute to the development of currently limited interventions to support parents' couple relationships in paediatric oncology care.

I den här litteraturöversikten visas att hbtqi-personer möter specifika hinder för att identifiera sig som, och bli sedda som, utsatta för våld i nära relationer. Detta påverkar hjälpsökande och utformningen av samhällets stöd. Några av hindren är kopplade till föreställningar om vad våld är, vilket gör det svårt för många att se sig som våldsutsatta. Dessutom saknas en samhällelig berättelse om våld i hbtqi-relationer. Ytterligare ett hinder är antagandet att kvinnor inte kan vara våldsamma och att män inte kan vara offer. Transpersoner och bi- och homosexuella män möter specifika svårigheter, både när det gäller att söka stöd och att få ett bemötande där våldet synliggörs, bekräftas och hanteras. 

Background

Sexual violence is a critical and preventable global threat to public health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender equality. Studies have shown that sexual violence among young people in Sweden is prevalent, with lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals facing greater exposure than their heterosexual peers do. Research has also indicated that nonbinary youth report high levels of sexual violence. However, population-based studies in Sweden on sexual violence across gender identities and sexual orientations among those aged 16 to 29 years remain limited.

Aim

This study aims to investigate the lifetime prevalence of forced penetration, physical assault during sex, online sexual abuse and nonconsensual sharing of sexual content and their associations with gender identities and sexual orientations among young people in Sweden. This study also aims to examine the categories of perpetrators of sexual violence reported by young people.

Methods

A population-based, cross-sectional survey using stratified random sampling (response rate = 23.7%) yielded a sample of 9,430 respondents. The survey data were complemented with national register data from Statistics Sweden. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses.

Results

Young women and nonbinary individuals reported higher levels of all four types of violence compared to young men, with the categories of perpetrators differing by type of violence. Compared to heterosexual men, bisexual and heterosexual women were more likely to experience the four types of sexual violence. Additionally, lesbian women, along with gay and bisexual men, faced higher odds of exposure to three types of violence compared to heterosexual men. Our results indicate that, compared to nearly all groups, bisexual women are particularly vulnerable, showing the highest prevalence of all forms of sexual violence.

Conclusions

In summary, our study reveals inequities in lifetime exposure to four types of sexual violence across gender identities and sexual orientations, revealing insights into the vulnerability of bisexual, lesbian, and heterosexual women, gay and bisexual men, as well as nonbinary individuals. To eliminate sexual violence in Sweden, measures involving stakeholders at all levels are needed, focusing on tailored prevention efforts and inclusive policies that address the vulnerabilities of these groups while promoting equity for all young people.

Background Parents given a diagnosis of cancer must balance the demands of their illness and caregiving responsibilities. This can result in parental stress and have a negative impact on the well-being of the whole family. A greater understanding of the experiences of parents with cancer is necessary to provide adequate support.

Objective The aim of this study was to explore parenting concerns and challenges among parents with cancer who were caring for dependent children younger than 18 years.

Methods Semistructured interviews were carried out with 22 parents with cancer. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results Parental concerns and challenges affected parents in their parental role and their everyday family life. Three overarching themes described the struggles in balancing life as a parent and as a patient: navigating dual roles as a parent with cancer, impact of cancer on parenting, and impact on family life. Parents’ primary focus was on their children’s well-being, and they struggled to manage their own expectations of parenting and the demands on their role in the family.

Conclusion The results highlight the complexity of being a parent with cancer while caring for dependent children. To support parents during the cancer journey, it is important to understand the consequences of their illness on their parental role and the family.

Implications for Practice Supporting parents to feel secure in their parental role and providing support to them during their cancer journey should be integrated into routine cancer care, where parenting concerns and challenges are addressed.

Background

Menstrual health is a recognised important public health issue and is essential for the realisation of gender equality and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. This study aimed to explore the menstrual health experiences of young people in Sweden and how the menstrual cycle affects their health and lives. The study also aimed to identify the facilitators and barriers to achieving menstrual health.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study in Sweden. Sixteen young people aged 18–28 who have experienced the menstrual cycle participated in individual interviews. Purposeful sampling combined with snowball sampling was applied to recruit the participants. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Participants viewed menstruation as a sign of having a healthy and functioning body. Menstruation was linked to becoming a woman and fostered a sense of community and sisterhood, which was viewed as positive among cis women. Further, the results showed that physical and emotional symptoms related to the menstrual cycle limited the participants’ everyday lives and social relationships and had a negative effect on their sexual and mental health. While managing their emotional discomfort and other menstrual complaints, they also had to deal with the public stigma and norms about menstruation contributing to shame and worries. Barriers to menstrual health included stigma and norms related to menstruation, which led to the adoption of expected behaviours, such as avoiding participation in social activities. The normalisation of menstrual complaints also contributed to delays in seeking healthcare, despite having symptoms that had a negative effect on their health. An important factor promoting menstrual health and quality of life is access to prompt treatment to mitigate and decrease symptoms that limit everyday life.

Conclusions

The results indicate that menstrual stigma and related norms create challenging situations limiting menstruating people’s everyday lives and reluctance to seek healthcare despite needing to. To promote the menstrual health of menstruating young people in Sweden, organised and systematic screening of menstrual cycle-related symptoms should be provided within student health services at schools and universities, and primary healthcare. Policymakers should consider integrating stigma-reducing efforts into public health interventions to improve general awareness and promote gender equality.

Background and purpose: As many as one in four adults with cancer have children under 18 years. Balancing parenting and cancer is challenging and can be a source of psychological distress. This study aimed to examine psychological distress in parents with cancer and its associations with parenting concerns, self -efficacy, and emotion regulation.

Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study of 406 parents (aged 25-60 years) diagnosed with cancer within the last 5 years, with at least one dependent child (<= 18 years). Parents completed questionnaires on psychological distress (DASS-21), parenting concerns (PCQ), self -efficacy (GSE), emotion regulation (ERQ), mental and physical health, and sociodemographics. Data were analysed using multiple logistic regressions on depression (yes/no), anxiety (yes/no), and stress (yes/no).

Results: Higher parenting concerns were associated with greater odds of depression (OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.64-3.31), anxiety (OR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.64-3.20), and stress (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 2.20-4.69) when adjusting for health and sociodemographic factors. Poorer self -efficacy was associated with increased odds of anxiety (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-0.99, p < 0.05), whereas lower use of cognitive reappraisal and higher use of expressive suppression increased the odds of depression (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.59-0.98 | OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.18-1.80).

Interpretation: The findings highlight the complexity of parental well-being in relation to parenthood and cancer, stressing the need for interventions that address relevant psychological factors to improve overall mental health in this population.

In zombie films and TV series, survivors' roles are often shaped by societal norms related to gender, sexuality, age, and ethnicity. While the white heterosexual male has traditionally been the archetypal hero and survivor, recent portrayals have challenged this dominant narrative. This chapter conducts an oppositional cultural analysis of norm-breaking zombie films, examining how new types of survivors are constructed in relation to gender, age, and race. Women of various ages and sexual orientations, and particularly girls, are emerging as significant figures in these narratives. The figure of the girl is especially striking in recent zombie films exemplified by figures like the black zombie-human Melanie in the film The girl with all the gifts and the aboriginal girl Thoomi in the film Cargo. Both Thoomi and Melanie deviate from the ideal white feminine girl, through both their actions and the racialisation of them. They break norms, and in so doing open up a space for freedom of action in a situation that is otherwise challenging. The position of girl in popular culture can be described as a way of being, something that does not necessarily mean that one is a girl based on biological sex and age. The image of the girl is a way to think about how to shape a brighter future. 

Kapitlet utmanar normer för hur sexuella praktiker förväntas genomföras och med vilka organ. Genom att diskutera hur kroppens ytor, sinnen och funktioner kan användas sexuellt på olika sätt öppnas möjlighteter för utforskandet av sexualiteten. Inspirerad bland annat av Deleuze och Guttaris filosofi om bodies without organs (BwO) diskuteras olika sätt att arrangera, upptäcka och njuta av den sinnliga och sexuella kroppen, såväl med som utan andra kroppar och annan materia.