Health & Social Care in the Community最新文献

{"title":"The Scope, Range and Use of Voluntary Sector Specialist Sexual Violence Services in England: Findings and Recommendations From a National Study","authors":"Caroline Bradbury-Jones,&nbsp;Sarah Damery,&nbsp;Kirsten Fruin,&nbsp;Clare Gunby,&nbsp;Jenny Harlock,&nbsp;Lucy Hebberts,&nbsp;Louise Isham,&nbsp;Anne-Marie Jones,&nbsp;Fay Maxted,&nbsp;Amelia Mighty,&nbsp;Priti Parmar,&nbsp;Laura Patterson,&nbsp;Jason Schaub,&nbsp;Fee Scott,&nbsp;Harriet Smailes,&nbsp;Debs Smith,&nbsp;Julie Taylor","doi":"10.1155/hsc/9368961","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/9368961","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Sexual violence is a global problem with significant individual and societal health and social costs. Services that support victim-survivors of sexual violence across a range of sectors are crucial. This study investigated the scope, range, funding and commissioning of voluntary sector specialist (VSS) sexual violence services in England and victim-survivors’ experiences of using such services. The specialist voluntary sector plays a pivotal role in providing crisis and longer-term support to victim-survivors. However, there is limited empirical evidence about the scope, range and use of VSS provision, or what victim-survivors value and want from services. The aim of the study was to address this gap and provide much-needed evidence to inform the VSS sector nationally. This co-produced study included five co-researchers and one co-applicant with lived experience of sexual violence. There were three empirical phases: (1) exploratory interviews with commissioners and service providers and focus groups with victim-survivors; (2) national survey of service providers and commissioners; (3) in-depth case study analysis in four areas of England. The purpose of this paper is to synthesise the findings from each of these phases and map them onto a conceptual model, encompassing six themes: the complex and precarious funding landscape; the challenge of competition for funding and contracts; the role of partnership working; the pressured environments within which VSS services work; the different roles, scope and eligibility of voluntary and statutory services within an area; the ways services are delivered, underpinned by services’ values and philosophies. The study provides new, empirical insights into how these arrangements affect those connected with the services—namely, staff, volunteers and victim-survivors. The paper sets out 14 recommendations for all parties involved in the funding and commissioning of specialist services, including commissioners, grant funders and VSS organisations in England.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/9368961","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consensus Building Using Modified Delphi Panel and Nominal Group Techniques for Social Prescribing Intervention in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus","authors":"Dulce de Fátima Morais de Oliveira,&nbsp;Maria Adriana Pereira Henriques,&nbsp;Paulo Jorge Nogueira,&nbsp;Andreia Jorge Silva da Costa","doi":"10.1155/hsc/6765353","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/6765353","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p><b>Background:</b> Health interventions have been prioritised worldwide to curb the growth and life impact of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Social prescribing (SP), as a complex health intervention, has shown promise in producing positive outcomes. This study aims to establish an expert consensus on a model and SP intervention’s multicomponents to empower self-care and health literacy in T2DM patients.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Methods:</b> A descriptive design using two consensus-building techniques took place between June and September 2023. The modified nominal group technique (NGT) was used to reach a consensus on the SP intervention model with 12 experts, who participated in two online meetings and voted on a scale of 1–9. In addition, a modified Delphi panel with 10 experts in two online rounds to reach a consensus on the intervention’s multicomponents, who rated the categories of the intervention on a Likert scale of 1–5. Consensus was reached when an agreement level ≥ 75% was obtained. The data were analysed via descriptive analysis, and the consensus level was calculated based on the mean, standard deviation and percentage.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Results:</b> Using the modified NGT, the experts reached a 93.52% consensus on the final model flowchart. In the modified Delphi panel’s first round, 27 original interventions were evaluated. In the second round, one was removed because of low agreement, six were revised, and five new ones were added based on participant feedback. A consensus was achieved on 30 interventions across the six categories (cross-cutting intervention components, physical activity, nutrition, medication management, self-monitoring and well-being).</p>\u0000 <p><b>Conclusions:</b> Both consensus techniques ensure that the SP model and these interventions meet the person’s needs and the community it serves. They allow a better understanding of self-care and health literacy strategies, contributing to future health programs and policies for more efficiently managing T2DM.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/6765353","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143497010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Job Demands and Resources in Relation to Nurses’ Health in Home Care: An Integrative Literature Review","authors":"Julia Petersen,&nbsp;Helene Müller,&nbsp;Marlen Melzer","doi":"10.1155/hsc/7605478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/7605478","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Home-care nursing is gaining importance because of the increasing number of people requiring care. Home-care nurses are exposed to high demands, which can have adverse health consequences. This study aimed to conduct an integrative literature review to identify the job characteristics and their relationship with health-related outcomes among home-care nurses. A systematic literature review was conducted using the Cochrane Library, Medline, CINAHL Complete, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, and Psyndex databases. A total of 5510 studies were screened, and the final sample for this integrative review comprised 52 studies. We used a descriptive thematic method to synthesize the data. Our analysis revealed that the most relevant job demands for home-care nurses were work overload, time pressure, fragmented care, sexual harassment and violence, role conflicts and work–family conflicts, and emotional and physical demands. These demands are risk factors for stress; mental, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular diseases; and the intention to leave the profession. Job resources that positively influenced health outcomes were identified as social support, especially reachability during the shift and room for peer exchange; learning and personal development within the home-care service; provision of feasibility equipment; possibilities to participate in organizational decisions; autonomy to schedule their own work; a promoting leadership style; and sufficient payment. To improve home-care nurses’ job characteristics and thus protect their health, interventions should be taken at the political, organizational, and individual levels.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/7605478","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143497009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Developing a Consensus-Based Nature Prescribing Framework for Australian Healthcare: A Delphi Study","authors":"Hope Foley,&nbsp;Eric Brymer,&nbsp;Matthew Leach,&nbsp;Thomas Astell-Burt,&nbsp;Xiaoqi Feng,&nbsp;Helen Clark,&nbsp;Vinathe Sharma-Brymer,&nbsp;James R. Baker","doi":"10.1155/hsc/9529532","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/9529532","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p><b>Background:</b> With growing interest in nature-based interventions for health, establishing implementation frameworks for prescribing nature in diverse settings is crucial. This study aims to develop and validate a nature prescribing framework tailored for the Australian healthcare context, employing a Delphi methodology to harness expert consensus.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Methods:</b> The study utilised a two-round Delphi technique to gather insights from experts across various health and environmental sectors. Participants included healthcare providers, managers and policymakers engaged in or knowledgeable about nature prescribing. The initial framework, which was informed by earlier interviews with parties who prescribe or provide nature-based health interventions, was refined through the Delphi process, aiming for consensus on implementation criteria and associated practices.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Results:</b> Sixteen experts participated in the first Delphi round, with 13 completing the second round. Participants reached consensus on five essential domains of the nature prescribing framework, which included Community: consultation and customisation, Systems: building partnerships and networks, Prescribers: cultivating awareness and capacity, Providing prescriptions: psychosocial foundations and External settings: interfacing social and natural environments. Perceived barriers and enablers to application were considered within the framework, including contextual and environmental factors, awareness and capacity among prescribers and public, and the role of infrastructure support.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Conclusion:</b> The nature prescribing framework offers a structured approach to integrating nature-based activities into health practices, addressing both individual and community health needs. It is adaptable to various Australian settings, promoting broader implementation of nature-based prescriptions. Future research should focus on implementing and evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of the framework in diverse demographic and geographic contexts.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/9529532","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Check-Ups Before School: Accessible, Collaborative and Integrated Health and Education in Early Childhood for Families Experiencing Economic Disadvantage in Australia","authors":"Rebekah Grace,&nbsp;Christine Woodrow,&nbsp;Christine Johnston,&nbsp;Cheryl Ballantyne,&nbsp;Cris Townley,&nbsp;Laura Faraj","doi":"10.1155/hsc/8859999","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/8859999","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Children in families experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage are more likely to start school with unaddressed developmental needs than children who do not experience disadvantage. Participation in well-child checks and developmental screening programs is low in Australian disadvantaged communities. This research explores an integrated approach to addressing this challenge by embedding place-based child and family nurses in early childhood education settings and community centres to facilitate easy access for families to health services. We conducted a mixed methods study, employing focus group, survey, interview and data linkage methods to evaluate a trial of the ‘Check-Ups Before School’ (CUBS) program. Our participants included health and community service providers, early childhood educators, primary school teachers, parents and carers. We found that a child health check, conducted in a safe and familiar environment for the child and their family, can act as a catalyst for wrap-around care and service integration. Such an approach should be place-based, listen to families and provide them with tools and information for agency, where relationships are fundamental to good care and supported by information flow through the family’s ecological environment, particularly in the transition to school. These findings can inform agencies in the design and implementation of integrated health and school readiness initiatives for children in the early years. Also discussed in the paper are policy implications for realising the potential of early childhood services as ‘community hubs’ and sites for integrated health and education, as well as implications for the role of educators as ‘brokers’ in relationships between parents/family members and health professionals.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/8859999","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Australian and UK Perspectives on Social Prescribing Implementation Research: Theory, Measurement, Resourcing and Discovery to Ensure Health Equity","authors":"Genevieve A. Dingle,&nbsp;Christina Aggar,&nbsp;Nikita Arslanovski,&nbsp;Thomas Astell-Burt,&nbsp;J. R. Baker,&nbsp;Ruthanne Baxter,&nbsp;Michelle Bissett,&nbsp;Mhairi Bowe,&nbsp;Eric Brymer,&nbsp;Alexandra Burton,&nbsp;Richard Byng,&nbsp;Julian Elston,&nbsp;Daisy Fancourt,&nbsp;Xiaoqi Feng,&nbsp;Emmanuel Fino,&nbsp;Rosanne Freak-Poli,&nbsp;Lydia Harkin,&nbsp;Daniel Hayes,&nbsp;Emma Hazeldine,&nbsp;Blerina Kellezi,&nbsp;Niamh McNamara,&nbsp;Leah Sharman,&nbsp;Clifford Stevenson,&nbsp;Juliet Wakefield,&nbsp;Katey Warran,&nbsp;Leanne Wells,&nbsp;Laura Wright,&nbsp;Yvonne Zurynski,&nbsp;Kerryn Husk","doi":"10.1155/hsc/2650302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/2650302","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>There has been a rapid increase in the delivery of social prescribing globally in recent years. However, a lack of theoretical framework, the diversity of social prescribing interventions and outcome measures, a lack of ongoing resources to provide services equitably and a lack of coordinated research agenda make it challenging for practitioners to know how best to put social prescribing into practice. This paper summarises perspectives from 29 UK and Australian authors and sets a course for future social prescribing implementation in four key areas: theory, measurement, resourcing and equity, and discovery (big questions on the research agenda). Eight recommendations are made: (1) multilevel or systems theory frameworks should inform programme design and implementation; (2) methods should be developed in collaboration with participants and service providers; (3) a core set of outcome measures should be developed and complemented by framework-specific measures; (4) factors at multiple levels should be included to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the experience and value of social prescribing; (5) funding models should ensure that community sector organisations providing the programmes and services are well supported; (6) social prescribing stakeholders could advocate for equitable funding through dialogue and knowledge translation; (7) future research could focus on understanding barriers and enablers of engagement in social prescribing in marginalised populations; and (8) future research should focus on link workers’ and community workers’ experiences of social prescribing. Emphasising health equity and asset-based community development, our perspective positions social prescribing not merely as a response to individual health needs but as a catalyst for a broader societal transformation.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/2650302","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143481420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Creating a Conducive Zone for Innovation in Children’s Social Care","authors":"Michelle Lefevre,&nbsp;Julie Temperley,&nbsp;Carlie Goldsmith,&nbsp;Martha Hampson","doi":"10.1155/hsc/3599333","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/3599333","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Innovation activity in child and family services has accelerated over the past 2 decades, particularly in England, where substantial government investment in pilots, diffusion activities and evaluations has created an emerging body of literature on effective approaches and characteristics of efficient practice systems. However, the literature on the interplay of enabling or impeding factors and processes at a local and national level tends towards the descriptive, while theorisation of the underlying dynamics remains limited. This paper presents the findings of a framework analysis produced through integrating thematic insights from a narrative review of academic and grey literature with those drawn from interviews with 21 expert informants engaged in social care innovation within the UK within policy, leadership or researcher roles. Analysis enabled five clusters of ‘conditional parameters’ to emerge, covering: mobilisers; system capabilities; design and implementation features; organisational culture, climate and processes; and the macro context. Three or four conditional parameters are identified per category, each outlining factors and processes that could either facilitate an innovation or create barriers that needed to be overcome. To achieve an environment most conducive to innovation, attention needs to be paid to the interplay of these conditions, recognising that their operation and influence might be occurring out of awareness and scrutiny. Innovation is found to be best facilitated by a stable, well-supported workforce that feels energised and confident to create and implement change. This requires developing a supportive, collaborative, relational culture and climate of mutual trust, where reflexive supervisory and evaluatory mechanisms follow the human-centred grain of professional practice and where staff feel safe to experiment and make mistakes. This can enable a conducive zone for innovation to open up, even where policy drivers and the availability of resources are less than optimum.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/3599333","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143423709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Centering Humanizing, Individualized Care Amid Systemic Barriers: A Qualitative Exploration of Provider Approaches to Palliative and End-of-Life Care for Unhoused Adults","authors":"M. Pilar Ingle,&nbsp;Asia Cutforth,&nbsp;Leslie Hasche,&nbsp;Elise K. Matatall","doi":"10.1155/hsc/6631688","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/6631688","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Palliative and end-of-life (PEOL) care offers many benefits to those with life-limiting illness; however, people experiencing homelessness face systemic and social barriers to accessing such care. Healthcare (HC) and social service (SS) providers who work with unhoused individuals have essential roles and insight for how PEOL needs are addressed among this population which may inform opportunities to improve care. This study, therefore, explores Colorado-based HC and SS providers’ approaches working with unhoused individuals with PEOL needs. An exploratory–descriptive qualitative approach was used to conduct semistructured interviews with HC and SS providers in Colorado who provided direct care or services to adults. An iterative thematic analysis approach was used to code and analyze interviews. Seventeen providers were interviewed between June and September 2022, representing settings including hospitalist specialty services, hospice, housing/homeless services, aging services, and community mental health. Amid systemic challenges, including lack of resources and pervasive stigma toward unhoused individuals, providers highlighted person-centered and holistic approaches to care that prioritize building trust and honoring dignity and autonomy. Providers emphasized the importance of organizational commitment to these humanizing approaches while transforming culture surrounding poverty and end-of-life. Further, interviews identified potential solutions to improve PEOL care for individuals experiencing homelessness, including specialized interventions (e.g., mobile palliative care). These findings highlight realistic, humanizing approaches to care providers can incorporate into everyday practice and support the need for specialized PEOL services, policy reform in housing and HC (better housing solutions, hospice reimbursement, etc.), and efforts to address and disrupt homelessness stigma.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/6631688","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143389092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Theoretical Perspectives on Adolescent Internet Addiction: A Comprehensive Literature Review","authors":"Yishan Jin,&nbsp;Shan Jiang","doi":"10.1155/hsc/4875332","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/4875332","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>The increasing reliance on the internet has intensified concerns about internet addiction, especially among adolescents. Previous studies have associated adolescent internet addiction with detrimental psychological conditions and deteriorating social bonds. Nonetheless, a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding the development of adolescent internet addiction remains elusive, impeding the advancement of research focused on creating effective educational and intervention strategies. This study undertakes a systematic review of existing theories and models related to adolescent internet addiction, offering an integrated theoretical framework that aims to elucidate the underlying causes and mechanisms. Our proposed framework seeks to enhance the conceptual foundation for future research, thereby facilitating the development of targeted interventions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/4875332","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143380667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experiences of Empathy-Based Stress Among Care Staff Supporting Children and Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities and/or Autism in Residential and Respite Services: A Qualitative Exploration","authors":"Riona Madden,&nbsp;Laura Coffey","doi":"10.1155/hsc/9828118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/9828118","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p><b>Background:</b> Care staff in the disability sector experience high levels of work-related stress and burnout, which contribute to high staff turnover and limited residential service capacity and affect both staff well-being and the quality of care provided. Little is currently known about the impact that exposure to secondary trauma has on care staff, which could put them at risk of experiencing empathy-based stress. This qualitative study aimed to explore how empathy-based stress is experienced by care staff supporting children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities and/or autism in residential and respite services, and the factors they perceive as contributing towards or protecting them from experiencing empathy-based stress.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Methods:</b> Twelve care staff from four different community-based organisations in Ireland (two residential care and two overnight respite) took part in online semistructured interviews, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Results:</b> Four themes were identified, which had two to three subthemes each: (i) Challenging Periods (exposure to distress and trauma, empathy and feeling powerless), (ii) Organisational Factors (lack of support from management, training and staff cohesion), (iii) Personal Resilience (awareness, focussing on the positives) and (iv) Impact of Empathy-Based Stress (negative work affect, adverse impact on health and well-being).</p>\u0000 <p><b>Conclusion:</b> Staff were exposed to service user distress or trauma, which at times initiated an empathy-based stress process. A build-up of factors, both individual and contextual, led to adverse physical and psychological outcomes and negative work affect. These findings have implications for policy and practice within disability care settings and suggest that interventions at a personal and organisational level and the adoption of a trauma-informed approach may help to reduce empathy-based stress in care staff and improve quality of care for service users.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/9828118","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143248505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}