Objective: This study examines the gender of home-based caregivers for people affected by lymphatic filariasis (LF) lymphoedema.
Methods: In total, 69 LF lymphoedema cases in Malawi were questioned about the assistance they received with a focus on the gender of the caregiver and the type of support provided.
Results: Of the 35 cases who required daily assistance, 27 indicated the gender of the caregiver, of which 20 were female (74.1%), and most commonly daughters, sisters or school-aged girls. This care was usually only provided during episodes of painful disabling acute-dermatolymphangioadenitis (ADLA) attacks. The males who provided care were most commonly husbands.
Conclusion: The role of female caregivers is ‘unseen’ and this has considerable domestic, educational and economic implications. This gender imbalance also poses barriers to Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Target 5.4 that aims to recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work.
BT - Frontiers in women's health DO - 10.15761/FWH10.15761/FWH.1000126 IS - 2 J2 - Front Womens Health LA - eng N2 -Objective: This study examines the gender of home-based caregivers for people affected by lymphatic filariasis (LF) lymphoedema.
Methods: In total, 69 LF lymphoedema cases in Malawi were questioned about the assistance they received with a focus on the gender of the caregiver and the type of support provided.
Results: Of the 35 cases who required daily assistance, 27 indicated the gender of the caregiver, of which 20 were female (74.1%), and most commonly daughters, sisters or school-aged girls. This care was usually only provided during episodes of painful disabling acute-dermatolymphangioadenitis (ADLA) attacks. The males who provided care were most commonly husbands.
Conclusion: The role of female caregivers is ‘unseen’ and this has considerable domestic, educational and economic implications. This gender imbalance also poses barriers to Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Target 5.4 that aims to recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work.
PY - 2017 SP - 1 EP - 3 T2 - Frontiers in women's health TI - “Unseen” Caregivers: The disproportionate gender balance and role of females in the home-based care of lymphatic filariasis patients in Malawi. UR - https://oatext.com/pdf/FWH-2-126.pdf VL - 2 SN - 2398-2799 ER -