Browsing by Author "Lai, Daniel W. L."

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    Employment Adjustment and Mental Health of Employed Family Caregivers in Canada
    (2019-01-04) Li, Lun; Lee, Yeonjung; Walsh, Christine Ann; Lai, Daniel W. L.
    In Canada, with the population aging, the need of family caregiving to older adults is increasing. Family caregivers make employment adjustment in order to fulfil caregiving responsibility. However, the studies on the family caregivers’ mental health outcomes associated with employment adjustment are limited. Based on the role theory and stress process model, the current study examined the relationship between employment adjustment and mental health outcomes among family caregivers, and also tested the functions of family-to-work role conflict and workplace support in this relationship. Data were drawn from the 2012 Canada General Social Survey Cycle 26: Caregiving and Care Receiving, which provided a sample of 1,696 employed family caregivers. Hierarchical linear regression and conditional process analysis were used to examine the relationship among employment adjustment, mental health, family-to-work role conflict, and workplace support. The analysis results revealed that employment adjustment is significantly associated with negative mental health outcomes, including worse self-rated mental health, more psychological symptoms, and higher life and caregiving stress level. In addition, the mediating effect of family-to-work role conflict was confirmed, such that family-to-work role conflict mediates the association between employment adjustment and mental health outcomes. Furthermore, the moderating effect of workplace support was identified in the relationship between employment adjustment and family-to-work role conflict. Despite some limitations, current study contributes to the existing body of literature on the mental health outcomes of family caregivers by examining the function of employment adjustment, family-to-work role conflict and workplace support at the same time. The study results also call for greater attention to provide caregiver-friendly workplace support to family caregivers.
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    Social Exclusion and Health Among Older Chinese in Shanghai: From the Social Determinants of Health Perspective
    (2013-09-25) Tong, Hongmei; Lai, Daniel W. L.
    China is experiencing dramatic socio-economic transitions, in which older adults are facing increasing challenges related to social exclusion. Several gaps in the study of social exclusion remain: (a) limited knowledge about social exclusion in older age; (b) existing research on social exclusion and older adults is limited to Western countries, with little known about social exclusion experienced by older adults in Asia countries; (c) knowledge on the relationship between social exclusion and health status of older adults is scant. By adopting a social exclusion framework, this study examined the characteristics of social exclusion and its relationship to the health status of older Chinese in Shanghai, China. Chinese citizens aged 60 years and older were identified through a multistage sampling procedure from three communities in Shanghai and completed a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. Social exclusion was represented by the variables related to six domains: material resources, housing conditions, social relations, civic activities, basic services, and neighbourhood. Health status was measured by four health variables including number of chronic illnesses, self-rated general health, depression, and life satisfaction. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were used. This study showed that the proportion of older adults reporting exclusion in the six domains ranges from 12% to 45%. Over a third (39%) of the respondents reported experiencing multiple exclusions. Being older, having a lower level of education, a lower level of self-perceived financial adequacy, living in the Jing An District, not being a member of the Communist Party, and living in poverty for a longer period of time were the most important factors that were significantly associated with one or more dimensions of social exclusion. The relationship between social exclusion and health status varied according to type of social iii exclusion and health variables. Multiple exclusions were significantly related to a higher number of chronic illnesses, depression, and unfavourable life satisfaction. Despite some limitations, this study is an important addition to the literature on social exclusion in older adults and social determinants of health. This study calls for greater attention to social exclusion and its relationship on the health of older Chinese adults.