Objective To explore the extent and manner of patient participation in the planning of regional supportive care networks throughout the province of Ontario. We consider the disconnect between the rhetoric and reality of patient involvement in network planning and co-ordination. ContextIn 1997, the Province of Ontario, Canada, established a new, regionalized cancer care system. By transferring responsibility to the regional level and to networks, the architects of the new provincial system hoped to broaden participation in decision making and to enhance the responsiveness of decisions to communities.Research approach Through a qualitative, multiple case study approach we evaluated the processes of involving patients in network development. In-depth, semi-structured interviews and document analysis were complemented by observations of provincial meetings, regional council and network meetings.Results The network development processes in the three case study regions reveal a significant gap between intentions to involve patients in health planning and their actual involvement. This gap can be explained by: (i) a lack of clear direction regarding networks and patient participation in these networks; (ii) the dominance of regional cancer centres in network planning activities; and, (iii) the emergence of competing provincial priorities.Discussion These three trends expose the complexity of the notion of public participation and how it is embedded in social and political contexts. The failed attempt at involving patients in health planning efforts is the result of benign neglect of public participation intents and the social and political contexts in which public and patient participation is meant to occur.
Dual‐earner couples are romantically involved (either married or unmarried) and each contribute to the financial support of their household through their work outside the home. The presence of dual‐earner couples has increased over the last 40 years, as there has been a shift away from the traditional male breadwinner and female homemaker family type. The breadwinner‐homemaker model waned in prevalence as women entered the workforce in large numbers, especially after the 1950s. For example, in 1976, 31 percent of women with infants under 1 year old worked outside the home; by 2002, 54.6 percent did so (US Census Bureau 2002). These figures are significantly higher for women with school‐aged children and women who are not parents. The influx of women into the workplace occurred for a number of reasons, including more equal access to education and occupations, greater demand for workers in the service sector of the economy, and social changes brought on by the women's movement. As a result, an increasing number of women provide significant financial support to their families (Gornick & Meyers 2003).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.