Information and communication technology (ICT) can potentially support older adults in making decisions and increase their involvement in decision-making processes. Although the range of technical products has expanded in various areas of society, knowledge is lacking on the influence that ICT has on older adults’ decision-making in everyday situations. Based on the literature, we aimed to provide an overview of the role of ICT in home-dwelling older adults’ decision-making in relation to health, and health and social care services. A scoping review of articles published between 2010 and 2020 was undertaken by searching five electronic databases. Finally, 12 articles using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method designs were included. The articles were published in journals representing biology and medicine, nursing, informatics, and computer science. A majority of the articles were published in the last five years, and most articles came from European countries. The results are presented in three categories: (i) form and function of ICT for decision-making, (ii) perceived value and effect of ICT for decision-making, and (iii) factors influencing ICT use for decision-making. According to our findings, ICT for decision-making in relation to health, and health and social care services was more implicitly described than explicitly described, and we conclude that more research on this topic is needed. Future research should engage older adults and health professionals in developing technology based on their needs. Further, factors that influence older adults’ use of ICT should be evaluated to ensure that it is successfully integrated into their daily lives.

Background: Childhood cancer impacts the family system and has psychosocial consequences for all family members. For the parents, the ill child, and the siblings to be able to adjust to this challenging situation, the whole family needs access to psychosocial support. However, only a few such family interventions in pediatric oncology have been evaluated. The aim of this study was to explore the potential effects of a family-centered intervention, the Family Talk Intervention (FTI), in pediatric oncology from the parents’ perspectives. Methods: A concurrent mixed methods design was used for this study. Data were derived from a pilot study of 26 families recruited from one pediatric oncology center in Sweden. This study focused on questionnaire and interview data from 52 parents. Results: After participation in FTI, the parents felt more satisfied with the conversations within the family about the illness. FTI also contributed to strengthened family togetherness, including more open communication and improved family relations, as described by the parents. Parents further expressed that they felt more empowered in their parenting role following FTI. Conclusions: The findings regarding FTI’s ability to improve family communication and family relations, thus strengthening family togetherness in families with childhood cancer, are promising. This provides motivation for a large-scale study of FTIs in pediatric oncology.

The number of young adults not in employment, education or training has increased globally and socially withdrawn young people have proven difficult to support. Therefore, this study aimed to explore what factors social workers and health care professionals find more successful in supporting socially withdrawn young adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2018 with 13 employees (nine women, four men between 35 and 60 years) from social services and outpatient psychiatric clinics in Sweden. Data were analysed using thematic network analysis. The results revealed that the participants tended to associate the issues of young adults with difficulties related to transition into adulthood and that successful factors to re-engage these young adults were based on an empowerment-oriented perspective. The focus needed to be on the young individual’s strengths and interventions had to be conducted in collaboration with different authorities (e.g. social services, employment agencies and schools). This study shows that a successful intervention to break the isolation of socially withdrawn young adults and meet their complex needs calls for early identification, an integrated and holistic approach, multifaceted interventions and individually tailored and flexible activities.

Background: Children in pediatric oncology report unmet needs related to communication and information about the illness, care involvement, and psychosocial support. Supporting the whole family involves challenges, with a risk that children’s voices are not heard above those of the adults. Article 12 of the UNCRC has been a catalyst in supporting children’s voices and their right to participate in processes that affect them. The aim of this study was to explore how children with cancer and their siblings experienced participation in a family-centered psychosocial support intervention, the Family Talk Intervention (FTI). Methods: Interviews were held with 35 children (ill and siblings) from 26 families in pediatric oncology after having completed the FTI. A combined deductive and inductive qualitative content analysis was undertaken, guided by the Lundy model of child participation. Results: Children’s experiences of being able to express their views, being listened to, and being involved during FTI were mainly positive. This was related to their participation in individual meetings where they could raise their concerns and views, undertake small activities while talking, and have their voices and needs mediated to relevant adults, such as parents and professionals. Conclusions: The findings of this study showed that the FTI for families in pediatric oncology created opportunities to promote child participation. These findings indicate that, by offering children an individual space where they can express themselves freely and supporting them in various ways to do so, the children’s voices and involvement are strengthened.

Introduction: Parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) often need parenting support, but there are few evidence-based programmes adapted to their cognitive needs. Parenting Young Children (PYC), a home-based programme for parents with IDDs, is perceived as beneficial by parents and practitioners, but it is unclear if PYC improves parenting. The purpose of the proposed mixed-methods study is therefore to evaluate the PYC programme for improved parenting in parents with IDDs. Methods and analysis: The quantitative evaluation will have a multi-centre, pretest-posttest study design and include parents with IDDs (children aged 0–9) in need of adapted parenting support. Goal-attainment in parenting skills, parental self-efficacy and child mental health will be measured outcomes. Interviews will be used to explore the perspectives of parents and children on PYC. Ethics and dissemination: Particpation is based on informed consent from parents and guardians of the participating children. Ethical approval was granted by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority.

Background and purpose: The psychosocial needs of migrant families affected by a child’s severe ­illness are extensive. However, few family-centred interventions have been evaluated and even fewer have included families with migrant backgrounds. The aim of this study was, therefore, to explore migrant families’ experiences of participating in a family-centred psychosocial intervention, the Family Talk Intervention (FTI), in a paediatric care setting. Material and methods: In this study, semi-structured interviews were performed with 14 family members (six parents, one ill child, and seven siblings) after participating in FTI. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic network analysis. Results: After participating in FTI, the families experienced that, in their already exposed situation, their family stability had increased as they were supported in dealing with social and financial issues, encouraged to talk openly about difficulties, and thus became closer as a family. Both children and parents described the value of having someone professional, continuously available, to turn to for guidance and information. Interpretation: Migrant families dealing with a child’s severe illness live in an exposed situation, with a double burden of distress related to the child’s illness and socioeconomic factors. By acknowledging the importance of these families’ psychosocial needs, it could be recognised that psychosocial support, such as FTI, not only aids family adjustment but also contributes to reducing this double burden, increasing family stability.