Although lifetime employment was once commonplace, the situation has changed dramatically over the last century. The group of precarious workers has increased, and with it, the size of the precariat. Although there is a body of research on how precarious workers perceive the effect of their precarity on their social, psychological, and economic well-being, there is no research on the needs of precarious workers. In this article, we report the findings of an exploratory study about precarious worker’s needs. The findings show that the precariat has a diversity of needs, ranging from the need for a higher income to the need for a change in the discourse on self-reliance. Most of the needs are targeted toward the government and are not only related to labor. This is, however, contradictory to the ideology of downsizing the welfare state, in which governments focus on creating more temporary or steppingstone jobs. The needs show that the measures orientated toward the labor market are insufficient because they meet only a marginal part of the needs of the precariat.
Although lifetime employment was once commonplace, the situation has changed dramatically over the last century. The group of precarious workers has increased, and with it, the size of the precariat. Although there is a body of research on how precarious workers perceive the effect of their precarity on their social, psychological, and economic well-being, there is no research on the needs of precarious workers. In this article, we report the findings of an exploratory study about precarious worker’s needs. The findings show that the precariat has a diversity of needs, ranging from the need for a higher income to the need for a change in the discourse on self-reliance. Most of the needs are targeted toward the government and are not only related to labor. This is, however, contradictory to the ideology of downsizing the welfare state, in which governments focus on creating more temporary or steppingstone jobs. The needs show that the measures orientated toward the labor market are insufficient because they meet only a marginal part of the needs of the precariat.
ObjectiveTo obtain insights into parents' information needs during the first year at home with their very preterm (VP) born infant.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with parents of VP infants participating in a post-discharge responsive parenting intervention (TOP program). Online interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic analysis was performed by two independent coders.ResultsTen participants were interviewed and had various and changing information needs during the developmental trajectory of their infant. Three main themes emerged; (1) Help me understand and cope, (2) Be fully responsible for my baby, and (3) Teach me to do it myself. Available and used sources, such as the Internet, did not meet their information needs. Participants preferred their available and knowledgeable healthcare professionals for reassurance, tailored information, and practical guidance.ConclusionThis study identified parents' information needs during the first year at home with their VP infant and uncovered underlying re-appearing needs to gain confidence in child-caring abilities and autonomy in decision-making about their infants' care.InnovationThis study provides valuable information for healthcare professionals and eHealth developers to support parental self-efficacy during the first year after preterm birth.
