"Thinking about the future, what's gonna happen?"—How young people in Sweden who neither work nor study perceive life experiences in relation to health and well-being. Issue 1 (1st January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lögdberg, Ulrika; Nilsson, Bo; Kostenius, Catrine
• Is Part Of: International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being. Volume 13:Issue 1(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-01-01
• Subjects: Health -- health promotion -- NEET -- social exclusion -- inclusion -- qualitative study -- well-being -- young people; Qualitative research -- Periodicals; Health -- Research -- Methodology -- Periodicals; 362.1072
• DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2017.1422662
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-2623

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore how young people in Sweden who neither work nor study perceive life experiences in relation to health and well-being. Methods: A task-based interview technique was used and data was analysed with qualitative content analysis. Interviews were conducted with 16 participants aged 16-20 who were unemployed and not eligible for upper secondary school, or who had dropped out of school. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis illustrating how the young people perceive their life experiences in relation to health and well-being: Struggling with hardships in the absence of caring connections, Feeling good when closely connected to others, and Being forced to question what has been taken for granted . Each theme consists of 2-3 subthemes. Conclusion: Based on the young people's narrated experiences health can be understood as: something that is created in relation to others and in relation to the social and cultural context; as something dynamic and changeable; as the ability to adapt and respond to challenges; and finally as something existing on a collective as well as an individual level. Implications for school, social services and health promotion initiatives are discussed, with an emphasis on working with young people.