Suchergebnisse

Voluntary action has invaded the Italian social scene. In the last fifteen years the phenomenon has gone through remarkable changes not only in the quantity of volunteer groups but also in the sectors of action, the organizational structures, and the actors involved. After tracing the major features of the Italian welfare scene, this paper summarizes the main characteristics of Italian voluntary action, pay ing particular attention to the growth that occurred and to the "new" forms of commitment that have emerged. The necessity t) move toward microlevel research projects is then examined in order to see how voluntary action and partnerships with public agencies are con structed. Relationships with statutory bodies are then analyzed, and their main feature is discussed, that is, the contradiction between what groups actually propose (different meanings and alternative ways of responding to social needs) and what they are considered and valued for. The final part of the paper is an attempt to avoid an umpteenth discussion of the roles played by the voluntary sector in the welfare scene. A key for conceptualizing relationships with public agencies is proposed, a key capable of distinguishing ideology and structure without separating them.

While healthcare systems have contributed to significant improvements in health in Europe, access to healthcare remains uneven across countries and social groups, according to socioeconomic status, place of residence, ethnic group, and gender. Gender plays a specific role both in the incidence and prevalence of specific pathologies and also in their treatment and impact in terms of well-being and recovery. This is due to the interrelations between sexrelated biological differences and socioeconomic and cultural factors which affect the behaviour of women and men and their access to services. This comparative report presents the main differences in the health status of women and men in European countries and examines how healthcare and long-term care systems respond to the specific needs of women and men in ensuring equal access. It considers the main financial, cultural and physical barriers to access and provides good practice examples of healthcare promotion, prevention and general treatment programmes, as well as of long-term care. The information in this report is mainly provided by the national experts of the EGGSI network of experts in gender equality, social inclusion, healthcare and longterm care and covers 30 European countries (EU-27 and EEA/EFTA)( 1 ). Available comparative statistical data from Eurostat and OECD sources have also been considered. ; peer-reviewed