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Families

A multigenerational group of people who share a close relationship and generally live in the same household, with one or more parents caring for biological or adopted children, families also include adult children who care for their elderly parents. RAND research on families spans various populations and socioeconomic backgrounds in developed as well as developing countries and addresses such topics as child welfare, fertility, marriage and divorce, and household economic security.

Report

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP): Policy Alignment Between the Department of Defense and the Services

Each military service branch runs its own Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). The authors compare service branch EFMP policy with the overarching Department of Defense (DoD) policy, pointing to areas where each policy may be edited for more consistency.

May 3, 2021
Commentary

Why Couples Sleeping Apart Is Sometimes a Good Thing

Sleep occupies a major part of a couples' shared experience. When we are well-slept we are happier, more empathic, better communicators, and better problem-solvers, all critical building blocks of healthy relationships.

Apr 28, 2021
Journal Article

Association Between Receipt of Emotional Support and Caregivers' Overall Hospice Rating

"Too much emotional support" is not always viewed negatively in consumer ratings of hospice care.

Apr 21, 2021
Commentary

Rescue Plan Help for Family Caregivers Is a First Step

Unpaid caregivers have been a critical part of the functioning U.S. economy, serving as the backbone of the health system, since long before the pandemic started. Adding them to the American Rescue Plan was an important step, but even after the pandemic is over, their financial security will need long-term protection.

Apr 5, 2021
Announcement

$10 Million Gift from Epstein Family Foundation Establishes RAND Veterans Policy Research Institute

The nonprofit RAND Corporation has launched the RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute to generate creative strategies and interventions to address issues facing veterans and military families.

Apr 1, 2021
Commentary

Domestic Violence Support Staff Need More Help

During the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns, European Union states had a 60 percent increase in emergency calls about intimate-partner violence. Amid a protracted second wave that has led to further lockdowns, it may not be too late to provide the funding and legislative changes necessary to ensure domestic violence service providers can offer crucial support.

Mar 15, 2021
Blog

COVID-19 Testing in Schools, Family Caregivers, U.S. Entrepreneurship: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on COVID-19 testing in schools, giving a voice to family caregivers, preparing for daylight saving time, and more.

Mar 12, 2021
Periodical

RAND Review: March-April 2021

The cover story highlights research on improving the police response to homelessness; a second feature focuses on the millions of caregivers who provide support services to chronically ill loved ones but are not integrated into health care teams.

Mar 11, 2021
Essay

Giving Family Caregivers a Voice

One in every five American adults is caring for a loved one in need. Too often, they have to fight to make their voices heard in a health care system that doesn't always see them as the partners in care they can be. More could be done to integrate them into patients' health care teams.

Mar 10, 2021
Commentary

Don't Let 'Springing Forward' Set You Back in Your Relationship

When we're sleep-deprived, we're more irritable, more prone to conflict, our communication skills suffer, and we're less empathic. Here are five tips to help you protect the health of your body and your relationship as you and your partner weather the storm of daylight saving time.

Mar 10, 2021
Journal Article

The Covid-19 Pandemic and Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the EU

This study offers a preliminary overview of the measures undertaken across the EU to support victims of violence during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Mar 9, 2021
Journal Article

The Family Crisis Migration Stress Framework: A Framework to Understand the Mental Health Effects of Crisis Migration on Children and Families Caused by Disasters

We synthesize relevant theories and models of disaster, migration, and family resilience to create a framework to organize the complex processes that occur within families as a result of migration and that affect the mental health of children.

Mar 2, 2021
Commentary

Family Caregivers Are the Health Care Workers That Vaccination Plans Overlook

About 53 million family members and friends provide care to loved ones in the United States, representing a critical element of the long-term care system. The pandemic has made family caregivers front-line workers. They can't be left out of important discussions around vaccination priorities and how to minimize the virus's risk to those with compromised health.

Mar 1, 2021
Multimedia

From Day One: The Importance of Early Learning

RAND researchers Rita Karam and Gail Zellman discuss the importance of early childhood learning. This video features interviews with families and educators in the Middle East who have experienced the positive effects of engaging children in conversations and educational activities at home and in early childhood programs.

Feb 24, 2021
Commentary

The COVID-19 Bed-Spread

Sleep science has traditionally viewed sleep as an individual phenomenon. But how well (or poorly) we sleep is clearly tied to the quality of our closest relationships. COVID-19 has further highlighted the critical importance of both healthy sleep and healthy relationships.

Feb 9, 2021
Report

Home Care Workers Are Essential Yet Undervalued

Home health and personal care aides are socially isolated and at heightened risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journaling is a promising way to give them a voice and reduce stress and anxiety. But policy-level changes are needed to address the issues of low wages and minimal benefits.

Feb 3, 2021
Brochure

Spotlight 2020–2021

Spotlight 2020-2021 features examples of our research that helped to improve people's lives during a turbulent year. It also highlights a selection of research initiatives on the horizon for 2021.

Jan 26, 2021
Journal Article

The Impact of Parental Involvement Laws on the Abortion Rate of Minors

We conduct a comprehensive analysis of the effect of parental involvement laws on the incidence of abortions to minors in the United States.

Jan 26, 2021
Commentary

Helping Mothers Return to Work Is a Gender Equality Issue

Employers and policymakers play a crucial role in ensuring that women are not unnecessarily disadvantaged when they have children. Policies such as access to family leave, job protection, and childcare options can play a large role.

Jan 21, 2021
Report

Australia's Third Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children, Priority Area 2: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and Their Children — Final Report

The authors discuss their evaluation of the Australian government's Third Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children, designed to address family violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Jan 20, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Families

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