Parents' experiences and satisfaction with their child's compulsory school are affected by several factors. Some, such as parents' education and marital status, are social factors, while others are school factors that local leaders and school personnel can address. Findings build on data from an online questionnaire to parents in 20 compulsory schools in Iceland (n = 2129). Factor analysis generated two factors: communication and teaching. These, together with a question on parents' overall satisfaction with the school, were used as outcome variables in a regression analysis exploring what influences parents' satisfaction with the school. The majority of parents were satisfied, which may make it is easy to overlook those who are dissatisfied. Parents who felt that their children had special needs that were not acknowledged in school were more likely to be dissatisfied than other parents. Educational background was also influential. Single mothers were overrepresented in the group of unsatisfied parents; they experienced more difficulties in communicating with school personnel, believed less in the possibility for parents to influence the school, and more frequently experienced that their child's need for special support was not met in school. The findings imply that equity in Icelandic schools is disputable.

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ObjectiveTo study the self-reported prevalence of experienced violence among a cohort of women about two years after giving birth, their health during pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and their experience of their child’s health.Setting and subjectsIn 2011, a total of 657 women participated in phase III of the Childbirth and Health Cohort Study in Icelandic Primary Health Care, 18 to 24 months after delivery. The women had previously participated in phase I around pregnancy week 16 and phase II 5–6 months after delivery. Data were collected by postal questionnaires.Main outcome measuresWomen’s reported history of experienced violence, sociodemographic and obstetric background, self-perceived health, the use of medications and their child’s perceived health.ResultsIn phase III, 16% of women reported experiencing violence. These women felt less support from their current partner (p < 0.001), compared to those who did not report violence. Their pregnancies were more frequently unplanned (p < 0.001), deliveries more often by caesarean section (p < 0.05), and their self-perceived health was worse (p < 0.001). They reported more mental and somatic health complaints, and their use of antidepressant drugs was higher (p < 0.001). Furthermore, women with a history of violence considered their child’s general health as worse (p = 0.008).ConclusionsOur study confirms that a history of violence is common among women. A history of violence is associated with various maternal health problems during and after pregnancy, a higher rate of caesarean sections and maternal reports of health problems in their child 18–24 months after birth. KEY POINTS  Violence is a major concern worldwide. Understanding the impact of violence on human health and developing effective preventive measures are important elements of any public health agenda.  • The reported prevalence of experiencing violence was 16% among women attending antenatal care in the primary health care setting in Iceland.  • Women with a history of violence reported worse health in general during pregnancy and delivered more often by caesarean section, compared to women with no such history.  • Mothers with a history of violence also evaluated the general health of their child as worse than women with no such history.  • The findings of this study support the importance of recognizing and addressing experienced violence among women in primary care.

Multidisciplinary pain-management programs have the potential to decrease pain intensity, improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and increase sleep quality. In this longitudinal prospective cohort study, the aim was to investigate the long-term effects of multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation interventions in Iceland. More precisely, we (a) explored and described how individuals with chronic pain evaluated their pain severity, sleep, and HRQOL at pre-treatment and at one-year follow-up and (b) examined what predicted the participants’ one-year follow-up HRQOL. Seventy-nine patients aged 20–68 years, most of whom were women (85%), responded. The participants scored their pain lower at one-year follow-up (p < 0.001). According to their response, most of them had disrupted sleep, mainly because of pain. One year after the treatment, more participants slept through the night (p = 0.004), and their HRQOL increased. Higher pre-treatment mental component summary (MCS) scores and having pursued higher education predicted higher MCS scores at one-year follow-up, and higher pre-treatment physical component summary (PCS) scores predicted higher PCS scores at one-year follow-up. Sleep problems, being a woman, and having children younger than 18 years of age predicted lower MCS scores at one-year follow-up. These findings are suggestive that patients should be examined with respect to their mental status, and it could be beneficial if they received some professional support after completing the intervention.

Aim To explore the lived experience of individuals' in chronic pain of participating in a pain rehabilitation programme in Iceland. Design Phenomenological research. Method The Vancouver School of Doing Phenomenology. Eleven participants were interviewed. Results The overarching theme was as follows: “the journey of breaking the vicious circle of chronic pain.” Before the programme, the participants felt they were in survival mode, trying to survive each day; they were stuck in a vicious circle of chronic pain, simultaneously trying to ease and conceal the pain. Reaching out for professional help was a turning point. While attending the programme, participants began deconstructing their old ways of dealing with chronic pain. After completing the programme, they were still reconstructing their daily lives. In conclusion, pain rehabilitation programmes can be the first step towards breaking the vicious circle of chronic pain.