Affiliations: Family Medicine, Department of Public Health and
Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå Sweden | Department of Social Sciences, Mid-Sweden University,
SE- 831 45 Östersund, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Susanne Gustafsson-Larsson, National
Institute for Working Life, Studentplan 3 Hus C, S-831 40 Östersund,
Sweden. Tel.: +46 63 55 13 31; Fax: +46 63 55 13 20; E-mail:
susanne.gustafsson-larsson@mam.mh.se
Abstract: This paper presents a theoretical model on how flows of energy and
space of action generate health and ill health in a local community work. Local
community work was assessed through a case study of women's networks in a
peripheral region of northern Sweden. The aim of the study was to analyse what participation in women's
networks can mean for the members health perceptions. A purposeful selection of
women's networks was made for the purpose of carrying out a qualitative
follow-up study. Grounded theory was used to analyse the data and to generate a
theoretical model. The meaning of participation in networks proved to be
plural, as both health-deteriorating and health-promotive mechanisms were
found. Two core categories "flows of energy" and "a space of action" as
well as the four ancillary categories: social relations within the network;
increased awareness of gender and power; becoming visible; and material
prerequisites for networking were grounded in the data. We suggest that under certain circumstances local community work can
be of crucial importance for health promotion.
Keywords: agency, flows of energy, gender, health perceptions, health promotion, local community work, network, participation, power, space of action, women
