Social Work in Public Health最新文献

Sex education is a key public health endeavor - preventative for a host of conditions. This study's purpose was to identify barriers to sex education faced by Latinas. We used Qualitative Interpretative Meta-Synthesis to synthesize qualitative studies of Latinas' sex education experiences. We analyzed 13 articles searched from December to July 2022, resulting in five themes: 1. Marianismo and Machismo, 2. Consequences of Following Twisted Versions of Machismo and Marianismo, 3. Not Having Positive Relationships, 4. Harmful Protection, and 5. Lack of Care: The Colonizers Know It All. Results depict clearly how traditional gender roles have been used and continue to be used to hurt members of the Latine community, specifically Latinas. The current study points toward the different cultural dynamics that limit Latina's accessibility to adequate sex education.

Federal initiatives have invested considerable resources to end gun violence. Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) are shown to reduce violent injury recidivism and address social needs of trauma-exposed clients. Mental health is a significant need among HVIP clients, yet little research on mental health and HVIPs exists. This community-initiated study utilized a triangulation-convergence mixed-methods design. HVIP programs were recruited for survey development aiming to explore aspects of mental health relevant for populations served by HVIPs, standards of care for mental health care among HVIPs, and the function and utility of community partners. Quantitative surveys (n = 16) of Health Alliance of Violence Intervention (HAVI) members and qualitative interviews (n = 4) were conducted with a sample of HAVI Mental Health Working Group members. Using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, findings highlight the leading mental health needs of HVIP clients, inform best practices for multidisciplinary HVIP teams to effectively meet mental health needs, including the necessity of strong community partnerships, and address the critical intersection of mental health and social determinants of health.

The study investigated the knowledge of cervical cancer among women of childbearing age in a local council of a southeastern Nigerian state, aiming at improving attitudes toward screening uptake and early detection. The health belief model served as a guide for the study's qualitative exploratory research design. Using a combination of purposive and availability sampling strategies, a sample of 20 women participants with varying ages (23-36 years) were selected from 10 villages. The findings revealed that participants have limited knowledge of cervical cancer, with misconceptions and cultural beliefs influencing their understanding. The findings identified factors contributing to the lack of knowledge, including limited access to information and resources, fear, social disapproval, and financial constraints resulting from poverty. The findings also revealed that lack of knowledge has detrimental effects on women's mental, psychological, and social lives, including their relationships with friends and family. In addition, education, awareness campaigns, collaboration with medical personnel, and community engagements were effective strategies to enhance knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer programs among women. The study revealed that the findings imply social work. However, the study recommended that future investigations should consider a larger, more diverse sample to validate these findings and explore strategies to improve knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer among women in Nigeria.

Despite evidence linking perceived social isolation (PSI) with substance use disorders (SUDs), limited research has examined its effect on fentanyl use among people who inject drugs (PWID). Cross-sectional data of 350 PWID in Appalachian Kentucky were utilized to examine the association between PSI and lifetime fentanyl use. Study findings highlighted a significant association between PSI and lifetime fentanyl use. Additionally, PWID with higher scores on the PSI scale tend to use fentanyl less frequently, suggesting that social isolation may serve as a protective factor against fentanyl use within our PWID sample. This raises a concern regarding PWID forming support networks that inadvertently contribute to increased fentanyl use rather than promote recovery. Examining networks among at-risk PWID can offer valuable insights into patterns of fentanyl use and related overdoses. This can aid the design of effective policies and interventions to promote behavior change, harm reduction, and SUD treatment engagement among PWID.

The aim of this study is to understand the experiences of social workers, who have important roles and responsibilities in the provision of mental health services, in working with men with mental health problems. In the study which adopted qualitative descriptive design, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 social workers. As a result of the analysis of the interviews using the thematic analysis method, three themes were obtained: the reflections of masculinity norms in mental health services, difficulties encountered while working with men and opportunities offered by the social work profession. Research findings indicated that masculinity norms were important determinants at every stage of mental disorders, from the awareness of symptoms to the prosecution of the treatment. Although social workers encountered various difficulties when working with men, the principles and values of social work offered an important opportunity during their work. The study also indicated that mental health policies and services should be gender-sensitive in order to carry out effective practices in the field of male mental health.

The experiences of social and community mental health (SCMH) workers serving in rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic are understudied. Therefore, nine SCMH workers were interviewed about challenges and strategies for providing mental health services in rural communities in the wake of COVID-19. Through qualitative analyses three primary themes emerged; challenges, needed resources and strategies for addressing mental health needs. Challenges included lack of resources, stigma, and policy barriers, but collaborating with local organizations, providing individualized services, and improving communication were suggested strategies to overcome challenges. The resilience and flexibility of SCMH workers was advantageous in adapting to the changing mental health landscape post-COVID-19, yet advocacy for funding, resources, and training for practitioners in rural mental health is still needed. Findings suggest offering individualized services, forging community connections and maximizing use of existing resources through local collaborations. Moreover, utilizing online mental health services and peer community-building may improve effective services.

This study aimed to investigate the working experiences and perceptions of hospital-based, pediatric medical social workers in China. Eight medical social workers were interviewed. There were three primary themes extracted through the analysis: (1) negative experience and perceived work challenges of medical social workers; (2) positive experiences and sense of professional benefit for medical social workers; and (3) development needs of medical social work profession. While Chinese pediatric medical social workers have encountered several difficulties and challenges, they have also benefited from the work. Furthermore, they provided constructive recommendations for professional development at the hospital, social and national levels. Hoping this study can enrich the knowledge system of pediatric medical social work in China, promote the sustainable development of the nascent profession in China, and pave the way for the integration of pediatric medical social work practice in different socio-cultural contexts.

Data science refers to the connections among different disciplines, including physics, statistics, engineering, mathematics, and the social sciences. Data science can significantly affect how social work students collect and use data. Data science tools and methodology can provide effective strategies for social work students to explore, analyze, visualize, and understand social problems. This article aims to present the findings of the Social Work Data Corps (SWDC) project. The SWDC project was implemented in the summer of 2022 to introduce social work students to data science. The SWDC project mentored Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) data science scholars who explored health disparities of marginalized communities in the United States using secondary data. The data science scholars addressed a wide range of issues, including cancer, pregnancy, Covid-19, trauma, veterans' issues, autism, reproductive care, and the impact of the opioid crisis on Native Americans in their research projects.

Schizophrenia is a complex disorder with no known single cause which makes family caregivers of patients to develop their own perceptions and interpretations of the condition. We aimed to find out family caregivers' perceptions and how they influence their treatment seeking behavior as well as attitudes of community members toward family caregivers and their patients. Qualitative data were collected from 24 family caregivers, of patients with schizophrenia who were residents of Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area. Findings indicated that family caregivers accepted schizophrenia as a chronic medical condition that could only be treated in a hospital. Community members got used to seeing patients with schizophrenia and accepted them with their family caregivers as part of their community. Study findings provide important information that could be used by social workers, other mental health workers and policy-makers to strengthen service delivery and mobilization of social support for family caregivers and their patients with schizophrenia.

Globally, high sodium intake is the leading dietary risk factor of morality. Most Americans, including children, consume too much sodium compared with the federal guidelines. Socioeconomic and racial disparities place children, many of color, from low-income households and neighborhoods, at higher risk of consuming foods high in sodium. Preferences in sodium levels are determined during childhood and can be challenging to modify in adulthood. Thus, early intervention and health promotion in children's sodium intake is crucial to reducing health consequences and extending the overall life expectancy of Americans. This article highlights innovative health policies and programs that aim to reduce sodium levels in food that American children consume. Additionally, the implications of federal food assistance programs are discussed. Furthermore, the role of social workers is noted regarding providing education and guidance around food selection and eating practices to support the health of American children and families.