Critical Feminista Dimensions to Informal Writing Groups for Women of Color Pursuing Doctoral Degrees

The anti-colonial struggle against literary assimilation and the claim to our linguistic space in validating our own stories as W°C, first generation college students, first generation college graduates, and caregivers to dependents, elders, and extended family members requires an activist spirit. [...]someone posted that they would be hosting a virtual writing group on Saturday mornings. A few text messages, utilization of social capital to invite non-M°CA members and a few electronic RSVPs later, we had commitments from the four of us. Being genuine and vulnerable through convivencia allowed us to place extreme care and attention on building social relationships while tearing down the conventional power structure often found in groups.

Social insecurity and varieties of family resilience strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study is aimed at developing an understanding of the consequences of the pandemic on families' socioeconomic resilience, and the strategies adopted by the families in overcoming social vulnerabilities amid uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachThe materials for this study consist of semi-structured interviews with 21 families spread across the South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Families in the study represent four different income levels, namely very high, high, middle and low, and who also work in the informal sector. Each family has at least 1 or more members who fall into the vulnerable category (children, the elderly, people with disabilities unemployed or having potential economic vulnerability).FindingsTwo main findings are outlined. Regardless of their socioeconomic status, many of the families analyzed adopted similar strategies to remain resilient. Among the strategies are classifying the urgency of purchasing consumer goods based on financial capacity rather than needs, leveraging digital economic opportunities as alternative sources of income, utilizing more extensive informal networks and going into debt. Another interesting finding shows that the pandemic, to some extent, has saved poor families from social insecurity. This is supported by evidence showing that social distancing measures during the pandemic have reduced the intensity of sociocultural activities, which require invited community members to contribute financially. The reduction of sociocultural activities in the community has provided more potential savings for the poor.Research limitations/implicationsIn this study, informants who provided information about their family conditions represent a major segment of the workforce and tend to be technologically savvy and younger, due to the use of Zoom as a platform for conducting interviews. Therefore, there may be a bias in the results. Another limitation is that since the interviewees were recommended by our social network in the fields, there is a risk of a distorted selection of participants.Originality/valueThis study offers insights that are critical in helping to analyze family patterns in developing countries in mitigating the risks and uncertainties caused by COVID-19. In addition, the literature on social policy and development could benefit from further research on COVID-19 as an alternative driver to identify mechanisms that could bring about change that would result in "security.” Critical questions and limitations of this study are presented at the end of the paper to be responded to as future research agenda.

COVID-19 and the family courts: key practitioner findings in children cases

In March 2020, stringent social distancing measures were introduced across England and Wales to reduce the spread of Covid-19. These measures have presented significant challenges for the family justice system. This article sets out the findings of interviews conducted with professionals in the North East of England who have represented or otherwise supported litigants in private and public children proceedings since social distancing measures were introduced. The findings reveal that whilst practitioners are broadly positive about their experiences of shorter non-contested hearings, they nonetheless have concerns about the effectiveness of remote/hybrid hearings in ensuring a fair and just process in lengthy and complex cases. In particular, the findings indicate that the move to remote hearings has exacerbated pre-existing barriers to justice for unrepresented and vulnerable litigants. The aims of this article are not to ‘name and shame' any particular court but to highlight evidence of good practice in the North East of England and provide scope for improving practitioners' and litigants' experiences within current restrictions.

Looking in the Rearview Mirror and to the Road Ahead on Dementia & Living Well

The number of Americans living with Alzheimer's and all other dementias continues to increase. Most of them will need long-term and community-based services as the disease progresses. While medical research is making advances, there is more work to be done to ensure that every person receives care that is person-centered and allows them to live with dignity and respect.

Confinement with No Rights. Perceptions of Inmates' Relatives Regarding Measures for COVID-19 Control Implemented in Mexican Prisons

Based on a participatory study design, this article describes how a group of family members of people deprived of liberty (PDL) experienced the COVID-19 control measures implemented in Mexico's prisons. We conducted 28 in-depth interviews and analyzed them using ATLAS.ti. We found that the measures implemented in Mexican prisons to avoid the spread of COVID-19 focused mainly on suspension of visitation and PDL confinement. The isolation imposed on PDL impacted their living conditions, making them more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 due to lack of access to essential services, food, and hygiene supplies. Visit restrictions and PDL isolation also impacted PDL relatives' health and socioeconomic conditions. Our findings indicate that the consequences of COVID-19 control actions in Mexican prisons differ according to the gender and jurisdiction of PDL. Women in federal prisons were more isolated, while those in local ones were more deprived of basic supplies. Imprisoned women's isolation has especially severe effects on the mental and physical health of their elderly parents and children. The results show how the measures adopted to control COVID-19 outbreaks in Mexican prisons have exacerbated the preexisting systemic violence experienced by PDL and their families and how they have failed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in these settings. These findings provide support for the health-informed penal reform of Mexican prisons.

THE PLIGHT OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN IN SOUTH AFRICA

COVID-19, which is highly contagious, especially via person-to-person contact, is ravaging the world creating mayhem globally. Countries all over the world have devised various strategies to slow down the rate of spread of the COVID-19 which is not treatable presently. To curb COVID-19 spread, South Africa has been in several stages of lockdown since March 2020, restricting movement and business as usual. These lockdowns albeit imposed to keep people healthy and safe, have had tremendous negative impacts on business, especially those that require frequent movement and face-to-face contact with people. However, during lockdowns, one still needs to fend for self and family members, but without being able to work, there is no likelihood any income, even if government gives palliatives, it might not be enough to take care of critical needs of the family. Of note, a large percentage of households in South Africa are female-headed and as such, they often bear a larger burden in providing for themselves and children even prior COVID-19 outbreak not to mention during the course of the pandemic. Furthermore, many women, who are often the sole breadwinners of their households are involved in various business entrepreneurs to support themselves and their families. This paper looks at the plight of women business entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and their accessibility to the government stimulus package.

Reaching Rural Students with Resources and Enrichment-Focused Learning in the Summer Months

Each student selected books during the last week of school and during the last days of the summer program, so that they had access to books when school was not in session. Since book ownership is an important motivator for reading, the students kept their books and were treated to one additional book on the last day of the program, when they took a field trip to a bookstore. Study Design Reallocating school resources required a research focus with data collection and analysis for continued approval of summer program funding. The mixed-methods design of the study included quantitative data (e.g., registration, attendance, STAR reading scores, Likert scale questions on student and parent questionnaires) and qualitative data (e.g., student focus groups, open-ended questions on student and parent questionnaires). Parents' written consent and students' assent were provided for STAR reading, focus group, and questionnaire data collection each summer.

So, You Want to Build a Program?

This article will help dementia care service organizations develop and evaluate intervention programs in the absence of evidence-based solutions, which is key, given: the limited access family caregivers have to evidence-based intervention programs;and the need for organizations to use limited resources to develop and test new programs to serve families living with dementia. It draws upon two case studies of interventions developed at an academic-service center: KINDER and Ayudando a Quien Ayuda;evaluates lessons learned in assessing the two programs to refine them by applying the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework, and recommends ways organizations can refine interventions prior to efficacy-testing.

Mapping the riskscape of using privately-owned short-term lets for specialist family violence crisis accommodation

COVID-19 has generated many problems and some opportunities in the housing market. The potential role of privately-owned short-term lets meeting specialist family violence crisis accommodation demand is one such opportunity. This paper engages with an important and increasing practice in the Australian context, of the utilisation of private housing stock as a component part of a public housing crisis response system, in this case explored in relation to domestic and family violence. In seeking to gain insights into the feasibility of this practice, this article will first frame mixed public/private accommodation provision as potentially overlapping relations between a thin territory of insufficient crisis infrastructure and a thick territory of commodified short-term let infrastructure. Second, this paper situates the potential of this intersection of mixed private/public responses in terms of riskscapes by unpacking how risk is perceived within these contested territories. The findings highlight tensions between both real and perceived understandings of safety, housing, wellbeing, economic and political risks. While there was some support for utilising short-term lets for crisis accommodation, barriers were revealed to adding thickness to the crisis accommodation space. Given increasing homelessness in Australia, diversifying crisis models could offer increased violence-prevention infrastructure to support women.

‘We discovered places we never used before'. Home and parenting geographies during the 2020 lockdowns in Italy and Greece

The paper presents and discusses data from a qualitative study carried out in April and May 2020 with families under lockdown in Italy (N = 319) and Greece (N = 297). The research examined how confinement and restrictions on movement had impacted families' everyday geographies (with a particular focus on ‘liminal' places located between homes and public spaces, such as balconies, hallways, courtyards, backyards), as well as parents' most valued public spaces and propensity (and modes) to use them. Data were analysed following a top-down thematic approach. The results suggest that restricted access to public spaces (as enforced during the Greek and Italian lockdowns) may influence the signification of domestic places, prompt remodulation of the dialectic between public and private spheres, and bring to light the social value of families' (parents and children's) experiences in public spaces.

As ações profissionais da/o assistente social na atenção primária em saúde no contexto da pandemia de Covid-19

O artigo sistematiza as ações das/os Assistentes Sociais vinculadas/os a um curso de residência multiprofissional em saúde da família cuja atuação ocorreu na Atenção Primária em Saúde (APS), durante a pandemia do novo coronavírus, num contexto de reorganização dos serviços de saúde e do trabalho das/os profissionais do setor. Pretende-se contribuir com as reflexões sobre a dimensão técnico-operativa da Profissão abordando aspectos do trabalho no Núcleo Ampliado em Saúde da Família (NASF) neste período de excepcionalidade. A sistematização foi realizada a partir dos registros em diários de campo elaborados pelas/os profissionais entre os meses de março a setembro de 2020. Os principais resultados indicam que a crise sanitária aprofundou as desigualdades sociais demandando ações profissionais predominantemente socioeducativas voltadas ao acesso da população aos serviços e direitos sociais que amparam e oferecem condições de vida diante das mudanças provocadas pela pandemia. A reorganização requerida no processo coletivo de trabalho nos serviços de saúde implicou em alterações dos fluxos de acesso aos serviços e direitos sociais. Significa que, no período analisado, predominaram demandas profissionais de gestão e planejamento seja envolvendo a elaboração de materiais informativos de suporte às ações educativas, divulgação de informações pertinentes à população usuária do SUS, bem como de instrução às equipes multiprofissionais quanto aos benefícios sociais disponibilizados para mitigar os efeitos da pandemia. As ações socioeducativas voltadas para mobilização e assessoria político-organizativas apresentaram-se imprescindíveis para concretizar o acesso às práticas coletivas de controle social atentas à universalidade do direito à saúde.Alternate :This article systematizes the actions of social assistants associated to a multi-professional residency course in family health, undertaken within the Primary Healthcare System, during the new coronavirus pandemic, in a context of reorganization of healthcare services and the labor of professionals in the sector. Its objective is to contribute to reflections about the technical-operative dimension of the profession, addressing aspects of work by the Expanded Family Healthcare Nucleus in this exceptional period. The systematization was conducted through registers in field diaries prepared by the professionals from March to September 2020. The main results indicate that the sanitary crisis deepened social inequalities, requiring predominantly educational professional actions aimed at the population's access to social rights and services that support better living conditions, considering changes provoked by the pandemic. The reorganization required in the collective work process in healthcare services involved alterations in the flows of access to social services and rights. This means that, in the period analyzed, there was a predominance of professional demands related to administration and planning, that involved the elaboration of informative materials to support educational actions, the promotion of pertinent information to the population that uses Brazil's federal public single healthcare system, and providing instructions to multi-professional teams about social benefits available to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. The socio-educational actions aimed at mobilization and political-organizational assistance were essential to realizing access to collective practices of social control focused on the universal right to healthcare.

Keeping patients safe from summertime illnesses

"5 However, more recent findings, such as the presentation of joint swelling without EM in Black children, are the result of research efforts to identify differences among racial and ethnic groups in presentations of disease symptoms, with the aim of greater diagnostic accuracy and reduced health care disparities.4 Treatment of Lyme disease Although most resources, such as the CDC's website,1 published articles and sites,2,3 and the Red Book,5 recommend that pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with Lyme disease receive an antibiotic, such as doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime (for penicillin-allergic patients), these publications differ in recommended dosage and duration of treatment. [...]PHCPs who are unfamiliar with antibiotic treatments for Lyme disease should consult with infectious disease specialists. Children who have evidence of Lyme carditis, Lyme arthritis, cranial neuritis, Lyme meningitis, or radiculoneuritis should immediately be referred to infectious disease and the appropriate pediatric specialists.2 Respiratory infections and health care inequities Although researchers have reported studies on racial and ethnic inequities among children related to respiratory diseases over the last 20 years, few randomized controlled trials have scientifically investigated the problem or have identified and rigorously investigated evidencebased interventions. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a new focus in pediatric health care on the inequities experienced by Black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander children living in poverty, who regularly experience a disproportionate number of respirator y illnesses and infections.6 Several studies have shown increased hospitalization rates for Blac k and H ispan ic children who contracted COVID-19.6 One team of researchers studying children from birth to 4 years old reported a hospitalization rate of 55% for Black and Hispanic children.7 For years, PHCPs have observed and treated children for asthma in all health care settings. Bhavnani et al reported that Black children had a 7-fold higher rate of emergency department visits compared with White children in 2019, 1 year before the pandemic began.8 However, the difference decreased to a 2-fold increase for Black children compared with White children in 2020, when COVID-19 measures such as masking, social distancing, and school closures were in place.8 Researchers are continuing to investigate why Black and Hispanic children are more vulnerable to upper respiratory infections with viruses such as influenza, rhinovirus, and adenovirus.8 Summertime prevention of respiratory infections Talking about prevention strategies with families is the first step toward reducing asthma episodes and exacerbations.

Health-related quality of life, mental health and caregiver burden in children with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD)

Objective: To examine whether established patient-reported outcome measures are suitable for capturing the impact of ARPKD in children and their families. Method(s): We assessed 44 children with ARPKD (40 families) with respect to patients' health-related quality of life ((hr- QOL) using PedsQLTM ESRD module) and mental health (strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ)) as well as family and caregiver burden (Impact on family score (IFS) und Ulm inventory of parental caregiver QOL (ULQIE)) and compared them to published data and 36 healthy control children matched for age and time. Result(s): Patients were aged 9.5 +/- 5.9 years (vs. controls 8.8 +/- 5.0, p = ns) and 21 (48%) were female (vs. 19 controls (53%), p = ns). Mean eGFR was 81 ml/min*1.73m2 (range 4 - 165);7 received dialysis and 11 had functioning kidney transplants (KTX, 2 combined with liver transplants). Eight patients had developmental delay secondary to medical complications, while chronic illness was an exclusion criterion for healthy controls. 61 caregivers of affected children had same gender-distribution (61% vs. 60% mothers) and age (both 42 +/- 7 years) and number of dependent children (1.8 +/- 0.9 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.8) as 57 caregivers of healthy children. The mean proxy reported PedsQL Total score was 77.5 +/- 10.6 (range 59 - 96). It correlated significantly to eGFR (r = 0.5, p < 0.01, (also within the subpopulations pre- and post-KTX)). Parents reported greater mental health problems in affected than in control children with a higher SDQ total score mainly due to higher scores in the hyperactivity and peerinteraction subscales. ULQIE revealed that parents of affected children had significantly lower levels of physical functioning, self-fulfillment and general QOL, but despite higher emotional burden scores they indicated similar satisfaction with family life. Impact on family scores were in a similar range to those of children with moderate to severe disabilities. Conclusion(s): The good spread of PedsQLTM ESRD-scores and their correlation to renal function indicates that it captures significant aspects of ARPKD, however, it may need further adjustment to include liver complications. All four chosen instruments revealed significant impact of ARPKD on hrQOL and mental health of affected children as well as family life and parental wellbeing in comparison to healthy controls. More problems with peer-interactions may also be due to more stringent shielding of chronically ill children from social contacts during the COVID pandemic compared to healthy children.

Joyce Lilian Dunlop

Joyce went to Trinity College Dublin to study medicine in 1954, where she enjoyed the Dublin University Biological Society and where she met the love of her life, Jim, a Scotsman, at the Dublin sailing school. After house jobs, Joyce spent some time in Northern Ireland, training in anaesthetics for obstetrics and gynaecology. Before coronavirus took hold, she was looking forward to a family holiday in Croatia in the summer with her three children, their spouses, and all her grandchildren, before her sudden death.

Opinions of Parents on the Use of Technology for Their Children During the Covid-19

This study aimed to examine the views of parents of young children on their children's use of technology during COVID-19. The participants of this research, in which a case study was used, consisted of 10 mothers and 10 fathers living in a province in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. The interview form prepared by the researcher was used as a data collection tool. The data obtained from this research were analysed using content analysis. The research data were gathered under the following four themes: family guidance, technology use in the family, effects on the development of the child, and technology education. The findings showed that parents had positive opinions about the use of technological tools and technology education during COVID-19. In addition, it was concluded that parents needed support on how to guide their children in this process. It was determined that while some parents tried to be positive models for their children, they showed different approaches with their spouses. To them, technolog) affected their children's behavior and attention/interest levels negatively.

What does back to school look like this year?

Contemporary Pediatrics" talked with Nathaniel Beers, MD, MPA, FAAP, executive vice president of Community and Population Health at Children's National Hospital in Washington DC, and a general and developmental behavioral pediatrician , about what this school year may look like for children and adolescents, and what pediatricians can do to help them play catch-up. There was a lot of interest in getting those activities moving quickly, because people recognize the value they had to students and their social/emotional development as well as their overall mental health. Encourage children to do reading over the summer, play some math games on the computer....These can help create structure as well, which they need once the school year begins.

Helping children grieve the loss of a caregiver due to COVID-19

The modeling study calculated COVID-19-associated or-phanhood(deathof 1 orbothparents) and deaths of custodial and coresid-ing grandparents by using mortality, fertility, and census data. The 3-pronged approach aims to: O prevent C0VID-19-associated death of caregivers through effective and equitable policies and practices that improve access and uptake of C0VID-19vaccines;O prepare families, offering support and services to help the child experiencing loss of a parent or primary caregiver;O protect children through programs that build resilience in the family, enhance parenting skills, and improve family relationships.1 Pediatric health care providers are uniquely positioned to help children grieving caregiver loss from COVID-19. Developing clinical action steps to address this pandemic-related trauma and the grief that follows is important and should incorporate the following steps: O Screen for COVID-19 related caregiver loss: "Has this child lost a parent or other caregiver to COVID-19?" Since Pediatrics published those study results, the number of children orphaned due to COVID-19 has risen to an estimated 200,000-plus.5 Health care providers play a critical role in raising awareness, protecting families, and intervening when children experience the loss of a parent or other caregiver to COVID-19.

Dengue virus, measles, TBI and TB disease: Are they being overlooked because of the pandemic?

[...]many elementary and secondary schools were closed in 2020;when they reopened in 2021, masks and social distancing were in place. [...]these factors may have significantly reduced children and unvaccinated families from contracting and spreading the measles virus. Pediatric tuberculosis A diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis (TB), for either latent TB (referred to as tuberculosis infection [TBI]7) or TB disease (active TB), is made for patients aged less than 15 years who have either a positive tuberculin skin test or a positive interferongamma release assay.7,8 Both tests have a high positive predictive value when used for children who have had a direct contact exposure to an adult with TB disease.7 Infants and young children are at increased risk of developing life-threatening forms of the disease, including TB meningitis and disseminated TB, compared with older children and adults.8 The greatest numbers of TB cases occur in children under 5 years old, with 38% of pediatric cases occurring within this age range.7 In addition, in 2020, 28% of the 10- to 14-year-old population had a diagnosis of pediatric TB.8 Data from TB cases in children aged less than 18 years living in the United States from 2010 to 2017 revealed that 32% of children with TB disease were born in other countries.9 Adults who have the TB bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, spread the organism via airborne transmission by coughing, speaking, or singing. [...]children with pediatric TB do not spread the organism as readily as adults, because pediatric TB is less infectious than the adult form.8 Children may present with a cough, weakness, weight loss, fever, change in playtime behaviors, and/or night sweats.8 Children younger than 4 years are at the highest riskof progressing from TBI to TB disease, with data showing a risk of 40% to 50% for infants less than 1 year old and 25% for 1- to 2-year-olds.8 However, children with a diagnosis of TBI who receive drug therapy and whose parents adhere to the regimen have a 90% reduced risk of developing TB disease.8 Adolescents older than 12 years have a risk of progression to adult-type TB disease. Providers need to be aware that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend the 4-month rifapentine-moxifloxacin TB regimen for children younger than 12 years.8 Best practices for pediatric providers include consulting a TB expert prior to beginning the treatment course, based on the available data showing that young children have a high risk of developing life-threatening TB disease.8 Conclusions Pediatric health care providers are on the frontlines for identifying infectious diseases and, to prevent poor outcomes, must react quickly to diagnose and treat cases in children and adolescents.

INTERNET ADDICTION AND GENDER DIFFERENCES ON MEXICAN STUDENTS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CONTEXT: A CONFIRMATORY MODEL

The purpose of the study is to validate the structure that explains Internet addiction in students, as well as, identify if there are differences by gender. Through a non-probabilistic self-determination sample, 592 students were surveyed. The Internet Addiction Test-IAT was used, with 20 items integrated into six dimensions (salience, excessive use, job neglect, anticipation, lack of control, neglect of social life) with a response range: 1 a few times to 5 always. Through the SEM methodology, a four-factor model was obtained, which presented a good structural adjustment and parsimony in the indicators. Also, the ANOVA test show that the factors Salience, Excessive Use, Neglect of Work, Anticipation, Neglect of Social Life, did not present differences by gender, with the exception of the Lack of Control factor, which showed that there is a difference by gender between the groups. The most important contribution was the model obtained, which allows knowing the levels of Internet addiction in students. In this way, the academic authorities will be able to carry out the pertinent actions for the care and well-being of the students, and thus have a better use of this technology.

Emerging Adults during the Pandemic: The Experiences of Generation Z in the Context of Self-Determination Theory

The COVID-19 Pandemic is associated with many radical changes in the lives of young adults. Their developmental and generational characteristics would likely affect their experiences of Pandemic. This study explores their experiences in the context of school, family, and friendship during the Pandemic. The sample consisted of 23 college students. Qualitative data were collected online and analyzed with the thematic analysis method. The results showed that their experiences in the school context resulted in seven themes: difficulties with online classes, benefits, negative mood, coping strategies, loss of socialization opportunities at school, return to daily life, and physical conditions. The themes in the family context were the need for autonomy, increasing conflict, improved family relationships, and no change. Finally, in the friendship context, the themes of losses, coping strategies, emotions, no change, and gains emerged. Results were discussed in terms of the self-determination perspective and generational characteristics of the sample.