Access to urban green spaces and use of social services and institutional long-term care among older people in Malmö, Sweden: a longitudinal register study.

BACKGROUND: Finding ways to prolong independence in daily life among older people would be beneficial for both individuals and society. Urban green spaces have been found to improve health, but only a few studies have evaluated the association between urban green spaces and independence in daily life. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of urban green spaces on independence in daily life, using social services and support, mobility aids, and relocation to institutional long-term care as proxies, among community dwelling people 65 + years. METHODS: We identified 40 357 people 65 + years living in the city of Malmö, Sweden in 2010. Using geographical information systems (GIS), we determined the amount of urban green spaces (total, public, and quiet) within 300 m of each person's residence. All three measures were categorized based on their respective percentiles, so that the first quartile represented the 25% with the least access and the fourth quartile the 25% with the most access. In 2015 and 2019, we assessed the outcomes minor assistance (non-personal support), major assistance (personal support), and relocation into institutional long-term care. These three outcome measures were used as proxies for independence in daily life. The effect of amount of urban green spaces in 2010 on the three outcomes in 2015 and 2019, respectively, was assessed by pairwise comparing the three highest quartiles to the lowest. RESULTS: Compared to the lowest quartile, those in the highest quartile of quiet green spaces in 2010 were less likely to receive minor assistance in both 2015 and 2019. Besides this, there were no indications that any of the measures of urban green space affected independence in daily life at the five- and nine-year follow-up, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although urban green spaces are known to have positive impact on health, physical activity, and social cohesion among older people, we found no effect of total, public, or quiet green spaces on independence in daily life. This could possibly be a result of the choice of measures of urban green spaces, including spatial and temporal aspects, an inability to capture important qualitative aspects of the green spaces, or the proxy measures used to assess independence in daily life.

U.S. Social Work Students and Social Media: A Descriptive Analysis of Survey Items across Four Time-Points.

Between fall 2018 and spring 2023, the author conducted four survey studies on social work students' use, attitudes, and knowledge regarding social media: (1) a pilot study in fall 2018 (N = 57), (2) a comparative study in spring 2019 (N = 42), (3) a national survey study in fall 2019 (N = 430), and (4) a national replication survey study in spring 2023 (N = 287). The purpose of this article is to describe general observed trends across these four studies. Findings included persistent and pervasive use of social media, decreased knowledge of the impact of social media in undermining democratic processes, students' inverted concern for others' use of social media when compared with concern over their own use, diminished agreement with the importance of protecting personal data and treating data protection as a civil/human right, overall agreement that law enforcement should be able to use social media in the apprehension of people accused of committing a crime, decreased agreement that disinformation is a problem on social media, ambivalence toward social media's positive impact on society, and increased strong disagreement that students wish to delete their accounts but feel unable to do so. Recommendations are shared.

LGBTQ+ Sociopolitical Engagement: Examining the Role of House Ball Community Involvement and LGBTQ+ Community Connection.

Recent events such as the Black Lives Matter movement, COVID-19, and political elections have highlighted the power of a socially and politically engaged society. One under-researched cultural pillar at the core of sociopolitical resistance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people of color (POC) has been the House Ball Community, a dynamic subculture made up of intricate social networks. This study uses data collected for the Social Justice Sexuality Project (N = 246) to examine LGBTQ+ community connection and House Ball Community involvement as predictors of LGBTQ+ and intersectional LGBTQ+ sociopolitical engagement. Two continuous variables, community connection and sociopolitical engagement (consisting of separate scales about LGBTQ+ individuals and LGBTQ+ POC), were included in the analysis. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between these variables. While community connection was significantly associated with both scales of sociopolitical engagement, House Ball involvement was only associated with intersectional LGBTQ+ sociopolitical engagement. Relative to community connection, House Ball involvement was more strongly associated with intersectional LGBTQ+ sociopolitical engagement. Findings suggest that House Ball involvement may influence behavior for LGBTQ+ POC. Authors discuss implications for intersectionality in social movements and culturally responsive direct, community, and systems-level social work practice within the current U.S. sociopolitical landscape.

At the Forefront: Social Workers' Role in Psilocybin Treatment for Depression and Substance Misuse.

This article underscores the critical role of social workers in harnessing the potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin for treating major depressive disorder (MDD) and substance use disorder (SUD). Contemporary treatments for MDD often have side effects, and the success rate for SUD treatments remains low. The pervasiveness of MDD, combined with the challenges in treating SUD, highlights a need for innovative treatments. This article provides an overview of the resurgence of literature over the past two decades that illuminates the therapeutic promise of psilocybin for mental health treatment; clinical trials elucidate the efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy in mitigating MDD and demonstrate great promise in reducing SUD symptoms. The long-lasting posttreatment effect emphasizes its potential as a novel treatment modality. Furthermore, psilocybin's recognition as a "breakthrough therapy" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the accelerating pace of psychedelic reform bills indicate growing acceptance and interest in its therapeutic capacities. Psilocybin-assisted therapy emerges as a potent treatment option, showcasing remarkable effectiveness even after a single dose. Recommendations and pathways for social workers to be involved in psilocybin-assisted therapy investigation, advocacy, and implementation are provided.

Authentic Behavior and Job Satisfaction among Child Welfare Caseworkers.

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between authentic behavior and job satisfaction among child welfare caseworkers in Pennsylvania. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the domains of the Authentic Behavior Scale (balanced processing, relational transparency, and internalized morality) and Job Satisfaction Scale, and the results provided consistent support for the factorial structure of the scales across child welfare caseworkers. The findings of this study revealed a positive correlation between authentic behavior and job satisfaction. To further explore this relationship, a path model was developed that included the elements of authentic behavior, job satisfaction, and demographic variables. The results indicated an association between the type of agency and internalized morality, impacting job satisfaction. Private workers showed a higher level of authentic behavior compared with public workers, with authentic behavior associated with greater job satisfaction. The findings suggest that authentic behavior can play a crucial role in social work practice and warrants considerable attention.

Transformational Leadership, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Burnout of Child Welfare Workers: Multilevel Moderation Effects.

This study examines the moderating effects of distant leader's practice of transformational leadership on the relationship between secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout among child welfare workers. Caseworkers and supervisors in a Midwest U.S. state (N = 210) rated their regional director's use of transformational leadership skills using a survey. Given the nature of the clustered data, multilevel modeling was employed to examine the main effects of transformational leadership on worker burnout and its cross-level interaction effect on the association between worker STS and burnout. Multilevel modeling demonstrated that worker burnout was positively associated with STS and negatively associated with organizational-level transformational leadership. The cross-level interaction between transformational leadership and STS was significant. Specifically, the positive association between workers' STS and burnout decreased as transformational leadership increased. These findings suggest that organizational approaches such as transformational leadership can influence workforce results. Further research will guide child welfare policymakers to develop more sophisticated training programs in leadership skills and strategies.

Views of Intermarried Couples: Implications for Social Work Practice.

Intermarriage, defined here as the marriage between people of different races or different ethnicities, is on the rise in the United States, with one in six newlyweds intermarrying. While public opinion approval of interracial marriage is at an all-time high, racial and ethnic hate crimes are also on the rise, which can affect spouses differently based on their identity. Drawing on a 2022 Qualtrics sample of 287 spouses who intermarried and have children, authors of this article sought to learn what is related to their holding a positive view of intermarriage. Talking openly with one's spouse about differences, children initiating discussions about race, and being consciously aware of the interracial or interethnic aspect of the marriage were predictors. Implications for social work practice, which are predicated on the ability to have open communication between family members and the social worker's comfort with their own racial identity, are included for this growing population of intermarried couples.

A Social Work Analysis of Facilitators of and Barriers to Adopting Technology in Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review.

Increasing concern within social work about delivering comprehensive and high-quality care to older adults necessitates exploring their interest in information and communication technologies. The aim is to determine, via a systematic review using the PRISMA method, how the scientific literature on older adults' technology experiences through the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The review differentiates between enabling factors and barriers that influence older adults' use and acceptance of technology from their own perspective. It provides social workers with a comprehensive overview of use of technologies and identify general guidelines to enhance older adults' personal and communal autonomy.

Retos de la investigación en la evaluación de la nutrición y la salud de los inmigrantes: Una revisión narrativa / Research challenges in the assessment of immigrants' nutrition and health: A narrative review

Introducción: Esta revisión narrativa examina los métodos de investigación utilizados para comprender los hábitosalimentarios y el acceso a la salud de los migrantes vulnerables. A menudo se enfrentan a retos que afectan a sus hábitosalimentarios y a su bienestar general. Esta revisión plantea cuestiones metodológicas que los investigadores debenabordar, como la sensibilidad cultural, las barreras lingüísticas, la orientación de los investigadores sobre la selección deherramientas y estrategias adecuadas para garantizar la solidez de su investigación. Objetivos: Esta revisión contribuye a mejorar el rigor metodológico de futuros estudios e informa las intervencionesbasadas en la evidencia, dirigidas a abordar las disparidades en salud y nutrición dentro de las poblaciones inmigrantes vulnerables y destaca la colaboración interdisciplinaria para mejorar las intervenciones dirigidas a promover hábitosalimentarios más saludables entre esta población. Métodos: Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática en bases de datos académicas para identificar bibliografía relevantecentrada en los métodos de investigación y nutrición y salud en inmigrantes. Se incluyeron tanto estudios cualitativoscomo cuantitativos publicados en la última década. Los estudios seleccionados se revisaron críticamente para analizarlas metodologías empleadas, los retos afrontados y los principales hallazgos obtenidos. Conclusiones: Esta revisión destaca la necesidad de adaptaciones metodológicas específicas para cada contexto ysubraya la importancia de la sensibilidad cultural y la colaboración entre investigadores, profesionales y responsablespolíticos para desarrollar intervenciones específicas que promuevan prácticas alimentarias más saludables y mejoren elbienestar de los inmigrantes en circunstancias vulnerables.(AU)

Introduction: This narrative review examines the research methods and analytical approaches used to understand thedietary habits and health access of vulnerable migrants. They often face unique challenges that affect their eating habitsand overall well-being. This review raises methodological issues that researchers must grapple with, including culturalsensitivity, language barriers, the collection of accurate nutrition data, and guidance to researchers on selectingappropriate tools and strategies to ensure the robustness of their research. Objectives: This review contributes to enhancing the methodological rigor of future studies and informs evidence-basedinterventions aimed at addressing healthcare and nutrition disparities within vulnerable immigrant populations, andhighlights the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the effectiveness of interventions targeted at promotinghealthier eating habits among vulnerable immigrants from different countries. Methods: A systematic search of academic databases was conducted to identify relevant literature focusing on theresearch methods and nutrition and health in immigrants. Both qualitative and quantitative studies published within the lastdecade were included. The selected studies were critically reviewed to analyze the methodologies employed, thechallenges faced, and the key findings obtained. Conclusion: This review highlights the need for context-specific methodological adaptations, and emphasizes theimportance of cultural sensitivity and collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to develop targetedinterventions that promote healthier dietary practices and improve the well-being of immigrants in vulnerable circumstances.(AU)

Social Work and Social Justice: A Conceptual Review.

As a profession, social work has codified within its ethical guidance and educational policies a commitment to social justice. While a commitment to social justice is asserted in several of our profession's guiding documents, social work continues to lack consensus on both the meaning and merit of social justice, resulting is disparate and sometimes discriminatory practice even under a "social justice" label. This study examines how social justice has been operationalized in social work via a conceptual review of the literature. Findings show that social work leans heavily on John Rawls's definition of social justice, Martha Nussbaum's and Amartya Sen's capabilities approach, and the definition of social justice included in The Social Work Dictionary. Unfortunately, none of these adequately align with the National Association of Social Workers' Code of Ethics, which drives the profession. This conceptual review is a call to social workers to join together in defining the guiding principle of the profession.

Boundary Crossers: How Providers Facilitate Ethnic Minority Families' Access to Dementia Services.

OBJECTIVES: Providers who work closely with ethnic minority people with dementia and their families are pivotal in helping them access services. However, few studies have examined how these providers actually do this work. Using the concept of "boundary crossers," this article investigates the strategies applied by these providers to facilitate access to dementia services for ethnic minority people with dementia and their families. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2020, in-depth video-recorded interviews were conducted with 27 health, aged care, and community service providers working with ethnic minority people living with dementia across Australia. Interviews were conducted in one of seven languages and/or in English, then translated and transcribed verbatim into English. The data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Family and community stigma associated with dementia and extra-familial care were significant barriers to families engaging with services. To overcome these barriers, participants worked at the boundaries of culture and dementia, community and systems, strategically using English and other vernaculars, clinical and cultural terminology, building trust and rapport, and assisting with service navigation to improve access. Concurrently, they were cognizant of familial boundaries and were careful to provide services that were culturally appropriate without supplanting the families' role. DISCUSSION: In negotiating cultural, social, and professional boundaries, providers undertake multidimensional and complex work that involves education, advocacy, negotiation, navigation, creativity, and emotional engagement. This work is largely undervalued but offers a model of care that facilitates social and community development as well as service integration across health, aged care, and social services.

Evaluation of a Community Health Worker Social Prescribing Program Among UK Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

Importance: Despite lacking robust evidence of effectiveness, health care systems in developed countries are funding holistic community health worker (CHW) social prescribing programs that address social needs and health behaviors as adjuncts to clinical care. Objective: To determine whether a UK National Health Service (NHS) CHW social prescribing program was associated with improved hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels among patients with type 2 diabetes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study with difference-in-differences analysis was conducted among 8086 patients (4752 in the referral program, 3334 in the control group) in 24 NHS primary care practices in a city in North East England. Patients aged 40 to 74 years with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes were observed for 8 years, from 2011 through 2019. The statistical analysis was conducted between June 1, 2019, and January 31, 2021. Interventions: A social prescribing program, launched in April 2015, enabling primary care staff to refer patients to CHW support to identify condition management and social needs goals and access voluntary and community sector support to address these goals. Intervention referral was only available in primary care practices in the city's west. The control group included patients in the city's east where referral was unavailable. Main Outcomes and Measures: HbA1c level, a marker of glycemic control. Results: A total of 8086 patients were included in the analysis (mean [SD] age, 57.8 [8.78] years; 3477 women [43%]; 6631 White patients [82%]). Mean (SD) baseline HbA1c levels were 7.56% (1.47%) in the referral program group and 7.44% (1.43%) in the control group. Following introduction of the social prescribing referral program, the referral group experienced an HbA1c reduction of -0.10 percentage points (95% CI, -0.17 to -0.03 percentage points) compared with the control group. The association increased over time: after 3 years the estimated association was -0.14 percentage points (95% CI, -0.24 to -0.03 percentage points). The association was stronger for White patients compared with non-White patients (-0.15 percentage points [95% CI, -0.26 to -0.04 percentage points] after 3 years), those with fewer additional comorbidities (-0.16 percentage points [95% CI, -0.29 to -0.04 percentage points] after 3 years), and those living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas (-0.19 percentage points [95% CI, -0.32 to -0.07 percentage points] after 3 years). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of UK adults with type 2 diabetes, a social prescribing program with referral to CHWs targeting patients' social needs and health behaviors was associated with improved HbA1c levels, suggesting that holistic CHW interventions may help to reduce the public health burden of type 2 diabetes.

(De)criminalization of Survivors of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: A Social Work Call to Action.

Survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) are failing to be identified and are frequently criminalized. Examining the linkages between DMST and the juvenile legal system is important, as many trafficked youths are only identified after entry into the child welfare or juvenile court system as a result of being arrested or detained on related delinquency charges. Due to legacies of structural violence, marginalized youths are reluctant to approach police officers for help. Therefore, social workers have an opportunity to identify, intervene, and advocate for trafficked youths. In this article, the author provides an overview of existing research related to the demographic profile of DMST, homelessness and survival sex, recruitment and entry, barriers to effective community response, and prevention and intervention strategies. This article represents a call to broaden our view of young people in the sex trade and supports the decriminalization of trafficked youths. Interventions and policies must be designed to fit their complex needs and experiences, resulting in empowerment, opportunity, and new beginnings.

Addressing Emotional Wellness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Role of Promotores in Delivering Integrated Mental Health Care and Social Services.

INTRODUCTION: The disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latino communities has resulted in greater reports of depression, anxiety, and stress. We present a community-led intervention in Latino communities that integrated social services in mental health service delivery for an equity-based response. METHODS: We used tracking sheets to identify 1,436 unique participants (aged 5-86) enrolled in Latino Health Access's Emotional Wellness program, of whom 346 enrolled in the pre-COVID-19 period (March 2019-February 2020) and 1,090 in the COVID-19 period (March-June 2020). Demographic characteristics and types of services were aggregated to assess monthly trends using Pearson χ2 tests. Regression models were developed to compare factors associated with referrals in the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods. RESULTS: During the pandemic, service volume (P < .001) and participant volume (P < .001) increased significantly compared with the prepandemic period. Participant characteristics were similar during both periods, the only differences being age distribution, expanded geographic range, and increased male participation during the pandemic. Nonreferred services, such as peer support, increased during the pandemic period. Type of referrals significantly changed from primarily mental health services and disease management in the prepandemic period to affordable housing support, food assistance, and supplemental income. CONCLUSION: An effective mental health program in response to the pandemic must incorporate direct mental health services and address social needs that exacerbate mental health risk for Latino communities. This study presents a model of how to integrate both factors by leveraging promotor-led programs.

The Crisis Facing Older People Living with Neurodiversity and Their Aging Family Carers: A Social Work Perspective.

This commentary addresses barriers to care among older adults living with neurodiversity (ND), and their aging family carers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Factors contributing to inequities are described and the significant negative consequences of current policy decisions on the social and mental health of older adults with ND and their aging family carers are highlighted. The commentary calls for a collective social work response that highlights the critical role of support and advocacy necessary to redress social exclusion.

Insights from homeless men about PRISM, an innovative shelter-based mental health service.

PRISM (Projet Réaffiliation Itinérance Santé Mentale-mental health and homelessness reaffiliation project), is a new shelter-based mental health service in Montreal, Canada. It offers short-term residential services in a shelter with the aim of housing and connecting the person to the appropriate services in the community. This qualitative research project was designed to gain a rich understanding of service-user experience within this program, and to apply these impressions to a broader reflection concerning how to best serve the needs of homeless people living with severe mental illness. We conducted in-depth interviews with 20 clients from the all-male PRISM-Welcome Hall Mission at program intake and departure between May 2018 and March 2019. We used methods stemming from grounded theory to analyze themes emerging from the interviews. Analysis revealed three core aspects endorsed by PRISM clients as helpful to their recovery: first, the community-based and flexible PRISM structure allows for continuity in daily routine through the preservation and expansion of the client's existing informal resource network; second, the secure environment is conducive to improving one's physical and mental health; and third, the multimodal mental health and social service approach used at PRISM is appreciated and stands in contrast to what most have experienced during other inpatient experiences. This led us to reflect more broadly on the benefits of a shelter-based intervention, as a catalyst to the achievement of longer-term goals such as housing, as well as flexible care adapted to the specific needs of these individuals. Even though this study took place in a specific program in Quebec, it sheds light more broadly on how to best meet the needs of individuals with mental illness living in homeless situations and contributes to the growing literature on men's mental health.

Healthcare and education networks interaction as an indicator of social services stability following natural disasters.

Healthcare and education systems have been identified by various national and international organizations as the main pillars of communities' stability. Understanding the correlation between these main social services institutions is critical to determining the tipping point of communities following natural disasters. Despite being defined as social services stability indicators, to date, no studies have been conducted to determine the level of interdependence between schools and hospitals and their collective influence on their recoveries following extreme events. In this study, we devise an agent-based model to investigate the complex interaction between healthcare and education networks and their overall recovery, while considering other physical, social, and economic factors. We employ comprehensive models to simulate the functional processes within each facility and to optimize their recovery trajectories after earthquake occurrence. The results highlight significant interdependencies between hospitals and schools, including direct and indirect relationships, suggesting the need for collective coupling of their recovery to achieve full functionality of either of the two systems following natural disasters. Recognizing this high level of interdependence, we then establish a social services stability index, which can be used by policymakers and community leaders to quantify the impact of healthcare and education services on community resilience and social services stability.

Collaborative Responses to Commercial Sexual Exploitation as a Model of Smart Decarceration.

Historically, youths who are affected by commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) in the United States have been implicated as perpetrators of crime and overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. As an intriguing example of the "smart decarceration" social work grand challenge, policy and practice initiatives have converged to decriminalize cisgender girls and young women experiencing CSE by reframing them as victims of exploitation rather than as criminals. To date, these efforts have largely focused on gender-specific programming for cisgender girls and young women. In this article, the authors describe how federal, state, and local policy and practice innovations have supported reframing CSE as a form of child maltreatment and rerouted girls and young women from the juvenile justice system to specialized services. Using Los Angeles County as a case example, the authors detail how innovative prevention, intervention, and aftercare programs can serve as models of smart decarceration for CSE-affected cisgender girls and young women with the potential to address the needs of youths with diverse gender and sexual identities.