ETHICS OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH: THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: Coverage of the American experience of successful application of professional ethics of social workers in the field of health to solve complex ethical dilemmas in the activity of a social worker. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: The methodological basis of the study was the use of an axiological approach in identifying the values and ethics of the professional activity of social workers, a competence approach in determining the competence of a social work specialist in the field of health in matters of professional ethics, an interdisciplinary approach in integrating the ethical competence of a social work specialist in the practice of solving ethical dilemmas in the field of health, including in the process of work of an interdisciplinary team of specialists. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The content and specifics of the practical application of the Code of Professional Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers of the USA in social work in the field of health were studied. It was determined that many situations in the practice of social work do not have simple answers when solving complex ethical issues in the field of health. Social workers, in addition to the values, principles and standards of the Code, in making decisions about professional actions in the field of health, must take into account their own beliefs and those of the client. The mechanism for the adjustment of difficult ethical choice cases in the practice of a social worker in the field of health is described.

SOCIAL TENSION AS A MACRO INDICATOR OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF SOCIETY.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: This article aims to determine the prospects of studying social tension as a macro indicator of the psychological well-being of society. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: A total of 1,200 respondents were included in face-to-face interviews: 548 men and 652 women. The sample represents Ukraine's adult population at or above the age of 18. We used a 16-item questionnaire developed based on a theoretical model of necessary and sufficient indicators of social tension. RESULTS: Results: This comprehensive study indicates that over the past 15 years, the national elections constituted the most significant factor in reducing social tensions in Ukraine, and the most potent stressor was the global financial crisis of 2008. Contrary to expectations, the COVID-19 pandemic has not provoked the rising social tension; rather, there has been a noticeable decrease. Based on empirical research data, the prospects of scaling the psychological well-being model of an individual to a broader social context are analyzed. In particular, the study of social tension makes it possible to identify and interpret the psychological effects associated with the projection of outwardly displaced individual reactions to complex social situations. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: We explain how the social tension model can be applied as a macro indicator of psychological well-being at the level of a society. The prospects of creating more valid and reliable indicators of psychological well-being for any given socio-cultural, socio-economic, political context are also identified.

THE INFLUENCE OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS ON EMPLOYEES' MENTAL HEALTH.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To identify the features of the influence of occupational stress on occupation-specific indicators of employees' mental health. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: In total, 771 skilled Russian-speaking respondents (226 men, 545 women; aged 18-67 years, M = 32.32 ± 12.28 years) from different countries and representing various professions participated in a remote online survey. Occupational stress intensity was assessed using the Russian adaptations of the Organizational Constraints Scale, Quantitative Workload Inventory and Aggressive Experiences Scale. Occupation-specific indicators of employees' mental health were assessed using the Russian adaptations of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Withdrawal Scale and Negative Affect at Work Scale. RESULTS: Results: The results showed a significant negative influence of occupational stress on occupation-specific indicators of employees' mental health. All three indicators of occupational stress showed strong significant correlations (p < .001; r = .16-.60) with all five occupation-specific indicators of negative mental health. Constraints on performance at work had the greatest negative influence on employees' mental health, followed by aggressive experiences and workload. Constraints on performance at work caused withdrawal behaviors and workload caused emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishment and withdrawal behaviors in men significantly more often than in women. Aggressive experiences caused depersonalization and negative affect at work in women significantly more often than in men. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Occupational stress had a significant negative influence on all occupation-specific indicators of employees' mental health. This influence had pronounced gendered characteristics. These results convincingly demonstrate the need for effective measures to prevent occupational stress.

The S2 accessory gene of equine infectious anemia virus is essential for expression of disease in ponies.

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a macrophage-tropic lentivirus that persistently infects horses and causes a disease that is characterized by periodic episodes of fever, thrombocytopenia, and viremia. EIAV encodes only four regulatory/accessory genes, (tat, rev, ttm, and S2) and is the least genetically complex of all known lentiviruses. We sought to determine the role of the EIAV S2 accessory gene of EIAV by introducing mutations that would prevent S2 expression on the p19/wenv17 infectious molecular clone. Virus derived from the p19/wenv17 molecular clone is highly virulent and routinely fatal when given in high doses (J. Virol. 72 (1998) 483). In contrast, an S2 deletion mutant on the p19/wenv17 background is unable to induce acute disease and plasma virus loads were reduced by 2.5 to 4.0 logs at 15 days post-infection. The S2 deleted virus failed to produce any detectable clinical signs during a 5-month observation period. These results demonstrate that S2 gene expression is essential for disease expression of EIAV.