Social Work Commons^™

Chemical Reactions: Marijuana, Opioids, And Our Families, Denise A. Hines Ph.D, Staci Gruber Ph.D, John F. Kelly Ph.D, Kathleen M. Palm Reed, Hilary Smith Connery M.D., Ph.D.

Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise

Chemical Reactions: Marijuana, Opioids, and Our Families is the seventh Massachusetts Family Impact Seminar. This seminar was designed to emphasize a family perspective in policymaking on issues related to the legalization of marijuana and managing the opioid abuse crisis in the Commonwealth. In general, Family Impact Seminars analyze the consequences an issue, policy, or program may have for families.

Women’S Experiences With Prenatal Care: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring The Influence Of The Social Determinants Of Health, Karen A. D'Angelo, Janelle K. Bryan, Brenda Kurz

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background & Purpose: Racial and ethnic disparities pervade birth outcomes in the United States and the state of Connecticut. While Connecticut’s infant mortality rate is less than the national average, rates for the state’s Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino communities exceed it. This study explored how prenatal care in Connecticut may be enhanced to address these disparities.

Methods: In spring 2013, seven focus groups and two semi-structured interviews were conducted (n=47). Participants also self-administered brief surveys. Recruited by local service providers, participants were 18 or older, pregnant and/or in the first year post-partum at the time. Most self-identified as …

Palliative Chemotherapy Among People Living In Poverty With Metastasised Colon Cancer: Facilitation By Primary Care And Health Insurance, Kevin M. Gorey, Emma Bartfay, Sindu M. Kanjeekal, Frances C. Wright, Caroline Hamm, Isaac N. Luginaah, Guangyong Zou, Eric J. Holowaty, Nancy L. Richter, Madhan K. Balagurusamy

Social Work Publications

Background: Many Americans with metastasised colon cancer do not receive indicated palliative chemotherapy. We examined the effects of health insurance and physician supplies on such chemotherapy in California.

Methods: We analysed registry data for 1199 people with metastasised colon cancer diagnosed between 1996 and 2000 and followed for 1 year. We obtained data on health insurance, census tract-based socioeconomic status and county-level physician supplies. Poor neighbourhoods were oversampled and the criterion was receipt of chemotherapy. Effects were described with rate ratios (RR) and tested with logistic regression models.

Results: Palliative chemotherapy was received by less than half of the participants …

Mater: Innovative Programs For Maternal Addiction Education Treatment And Research, Meghan Gannon Phd Msph

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Risks And Health Consequences Of Forgoing, Delaying, Or Having Trouble Accessing Needed Health Care Among Medicare Beneficiaries, Angelitta M. Spells

Open Access Dissertations

Medicare provides health care coverage for approximately 93% of non-institutionalized older adults. Compared to uninsured adults, Medicare beneficiaries have greater access to needed healthcare including preventative care. However, disparities in accessing needed health care still exist among Medicare beneficiaries. Prior research has described barriers to accessing needed health care among older Medicare beneficiaries, such as transportation and health system characteristics, but little is known about prevalence, risks, or health consequences of older Medicare beneficiaries delaying, forgoing, or having trouble accessing needed health care. The three studies included in this dissertation followed a nationally representative sample of older Medicare beneficiaries to …

North Douglas County Community Needs Health Assessment (Phase 1), Callie H. Lambarth, Diane Reid, Beth L. Green

Early Childhood

Beginning in February 2016, the North Douglas County (NDC) communities of Drain, Elkton, and Yoncalla, Oregon engaged in a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) planning process, focusing on children ages birth-to-8 and their families. The purpose of this process was to explore, understand, and integrate linkages between early learning and young child and family health; identify health-related resources currently available and accessible to NDC families; and prioritize health areas of interest to be explored during the CHNA.

The North Douglas County CHNA builds on community partnerships already established in the region through initiatives that aim to coordinate and align early …

Disparities Among Minority Women With Breast Cancer Living In Impoverished Areas Of California, Sundus Haji-Jama, Kevin M. Gorey, Isaac N. Luginaah, Guangyong Zou, Caroline Hamm, Eric J. Holowaty

Social Work Publications

Background: Interaction effects of poverty and health care insurance coverage on overall survival rates of breast cancer among women of color and non-Hispanic white women were explored. Methods: We analyzed California registry data for 2,024 women of color (black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or other ethnicity) and 4,276 non-Hispanic white women (Anglo-European ancestries and no Hispanic-Latin ethnic backgrounds) diagnosed with breast cancer between the years 1996 and 2000 who were then followed until 2011. The 2000 US census categorized rates of neighborhood poverty. Health care insurance coverage was either private, Medicare, Medicaid, or none. Cox regression was used …

Social Support And Intimate Partnerships In African American Women With Breast Cancer, Tess Thompson

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study investigated social support in African American breast cancer patients in one Midwestern metropolitan area. The study includes a quantitative analysis of social support in 227 African American breast cancer patients participating in a quality of life study, as well as a qualitative component involving a subsample of 15 married participants. In the larger sample, growth curve models were used to assess factors contributing to initial levels of perceived social support and change in social support over time. Interviews with women in the qualitative study allowed an in-depth exploration of how breast cancer affected womens relationships with …

The Effects Of Continuing Education On Nurse Knowledge Of Safe Haven Laws In Illinois, Lindsay Thiemkey Gordon

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Illegal and often fatal infant abandonment is a pervasive public health crisis. Safe Haven Laws (SHLs) help to prevent illegal infant abandonment by allowing specific professionals, including nurses, to accept unharmed newborns within statutorily defined parameters. SHLs have existed for nearly two decades, yet many healthcare workers are not knowledgeable about these laws: this implies that initial efforts to educate healthcare workers about SHLs have been ineffective. Continuing education supports lifelong learning which is a basic tenet of nursing practice. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to teach nurses about SHLs through evidence-based continuing education. Literature firmly …

Policy Brief: Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, The 2015-2016 Cohort Of New Hampshire Leadership Education In Neurodevelopmental And Related Disabilities (Nh Lend) Program Trainees.

Policy Analysis

The Lifespan Respite Care Act (PL 109-442) provides critical support for families caring for loved ones at home. Family caregivers in the United States provide an estimated $470 billion worth of uncompensated care—a figure that exceeds the total Medicaid budget for 2013 (NAC Task Force, 2016). According to the National Respite Coalition, access to respite care helps protect caregiver health, strengthens families, keeps marriages intact, and prevents the need for expensive institutional long-term care. Reauthorization of the Lifespan Respite Care Act is essential to the well-being of individuals in need of long-term care and their families affected by long-term health …

Victimization Of The Homeless: The Role Of Public Perceptions And Implications For Social Work Practice, Marion Murray, Simon Funge, Jay Gabbard

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Foster Care On Depression: An Examination Of Placement Type And Mental Health Service Utilization Among Children And Adolescents, Kisha Cummings

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Children and adolescents in foster care with a history of complex trauma such as neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse have a greater odds of being clinically diagnosed with depression in adulthood compared to children and adolescents without such a history. The current study examines the prevalence of depression in a national sample of children and adolescents aged 7 to 17 years. This study asks whether a) foster care is associated with a greater prevalence of depression among children and adolescents in foster care compared to children and adolescents not in foster care; b) there is an association between …

Gender Differences On The Interacting Effects Of Marital Status And Health Insurance On Long-Term Colon Cancer Survival In California, 1995-2014, Derek Campbell, Kevin M. Gorey, Isaac N. Luginaah, Guangyong Zou, Caroline Hamm, Eric J. Holowaty

Social Work Publications

Objectives. Long-term colon cancer survival is not well explained by main effects. We explored the interaction of age, gender, marital status, health insurance and poverty on 10-year colon cancer survival.

Methods. California registry data were analyzed for 5,776 people diagnosed from 1995 to 2000; followed until 2014. Census data classified neighborhood poverty. We tested interactions with regressions and described them with standardized rates and rate ratios (RR).

Results. The 5-way interaction was significant, suggesting larger 4-way disadvantages among non-Medicare-eligible people. A significant 4-way interaction was a 3-way interaction in non-high poverty neighborhoods only. Private insurance was protective for unmarried …

Child Sexual Abuse And The Impact Of Rurality On Foster Care Outcomes: An Exploratory Analysis, Austin G. Griffiths, April L. Murphy, Whitney Harper

Social Work Faculty Publications

Given the cost of long-term foster care placement in both human and economic terms, few studies have specifically explored if any factors help to predict why this vulnerable population spends significantly more time in foster care. The overarching goal of this exploratory study was to use binary logistic regression to investigate whether any child demographic or environmental characteristics predicted the discharge of a child placed in Kentucky's foster care system for child sexual abuse. Results indicated that children in the most rural areas of the state were over 10 times more likely to be discharged from foster care during the …

Teen Dating Violence: Co-Occurrence With Bullying Among African American Teens In South Florida, Rosemarie Hemmings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teen dating violence and bullying are major public health concerns but are preventable. Both dating violence and bullying occur within similar social context and the prevalence of teen dating violence was highest for African American teens as reported on the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Social learning theory provides a foundation for understanding and changing behavior related to dating violence victimization and bully victimization. The research questions focused on relationships between bully and teen dating violence victimization when controlling for race/ethnicity, gender, substance abuse, age, and age of first sexual intercourse. Additionally, the potential mediating variable of spending time …

Conducting Qualitative Interviews By Telephone: Lessons Learned From A Study Of Alcohol Use Among Sexual Minority And Heterosexual Women, Laurie Drabble, Karen Trocki, Brenda Salcedo, Patricia Walker, Rachael Korcha

Faculty Publications

This study explored effective interviewer strategies and lessons learned based on collection of narrative data by telephone with a subsample of women from a population-based survey, which included sexual minority women. Qualitative follow-up, in-depth life history interviews were conducted over the telephone with 48 women who had participated in the 2009–2010 National Alcohol Survey. Questions explored the lives and experiences of women, including use of alcohol and drugs, social relationships, identity, and past traumatic experiences. Strategies for success in interviews emerged in three overarching areas: (1) cultivating rapport and maintaining connection; (2) demonstrating responsiveness to interviewee content, concerns; and (3) …

The Stigma Effect: The Role Of Internalized Racism And Internalized Homophobia In Risky Sexual Behavior Among Black Gay Men, Darren Lovell Whitfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black gay, bisexual, queer, and same-gender-loving (GBQSGL) men account for less than 1% of US population, yet account for 36% of all new HIV infections. While, Black GBQSGL men experience higher rates of HIV infection compared to other gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) from other racial groups, they are no more likely to report engaging in condomless anal sex (CAS). These findings suggest that one possible explanation is that the context of sexual behavior for Black GBQSGL men may be riskier because of the prevalence of HIV in the community. Furthermore, research suggests that racism …

Heath And The Homeless Population Of Missoula: “Housing First” As A Solution, Marissa S. Ginnett

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Missoula, Montana has an extremely high rate of homelessness at .75% of the population (compared to other large cities, Seattle, Washington at .23% and Los Angeles, California at .32%). This is due to there not being much done to help chronically inebriated homeless individuals. All are turned away from Missoula's overnight shelters if they are not sober. For an inebriated homeless person, the jail and the hospital are the only two places where they can stay the night. Through comparison to other cities, such as Seattle, Washington, I have identified that Missoula needs a wet housing program. Wet housing provides …

Evaluation Of A Diabetes Self-Management Program For Hispanics In Lexington Kentucky: A Pilot Study, Miguel A. Gamboa Oropeza

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Hispanics are more affected by diabetes than non-Hispanic whites and they tend to experience more severe complications. Research shows that although self-management is poor among ethnic minorities, it is even more so among Hispanics. The “Taking Ownership of Your Diabetes” (TOYD) program has been shown to be successful in helping individuals manage their diabetes. However, no work has been conducted with Hispanic audiences in Kentucky. TOYD program allows individuals to modify lifestyle risks and solve problems related to diabetes management. The program was translated from English to Spanish. Hispanics males and females between ages 19 to 75 years …

Health Care Agency: Statewide Awareness Of Patient-Centered Care In Maine’S Mental Health Care Facilities, Holly Hogan A

Honors Theses

This research project focuses on patient-centered care (PCC) in the context of inpatient acute psychiatric units. Hospitals have been claiming their renewed outlooks on health-care via PCC. It has become an increasingly popular term to use on hospital websites and in presidential statements. The technologies and practices surrounding psychiatric care have evolved in such a way that patients are more welcomed to have an input in their care. This project discusses the discourse around PCC at Mental Health Care Facilities in Maine. There is no consensus on the definition; the meanings ascribed to it are derived from the individual institutions. …