Social Work Commons^™

Do Nursing And Pharmacy Students Practice What They Preach On Safe Drug Storage And Disposal? A Cross-Sectional Study, Tamara Al Rawwad, Patrici K. Schrader, Andrea Brooks, Lillian Duong, Douglas Thornton

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Research has confirmed a lack of knowledge regarding the risks of unused medications including diversion, misuse, or accidental overdose among health care professionals (Abdulmajeed, 2020). Nurses and pharmacists are often who patients interact with the most regarding medications; therefore, early education on proper storage and disposal is vital (Bowen, Rotz, Patterson, & Sen, 2017; Celio, Ninane, Bugnon, & Schneider, 2018).

Objectives: The study's objective is to explore safe drug storage and disposal knowledge, attitudes, and practices of professional pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and nursing students.

Design: This research is an exploratory cross-sectional study from May to September 2019.

Methods: An anonymous …

Suicide Among South Asians In The United States: Perspectives, Causes, And Implications For Prevention And Treatment, Susheelabai R. Srinivasa, Sudershan Pasupuleti, Rani Dronamraju, Denise Longoria

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Visual Impairment And Self-Efficacy In Diabetes Management, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Brittany Brown-Podgorski, Jahanett Ramirez

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between visual impairment and diabetes management self-efficacy.

Methods: The present study utilized pooled cross-sectional data (2008-2018) from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component and Diabetes Care Survey. Binary and generalized ordinal logit regression models were used to compare diabetes management self-efficacy between patients with and without visual impairments.

Results: Compared to their non-visually impaired counterparts, visually impaired persons had a lower odds of reporting high diabetes management self-efficacy. Similarly, visually impaired adults with diabetes have a significantly lower odds of being very confident in their ability to manage …

Seeking Health Information And Social Support In The Diabetes Online Community, Allyson S. Hughes, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Diana Gerardo, Isabela Solis, Osvaldo Morera

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Purpose: People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) search for health information online in the Diabetes Online Community (DOC), where individuals with diabetes, researchers and caregivers post and respond to health questions. The aims of this study were 1) to understand how people with T1D are seeking health information and engaging in health behaviors in the DOC, and 2) develop a measure of online health information seeking in adults with T1D.

Research Method: Ninety-five adults with T1D completed qualitative prompts online.

Results: Themes that emerged in this study included sense of community, and multiple types of social support that are necessary …

Integrating Occupation-Based/Focused Assessments During The Evaluation Process. Opportunity To Revisit The Topic In A Post Covid-19 Practice Setting?, John S. Luna

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Occupational therapists treat clients across the lifespan, and every successful intervention begins with a successful evaluation. Incorporating a variety of norm-referenced standardized assessments into the assessment process has become increasingly important to justify services to third party payors identification of goals, and intervention strategies. However, occupational therapists tend to select assessments that are focused and measuring performance skills and client factors versus occupations and performance of occupations. The purpose of this article is to examine the topic of occupation based and occupation focused assessments. While using occupation-based/ occupation-focused assessments is not a new topic, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how …

Impact Of Covid-19 On The Mental Health And Well-Being Of Latinx Caregivers Of Children With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, Mansha Mirza, Vanessa L. Errisuriz, Weiwen Zeng, Jasmine P. Brown, Sandra Vanegas, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Deborah Parra-Medina, Paula Morales, Hilda Torres, Sandy Magaña

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire world in unprecedented ways. However, populations that have had a history of marginalization have experienced a more profound impact. One such group is Latinx families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Unites States. In this study, we used a mixed methods approach to explore the impact of the pandemic on the mental health and well-being of Latinx caregivers of children with IDD. Specifically, we (1) identified which social determinants of health are correlated with maternal caregivers perceived general health, mental health, and well-being; (2) explored the impact of the …

A Brief Report Of The Prevalence Of Chronic And Acute Health Conditions Among Blind American Adults, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Yessenia Castro, Osvaldo F. Morera

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Prior research demonstrates disparities in the prevalence of certain chronic and acute health conditions among persons who are blind (PWB) compared to non-blind persons, such as diabetes and infectious diseases. However, a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of chronic and acute health conditions among PWB is currently lacking.

Objective: The present study addressed this gap by examining the prevalence of chronic and acute conditions among blind persons, and examining differences by gender.

Methods: The present study surveyed 410 PWB residing in the U.S. about their health conditions and activities. Lifetime prevalence for eight chronic and six acute health conditions …

An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study Of Diabetes Self-Management In Blind Americans, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Allyson S. Hughes, Osvaldo F. Morera

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This study used mixed methods to investigate the experiences of 33 participants who are blind (PWB) and have diabetes in managing their diabetes, support (or lack thereof) from their health care providers, and diabetes distress as PWB. Participants most frequently reported barriers to check blood glucose (55%), maintaining a healthy diet (45%), and distress due to their intersectional status of having blindness and diabetes. Those who mentioned intersectional distress of managing diabetes as a PWB tended to be Braille illiterate and less likely to use mobility tools that are symbolic of blindness (e.g., white cane, guide dog). These results illuminate …

Challenges Faced By Mexican Americans When Accessing Mental Health Care Service Utilization Along The South Texas – Mexico Border, Romeo Escobar, John M. Gonzalez, Denise Longoria, Nelda Rodriguez

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the challenges Mexican Americans face when accessing mental health care service utilization along the South Texas-Mexico border. Disparities in access and use of health and mental health services have led Latinos to be disproportionately represented among those most at-risk for chronic health and mental health illnesses and less likely to receive guideline congruent care. Research on mental health service utilization has documented the presence of economic, cultural, and structural barriers that contribute to the underutilization of health services by Latinos. Researchers conducted three focus groups with 25 mental health providers …

Perspectives Of Interactions With Healthcare Providers Among Patients Who Are Blind, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Allyson S. Hughes, Osvaldo F. Morera, Ashley S. Bangert, Angela H. Frederick

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Healthcare providers’ (HCPs) stereotypes about the incompetence of blind and low-vision patients may lead them to patronize blind patients, over-focus on impairments, and neglect the presenting problem. The content of perceived HCP stereotypes about blind patients in the clinical setting was examined from the patient perspective with seven focus groups, including a total of 42 individual participants. Most participants reported an interaction when their HCPs treated them as if they were incompetent, and discussed how perceived evaluations of their warmth and competence impacted whether their HCPs trusted and respected them. Participants also discussed their evaluations of their HCPs’ warmth and …

“No Queremos Quedar Mal”: A Qualitative Analysis Of A Boundary Setting Training Among Latina Community Health Workers., Luis R. Alvarez-Hernandez, J. Maria Bermudez, Pamela Orpinas, Rebecca Matthew, Alejandra Calva, Carolina Darbis

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Community health workers (CHWs)—or promotoras de salud in Spanish—have successfully addressed the health needs of Latinx and immigrant populations. However, for promotoras, setting boundaries is particularly difficult given challenges like residing in the same communities as their participants. The purpose of this study was to describe the development and impact of a boundary setting training to support the emotional well-being of immigrant promotoras. The training (four 1-hr sessions) was informed by social cognitive theory and a Chicana feminist framework. The promotoras who participated in the training helped create Lazos Hispanos, a community-based participatory research (CBPR) study and CHW …

School Social Workers As Nepantleras In Equity Work For Immigrant Students: A Conceptual Exploration, Sophia Rodriguez, Benjamin Roth, Leticia Villarreal Sosa

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This article investigates the critical role school social workers play in promoting equity and advocating for immigrant students in K–12 settings. We explore and conceptualize the notion of nepantlera from the work of Gloria Anzaldúa and draw from qualitative data to show how school social workers function as nepantleras in service and advocacy roles for immigrant students. We further argue that the school settings in which these services take place should be understood as borderlands. Throughout the article, we explore the following questions: What is a paradigm for school social worker practice with immigrant students that is informed by the …

Shaping Identity: Older Adults’ Perceived Community Volunteering Experiences In Shanghai, Lin Chen, Minzhi Ye, Yilin Wu

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This study explores elderly volunteers’ identity during their experiences volunteering in the community in Shanghai. Purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used to recruit elderly volunteers to participate in semi-structured, in-depth interviews (N = 40). Participants developed new identities during volunteering. Through volunteering, they also continued to sustain their professional identities and Chinese Communist Party identities. Volunteering had both positive and negative implications for participants’ identities. Our findings suggest that volunteering strengthened participants’ role identity and social identity to better adapt to life after retirement. Volunteering also helped participants achieve identity continuity. This study offers nuanced sociocultural context to …

The Intersection Of The “Opioid Crisis” With Changes In Us Immigration Policy: Contextual Barriers To Substance Abuse Research With Latinx Communities, Micki Washburn, Luis R. Torres-Hostos, Nicole Echeveria Moore, Alberto Mancillas

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

One of the 12 Grand Challenges facing contemporary social work is to close the health gap experienced by those in historically marginalized communities (Uehara et al., 2013). As social workers, we seek to understand the individual, interpersonal, social, and environmental factors along with the structural inequities leading to initiation and continuation of substance misuse. We are constantly contextualizing the circumstances under which substance misuse occurs, as well as contextualizing our approaches to addressing this issue from both a public health and social justice perspective. In order to adequately meet this challenge, considerably more research-based knowledge on the substance use treatment …

Developing A Measure Of Blind Patients' Interactions With Their Healthcare Providers, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Osvaldo F. Morera, Scott D. Frankowski

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: People who are blind (PWB) are often perceived as being incompetent with common tasks and functions. When patients detect that their healthcare providers (HCPs) have negative perceptions of them, they often report less satisfaction with their healthcare and disengage in their own healthcare.

Objective: A scale assessing the experiences of PWB interacting with HCPs was developed and validated across two studies.

Methods: In Study 1, 144 participants completed the scale and provided feedback. In Study 2, 214 participants completed the scale and 4 additional scales to assess construct validity.

Results: An exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 revealed a …

Addressing Barriers To Primary Care Access For Latinos In The U.S.: An Agent-Based Model, Hyunsung Oh, Mai P. Trinh, Cindy Vang, David Becerra

Management Faculty Publications

Objective: Disparities in access to primary health care have led to health disadvantages among Latinos and other non-White racial groups. To better identify and understand which policies are most likely to improve health care for Latinos, we examined differences in access to primary care between Latinos with proficient English language skills and Latinos with limited English proficiency (LEP) and estimated the extent of access to primary care providers (PCPs) among Latinos in the U.S. Method: We used agent-based modeling techniques to estimate the effects of English proficiency, insurance coverage, Latinos with LEP seeking care from English-speaking PCPs, distance to PCP, …

Geographic Proximity In The Community Eldercare, Lin Chen, Minzhi Ye

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Drawing on the social-ecological framework, this chapter examines how district government policies influence the HCBS program on the macro level. We employ the geographic information system (GIS) strategy to analyze the patterns of how the District government chose the locations of service centers to expand the HCBS program for older adults. Using government archives, policy documents, and census data, we dissect the strategies for allocating public resources to optimize the HCBS program’s ability to accommodate elderly clients’ needs.

A Self-Reliant Umbrella: Defining Successful Aging Among The Old-Old (80+) In Shanghai, Lin Chen, Minzhi Ye, Eva Kahana

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The Chinese old-old (80+) population has steadily increased in recent years; however, limited studies have examined how this group ages. The purpose of this study is to explore how the old-old in urban China define successful aging. Guided by grounded theory, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with community-dwelling old-old participants (N = 97). Participants identified self-reliance as the goal of successful aging, which was supported by four proactive behaviors: physical activity, financial security, community connectedness, and willing acceptance of reality. In our model, we conceptualized these four proactive behaviors to constitute the ribs of an umbrella, supporting a canopy to …

Differences Between Pharmacists’ Perception Of Counseling And Practice In The Era Of Prescription Drug Misuse, J. D. Thornton, Precious Anyanwu, Vaishnavi Tata, Tamara Al Rawwad, Marc L. Fleming

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Objective: This study was conducted to assess pharmacists' practices when counseling patients on their prescription medications, and their preferences for training.

Methods: Five focus group discussions of community pharmacists (n=45, with seven to eleven participants in each group) were conducted in a major metropolitan city in the southern United States. Participants were recruited via email using a list of community pharmacists provided by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. All focus group discussions were structured using a moderator guide consisting of both discrete and open-ended questions. Qualitative analysis software was used to analyze the data with a thematic analysis approach. …

Depressive Symptoms In Three Chinese Older Workforce Groups: The Interplay Of Work Stress With Family And Community Factors, Fei Sun, Wanlian Li, Lin Jiang, Jaewon Lee

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: More people remain in the workforce into their late life as people's life expectancy increases. This study examined the relationship between work stress and depressive symptoms of older workers in mainland China, focusing on the interplay between work stress with family and community factors in three (i.e., urban, rural, and migrant) settings.

Methods: National representative survey data on the Chinese labor force collected by the Social Science Research Center of Sun-Yetsen University in 2014 were used. The sample consisted of 5,751 workers aged 50 and above recruited from 29 out of 31 provinces in mainland China.

Results: Work stress …

“Borikén Libre”: Spaces Of Resistance In Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Luis R. Alvarez-Hernandez

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Suicide Ideation, Planning, And Attempts: The Case Of The Latinx Lgb Youth, Javier F. Boyas, Tatiana Villarreal-Otálora, Luis R. Alvarez-Hernandez, Mariam Fatehi

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Guided by an ecological systems theory (EST) framework, the purpose of the present study was to investigate how multiple micro, mezzo, and macro factors influence the suicidality continuum from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt among Latinx LGB (lesbian, gay, and bisexual) youth living in the United States.

Methods: Data for this cross sectional-study included 451 participants who self-identified as Latinx LGB on the 2017-National Youth Risk Behavioral Survey. The analysis explored micro, mezzo, and macro-level factors’ association with three suicidality outcomes (ideation, planning, and attempt) at the bivariate and multivariate level. Since the outcome variables were dichotomized, univariate logistic …

Pathogens Without Borders: Ecological Determinants Of Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among International Travelers Across The Life Course, Yok-Fong Paat, Luis R. Torres-Hostos

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Purpose

Drawing insights from the ecological theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore social determinants related to pathways to high-risk sexual behaviors of international travelers across their life span.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 45 international travelers in Houston, a critical transit point frequented by international visitors.

Findings

Overall, several ecological settings (individuals, interpersonal, institutional and contextual) related to two typologies of international travelers (risk takers vs non-risk takers) and their inclination to engage in high-risk sexual practices in an international or/and local context were identified.

Research limitations/implications

This research calls for the need to assess high-risk sexual …

The Influence Of Acculturation Level And Family Relationships On Quality Of Life Among U.S. Chinese Older Adults, Yiwei Chen, Yisheng Peng, Minzhi Ye, Ling Xu, Xinqi Dong

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The present study examined the influence of acculturation level and family relationships (i.e., positive family support and negative family strain) on quality of life (QOL), using the data from the Population Study of ChINese Elderly (PINE) in Chicago (N = 3159). Controlling for sociodemographic variables and health status, it was found that individuals’ acculturation level and positive family support were positively related to QOL, whereas negative family strain was negatively associated with QOL. More importantly, higher acculturation levels were associated with increased protective effects of positive family support and reduced risk effects of negative family strain on QOL among …

“Their Today Is Our Future”: Direct Carers’ Work Experience And Formal Caring Relationships In A Community-Based Eldercare Program In Shanghai, Lin Chen, Minzhi Ye, Eva Kahana

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to explore direct carers’ work experience and formal caring relationships with older adults in a community-based eldercare program in Shanghai. Existing evidence has primarily focused on direct carers’ work experience in residential care settings. However, direct carers’ experiences of caring older adults in the community also deserve exploration. This qualitative study purposively sampled direct carers who worked in government-sponsored programs. Carers participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews (N = 37). Results reveal that despite occasional frustration, direct carers undertook demanding workloads and fostered strong emotional attachments with older adult clients. “Karma” was a critical …

Role Of Marital Quality In Explaining Depressive Symptoms After Marital Termination Among Older Adults, Minzhi Ye, Alfred Demaris, Monica A. Longmore

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This study assesses whether prior marital quality moderates the impact of divorce or widowhood on subsequent depression. Poor marital quality may buffer depression associated with divorce/widowhood; conversely, the effect of divorce/widowhood on depression could be exacerbated by previous marital quality. Three waves from the National Survey of Families and Households based on respondents, ages 50 and older, (N = 2,570) included eight marital quality measures. We find limited evidence suggesting higher marital quality elevates, while lower marital quality decreases, depression after divorce. No moderating effects were found for widowhood. Additionally, health condition is more important than current marital status …

Mealtime Interactions And Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults In Shanghai, Minzhi Ye, Lin Chen, Eva Kahana

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Objective: We examined the association between older adults’ mealtime interactions at senior centers in Shanghai and their life satisfaction. Competing hypotheses, derived from socioemotional selectivity theory and activity theory, were tested. Method: Data were obtained from the 2011 Shanghai senior center service utilization survey (N = 320). Relationships between respondents’ mealtime interactions and life satisfaction were tested using multilevel regression modeling. Results: After adjusting for demographics, interactions with tablemates (companionship, self-disclosure, and instrumental support) were positively associated with respondents’ life satisfaction. These associations varied by senior centers. However, the number of tablemates was not significantly associated with respondents’ life …

A Systematic Review Of Mexican American Elders With Type-2 Diabetes Under Family Care Of Medication Administration In Borderland, Hsueh-Fen S. Kao, Diana L. Woods, Minzhi Ye, Lin Chen, Maria A. Amaya, Show-Mei Lin

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The prevalence of type-2 diabetes (T2DM) among Mexican-American older adults along the U.S.-Mexico border region is at epidemic proportions. Healthcare reform is trending toward long-term home-based management of chronic conditions. Under the Mexican cultural norm of familism, daily care for elders is also often provided by family caregivers whose competence levels may vary. Adherence to the prescribed medication regimen is critical to attainment of optimal glucose control. However, there is a startling lack of literature that addresses the link between family medication administration and care recipients’ health outcome. This paper explores the role of culture in medication administration by family …

A New Era In Living Arrangements: Determinants Of Quality Of Life Among Chinese Older Adults, Minzhi Ye, Yiwei Chen, Yisheng Peng

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Empty-nest older adults are the fastest-growing population in China. There are three objectives of the present chapter: (1) to provide a national portrait of the changing pattern of co-residence of older adults in the past decade; (2) to identify the sociodemographic determinants of empty-nest families among community-dwelling older adults; and (3) to examine the relationship between older adults’ living arrangements and quality of life. We used the 2006 and 2010 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) samples to document the trends in the rates of co-residing families. In addition, we tested sociodemographic factors that may impact older adults’ living arrangements using …

Altruism And Life Satisfaction Among Lgbt Older Adults, Boaz Kahana, Eva Kahana, Tirth Bhatta, Minzhi Ye, Jiao Yu

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Altruistic attitudes have been found in our prior longitudinal studies to promote positive affective states and life satisfaction in late life (Kahana, Bhatta, Lovegreen, Kahana and Midlarsky 2013). Such attitudes reflect a willingness to help others and an orientation characterized by generosity of spirit. It may be anticipated that such qualities are easier to maintain for older adults who are well integrated members of society and who do not face stigma and discrimination. In this chapter, we extend our research interest in altruism and in prosocial behaviors to LGBT older adults, who had encountered adversity and lack of acceptance in …