Social Work Commons^™

Enhancing Competency-Based Social Work Skills Through Service Learning And Interprofessional Education In A Student-Run Free Healthcare Clinic, Christopher Simmons, Amy Fisher, Roxann Mcneish, Karah Y. Greene, Melissa Thompson, Jerome T. Galea

Social Work Faculty Publications

Student-run free clinics (SRFC) offer students the opportunity to learn and work with students from other disciplines; however, there is very little research on the benefits of SRFC to social work students. The purpose of this article is to describe the qualitative student outcomes of a service learning (SL) and interprofessional education (IPE) experience in a SRFC designed to enhance the interprofessional competencies of BSW social work students. Students (n=38) enrolled in a service-learning course and participated in a semester-long SL and IPE experience at a university-affiliated interdisciplinary SRFC. Qualitative findings from student reflections indicated that students perceived that the …

Editorial: Noncommunicable Diseases And Mental Health Experiences Before And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rahul Shidhaye, Annika C. Sweetland, Jerome T. Galea, Mir Nabila Ashraf, Malay K. Mridha, Hannah Maria Jennings, Aliya Naheed

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Lessons Learned In Co-Creating A Virtual Village For People Ageing With Hiv, Jasmine L. Lopez, Andrea N. Polonijo, Annie L. Nguyen, Karah Y. Greene, Jerome T. Galea, Moka Yoo-Jeong, Jeff Taylor, Brandon J. Brown

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Mixed Methods Evaluation Of A World Health Organization Competency-Based Training Package For Foundational Helping Skills Among Pre-Service And In-Service Health Workers In Nepal, Peru And Uganda, Gloria A. Pedersen, Pragya Shrestha, Josephine Akellot, Alejandra Sepulveda, Nagendra P. Luitel, Rosco Kasujja, Carmen Contreras, Jerome T. Galea, Leydi Moran, Vibha Neupane, Damodar Rimal, Alison Schafer, Brandon A. Kohrt

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Grace Abbott Training And Supervision Academy Annual Report 2022, Michelle Nelsen, Susan Reay, Ellen Rice, Katie Robbins Case

Social Work Faculty Publications

GATSA trainings target social workers, students, and other professionals in practice areas including major mental disorder, addiction, LGBTQ bias and stigma, aging and dementia, children and families, corrections and forensics, suicide, cultural literacy, public and private mental health, supervision, research/policy/ licensure, domestic violence, rural and underserved communities, and school social work.

Barriers To The Delivery Of Teen Dating Violence Programs In Urban School And After-School Settings Serving Mexican-Heritage Youth, Heidi Adams Rueda, Lela Rankin Williams, Abigail Vera

Social Work Faculty Publications

Teen dating violence (TDV) is increasingly recognized as a national health priority, impacting overall well-being and school success. However, there are overlooked barriers to TDV program delivery in schools and youth-serving organizations and these are ideal settings to reach youth universally. In this study, we conducted 10 focus groups with school (e.g., administrators, social workers, nurses) and after-school personnel regarding barriers to TDV programming within a large urban community serving predominantly Mexican-heritage youth. Findings offer practice-driven considerations for the implementation of programs within urban communities. These include attention to limited resources, inhibitive and non-existent policies, competing demands, a lack of …

Meme Culture And Suicide Sensitivity, A Quantitative Study, Nafees Alam, Ryan Weiser

Social Work Faculty Publications

People worldwide are bogged down with a multitude of issues, many of which may need some form of coping mechanism to counteract the negative beliefs that accompany those issues. For many, memes have become that coping mechanism. Looking at memes, the present study ascertained the effects that constant viewing of memes has on sensitivity when dealing with one of the most difficult concerns anyone can face, suicide. Using a pre-test/ post-test design, participants (n = 51) were given a questionnaire to see how familiar they are with certain memes and to create a baseline for reactions to key phrases. The …

Start Where The Social Worker Is: Social Workers’ Perceptions Of Clinical Licensure In Nebraska, Susan Reay, Henry J. D'Souza, Kris D. Tevis, Avery H. Fleck

Social Work Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the perceptions of clinical social workers compared to other mental health professionals (OMHPs). Methods: This exploratory survey research evaluates the perceptions of clinical licensure from social workers (N = 519) and OMHPs (N = 624) in a midwestern state. Results: The results indicate that most respondents believe that universities should be evaluated based on whether students pass licensing exams, and that faculty should be licensed. Many social workers feel ill-prepared to take a licensing exam. There are significant differences between social workers and OMHP in several areas. Additionally, differences are distinct between …

Practice Note: Using Yoga For Emotional Regulation In Intermediate School Teenagers, Nafees Alam

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: This paper examines techniques used in yoga, including breathing techniques, various forms of meditation and physical postures that can impact youth diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) learning to regulate their emotions to enhance their academic performance. Methods: The intervention was administered to teens at an intermediate public school for six weeks. Seventeen participants were chosen by mental health counselors and worked together with a yoga facilitator to better serve teens struggling with emotional regulation. Results: Pre- and post-tests show that meditation was the overall preferred technique chosen by students as a method to aid with emotional regulation. …

Supportive Neighborhoods, Family Resilience And Flourishing In Childhood And Adolescence, Sheila Barnhart, Molly R. Bode, Michael C. Gearhart, Kathryn Maguire-Jack

Social Work Faculty Publications

Flourishing is linked with health and well-being in childhood and adulthood. This study applied a promotive factors model to examine how neighborhood assets might benefit child and adolescent flourishing by promoting family resilience. Using data from the combined 2018 and 2019 National Survey of Children’s Health, structural equation models tested direct and indirect relationships between neighborhood physical environment, neighborhood social cohesion, family resilience, and flourishing among 18,396 children and 24,817 adolescents. After controlling for multiple covariates that may influence flourishing, the models supported that higher levels of neighborhood social cohesion were directly associated with higher levels of flourishing adolescents, and …

A Pandemic Road Map: Creating Social Work Student Wellness Plans In Field Placement, Susan Reay

Social Work Faculty Publications

During the unprecedented early stages of COVID-19, few protocols were established to support overall student wellness in social work field placements. In response to the overwhelming need for a contextual framework to promote wellness and determine the next steps in mitigating health risks, faculty developed a unique solution in a dynamic situation. Rooted in the university-sponsored dimensions of wellness, BSW and MSW students developed wellness plans that were integrated into the field placement course. These plans were intended to enhance students' ability to evaluate their well-being and encourage them to plan wellness activities. The wellness plan was critical in determining …

Mexican Middle Schoolers’ Questions On Sexuality And Dating Relationships: A Descriptive Qualitative Analysis, Deaven Rodriguez, Heidi Adams Rueda, Steven Hoffman, Bethany Gutierrez

Social Work Faculty Publications

Research in Mexico has found a lack of comprehensive sexual health education in school settings, as well as a lack of youth perspectives on sexual health and dating. Little is known about the questions Mexican youth have about dating and sexuality, despite research finding that they desire this information and perceive few resources available to them. This collaborative study between a U.S. university and a multi-disciplinary team of middle-school psychologists in Central Mexico aimed to understand youth’s questions on sexual health and dating. This study was a follow-up to focus group conversations, where youth voiced that they wanted more information …

“This Person Is Safe”: An Exemplar Of Conducting Individual Interviews In Qualitative Research With Black Women, Quenette Walton, Priscilla P. Kennedy, Olulbunmi Oyewuwo, Phylicia Allen

Social Work Faculty Publications

Significant conceptual and empirical evidence has been found through qualitative research about the benefits, limitations, and uses of individual interviews. However, there is scant research illustrating how researchers use specific techniques that center participants’ intersecting identities to build rapport, trust, and authentic connections during individual interviews, and especially during interviews with Black women. We illustrate how we used eight empirically grounded techniques in our qualitative individual interviews with Black women. Through our analysis of the interviews, the concept of safety emerged. “This person is safe” reflects the combined stories the women reported regarding their experiences engaging in individual interviews. In …

Community-Based Accompaniment For Adolescents Transitioning To Adult Hiv Care In Urban Peru: A Pilot Study, Valentina Vargas, Milagros Wong, Carly A. Rodriguez, Hugo Sanchez, Jerome T. Galea, Alicia Ramos, Liz Senador, Lenka Kolevic, Eduardo Matos, Eduardo Sanchez, Renato A. Errea, Karen Ramos, Catherine Beckhorn, Andrew Lindeborg, Carlos Benites, Leonid Lecca, Sonya Shin, Molly F. Franke

Social Work Faculty Publications

We piloted a community-based intervention to improve outcomes among adolescents living with HIV who were transitioning to adult-oriented care in Lima, Peru. We assessed feasibility and potential effectiveness, including within-person changes in self-reported adherence, psychosocial metrics (NIH Toolbox), and transition readiness (“Am I on TRAC” questionnaire, “Got Transition” checklist). From October 2019 to January 2020, we enrolled 30 adolescents (15–21 years). The nine-month intervention consisted of logistical, adherence and social support delivered by entry-level health workers and group sessions to improve health-related knowledge and skills and social support. In transition readiness, we observed within-person improvements relative to baseline. We also …

Impact Of Prolonged Isolation On Adolescents With Drug-Susceptible Tuberculosis In Lima, Peru: A Qualitative Study, Victoria Elena Rapoport, Elmer Altamirano, Liz Senador, Milagros Wong, Catherine B. Beckhorn, Julia Coit, Stephanie D. Roche, Leonid Lecca, Jerome T. Galea, Silvia S. Chiang

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objectives Patients with tuberculosis (TB) generally are instructed to isolate at the beginning of treatment in order to prevent disease transmission. The duration of isolation varies and may be prolonged (ie, lasting 1 month or more). Few studies have examined the impact of isolation during TB treatment on adolescents, who may be more vulnerable to its negative effects.

Methods This study took place from 2018 through 2019 in Lima, Peru, where the Ministry of Health mandates the exclusion of patients with TB from educational institutions for at least 2 months. Using semi-structured guides, we conducted individual in-depth interviews with adolescents …

A Role For Community-Level Socioeconomic Indicators In Targeting Tuberculosis Screening Interventions, Meredith B. Brooks, Helen E. Jenkins, Daniela Puma, Christine Tzelios, Ana Karina Millones, Judith Jimenez, Jerome T. Galea, Leonid Lecca, Mercedes C. Becerra, Salmaan Keshavjee, Courtney M. Yuen

Social Work Faculty Publications

Tuberculosis screening programs commonly target areas with high case notification rates. However, this may exacerbate disparities by excluding areas that already face barriers to accessing diagnostic services. We compared historic case notification rates, demographic, and socioeconomic indicators as predictors of neighborhood-level tuberculosis screening yield during a mobile screening program in 74 neighborhoods in Lima, Peru. We used logistic regression and Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis to identify predictors of screening yield. During February 7, 2019–February 6, 2020, the program screened 29,619 people and diagnosed 147 tuberculosis cases. Historic case notification rate was not associated with screening yield in any …

Patient And Provider Perceptions Of A Community-Based Accompaniment Intervention For Adolescents Transitioning To Adult Hiv Care In Urban Peru: A Qualitative Analysis, Jerome T. Galea, Milagros Wong, Brennan Ninesling, Alicia Ramos, Liz Senador, Hugo Sanchez, Lenka Kolevic, Eduardo Matos, Eduardo Sanchez, Renato A. Errea, Andrew Lindeborg, Carlos Benites, Leonid Lecca, Sonya Shin, Molly F. Franke

Social Work Faculty Publications

Introduction: Adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) experience higher mortality rates compared to other age groups, exacerbated by the suboptimal transition from paediatric to adult HIV care, during which decreased adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and unsuppressed viremia are frequent. Care transition—a process lasting months or years—ideally prepares ALWH for adult care and can be improved by interventions that are youth-friendly and address psychosocial issues affecting ART adherence; however, such interventions are infrequently operationalized. Community-based accompaniment (CBA), in which laypeople provide individualized support and health system navigation, can improve health outcomes among adults with HIV. Here, we describe patient and provider …

Considerations For Partnering With Ryan White Case Managers To Create Equitable Opportunities For People With Hiv To Participate In Research, Elizabeth Lockhart, Deanne Turner, Jerome T. Galea, Stephanie L. Marhefka

Social Work Faculty Publications

Many research studies focus on recruitment from one or few HIV clinics or internet-engaged populations, but this may result in inequitable representation of people with HIV (PWH), across the rural/urban/suburban continuum. Ryan White Case Managers (RWCM) meet regularly with PWH, potentially positioning them as partners in gathering research-related data from diverse groups of low-income, marginalized, PWH. Yet, data collection in partnership with RWCM, particularly over large geographic areas, has been under-explored. We partnered with RWCM and their organizations throughout Florida to administer a 10-item technology use and willingness survey to clients living with HIV; RWCMs provided process-oriented feedback. Among 382 …

Geographic Accessibility To Health Facilities Predicts Uptake Of Community-Based Tuberculosis Screening In An Urban Setting, Helen E. Jenkins, Sally Ayuk, Daniela Puma, Meredith B. Brooks, Ana Karina Millones, Judith Jimenez, Leonid Lecca, Jerome T. Galea, Mercedes Becerra, Salmaan Keshavjee, Courtney M. Yuen

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objectives: Annually, more than 30% of individuals with tuberculosis (TB) remain undiagnosed. We aimed to assess whether geographic accessibility measures can identify neighborhoods that would benefit from TB screening services targeted toward closing the diagnosis gap.

Methods: We used data from a community-based mobile TB screening program in Carabayllo district, Lima, Peru. We constructed four accessibility measures from the geographic center of neighborhoods to health facilities. We used logistic regression to assess the association between these measures and screening uptake in one's residential neighborhood versus elsewhere, with quasi-information criterion values to assess the association.

Results: We analyzed the screening locations …

Understanding Linkage To Biopsy And Treatment For Breast Cancer After A High-Risk Telemammography Result In Peru: A Mixed-Methods Study, Renato A. Errea, Patricia J. Garcia, Lydia E. Pace, Jerome T. Galea, Molly F. Franke

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objectives: This mixed-method study aimed to understand the effectiveness of linkage to biopsy and treatment in women with a high-risk mammography result (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, BI-RADS 4 and 5) in the national telemammography programme and to explore women’s experiences during this process.

Setting: Quantitative component: we collected and linked health data from the telemammography reading centre, the national public health insurance, the national centre for disease control and the national referral cancer centre. Qualitative component: we interviewed participants from different regions of the country representing diverse social and geographical backgrounds.

Participants: Quantitative: women who underwent telemammography between …

Attitudes Toward Payment For Research Participation: Results From A U.S. Survey Of People Living With Hiv, Andrea N. Polonijo, Karine Dubé, Jerome T. Galea, Karah Yeona Greene, Jeff Taylor, Christopher Christensen, Brandon Brown

Social Work Faculty Publications

Little is known about how payment affects individuals' decisions to participate in HIV research. Using data from a U.S. survey of people living with HIV (N = 292), we examined potential research participants’ attitudes toward payment, perceived study risk based on payment amount, and preferred payment forms, and how these factors vary by sociodemographic characteristics. Most respondents agreed people should be paid for HIV research participation (96%) and said payment would shape their research participation decisions (80%). Men, less formally educated individuals, and members of some minoritized racial-ethnic groups were less likely to be willing to participate in research …

Feasibility Of A School-Based Mental Health Program Implementation To Improve The Status Of Depression And Quality Of Life Of Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Urban Bangladesh: Menthol Study, Aliya Naheed, Saimul Islam, Meredith B. Brooks, Mary C. Smith Fawzi, Mir Nabila Ashraf, Helal Uddin Ahmed, M. M. Jalal Uddin, Kamrun Nahar Koly, Jerome T. Galea, Shaheen Akhter, Charles Nelson, Saima Wazed Hossain, Kerim M. Munir

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: We assessed the feasibility of implementing psychological counseling services (PCS) for mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) integrated within special education settings in urban Bangladesh. Method: In two special education schools for ASD in Dhaka City, trained female psychologists screened mothers using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). PCS was administered to all the mothers irrespective of a diagnosis of depression. Mothers with a PHQ-9 score >4 who met criteria for a major depressive episode (MDE) based on the DSM-IV Structured Interview Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) were also administered skill-building training through monthly home visits to support ASD …

Higher Native Peruvian Genetic Ancestry Proportion Is Associated With Tuberculosis Progression Risk, Samira Asgari, Yang Luo, Chuan-Chin Huang, Zibiao Zhang, Roger Calderon, Carmen Contreras, Jerome T. Galea, Leonid Lecca, David Jones, D. Branch Moody, Megan B. Murray, Soumya Raychaudhuri

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Child Protection Policies And Practices In Mennonite Church Usa Congregations: A Follow-Up Study, Jeanette Harder, Elisabeth Wilder

Social Work Faculty Publications

While congregations have a spiritual mandate to be open and welcoming, they must be aware of the risks involved in ministry and be prepared to protect children from all types of abuse and neglect. In 2010 and again in 2018, Dove’s Nest, a nonprofit organization, conducted an online survey to determine the characteristics, practices, and experiences of Mennonite Church USA congregations with and without written child protection policies. The research questions for this study were: (1) What are the characteristics, practices, and experiences of congregations in regard to child protection, and how have they changed since 2010? (2) What is …

Temporal Trends In Suicidal Ideation And Attempts Among Us Adolescents By Sex And Race/Ethnicity, 1991-2019, Yunyu Xiao, Julie Cerel, J. John Mann

Social Work Faculty Publications

Importance: Disparities by sex and racial/ethnic group in suicide death rates are present in US adolescents. Whether disparities in suicide death extend to groups targeted for suicide prevention efforts, namely, those with suicidal ideation or nonfatal suicide attempts, is unknown.

Objective: To examine differences in temporal trends between suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in US adolescents from 1991 through 2019 by sex and race/ethnicity subgroups.

Design, Setting, and Participants: A cross-sectional analysis of the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, weighted to represent US adolescents from 1991 to 2019, included 183 563 US high-school students in grades 9 to 12. Data …

Economic Stress Among Low Income Latino Adolescent Fathers: An Application Of The Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Model, Diana Cedeño, Autumn M. Bermea, Heidi Adams Rueda, Michelle L. Toews

Social Work Faculty Publications

Latino youth are more likely to live under the poverty line and to become adolescent parents. Although research exists examining adolescent mothers, less is known about adolescent fathers, particularly Latino adolescent fathers. Much of what does exist uses a deficit lens, as opposed to one of strength and resilience. Although adolescent fathers sometimes do struggle in their transition to fatherhood, it is critical to understand the positive ways in which they adapt. The present study uses in-depth interviews and applies the vulnerability-stress-adaptation (VSA) model to understand parental adaptation processes among a sample of low-income Latino adolescent fathers (N = …

Mental Health And Psychosocial Functioning In Recently Separated U.S. Women Veterans: Trajectories And Bi-Directional Relationships, Karen A. Lawrence, Dawne Vogt, Adam Dugan, Shawn R. Nigam, Emily Slade, Brian N. Smith

Social Work Faculty Publications

Prior research on the relationship between veterans’ mental health and psychosocial functioning has primarily relied on male samples. Here, we investigated prospective longitudinal relationships between mental health and psychosocial functioning in 554 female Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans who were surveyed three times between two- and seven-years following separation from service. Mixed effects modeling revealed that increasing depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity predicted declines in work functioning. Increasing PTSD severity predicted declining parental functioning and worsening depression predicted a decline in relationship functioning. In turn, decreased work and intimate relationship functioning predicted increased PTSD and depression symptom severity …

Identifying Barriers And Facilitators To Implementation Of Community-Based Tuberculosis Active Case Finding With Mobile X-Ray Units In Lima, Peru: A Re-Aim Evaluation, Courtney M. Yuen, Daniela Puma, Ana Karina Millones, Jerome T. Galea, Christine Tzelios, Roger I. Calderon, Meredith B. Brooks, Judith Jimenez, Carmen Contreras, Tim C. Nichols, Tom Nicholson, Leonid Lecca, Mercedes C. Becerra, Salmaan Keshavjee

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objectives: Identify barriers and facilitators to integrating community tuberculosis screening with mobile X-ray units into a health system.

Methods: Reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance evaluation.

Setting: 3-district region of Lima, Peru.

Participants: 63 899 people attended the mobile units from 7 February 2019 to 6 February 2020.

Interventions: Participants were screened by chest radiography, which was scored for abnormality by computer-aided detection. People with abnormal X-rays were evaluated clinically and by GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) sputum testing. People diagnosed with tuberculosis at the mobile unit were accompanied to health facilities for treatment initiation.

Primary and secondary outcome measures: Reach was …

Toward Patient-Centered Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment: Preferences For Regimens And Formulations In Lima, Peru, Courtney M. Yuen, Ana K. Millones, Jerome T. Galea, Daniela Puma, Judith Jimenez, Leonid Lecca, Mercedes C. Becerra, Salmaan Keshavjee

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: To ensure patient-centered tuberculosis preventive treatment, it is important to consider factors that make it easier for patients to complete treatment. However, there is little published literature about patient preferences for different preventive treatment regimen options, particularly from countries with high tuberculosis burdens.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative research study using a framework analysis approach to understand tuberculosis preventive treatment preferences among household contacts. We conducted three focus group discussions with 16 members of families affected by tuberculosis in Lima, Peru. Participants were asked to vote for preferred preventive treatment regimens and discuss the reasons behind their choices. Coding …

Adapting Problem Management Plus For Implementation: Lessons Learned From Public Sector Settings Across Rwanda, Peru, Mexico And Malawi, Sarah F. Coleman, Hildegarde Mukasakindi, Alexandra L. Rose, Jerome T. Galea, Beatha Nyirandagijimana, Janvier Hakizimana, Robert Bienvenue, Priya Kundu, Eugenie Uwimana, Anathalie Uwamwezi, Carmen Contreras, Fátima G. Rodriguez-Cuevas, Jimena Maza, Todd Ruderman, Emilia Connolly, Mark Chalamanda, Waste Kayira, Kingsley Kazoole, Ksakrad K. Kelly, Jesse H. Wilson, Amruta A. Houde, Elizabeth B. Magill, Giuseppe J. Raviola, Stephanie L. Smith

Social Work Faculty Publications

Problem Management Plus (PM+) is a low-intensity psychological intervention developed by the World Health Organization that can be delivered by nonspecialists to address common mental health conditions in people affected by adversity. Emerging evidence demonstrates the efficacy of PM+ across a range of settings. However, the published literature rarely documents the adaptation processes for psychological interventions to context or culture, including curriculum or implementation adaptations. Practical guidance for adapting PM+ to context while maintaining fidelity to core psychological elements is essential for mental health implementers to enable replication and scale. This paper describes the process of contextually adapting PM+ for …