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Journal of Gerontological Social Work Jul 2024Increasing concern within social work about delivering comprehensive and high-quality care to older adults necessitates exploring their interest in information and...
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.
Topics: Humans; Social Work; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Technology
PubMed: 38605522
DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2024.2339977 -
Health & Social Care in the Community Jul 2015User choice and personalisation have been at the centre of health and social care policies in many countries. Exercising choice can be especially challenging for people... (Review)
Review
User choice and personalisation have been at the centre of health and social care policies in many countries. Exercising choice can be especially challenging for people with long-term conditions (LTC) or disabilities. Information about the quality, cost and availability of services is central to user choice. This study used systematic review methods to synthesise evidence in three main areas: (i) how people with LTC or disabilities and their family carers find and access information about the quality of services; (ii) how quality information is used in decision-making; and (iii) what type of quality information is most useful. Quality information was defined broadly and could include formal quality reports (e.g. inspection reports, report cards, etc.), information about the characteristics of a service or provider (e.g. number and qualifications of staff, facilities, etc.) and informal reports about quality (e.g. personal experience, etc.). Literature searches were carried out using electronic databases in January 2012. Thirteen papers reporting findings from empirical studies published between 2001 and 2012 were included in the review. The majority of papers (n = 9) had a qualitative design. The analysis highlighted the use of multiple sources of information in decision-making about services and in particular the importance of informal sources and extended social networks in accessing information. There is limited awareness and use of 'official' and online information sources. Service users or family carers place greater emphasis on general information and structural indicators. Clinical or quality-of-life outcomes are often difficult to interpret and apply. Trust emerged a key issue in relation to quality information. Experiential and subjective information is highly valued and trusted. Various barriers to the effective use of quality information in making choices about services are identified. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.
Topics: Adult; Caregivers; Choice Behavior; Decision Making; Humans; Information Seeking Behavior; Insurance, Health; Long-Term Care; Quality of Health Care; Social Work
PubMed: 25243842
DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12133 -
Sleep Medicine Reviews Aug 2023Parental relationship dissolution is considered one of the most common adverse childhood experiences. Although sleep is crucial for healthy development of children and... (Review)
Review
Parental relationship dissolution is considered one of the most common adverse childhood experiences. Although sleep is crucial for healthy development of children and very sensitive to environmental changes, it is poorly studied in the context of parental relationship dissolution. The aim of the current study was to systematically review and critically assess the existing literature on the associations between parental relationship dissolution and child sleep (0-18 years old; registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021272720)). PsycInfo, MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global, Social Work abstracts, and Web of Science Core Collection were searched. Published empirical quantitative studies were included if they reported statistics regarding the association between parental relationship dissolution and any child sleep variable. Out of the 358 articles screened, 14 articles met inclusion criteria and reported on several sleep dimensions: sleep quality, dreams and nightmares, and sleep disorders (enuresis, night terrors, and bruxism). Out of the 14 articles, six were longitudinal studies and eight were cross-sectional studies. While most studies found that parental relationship dissolution was associated with some indices of poorer child sleep, studies were generally of low to moderate quality. Health professionals should assess child sleep in the context of a parental relationship dissolution.
Topics: Child; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Solubility; Sleep; Parents; Dreams; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
PubMed: 37390636
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101804 -
Social Work in Health Care Sep 2019Screening for social determinants of health allows health care teams to assess and address social factors that influence one's health, mental health, and access to care....
Screening for social determinants of health allows health care teams to assess and address social factors that influence one's health, mental health, and access to care. These social factors include poverty, health literacy, social support, exposure to trauma, food insecurity, and housing instability. The objective of this study was to examine what screening tools for social determinants of health are being used, in what contexts, and with what populations. Findings suggest that health literacy is the most commonly screened for, followed by trauma history, social support, food insecurity and housing across diverse contexts and populations. Results from this study can be used to inform providers of available screening tools and resources that can be readily utilized in practice.
Topics: Food Supply; Health Literacy; Health Services Accessibility; Health Status Indicators; Housing; Humans; Poverty; Social Determinants of Health
PubMed: 31431190
DOI: 10.1080/00981389.2019.1645795 -
JBI Evidence Synthesis Feb 2022The objective of this review was to identify and synthesize the best available evidence to address two questions. From the perspectives of individuals with chronic... (Review)
Review
Barriers to and facilitators of labor market engagement for individuals with chronic physical illnesses in their experiences with work disability policy: a qualitative systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review was to identify and synthesize the best available evidence to address two questions. From the perspectives of individuals with chronic physical illnesses: i) what are the barriers in work disability policies with respect to labor market engagement? and ii) what are the facilitators in work disability policies with respect to labor market engagement?
INTRODUCTION
Chronic physical illnesses have a high and increasing prevalence worldwide and are associated with significant disability in the working-age population. Individuals with chronic illnesses and disability have low employment and high unemployment rates, and low wages. Work disability policies have an important role in reducing negative labor market impacts, but inadequate policies may also pose barriers to work engagement.
INCLUSION CRITERIA
This review included studies of individuals who were of working age, had one or more chronic physical illness, and had experience relevant to disability policy and work engagement. The phenomena of interest were perceived barriers and perceived facilitators in work disability policies with respect to labor market engagement. The context was any study setting globally. Studies considered for this review had qualitative data from a variety of methodologies.
METHODS
This review was conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. A literature search involved academic databases (ie, CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, AgeLine, SocINDEX, Social Work Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts) for published studies; gray literature sources (ie, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, MedNar, Google Scholar, OpenGrey, OAIster, Google, and relevant websites) for unpublished studies; and reference lists of retrieved records. No language, date, or country limiters were applied to the searches. Retrieved records from the database and gray literature searches were screened, with potentially relevant records then examined in full against the inclusion criteria. Eligible studies were critically appraised for methodological quality and those included in this review were subjected to data extraction of descriptive details and the study findings that were relevant to the review questions. Study findings were synthesized and were assigned confidence scores.
RESULTS
Forty-four studies of various qualitative designs and varied methodological quality (from low to high) were included in this review. The study samples represented a number of different chronic physical illnesses. There were 301 credible and unequivocal study findings, which were aggregated into 20 categories and 5 synthesized findings. Persons with chronic physical illnesses perceived barriers and facilitators relevant to the adequacy of disability policies in meeting their needs for returning to work after leave due to illness and for sustaining ongoing work engagement. They also perceived barriers and facilitators relevant to stakeholders' communication, help, and support respecting workers' efforts toward work engagement.
CONCLUSION
Although confidence in the synthesized findings is low due to limitations in the methods and research findings across primary studies, the evidence suggests that both the adequacy and implementation of work disability policies need to be improved to meet the needs of workers with chronic physical illnesses, for their labor market engagement.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER
PROSPERO CRD42016033476.
Topics: Chronic Disease; Delivery of Health Care; Humans; Policy; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 34669686
DOI: 10.11124/JBIES-20-00482 -
Health Policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Oct 2011To review the evidence on public involvement in the systematic review process in health and social care; to examine the different methods, levels and stages of involving... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To review the evidence on public involvement in the systematic review process in health and social care; to examine the different methods, levels and stages of involving the public; to synthesise the contributions of the public, as well as the identified tensions, facilitating strategies and recommendations for good practice.
METHOD
Systematic literature search and narrative review.
FINDINGS
Seven case examples were found covering the following review topics: patients' perspectives on electro-convulsive therapy; user involvement in nursing, midwifery and health visiting research; treatments for degenerative ataxias; teaching, learning and assessment of law in social work education; HIV health promotion for men who have sex with men; the conceptualisation, measurement, impact and outcomes of public involvement in health research; methods of consumer involvement in developing healthcare policy and research, clinical practice guidelines and patient information material. The public was found to contribute to systematic reviews by: refining the scope of the review; suggesting and locating relevant literature; appraising the literature; interpreting the review findings; writing up the review. Numerous tensions, facilitating strategies and recommendations were identified.
CONCLUSIONS
The issues raised in this paper should assist researchers in developing and conducting systematic reviews with the involvement of the public.
Topics: Community Participation; Evidence-Based Medicine; Group Processes; Health Policy; Humans; Research; Research Design; Review Literature as Topic
PubMed: 21641075
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2011.05.002 -
Journal of Gerontological Social Work 2022This systematic review examined the factors associated with social work students' attitudes toward older adults or working with older adults from the literature...
This systematic review examined the factors associated with social work students' attitudes toward older adults or working with older adults from the literature published in the last decade. Twelve peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2011 and 2020 were included for review. Results suggest that both direct and indirect exposures to older adults positively changed social work students' attitudes. While infusing exposure to older adults into courses appeared effective in modifying students' attitudes, inconsistent measurement and lack of information across studies made it impossible to compare the effectiveness of interventions across studies. Implications for gerontological social work education are discussed.
Topics: Aged; Ageism; Attitude; Attitude of Health Personnel; Geriatrics; Humans; Social Work; Students
PubMed: 34193024
DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2021.1944946 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Jul 2023Upskirting' - the non-consensual taking and/or dissemination of intimate images taken surreptitiously up a skirt - is a relatively new addition to the repertoire of...
Upskirting' - the non-consensual taking and/or dissemination of intimate images taken surreptitiously up a skirt - is a relatively new addition to the repertoire of men's violence against women and girls. Recently, it has received considerable media and public attention in many countries and some academic scrutiny. This systematic review explicates how scholars construct upskirting as a matter for academic inquiry and a social problem that requires remedy. Four research sub-questions address how scholarship constructs: the problem of upskirting; perpetrators of upskirting; victims of upskirting, and remedies. Five bibliographical databases were searched, yielding 26 sources that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies (16) and most of the earlier work are from the discipline of Law. Other studies come from a combination of Criminology, Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, and Computing. The predominance of legal scholarship has created a framing of upskirting which constructs it as an individual sexual act, for purposes of sexual gratification, as gender-neutral, as the act of aberrant individuals, and scrutinises the act of taking the photograph. By contrast, scholarship from other disciplines is more likely to locate upskirting as highly gendered behaviour in the context of gendered relations of power, and of violence against women and girls, and to consider both the act of taking the photograph and its dissemination online. We argue that future research ought to: approach upskirting as a form of violence against women and girls; be empirical and intersectional, and engage with victims and perpetrators.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Sex Offenses; Sexual Behavior; Violence; Men; Sexual Partners; Intimate Partner Violence
PubMed: 35414319
DOI: 10.1177/15248380221082091 -
PloS One 2021In school, shyness is associated with psychosocial difficulties and has negative impacts on children's academic performance and wellbeing. Even though there are... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
In school, shyness is associated with psychosocial difficulties and has negative impacts on children's academic performance and wellbeing. Even though there are different strategies and interventions to help children deal with shyness, there is currently no comprehensive systematic review of available interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to identify interventions for shy children and to evaluate the effectiveness in reducing psychosocial difficulties and other impacts. The methodology and reporting were guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement and checklist. A total of 4,864 studies were identified and 25 of these met the inclusion criteria. These studies employed interventions that were directed at school-aged children between six and twelve years of age and described both pre- and post-intervention measurement in target populations of at least five children. Most studies included an intervention undertaken in a school setting. The meta-analysis revealed interventions showing a large effect in reducing negative consequences of shyness, which is consistent with extant literature regarding shyness in school, suggesting school-age as an ideal developmental stage to target shyness. None of the interventions were delivered in a classroom setting, limiting the ability to make comparisons between in-class interventions and those delivered outside the classroom, but highlighting the effectiveness of interventions outside the classroom. The interventions were often conducted in group sessions, based at the school, and involved activities such as play, modelling and reinforcement and clinical methods such as social skills training, psychoeducation, and exposure. Traditionally, such methods have been confined to a clinic setting. The results of the current study show that, when such methods are used in a school-based setting and involve peers, the results can be effective in reducing negative effects of shyness. This is consistent with recommendations that interventions be age-appropriate, consider social development and utilise wide, school-based programs that address all students.
Topics: Anxiety; Humans; Schools; Shyness
PubMed: 34242303
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254117 -
BMJ Open Apr 2022Housing is a social determinant of health that impacts the health and well-being of children and families. Screening and referral to address social determinants of...
OBJECTIVES
Housing is a social determinant of health that impacts the health and well-being of children and families. Screening and referral to address social determinants of health in clinical and social service settings has been proposed to support families with housing problems. This study aims to identify housing screening questions asked of families in healthcare and social services, determine validated screening tools and extract information about recommendations for action after screening for housing issues.
METHODS
The electronic databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Ovid Emcare, Scopus and CINAHL were searched from 2009 to 2021. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed literature that included questions about housing being asked of children or young people aged 0-18 years and their families accessing any healthcare or social service. We extracted data on the housing questions asked, source of housing questions, validity and descriptions of actions to address housing issues.
RESULTS
Forty-nine peer-reviewed papers met the inclusion criteria. The housing questions in social screening tools vary widely. There are no standard housing-related questions that clinical and social service providers ask families. Fourteen screening tools were validated. An action was embedded as part of social screening activities in 27 of 42 studies. Actions for identified housing problems included provision of a community-based or clinic-based resource guide, and social prescribing included referral to a social worker, care coordinator or care navigation service, community health worker, social service agency, referral to a housing and child welfare demonstration project or provided intensive case management and wraparound services.
CONCLUSION
This review provides a catalogue of housing questions that can be asked of families in the clinical and/or social service setting, and potential subsequent actions.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Delivery of Health Care; Housing; Humans; Mass Screening; Social Welfare; Social Work
PubMed: 35487725
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054338