Social work in public health
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Soc Work Public Health · Sep 2020
Effect of Covid-19 on Nigerian Socio-economic Well-being, Health Sector Pandemic Preparedness and the Role of Nigerian Social Workers in the War Against Covid-19.
Covid-19 is a virus that has created tension and devastation around the globe. This study is designed to specifically find out the effect of Covid-19 on the socioeconomic well-being of Nigerians, the health sector preparedness to handle the pandemic, and the role of Nigerian social workers in the fight against Covid-19 in Nigeria. The study employed a phenomenological and exploratory research design in its inquiry. ⋯ Third, Nigerian social workers, most especially medical social workers, have played a significant role in passing out information on Covid-19 preventive measures to the general public. The study recommends that the Nigerian government should wake up and fix the health sector and make it proactive to handle epidemics/pandemics in the future. Social work practice in Nigeria should be promoted by the government through institutionalization of the profession.
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Since the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first emerged in December 2019, there have been unprecedented efforts worldwide to contain and mitigate the rapid spread of the virus through evidence-based public health measures. As a component of pandemic response in the United States, efforts to develop, launch, and scale-up contact tracing initiatives are rapidly expanding, yet the presence of social work is noticeably absent. ⋯ Described are current examples of contact tracing efforts, and an argument for greater social work leadership, based on the profession's ethics, competencies and person-in-environment orientation is offered. In light of the dire need for widespread high-quality contact tracing, social work is well-positioned to participate in interprofessional efforts to design, oversee and manage highly effective front-line contact tracing efforts.
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Soc Work Public Health · Jan 2019
"The Bottle Is My Wife": Exploring Reasons Why Men Drink Alcohol in Ugandan Fishing Communities.
Fishing communities in Uganda have high rates of excessive alcohol consumption and negative health outcomes related to alcohol consumption, such as HIV acquisition and transmission and intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration. Research lacks understanding of alcohol use in Ugandan fishing communities, underlying reasons for excessive drinking among fishermen or how their community perceives negative health outcomes linked to excessive alcohol consumption. This qualitative study was conducted among Ugandan fisherfolk to determine why excessive alcohol consumption has overtaken their communities. ⋯ Participants acknowledged links between excessive alcohol consumption and negative health outcomes within their families and communities. These findings highlight the need for alcohol-related reduction interventions that are sensitive to contextual factors and self-identified contributors to problematic alcohol use within individuals and their communities. Such interventions must consider the social, ecological and economic conditions within fishing sites, focusing not only on individual-level behavioral change but also challenging the underlying structures that foster excessive alcohol consumption.
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Soc Work Public Health · Jan 2019
ReviewRacism and the Christian Church in America: Caught between the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Those persons with church membership or professing a faith or relationship with God represent a microcosm of society. Therefore, the demons of racism, bigotry, and prejudice found in society at large are found in the church. ⋯ Some Christian denominations have begun to explore racism in the church and have developed responses to addressing the issues in the church and in the world. This article examines the historical context of race and religion in the Christian church in the United States, and addresses the current efforts of some Christian denominations to become proactive in the struggle against racism.
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For several decades, child welfare researchers have explored the issue of disproportionality in child welfare. Top-level government reports have confirmed that African-American children are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system. ⋯ This article shares findings of a research study and is focused on the use of data as a strategy to improve racial equity in child welfare. It uses critical race theory (CRT) to explain how racism can impact equity in the provision of child welfare services.