Social Work was born to find and implement actions that succeed at alleviating or overcoming human suffering. Far from this objective, the scientific literature has highlighted that, during the ...pandemic, the serious situation of disadvantaged communities, including much of the Roma community, has underscored the historical evolution of the discipline towards bureaucratization. However, more research is needed to identify and analyze the actions through which many Social Work professionals have had the opportunity to rethink the current hegemonic model of social intervention. This study analyzes the main characteristics of some such actions. This research has been carried out following the communicative methodology through 40 semi-structured interviews to Social Work professionals in social services, educational centers and civic organizations. Results show that a constant dialogue with Roma communities, overcoming bureaucratization by changing intervention to co-create the best solutions, and a professional and human commitment at the service of people are common characteristics of those actions. These findings illustrate elements with which some Social Workers have been able to rethink the social intervention model they previously followed, allowing them to transform such model and regain the origins of the discipline towards finding the best solutions to improve the situations and lives of many Roma people.
A prior randomized trial found a school social intervention yielded significantly better outcomes (social and autism features) immediately following intervention compared to typical school ...programming (services-as-usual SAU) for children on the autism spectrum. In that study, children in the SAU condition subsequently completed a summer social intervention. This study tested longer-term maintenance of effects for children who completed both interventions. A total of 103 children (ages 6-12 years) on the autism spectrum enrolled and 102 completed the initial RCT. Following the summer social intervention, 90 children from the original RCT completed the longer-term follow-up study. In addition to baseline and posttest in the initial RCT, children from both groups were tested at three follow-up points (five total testing points). At the time of first longitudinal follow-up testing, the children were 1.25-4.25 years post-intervention (ages 8-15 years). Longitudinal multilevel model analyses (and follow-up contrasts) revealed significant improvements for both groups post-intervention on measures of emotion recognition, autism features, and social skills, indicating maintenance of post-intervention improvements over the three follow-up testing points. No between-group differences were found for autism features or social skills over time; however, the school social intervention may have yielded somewhat better emotion recognition skills. Exploratory tests found that child IQ, language level, and length of time since completing the intervention did not moderate outcomes. Both social interventions yielded positive and durable longer-term improvements for children on the autism spectrum. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03338530; November 8, 2017; original retrospectively registered trial.
Social services promote the well-being of individuals and communities while empowering the autonomy of service users. This article presents a case study on ethical issues in a public social services ...organization in Spain, based on qualitative questionnaires filled out by professionals working in these services. The study first details how the ethics of social services should support the resolution of ethical dilemmas, such as respect for self-determination and the pursuit of well-being, conflicts between individual and professional values, and dilemmas arising from the limitations of resources. Additionally, it also explains some issues related to ethical decision-making in areas such as access to resources and respect for autonomy. Finally, proposals for improving the ethical quality of care are presented, such as increased ethics training and the establishment of committees and spaces for ethical reflection.
Aims and objectives
To examine the influence of psycho‐social and educational interventions on improving adherence to dialysis for patients with end‐stage renal disease.
Background
Adherence to the ...complex regimen is poor, contributing to avoidable hospitalisation and morbidity. Psycho‐social and educational interventions may be beneficial coping strategies.
Design
Systematic literature review and meta‐analysis were conducted.
Methods
We conducted a systematic search of 8 databases from their inceptions to 16 January 2019 to identify relevant articles. Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the analysis. The PRISMA checklist was used.
Results
A total of forty RCTs were included to evaluate the effect. The aggregated results of the studies showed that psycho‐social and educational interventions elevated adherence rate in both peritoneal dialysis (PD) and haemodialysis (HD) patients. For physiological and biochemical indicators, meta‐analysis revealed that significant post‐treatment effects were evident for interdialytic weight gain (IDWG), IDWG/dry weight, serum potassium, phosphate, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), except for albumin. In particular, subgroup analysis indicated that only the interventions carried out individually exerted significant combined effect for lowering IDWG. As for subjective measures, meta‐analysis also revealed small but significant combined effects.
Conclusions
The results of this meta‐analysis suggest that psycho‐social and educational interventions were associated with significant effects on adherence in patients receiving dialysis regimen.
Relevance to clinical practice
The analysis suggests that psycho‐social and educational interventions should be considered as effective strategies for enhancing adherence to dialysis in adults with end‐stage renal disease. The potential utility of these interventions should focus on how best to promote individually implementation in clinical practice.
Accessible Summary
What Is Known on the Subject?
The decision to apply for disability benefits may be an important breakthrough in the life of people with severe mental illness.
The literature ...regarding the process of applying for mental health disability benefits is scarce.
What the Paper Adds to Existing Knowledge?
This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to fully describe the experience of submitting a claim for mental health disability benefits, as experienced by those diagnosed with severe mental illness.
The process of applying for recognition of a mental health disability has three chronological stages—before the claim submission, during the claims process and after recognition.
Clients approach the process without any prior knowledge, and therefore they need professional help when submitting their claim.
A deterioration in clients’ mental health prompts them to apply.
A lack of trust in the system affects the application decision/process.
The medical committee hearing is described as a complex and multifaceted experience.
Clients reported being extensively preoccupied with stigma throughout the process.
What Are the Implications for Practice?
Professional assistance throughout the claims process is a key factor with the potential to change clients’ experience of the entire process.
It is important to educate mental health nurses about the disability applicating process.
Mental health professionals are encouraged to be mindful of the facilitating/hindering mechanisms that are dominant at each stage of the process.
There is a need for liaising with relevant agencies that act as advocates for those diagnosed with a mental health illness.
Introduction
The decision to apply for disability benefits may be an important breakthrough in the life of those diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI). Nevertheless, the literature regarding the application process is scarce.
Aim
The aim of the study was to explore how people who receive mental health disability benefits retrospectively perceive the process of applying for and receiving these benefits.
Methods
Twenty‐four in‐depth qualitative interviews were conducted with people whose mental health disability was recognized in the past few years.
Results
Analysis revealed three themes describing the process's chronological stages: Before submitting the claim (from deterioration to trust), during the claim process (from bureaucracy to understanding), after receiving recognition (from stigma to gratitude). Each stage includes facilitating factors (e.g. encouragement from professionals) and hindering factors (e.g. stigma, lack of knowledge and trust).
Discussion
This is the first study to fully describe the experience of applying for mental health disability benefits, as experienced by clients. The decision to apply is perceived as complex and difficult. Although clients are extensively preoccupied with stigma throughout the process, they are able to express gratitude for the opportunities made available to them.
Implications
Professional assistance throughout the claim is a key factor with the potential to change clients' experience of the entire process.
This article presents an experience of intervention through sport, carried out with FC Juárez players (Ciudad Juárez, México), aimed at helping athletes to reconcile the sporting and academic-family ...environment, to promote their personal growth through education in values and to promote intervention itineraries to provide individualised support to these players as part of the process of personal and academic development in the context of social intervention. This intervention, based on a systemic perspective of the player-family binomial, included activities focused on the player, his family and the coaching staff. The article concludes with the main results of the intervention in the sporting, academic and socio-community spheres.
En el presente artículo se presenta una experiencia de intervención a través del deporte, llevada a cabo con jugadores del FC Juárez (Ciudad Juárez, México), orientada a ayudar a los deportistas a conciliar el ámbito deportivo y académico-familiar, a fomentar su crecimiento personal a través de la educación en valores y a promover itinerarios de intervención para dar apoyo individualizado a estos jugadores como parte del proceso de desarrollo personal y académico en el contexto de la intervención social. Esta intervención, basada en una perspectiva sistémica del binomio jugador-familia, incluyó actividades enfocadas en el jugador, en su familia y en el cuerpo técnico. El artículo concluye con la exposición de los principales resultados de la intervención en el ámbito deportivo, académico y socio-comunitario.
Accessible summary
What is known on the subject?
A relevant number of restraint prevention programmes have been developed internationally.
In Spain, there is no harmonized policy to prevent the use ...of restraint.
More studies are necessary to establish which programmes and components are necessary to prevent restraint.
What does the paper add to existing knowledge?
There was a significant decreasing trend in the total number of mechanical restraint hours during the implementation of the intervention.
There was no significant decreasing trend in the number of mechanical restraint episodes.
What are the implications for practice?
Interventions at a regional level aimed at preventing mechanical restraint are feasible in the Spanish context.
All components of the Six Core Strategies could be necessary to prevent episodes of mechanical restraint.
Introduction
Mechanical restraint (MR) is used in many countries, including Spain, where non‐harmonized policies between autonomous communities exist. There is a lack of research about interventions at regional levels to reduce their use.
Aim
To analyse data on key outcomes during the implementation of a multicomponent intervention in Andalusia (Spain) to reduce the use of MR.
Method
Episodes in a period of 30 months in all wards (N = 20) were analysed. The intervention consisted of five strategies: (a) leadership, (b) analysis of the situation, (c) awareness training for the heads of the wards, (d) unified record of MR and (e) staff training. We analysed the monthly trend of restraint hours and restraint episodes/1,000 bed days using segmented regression.
Results
There were 206.32 restraint hours and 12.96 restraint episodes/1,000 bed days during the study period. A significant decreasing trend was observed in restraint hours (−1.79%, p < .001), but not in the number of restraint episodes (−0.45%; p = .149).
Discussion
The results coincide with other international studies; however, studies with better designs are required to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.
Implications for Practice
Interventions at a regional level aimed at preventing MR are feasible in the Spanish context.
Volume 13 of 2023 of the journal Social Analysis contains several contributions on sociology in Romania and Hungary at different moments of evolution during the twentieth century. The first four ...articles deal with aspects of the activity of the Bucharest Sociological School, while four other contributions concern sociology in Hungary. In several articles there are comparisons between the two sociological movements or references to broader developments in Central and Eastern Europe. If about Romanian sociology we receive only information related to the Monographic School, regarding Hungary the articles have a much wider area: from nationalist sociological concerns at the beginning of the twentieth century, to the reorganization of sociology after the Revolution of 1956 and reaching biopolitical approaches with echoes in contemporary Hungary.
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