Social Work - Research Publications
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ItemNo Preview AvailableThe Melbourne Statement on Practice Research in Social Work: Practice Meets Research(SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2023-05)
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ItemVulnerabilities and life stressors of people presented to emergency departments with deliberate self-harm; consolidating the experiences to develop a continuum of care using a mixed-method framework(FRONTIERS MEDIA SA, 2023-01-11)OBJECTIVE: Suicide is a crucial public health concern. However, the interactions between bio psychosocial vulnerabilities and stressors leading to deliberate self-harm behavior remain unexplored, especially in the Indian context. This study examined the experiences leading to self-harm behavior among people who presented to emergency departments with suicidal attempts. METHODS: In this mixed-methods study, we enrolled 44 patients who presented with self-harm behavior at three tertiary health care facilities between October and December 2019. To collect quantitative data, we employed standardized tools: General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the Brief Resilience Scale. Further, we conducted semi-structured interviews to qualitatively explore participants' life experiences and other risk factors. Qualitative analyses were performed using thematic analysis and quantitative descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using STATA software. RESULTS: The mean age of subjects were 29.8 years. The mean suicidality score for the patients was 26 (±8.7). In univariate analysis, depression and anxiety were positively associated with suicidality. While help-seeking behavior and resilience were negatively associated with suicidality. Qualitative results were centered on three major themes; life stressors, family related stressors, and social support-related vulnerabilities. The subjects' lived experiences were introduced in the backdrop of the interplay of vulnerabilities and stressors. CONCLUSION: The biopsychosocial vulnerabilities remain dormant until it is activated by life stressors resulting in severe self-harm behaviors. Mental health team-driven assertive engagement, positive coping, and social support interventions would help prevent reattempts in people with self-harm behaviors.
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ItemRisks and Barriers in Substitute Care for the Children of Parents with Serious Mental Illness: A Mixed-Method Study in Kerala, India(MDPI, 2022-12)BACKGROUND: Mental illness in parents impairs their parenting capability, which has a lifelong detrimental impact on their children's physical and psychological health. In the current Indian context, due to weak social security nets, family is the only plausible intervention to ensure adequate substitute child care. Therefore, this study explores various risk factors and barriers to providing substitute family care. METHODS: We used a mixed-method approach to gather information from 94 substitute family caregivers. Quantitative screening data were collected from four hospitals using a clinical data mining tool and an interview guide to gather caregiver perspectives on economic, familial, and social risks and barriers associated with caring. We used thematic analysis to consolidate the qualitative findings. RESULTS: Most of the substitute caregivers were females from low-income households. The study identified 11 sub-themes and 23 specific themes associated with risks and barriers to substitute care. These themes fell into four broad areas: economic, familial, school-related risks, and specific cultural and service access barriers. Focus on economic interventions is likely to result in strengthening the substitute family caregiver. CONCLUSION: The paradigmatic shift of treatment focus from the patient to the entire household would benefit the children just as it does the patient.
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ItemDo Social Media Impact Young Adult Mental Health and Well-Being? A Qualitative Study(OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2022-12-02)Abstract The Social Work profession recognises the ethical and educational implications of social media usage but remains cautious in embracing the technology in the context of clinical practice. Social media platforms allow their users to share thoughts, opinions, experiences, information, develop online communities and access social and emotional support. Social media-focused research in the mental health context has described the risk of vulnerable populations using social media. However, there is a dearth of research examining the lived experiences of young adult social media users or addressing both the perceived risks and benefits. Social Work clinicians need to understand the experience of clients and be able to respond to questions or challenges that service users using social media experience. Deploying inductive thematic content analysis, this study presents the qualitative findings of an online survey eliciting the experience of young adult social media users. Young adults reported varying perspectives, including preferences for anonymity, how social media is employed and consideration that specific platforms are either helpful or harmful. Results are discussed with consideration given to existing literature. This article contributes to the evidence-base for social work and other disciplines, allowing for a greater phenomenological understanding of young adults’ use of social media.
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ItemEffects of widespread community use of face masks on communication, participation, and quality of life in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic(SPRINGER, 2022-10-01)The objective was to document the influence of face mask use by other people on communication experiences, participation in activities, and quality of life. Australian adults (n = 665) completed an online survey; 90.8% resided in a state with mandatory mask use outside the home and 44.1% self-reported hearing difficulties. Mask use was reported as negatively affecting communication quality in the community (90.2%) and workplace (91.8%), and with household members (59.1%), including an increased requirement for clarification and repetition, increased difficulty communicating, and decreased understanding. Masks influenced feelings when communicating in the community (74.1%) and workplace (76.7%), and with household members (43.6%), including increased fatigue and frustration, and decreased connection to others. Masks influenced the time spent communicating in the community (68.8%) and workplace (67.9%), and with household members (42.3%), including a decrease in the number of individuals communicated with, and the time spent communicating with each individual. Masks influenced participation in activities in the community (50.9%) and workplace (59.7%), and with household members (41.3%), including reduced participation in health-related activities, shopping, and socialising. Influences on quality of life included reduced physical and mental health, including increased loneliness. Female gender and greater self-reported hearing difficulties were significantly associated with increased influence of mask use. The wide-ranging influences of face mask use have implications for physical health and mental health, including social connectedness, and for employers and the economy. As an important measure for combatting disease spread, the negative impacts of mask use must be considered during policy formulation, and appropriate mitigating measures, such as educational campaigns, enacted.
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ItemFASE-family and social engagement model for prevention and management of self harm behavior-a study protocol for cluster randomized control trial in India(FRONTIERS MEDIA SA, 2022-07-28)BACKGROUND: Suicide is a substantial public health concern for countries worldwide. Effective preventive and curative interventions for self-harm behavior (SHB) are imperative for nations with an alarmingly high rate of suicide and self-harm behaviors. The intervention protocol named FASE (Family and Social Engagement) consists of comprehensive assessment, Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT), and community linkages for people presenting with suicide or self-harm in emergency departments of tertiary hospitals. METHODS: This article reports the design and protocol for a cluster randomized control trial for suicide prevention and management. After the developed intervention is pilot tested in a tertiary hospital in Kerala, the intervention will be scaled up to be implemented in various tertiary hospitals in Kerala. Each hospital emergency department will be considered a cluster, and these clusters will be randomized to the intervention group and control group in a 1:1 ratio. The eligible people from the intervention clusters will undergo a baseline assessment, a structured moderate intense intervention with twelve sessions spread across 6 months by the trained social workers supervised by the Mental health team, and a follow-up assessment at the end. Participants will be recruited after obtaining consent and explaining the study. The primary outcome includes suicidality measured by the Depressive Symptom Inventory-Suicidality Subscale (DSI-SS), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), MOS Social Support Survey, and Brief resilience scale (BRS). DISCUSSION: Knowledge generated from this trial can significantly affect new programmatic policy and clinical guidelines that will improve the reduction of suicide rates in the country. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospectively registered in Clinical Trial Registry India (ICMR-NIMS) on 18/10/2021 (ref number- REF/2021/10/048264).
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ItemENhAncing Lifestyle Behaviors in EndometriaL CancEr (ENABLE): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial(SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2022-01)PURPOSE: Endometrial cancer is associated with the highest comorbid disease burden of any cancer. The aim of this trial was to assess the feasibility and safety of an allied health intervention during adjuvant treatment. METHODS: A mixed-methods pilot randomized (2:1) controlled trial with concealed allocation and assessor-blinding. Eligibility criteria: adjuvant endometrial cancer treatment scheduled, disease stage I-IIIC1, ECOG 0-2 and able to perform unsupervised physical activity (PA). Participants received usual care and 8 sessions of weekly, individualized, lifestyle education (diet and PA) with behavior change and social support (intervention group), delivered predominantly by telehealth, or usual care alone. Feasibility outcomes: recruitment and consent rates, decline reasons, program acceptability, intervention adherence and retention. RESULTS: 22/44 eligible patients (50%, 95%CI: 36%, 64%) were recruited over 10 months (14 intervention, 8 usual care). The recruitment rate was 2.2 patients/month (95%CI: 1.4, 3.3). Patients who declined had too much going on (7/22, 32%) or were not interested (6/22, 27%). Mean (SD) age and BMI were 63.2 years (6.8) and 31.9 kg/m2 (6.7). A majority were FIGO stage I (15/22, 68%) and received vaginal brachytherapy (14/22, 64%). Adherence was high, 11/14 (79%, 95%CI: 52%, 92%) participants attended >70% of scheduled sessions. Retention was 100% (95%CI: 85%, 100%) at 9 weeks, however completion of objective measures was impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. Telehealth and online questionnaires enabled participation. No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: The intervention was acceptable to participants with high levels of adherence and retention. Trial findings will be used to design a future RCT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered on www.anzctr.org.au (ACTRN12619000631101) 29/04/2019.
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ItemPerceived needs of carers of people with psychosis: An Australian longitudinal population-based study of caregivers of people with psychotic disorders(Wiley - John Wiley & Sons, 2018-01-01)
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ItemPsychosocial Care Models for Families of Critically Ill Children in Pediatric Emergency Department Settings: A Scoping Review(Elsevier, 2018-01-01)PROBLEM: Critical illness in children is a significant and stressful life event for families. Within pediatric emergency department (ED) settings it is acknowledged that these crises are challenging for both the families of these children, and for the clinical staff treating the child. Literature recommends routine care should include an offer to the family to be present with their critically ill child, however there is a lack of clarity regarding specific family care models or evidence-based interventions to guide clinical practice. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Peer reviewed articles written in English, published between 2006 and 2016, proposing or testing psychosocial care models in pediatric (or mixed) emergency settings. SAMPLE: Nine articles met inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Search results showed limited evidence available in the literature at this time. Thematic analysis of article content and proposed model showed strong support for the benefit of family presence, including shifting the family role from passive to active, needing to be inclusive of the psychological impact of critical health events, importance of multidisciplinary education, and the need for additional exploratory and empirical research to evaluate and refine proposed care models. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric emergency health events are challenging for both families and staff, and care models provide staff with a consistent, evidence-informed approach to caring for families in challenging situations. IMPLICATIONS: There is a need to find common ground from specific discipline guidelines into a multidisciplinary team approach for the care of families within emergency care.