Falls are a serious issue for the elderly living in long-term care facilities, as falls contribute to signi�cant health problems such as increased dependence, loss of autonomy, confusion, immobilization, depression, restriction in daily activities, and, in some cases, death. An estimated 424,000 fatal falls in elderly patients residing in long-term facilities occur annually in the United States costing $34 billion in direct medical costs. One way to reduce falls among elderly patients in long-term care is to assess for fall risk frequently and implement evidence-based strategies to prevent falls. Patients in this project site facility had been assessed for fall risk via the Briggs Fall Risk Assessment Tool with implementation of fall risk iinterventions only upon admission or when there was a fall. The purpose of this project was to assess whether changing to weekly use of the Briggs Fall Risk Assessment Tool with implementation of fall risk interventions by nursing staff could decrease fall rates in the elderly in long-term care in Harris County, Texas. The model of prevention served as the conceptual framework for this project. Thirty participants (20 females and 10 males) between the ages of 65-115 participated in the program. Pre-implementation data were collected for 1 month and post-implementation data were collected for 1 month. The total number of falls reported weekly was counted before and after the weekly implementation of the Briggs Fall Risk Assessment Tool. The number of falls decreased from 12(70.6%) before the implementation of the assessment tool to 5(29.4%) falls afterwards. A fall prevention program in long-term care may affect social change positively by reducing fall risk in long term care by reinforcing the importance of increased awareness of risk of falls to implement fall prevention strategies

Hospital administrators face challenges that arise from environmental factors or psychosocial factors, and lack resources to deliver valuable medical services to stakeholders, including patients and employees. A multicase study served to explore experiences and gain a broader perspective of hospital administrators' use of strategies to optimize patient services. Ten hospital administrators from acute care hospitals in Nevada and California were purposefully selected from the population of hospital managers with a minimum of 2 years of documented experience in successfully implementing management strategies to improve patient services. The conceptual framework was Drucker's management theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 administrators, from the participants' archival documents, and from hospital archives. Interview transcripts and data from multiple hospital locations were coded and analyzed using methodological triangulation. Five themes identified from data analysis were triple-aim strategy, evidence-based practice, lean methodology, public health strategy, and innovation strategy. Implementing the appropriate strategy in each hospital setting might facilitate identification of elements that are lacking, mitigating, or slowing down the hospital improvement process. The findings of this study might contribute to positive social change by creating platforms for sharing information among patients and providers, payors, pharmacies, and policymakers.

Doctor of Philosophy / Similar to their colleagues throughout the world, nurses and midwives in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, welcome evidencebased practice (EBP) as a means to improve patient or client outcomes. This thesis explores the way nurses and midwives understand evidence for EBP and aims to determine whether members of these professions currently have the knowledge and skills necessary to implement evidence‐based care. Three separate studies were conducted to explore NSW nurses’ readiness for EBP. Attitudes, knowledge and skill were investigated using an EBP questionnaire returned by 383 nurses. The views of 23 nursing opinion leaders were elicited during qualitative in‐depth interviews, and their ideas on maximising the potential for future nurses to confidently engage in EBP were explored. Current approaches to teaching EBP in undergraduate nursing programs were investigated by examining documents issued by NSW nursing education providers. The results demonstrate many differences between the ways NSW nurses currently understand evidence for EBP, and a range of approaches to teaching EBP in undergraduate nursing programs. Under current conditions, nurses graduating from universities in NSW commence practice with varying levels of preparation for EBP and enter into a professional arena that is itself struggling to cope with the concepts and language of this approach to improving healthcare. v Evidence for the effectiveness of EBP is slowly accumulating and despite some small positive signs, the collective results of this thesis suggest that current educational approaches are not capable of producing the kind of results that are both necessary and desirable for the promotion of evidence‐based nursing practice in NSW. Articulating a commitment to EBP, using a common language and a consistent approach are among the recommendations made for the future promotion of EBP in nursing education.

<p> </p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><p><!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-name:"Normal\,Normal1\,Normal11\,Normal111\,Normal1111\, webb2"; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --></p><!--[if gte mso 10]> <mce:style><! /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normal tabell"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} --><p> </p><!--[endif]--><p>Vilka bedömningsinstrument som används inom missbruks- och beroendevården och hur Sveriges kommuner använder instrumenten är ett outforskat område. Socialstyrelsen publicerade år 2007 nationella riktlinjer för missbruks- och beroendevård där man förespråkar användandet av bedömningsinstrument. Studien har granskat i vilken utsträckning och i vilket syfte bedömningsinstrument används och hur förutsättningarna ser ut för användningen av bedömningsinstrument inom socialtjänstens arbete med missbruks- och beroendevård. Hur frekvent är användningen av bedömningsinstrument och vilka för- och nackdelar framkommer i bruket av dessa? Uppsatsen har en kvantitativansats med kvalitativa inslag och utgår från telefonintervjuer med tio respondenter. Dessa arbetar som handläggare inom missbruks- och beroendevården för vuxna och har tillgång till bedömningsinstrument. Studien visade att åtta av tio arbetsplatser (80 %) som har tillgång till olika bedömningsinstrument använder dem. Främsta syftet är att tydliggöra klientens problematik, se insatsbehovet, få ett helhetsperspektiv och att skapa ett aktivt deltagande från klienten. Förutsättningarna för att använda bedömningsinstrument finns i form av utbildning och stöd från organisationen, men det saknas tid, kunskap och utrustning för att använda dessa fullt ut. Den statliga intentionen med en evidensbaserad praktik är att skapa en evidensbaserad kunskapsbank. Trots detta visar undersökningen att utvärdering och statistik är två eftersatta områden gällande hanteringen av bedömningsinstrument.</p> / <p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-name:"Normal\,Normal1\,Normal11\,Normal111\,Normal1111\, webb2"; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <mce:style><! /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normal tabell"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} --> <!--[endif]--></p><p>What assessment instruments used in drug and dependent care, and the extent to which the Swedish municipalities are using these instruments is an unexplored area. Socialstyrelsen published in 2007, national guidelines for drug and dependent care which advocates the use of assessment instruments. The study aim is to examine the extent to which, for what purpose and how conditions look for the use of assessment instruments in the social service work with drug and dependent care. How frequent is the use of assessment instruments and the advantages and disadvantages apparent in the use of these? The essay has a rate of quantitative and qualitative elements based on telephone interviews with ten respondents. Those working as administrators in the drug and dependent care for adults and have access to assessment instruments. The results showed that eight out of ten sites (80%) use different assessment instruments. Main purpose is to clarify the client's problem, see the effort need, have a global perspective and to create the active participation of the client. The conditions for the use of assessment instruments are in the form of training and support from the organization, but the absence still time, knowledge and equipment to use them fully. The government intends to evidence-based practice is to create an evidence-based knowledge. Although this study shows that the evaluation and statistics are two areas in the existing management of the assessment instrument.<strong></strong></p><p> </p>

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-name:"Normal\,Normal1\,Normal11\,Normal111\,Normal1111\, webb2"; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <mce:style><! /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normal tabell"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} -->  <!--[endif]-->Vilka bedömningsinstrument som används inom missbruks- och beroendevården och hur Sveriges kommuner använder instrumenten är ett outforskat område. Socialstyrelsen publicerade år 2007 nationella riktlinjer för missbruks- och beroendevård där man förespråkar användandet av bedömningsinstrument. Studien har granskat i vilken utsträckning och i vilket syfte bedömningsinstrument används och hur förutsättningarna ser ut för användningen av bedömningsinstrument inom socialtjänstens arbete med missbruks- och beroendevård. Hur frekvent är användningen av bedömningsinstrument och vilka för- och nackdelar framkommer i bruket av dessa? Uppsatsen har en kvantitativansats med kvalitativa inslag och utgår från telefonintervjuer med tio respondenter. Dessa arbetar som handläggare inom missbruks- och beroendevården för vuxna och har tillgång till bedömningsinstrument. Studien visade att åtta av tio arbetsplatser (80 %) som har tillgång till olika bedömningsinstrument använder dem. Främsta syftet är att tydliggöra klientens problematik, se insatsbehovet, få ett helhetsperspektiv och att skapa ett aktivt deltagande från klienten. Förutsättningarna för att använda bedömningsinstrument finns i form av utbildning och stöd från organisationen, men det saknas tid, kunskap och utrustning för att använda dessa fullt ut. Den statliga intentionen med en evidensbaserad praktik är att skapa en evidensbaserad kunskapsbank. Trots detta visar undersökningen att utvärdering och statistik är två eftersatta områden gällande hanteringen av bedömningsinstrument. / <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-name:"Normal\,Normal1\,Normal11\,Normal111\,Normal1111\, webb2"; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <mce:style><! /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normal tabell"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} --> <!--[endif]--> What assessment instruments used in drug and dependent care, and the extent to which the Swedish municipalities are using these instruments is an unexplored area. Socialstyrelsen published in 2007, national guidelines for drug and dependent care which advocates the use of assessment instruments. The study aim is to examine the extent to which, for what purpose and how conditions look for the use of assessment instruments in the social service work with drug and dependent care. How frequent is the use of assessment instruments and the advantages and disadvantages apparent in the use of these? The essay has a rate of quantitative and qualitative elements based on telephone interviews with ten respondents. Those working as administrators in the drug and dependent care for adults and have access to assessment instruments. The results showed that eight out of ten sites (80%) use different assessment instruments. Main purpose is to clarify the client's problem, see the effort need, have a global perspective and to create the active participation of the client. The conditions for the use of assessment instruments are in the form of training and support from the organization, but the absence still time, knowledge and equipment to use them fully. The government intends to evidence-based practice is to create an evidence-based knowledge. Although this study shows that the evaluation and statistics are two areas in the existing management of the assessment instrument.

Between the Promise of Specificity and the Demand for Evidence – A study of knowledge and the approach to knowledge in socially oriented non-profit, private and public sector organizations In the social work field it is possible to identify two parallel processes in time. On the one hand a qualitative developmental process―even towards a form of standardization―where central concepts are academisation, professionalization, scientifically produced knowledge, expertise and evidence based methods. Simultaneously, there is a drive to create the conditions for increased diversity, where hopes are especially being pinned on the non-profit sector. In spite of representations and expectations concerning the non-profit sector and its so-called specificity, however, much of existing research lacks a comparative perspective, i.e., studies where non-profit organizations are related to comparable activities in the private and public sector. The aim of the study―with special focus on issues concerning evidence based knowledge in social work―is to compare and analyse whether and in that case how employee conceptions differ between the sectors, and whether and in what way non-profit employees and their activities can be said to fulfil the expectations of contributing to increased diversity. Data is from a questionnaire directed to about 1300 social work employees. The results show a greater interest in research and more marked efforts at professionalization in the public sector, while above all in the non-profit sector there was skepticism about science paired with reservations about work carried out in a professional way. In the non-profit, but also in the private sector, issues of ethics, views of humanity and values were paid greater attention. Also stressed here was the importance of creating relationships, the unique human encounter, genuine commitment, and human kindness.  However, there was significant uniformity across all sectors in the use of methods, where three dominated: solution focused measures, network support/therapy, and psychosocial work.

Evidensbaserad praktik inom socialtjänsten förutsätter att de professionella ställer sig positiva till forskningsbaserad kunskap om insatser och användandet av bedömningsinstrument. I vår studie undersöks vilken tilltro socialarbetare på vuxenenheten i en mindre stad har till bedömningsinstrumentet Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Studien är en kvalitativ undersökning och semistrukturerade intervjuer valdes som metod för att besvara syfte och frågeställningarna. Sammanlagt har sex respondenter intervjuats varav fyra handläggare, en projektledare samt enhetschefen på verksamheten. Forskning visar att handläggare upplever olika fördelar och nackdelar i användandet av ASI. Av resultatet framgår att handläggarna använder ASI Grund regelbundet i sitt arbete men att det finns svårigheter med att implementera ASI Uppföljning. Samtliga handläggare upplever att ASI Grund är tidskrävande och har en del invändningar mot vissa av frågorna. Trots detta uttrycker de ändå att användandet av ASI kan bidra till ett rättsäkerhetsperspektiv, ett strukturerat arbetssätt och en bra grund inför behandlingsplaneringen. I studien diskuteras även förbättringsområden inom ASI. / Evidence-based practice in social services presupposes that the professionals are in favor of research-based knowledge on services an the use of assessment instruments. The purpose of this study is to examining the confidence of social workers in an adult unit, in a small town has to assess the instrument Addiction Severity Index (ASI). The study is a qualitative survey ans semi-structured interviews were chosen as a method to answer the purpose and research questions. A total of six respondents were interviewed; four social workers, one project manager and the head of unit in operation. Research shows that social workers experience different advantages and disadvantages in the use of ASI. The results show that social workers use the ASI on a regular basis in their work, but there are difficulties in implementing the ASI follow-up interview. All social workers feel that the ASI base interview is time consuming and has concerns with some of the questions. Nevertheless, they express that the use of the ASI can contribute to a legal security perspective, a structured approach and a good basis for treatment planning. The study also discusses areas for improvement in the ASI.

The aim with this master’s thesis is to examine the information practices and information literacies among social workers in the field of the social services and in the work with child welfare investigations. This is in this study related to their ambition to fulfill the requirements of an evidence-based practice. On a theoretical level, the study is based on three theories grounded in the idea of situated learning and of human activities based in a social context. These are the sociocultural theory, the theory of communities of practices and the theory of information practices. On a methodological level the survey is carried out, and the empirical material is extracted, by using semi-structured interviews with five social workers in two different social offices. The result of the analysis shows that the social workers see the need of, search, share, evaluate and use several sources of information. They include information from the social workers own working experience and expertise, information from the clients and their social network, colleagues and professionals in institutions and agencies external to the social offices. The survey also shows that scientific research information is searched, used and evaluated by the social workers to a low degree. This is connected to the information barriers found in the empirical material, including lack of time and lack of access to digital databases. The main conclusion is that the social workers see the need of scientific research and the academic information literacy related to this, and that the information barriers at the same time force them to evolve an information literacy fitted to the practical work situation. For an evidence-based practice, the social workers see the need to incorporate more of the academic information literacy and practices with the information literacy and practices of the workplace. This is a two years master’s thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies.

Kuratorer inom hälso- och sjukvården har länge kämpat för en legitimering. I Socialstyrelsens rapport (2014) anses nu att en yrkeslegitimation är nödvändigt för att stärka patientsäkerheten samt att höja yrkeskompetensen. Denna studie är en pilotstudie i Kuratorsklinikens forskningsprojekt som handlar om evidensbaserad praktik. Studien handlar om vilka insatser samt arbetsmetoder som kuratorer arbetar efter då de genomför stödsamtal. Vidare är syftet att få en ökad förståelse om kuratorers praktik är mer evidensbaserad eller erfarenhetsbaserad. För att ta redan på detta har jag gjorde en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av nio avidentifierade journaler. Resultatet visade på att de insatser som kuratorer arbetar med är följande: kartlägga, medvetenhetsgöra, förändra, meningsfullhet samt samordna. De arbetsmetoder som jag fann var motiverande samtal (MI) samt kognitiv beteendeterapi (KBT). För att förstå materialet har jag använt mig av systemteori samt evidensbaserade metoder och olika kunskapsområden dit erfarenhetsbaserad kunskap hör till. Utifrån materialet är det svårt att säga om kuratorer arbetar mer utifrån erfarenhet än evidens dock kan man hävda att de använder båda arbetssätten i deras praktik. / Swedish medical counselors have for many years strived to get a professional certificate without any result. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare has now stated in a report (2014) that a professional certificate is necessary to strengthen patient safety and to improve professional skills. This study is a pilot study done in collaboration with Kuratorsklinikens research about evidence-based practice. The studies aim is to get a wider understanding in what methods and efforts counselors use when conducting a supportive session. Furthermore, the aim is to get a better understanding if their practice is based mostly on evidence or experience. The study contains nine anonymous medical patient journals and qualitative content analysis was used. The result showed that the efforts counselors work with are the following: mapping, awareness, change, meaningfulness and coordination. The methods found was motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). To understand the material system theory was used as well as evidence-based methods and experience-based knowledge.

This thesis explores some of the themes and issues that social workers may wish to consider when investigating and addressing matters pertaining to wellness in individuals with sex-variances. Foundational literature includes writings by John Money, the Chicago Consensus, and the clinical guidelines of the Intersex Society of North America. A three pillars model is introduced as a potential means for fostering better understanding and diversity in relation to sex, gender, and sexuality. Semi-structured interviews surrounding wellness are conducted with four individuals who have sex-variances. Interview results are analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Recommendations are put forth in a manner designed to allow social workers to work collaboratively with individuals who have sex-variances and their families, as well as with other medical and health professionals who provide services thereof. The analyses and recommendations presented in this thesis are situated within a context of evidence-based anti-oppressive practice.