In the last few decades as American society and urban life have changed dramatically, public health and urban sociological research have increasingly focused on the effect of residential location on individual well-being. In recent years, social capital has been viewed as an important pathway in understanding the associations between where one lives and health and social outcomes. Although there is not one, single definition of social capital, researchers within public health have often relied on three schools of thought labeled after Pierre Bourdieu, James Coleman, and Robert Putnam to define social capital and hypothesize its relationship with health and behaviors. However, for many years, public health researchers have often relied on Putnam's theory (1993, 1995, 2000) and a communitarian approach to defining social capital and its possible relationship to health and well-being. Many researchers and sociologists have criticized this over-reliance and overuse of Putnam's social capital constructs as they have been criticized for lacking depth and their inability to explain the causal pathways in which social capital and health operate. Additionally, the measures used to operationalize the most widely used Putnam social capital constructs often focus only on a few dimensions of his theory; generalized trust, shared norms and values, reciprocity, and civic engagement. These measures have been criticized for simultaneously being overly theoretically broad and limited in its measurement. In this research, I use a more recent paradigm of social capital theory that conceptualizes social capital as having several dimensions thereby enabling one to examine the possibility that different forms of social capital and cohesion have different impacts (both negative and positive) on health behaviors and well-being. This paper compares a Putnam-based social capital model as measured by the most commonly used variables based on his work against a broader, multi-dimensional model that measures social capital across several constructs and variables. I have evaluated the "expanded" multi-dimensional model and the smaller, Putnam-only model with a different dataset to examine the relationships between these dimensions of social capital and health behaviors and outcomes. Additionally, recent sociological research using this expanded approach has highlighted the important role of individual attachment to the neighborhood as an important mediator in the association between social capital and health outcomes. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a longitudinal birth cohort study of families in 20 cities with populations of 200,000 or more people, I investigated the role of social capital as measured across four dimensions, social cohesion (the Putnam-based Traditional Model), individual neighborhood attachment, and neighborhood socio-economic conditions on the likelihood of maternal smoking and alcohol use. Moreover, this multi-dimensional model was enhanced by the addition of another feature of social capital that was not extensively addressed in prior research, bridging social capital. Bridging social capital has been defined as relationships among individuals who are not alike in social identity or characteristics. In recent years, bridging social capital at times has been further refined to highlight the relationships within heterogeneous networks who do not share the same power structures and institutions, and economic spheres. This has been referred to as "linking" social capital. Additionally, sociologist Mario Small has extensively documented that importance of both weak ties (an aspect of "bridging" social capital) and organizational embeddedness in the relationship between social capital and health and well- being for residents in poor communities. This underrepresented dimension in the public health literature is addressed in this paper. In this research, I incorporated a measure of bridging social capital and organizational ties to highlight the possible role this form of social capital may play in understanding the association of social capital and health outcomes. This research extends the current literature by applying a recently developed model of social capital to the analysis of health outcomes using a different data set. The goal of this study was not only to explore smoking and alcohol use, neighborhood socioeconomic conditions, indicators of social capital (including social support, social leverage, informal social control, neighborhood organization participation, and bridging social capital), and the role of individual neighborhood attachment but also highlight the importance for public health researchers to use a multidimensional approach rather than rely on utilizing a few social capital constructs retrieved from Putnam's extensive published work. The multi-dimensional approach which broadens the lens in which researchers use to aid them in the understanding the association between social capital and health and well-being is more beneficial than a narrow focus that relies on a few social capital domains to examine this relationship. The association of these different dimensions was statistically tested through multiple logistic regression analyses which examined a hypothesized interaction effect between organizational embeddedness and social capital and its association with health outcomes and behaviors. It is hoped that this research will further advance the public health discourse regarding the association between health outcomes and social capital, measured across several dimensions and conceptualized through an access to resources and networks based lens.

Submitted by Rosina Valeria Lanzellotti Mattiussi Teixeira (rosina.teixeira@unisantos.br) on 2015-04-07T13:39:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Jose Gomes de Aguiar.pdf: 2513350 bytes, checksum: 8b0a652caefd93f46679fdf28d7745ee (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-07T13:39:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Jose Gomes de Aguiar.pdf: 2513350 bytes, checksum: 8b0a652caefd93f46679fdf28d7745ee (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This study aimed to know the people on the streets, living conditions, health - disease and their access to public institutions providing health care. We chose the city of Guaruja, in Santos, for being one of the places of highest demand of this population. Its specific objectives: a) outline the profile of the homeless city of Guaruja - SP, according to age, education, work status, family structure and reason lies in the streets; b) Check for diagnosis of chronic and / or comorbidity and perceived health - disease of the homeless city of Guarujá - SP; c) Identify the means of access to and control of chronic disease comorbidities in places providing health services in the city of Guarujá - SP; d) assess the perception of risk and the impact of social stigma on the emotions of the homeless city of Guaruja - SP. Qualitative research was used in this work, because this approach works with a plethora of meanings, motives, aspirations, beliefs, values and attitudes acquired in the historical and social process that set of human phenomena are understood as part of social reality. The results confirmed male dominated, with low education leading them to provide informal jobs and low quality; most respondents have compromised to the point of interfering with their health conditions of survival feelings and emotions like fear sadness, longing and abandonment of the family were evident during this research. It was also noted in the reports attitudes of violence against this population by civil guards the city, which increases the risk experienced by those who only have the streets for shelter. The access to these health services is made primarily by the Emergency Unit and the Emergency PSUs when they are accompanied or referred to this service. The analysis and discussion of the results was performed from three angles: Axis 1: Living Conditions; Axis 2: Health, disease and access to health services; Axis 3 and discussed the representations of the homeless on health and disease. We conclude that the city of Guarujá, as well as many other Brazilian cities, still has a long way to go in serving the population. Has need to implement municipal social policies in accordance with the National Policy for the homeless population that recognizes their rights and guarantee the minimum conditions of citizenship. / Este trabalho buscou conhecer a população em situação de rua, suas condições de vida, de saúde - doença e o acesso destes às instituições públicas prestadoras de assistência à saúde. Escolhemos a cidade de Guarujá, na Baixada Santista, por ser um dos locais de maior procura dessa população. Teve como objetivos específicos: a) Delinear o perfil do morador de rua da cidade de Guarujá - SP, segundo idade, escolaridade, situação de trabalho, estrutura familiar e motivo pelo qual se encontra nas ruas; b) Verificar a existência de diagnóstico de doenças crônicas e/ou morbidades e a percepção de saúde - doença do morador de rua da cidade de Guarujá-SP; c) Identificar as formas de acesso para controle de doenças crônicas e morbidades nos locais de prestação de serviços de saúde na cidade de Guarujá-SP; d) Avaliar a percepção de risco e o impacto do estigma social nas emoções do morador de rua da cidade de Guarujá ¿ SP. Foi utilizada neste trabalho a pesquisa qualitativa, porque esta abordagem trabalha com o universo dos significados, dos motivos, aspirações, crenças, dos valores e atitudes, adquiridos no processo histórico social e esse conjunto de fenômenos humanos são compreendidos como parte da realidade social. Os resultados confirmaram predominância masculina, com baixa escolaridade levando-os a prestação de trabalhos informais e de baixa qualidade; a maioria dos entrevistados tem a saúde comprometida a ponto de interferir nas suas condições de sobrevivência sentimentos e emoções como medo tristeza, saudade e abandono dos familiares foram evidentes durante essa pesquisa. Também se observou nos relatos atitudes de violência praticadas contra essa população por parte de guardas civis do município, o que aumenta o risco vivenciado por quem só tem as ruas como abrigo. O acesso destes aos serviços de saúde é feito basicamente pelas Unidades de Urgência e emergência as UPA¿s, quando são acompanhados ou encaminhados para este serviço. A análise e discussão dos resultados foi efetuada a partir de três Eixos de Análise: Eixo 1: Condições de Vida; Eixo 2: Saúde, doença e acesso aos serviços de saúde; e no Eixo 3 foi discutido as representações do morador de rua sobre saúde e doença. Concluímos que a cidade do Guarujá, assim como tantas outras cidades brasileiras, ainda tem um longo caminho a percorrer no atendimento à população. É preciso implementar políticas sociais municipais de acordo com a Política Nacional para população em situação de rua que reconheça seus direitos e garanta as condições mínimas de cidadania.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 517-547). Also available on the Internet.

The study of social relationships and health has been one of the main issues of sociology. A growing number of literatures have demonstrated the association between social relationships and health. The findings generally showed that people who were socially integrated, received social support, and participated in non-working social organizations tended to be physically and psychologically healthier than those who were not; however, less is known about the process and structure of social relationships in the sociological investigation of health. Studies were often limited in that they did not thoroughly investigate the determinants of social relationships in relation to health. In the present study, I suggest that social contexts will enlarge our understanding of the association between social relationships and health. I employ the term social contexts to refer to distinctive dimensions of social structures and institutions in which individuals are embedded. If social contexts are probable determinants of social relationships, social contexts appear to have an effect on health status as well as social relationships. Despite this proposition, few studies have examined the associations among social contexts, social relationships, and health in an integrated analytical framework. The main objective of this project is, thus, to examine the association among the distinctive layers of social contexts--family, workplace, and neighborhoods--, social relationships and health. Using the first and second wave of the Americans’ Changing Lives panel data, I test four main research questions. First, are social contexts associated with health outcomes? Second, are social contexts predictive of a variety of social relationships? Third, do social relationships account for the association between social contexts and health outcomes? Finally, do social contexts moderate the association between social relationships and health outcomes? Neighborhood contexts are associated with depression and self-rated health of the first wave net of controls. Neighborhood contexts are predictive of a variety of social relationships. Social relationships account for the associations between the percentage of households receiving public assistance, foreign-born residents, and female-headed households, and depression of the first wave. Some of the associations between social relationships and health outcomes are moderated by neighborhood contexts, and the moderating effects vary by the types of social relationships. Workplace contexts are generally associated with depression, but not largely associated with self-rated health. Workplace contexts are predictive of a variety of social relationships. Social relationships only moderately account for the effects of job decision latitude, physical demands, and psychological demands on depression of the second wave, and psychological demands on self-rated health of the first wave. The associations between social relationships and health outcomes are moderated by workplace contexts in some cases, and the moderating effects vary by the types of social relationships. Family contexts are generally associated with depression and self-rated health in both cross-sectional and longitudinal settings. Family contexts are predictive of a variety of social relationships. Social relationships mediate some of the associations between family context variables and health; the effect of family context variables on self-rated health of the second wave are explained by social relationships in models of having children, parental chronic stress, mother support, child support, and spouse support. Some of the associations between social relationships and health status are moderated by family contexts, and the moderating effects vary by the types of social relationships. / text

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of General Practice and Centre for Health and Society, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 252-278).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1989.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1989.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 517-547).

The thesis is focused on the health insurance benefits abuse. Generally there is not paid so much attention to this topic but there is a big rise of recovered and proved cases. The theoretic part is divided into nine subchapters describing the subject of social security and its conception in the Czech Republic with an explanation of historical development. Then the theoretic part deals with just health insurance and particular kinds of benefits. In the last subchapter this thesis occupies with international organizations in the field of human and social rights and briefly discusses also about a system of health insurance in some European countries. The practical part describes the research itself which was made by strategy of qualitative research by a technical analysis of documents. The research sample is formed by data and figures in the whole republic, in some respects there are data of South Bohemia region pointed out. The research revers to reality and risks concluded from unwarranted receiving from the social system. The diploma work would like to warn this way about the importance of this issue and contribute to elimination of these unlawful acts.

In the first part of the thesis I address the theoretical basis of the issue of social work, lifelong learning, the burnout syndrome and the ethical code of a social worker. Of health social worker help the others who face a problematic situation. They help people in order to enable them to exist and function in interaction with their social environment at a socially appreciated level. In the practical part of the thesis, the objective of the research that I set myself was to ascertain whether the health social workers have the competences to exercise their profession and what techniques they use to prevent the burnout syndrome. I decided for a written anonymous questionnaire to collect the data. The research was conducted in health and social facilities in 8 regions of the Czech Republic. 160 questionnaires were distributed altogether. The total research set consisted of 106 respondents. I examined two hypotheses. The first one was: A majority of health social workers does not have sufficient education to exercise the profession. The second one was: Of health social workers realize the risks of the burnout syndrome.