archives@tulane.edu / Background: Although engagement and retention in HIV care and treatment is a critical issue across populations, it is of particular importance among female sex workers (FSWs) as they are disproportionately affected by HIV due to high rates of sexual risk behaviors and large sexual networks. Drug use is one of the most consistent and salient barriers to successful engagement in HIV care and treatment. For many FSWs, drug use is a common part of their daily lives. While individual-level factors likely explain a substantial portion of variability in drug use behavior, evidence demonstrates that differences in health behaviors and outcomes cannot be fully explained by individual-level factors alone. Previous explorations of drug-related harms have found that neighborhoods and social networks are two important environments that impact substance use behavior and associated health outcomes; yet, there has been little research on the interacting effects of networks and neighborhoods on drug use among FSWs living with HIV. Objective: Using innovative geospatial and social network methods, the purpose of this pilot study was 1) to characterize the physical and social risk environments of a small cohort of FSWs living with HIV in the Dominican Republic (DR), and 2) to examine the association between their daily activity patterns and social relationships on illicit drug use. Methods: A micro-longitudinal observational study design was employed. Data collection activities included: (1) semi-structured questionnaire, (2) daily activity space mapping, (3) daily behavior diary, (4) social network survey; and (5) secondary data. Statistical analysis included spatial mapping, social network analysis, univariate and bivariate means analysis, generalized estimating equations (GEE) with repeated measures, interaction and effect modification. Results: Findings suggest that social networks, specifically drug networks and sex and drug networks, and daily activity path and location-based risk exposures are independently associated with risk of daily drug use, and that network risk profile modifies the association between location-based risk exposure and daily drug use. Results from Paper 1 show that participants exposed to a higher number of risk outlets within 200 meters of their weekly activity paths weighted by time exposed had an increased risk of daily drug use (RRadj: 2.83, 95%CI: 1.14, 7.03). Similarly, per unit increase in risk outlet exposure within 200 meters of sex work locations was associated with an increased risk of daily drug use (RRadj: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00, 1.05). Paper 2 results indicate that participants with more drug using members and sexual partners who were also drug users in their social networks were 8.89 (95%CI: 2.62, 30.33) and 6.08 (95 CI%: 1.20, 30.92) times more likely to use drugs compared to those with fewer drug using members and sexual partners who used drugs. Finally, paper 3 results suggest that the joint effects of networks and activity space are greater than individual effects alone and that drug network and sex and drug network modify the association between sex work location risk environment exposure and daily drug use. No differences were detected among individuals with large drug and sex and drug networks, but among individuals with small drug and sex and drug networks, per unit increase in risk outlet exposure within 200-meters of sex work locations was associated with an increased risk of daily drug use. Conclusions: This research provides significant information on the overlapping and diverging characteristics of the social factors and physical spaces that shape drug use in the broader context of sex work, HIV, and vulnerability in a low-and middle-income country (LMIC) setting. Findings may be used to inform integrated care interventions that are geographically targeted and address the social processes and structures that influence drug harms and HIV treatment in a highly stigmatized and vulnerable population. / 1 / Erica Ann Felker-Kantor

Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Economics, 1978 / Bibliography: leaves 240-243. / by José Marcio A. Guimaraés de Camargo. / Ph. D. / Ph. D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Economics

No abstract / Mini Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Centre for Human Rights / MPhil / Unrestricted

Currently, rotator cuff injuries are the most common problem for the shoulder and accounted for 4.1 million physicians visits. Partial and full thickness tears are more common in people over the age of 50. The increased prevalence of rotator cuff injuries in the United States population certainly affects the working population and often represents a significant economic burden for employers. Few studies have examined outcomes in worker compensation patients or considered biopsychosocial predictive variables for rotator cuff repairs. The current study aimed to characterize injured workers who have undergone rotator cuff repairs across a number of pre- and postprocedural variables, evaluate multidimensional functional and quality of life outcomes, and examine biopsychosocial variables predictive of success and failure in this sample. The current study examined 93 injured workers who had undergone at least one rotator cuff repair within the past five years. Participants were solicited through the Worker’s Compensation Fund of Utah (WCF) computerized database. The current study used a retrospective cohort design, patients’ medical charts were reviewed, and various preprocedural variables were coded for analysis including age at the time of the rotator cuff repair, lawyer involvement in the claim, prior shoulder surgery history, and quantity of other compensation claims. Of the total sample, 47 patients (50.5%) were contacted and completed outcome surveys that assessed patient satisfaction, shoulder functional impairment, disability status, and general physical and mental health functioning. Findings revealed that approximately one third of the patients were totally disabled (29.8%), had poor shoulder specific functioning (36.2%), and were dissatisfied with their current shoulder condition (31.7%). A multivariate regression model was utilized in predicting patient outcomes. Specifically, the number of WCF claims of the patient was a robust predictor of multidimensional outcomes, while age and gender were less predictive of outcomes, and the presence of a prior shoulder surgery reflected no predictive power. Results of descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses are compared to existing data for rotator cuff repair patients when available or to other surgical procedures with similar populations. The study limitations are discussed, such as small sample size, the retrospective design, and lack of matched controls.

In August of 1976, a factory employing 210 workers began a phased layoff of all employees. This study focused on the subsequent reemployment problems of the workers. Specifically, methods of job search were analyzed to determine if they had an influence upon placement and quality of employment. Two means of data collection were used in this study. Questionnaires were mailed to all former employees of Hesston Farm Machinery Company and oral interviews were conducted with public and private individuals involved with placement assistance to displaced workers. Results of the study indicated that public employment offices, private employment agencies, and Hesston's Personnel Department were ineffective in placing workers. Applying in person and obtaining employment from friends/relatives were both more common and more effective than other methods of job search.

The subject of this thesis focuses on the early development of Volunteers in Portland Schools. Commonly referred to as VIPS, this program was designed to coordinate and optimize the use of volunteers throughout the school district. VIPS is jointly sponsored by the Portland Public Schools and the Portland Council, P.T.A . and is funded by the Portland Public Schools. The VIPS concept was conceived by the author of this thesis in August 1968. A proposal for a cooperative school volunteer progrcnn was written in the fall of that year with the endorsement of the School Board and the assistance of school district personnel. This proposal was approved and adopted by the Board February 1969 and the author was directed to coordinate a VIPS pilot project in the Cleveland High School area from February until June 1969. In June the School Board expanded the program citywide and hired a part-time director. The author continued in the role of section coordinator for the Cleveland High School area during the school year 1969-1970. T'he discussion of the VIPS program in this thesis is essentially historical and is based on the direct experiences of the author.

This study was initiated by the desire to do a piece of research which would not only be a useful experience for us as social work graduate students, but also would be meeting the needs of an ,agency in the local community. In exploring the opportunities available to us, we found that the three of us were all employed by the Louise Home for Girls in Portland. In addition we each had a concern for the quality of treatment being provided by the Home. Therefore, we approached the administration of the Louise Home to see if they would be interested in our doing a research project involving the agency.

The purpose of this study is to assess the attitudes of a select group of social workers in the Portland area. The study will focus on their attitudes about the causes of poverty and actions to deal with problems of poverty. These attitudes will be examined in the context of a theoretical framework. The sample consists of those social workers and social work-related professionals who serve as field instructors for the Portland State School of Social Work. This means that the study will also provide information about the attitudes that Portland State social work students are likely to encounter in the field during the master's program. This information may be useful to the school in evaluating, developing, or modifying curriculum.

The development of mental health services emerged from South Africa’s colonial history and the racist policy of apartheid’s influence on colonialism, race and legislative framework within mental health services. In social work practice, the critical issue relates to the required knowledge of DSM as it relates to the process of diagnosis guidance in social work education and practice. Assessment is a cornerstone of social work practice in the mental health field to gain a comprehensive and holistic view of our clients and their lives, not only a focus on both the person and the environment, but also to assesses their strengths and capabilities. Social workers are viewed as an important profession which have a huge contribution to mental health issues through prevention and early intervention, without considering whether they are working in a specialised mental health role, and regardless of the setting in which they work. The present study explored and described the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services in Johannesburg. The present study followed a qualitative research approach which was utilised and guided the research study. A case study design was selected and used in this qualitative study to explore the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services in their respective mental health institutions with Johannesburg. The research study made use of the purposive sampling technique and a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions, which were used in face-face interviews to collect data for the study. Ten interviews were conducted with social workers who provide mental health services in Johannesburg, whereby seven participants were from CGMHS and three were from Tara Psychiatric Hospital. The researcher reported on all ten participants who participated in the present study, which also included the pilot done prior the actual study. The findings indicated that social workers have knowledge and understanding of mental health services, what mental health services are, and how mental health care should be aligned with social work practice. The study found that social workers provide numerous services in their respective mental health institutions where they worked. The study found that social workers have working relations with other stakeholders who also have a role in mental health issues such as the police, to mention few. The findings also indicated a lack of continuous mental health training for social workers who work in the field of mental health as well as a lack or limited support and supervision. Lastly, the findings showed that social workers in the field of mental health encounter a numerous challenges such as lack of resources, staff compliment, relapse of mental health care users, financial support, stigma towards users, lack of leadership and ineffective policies and systems in the field of mental health. The study concludes that social workers do understand what mental health services are, and their role and tasks in the field of mental health. It can be also concluded that a lack of support and supervision is overlooked for social workers who are providing mental health services in respective mental health institutions and they are faced with various challenges which makes their work difficult to cope with under certain circumstances. Recommendations in the present study include that professional social workers be trained very diligently and comprehensively in the mental health field and such training should be continuous so as to improve the services provided by social workers in the field of mental health. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Health Care))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Health Care) / Unrestricted

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Increasing numbers of older people are working past retirement age. However, older women are leaving the work force earlier compared with men, despite having longer life expectancies. Given the economic and health benefits of staying in the labor force in later life, it is important to understand which factors may contribute to older women exiting the labor force. With advancing ages, women may experience increasing work discrimination due to ageism and sexism. Using data from Wave 11 (2012) the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), I examine whether age is a predictor of work discrimination among older women workers. I conducted multivariable linear regression to assess whether age predicts perceived work discrimination among older women workers, net of all covariates. Additionally, an interaction between race and age was investigated to assess whether women of color experienced more work discrimination with advancing ages. I observed that age was negatively associated with work discrimination. Findings suggest that experiences with work discrimination may push older women out the labor force prematurely. Older women may desire to escape discriminatory work environments with less favorable conditions.