This study explores the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and loneliness among middle-aged and older caregivers. It also examines whether social support buffers the potential negative influence of neighborhood disorder on loneliness. Using data from the 2018 Health and Retirement Study (N = 578), this study estimated relationships using ordinary least squares regression. Loneliness was measured using an 11-item scale. Perceived neighborhood disorder was measured with an eight-item scale covering physical and social disorder. Social support was measured via a 12-item scale of positive social interactions. Respondents who experienced higher levels of perceived neighborhood disorder show higher levels of loneliness (p < .001). Social support was significantly associated with reduced loneliness (p < .001). However, there was no significant interaction effect between neighborhood disorder and social support (p = .495), indicating that social support did not buffer this association. Among covariates, only self-rated health was significantly related to loneliness (p < .001). These findings highlight the importance of addressing neighborhood stressors to mitigate loneliness in this vulnerable population. While social support is a powerful direct resource, community-level interventions may be necessary to address the harms of neighborhood disorder.
Behavioral obesity treatments are associated with early weight loss; however, participants typically begin to regain the weight within several months as their self-efficacy to control eating (SEce) often diminishes after they begin to better realize associated challenges. Therefore, authors of this article aimed to discern psychosocial predictors of such reductions. Women with obesity from the greater Atlanta region of the United States participated in community-based weight-management programs of cognitive-behavioral (n = 106) and educational (n = 54) bases. The overall sample significantly (p = .001) increased SEce from Month 3 to Month 6; changes in participants' body satisfaction, eating self-regulation, exercise self-efficacy, emotional eating, and dejection were significant (ps < .02) bivariate predictors of that change. There was no significant time × treatment type effect. Within multiple regression analyses, each of those correlates, except dejection, significantly contributed to the explained variance in SEce change (p < .001). Participants' change in SEce from baseline to Month 6 was a significant predictor of their six-, 12-, and 24-month weight changes (ps < .001). These findings suggest psychosocial targets for addressing decreases in SEce and subsequent regains in weight that can follow.
The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the role of hospital social workers in the provision of nonprofit hospital financial assistance. Financial assistance (often known as "charity care") could serve as an intervention to reduce medical debt. This exploratory, cross-sectional, semistructured qualitative interview study of a convenience sample of licensed hospital social workers in Minnesota was conducted virtually from September 2024 to January 2025. Interview data were collected from 18 licensed social workers employed by nonprofit hospitals/health systems in Minnesota. Interview recordings were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis. This study identified four key themes: (1) the importance of role delineation between hospital social workers and financial counselors, (2) difficulty finding financial assistance information, (3) difficulty understanding financial assistance information, and (4) fatigue/overwhelm experienced by patients and families navigating the financial assistance process. This research illuminates the method of providing financial assistance in nonprofit hospitals in Minnesota and identified strengths and weaknesses in the current process.
This article explores county-level low birth weight (LBW) and maternity care access in U.S. counties with at least 20 LBW births from 2013 to 2019 (the study period), examining differences by race and geographic classification. Data were accessed through March of Dimes, who collected from the National Center for Health Statistics birth files and Human Resources and Services Administration Area Health Resources Files. Out of 3,036 U.S. counties, lack of maternity care access was more common in rural versus urban counties. LBW prevalence differed significantly between levels of maternity care access, such that counties with no access to maternity care differed significantly in LBW from counties with full or moderate access. Black women in rural counties with no maternity care access had significantly higher LBW rates compared with White women. Black women and those in rural counties experience inequities in maternity care access, underscoring the need to expand maternity care provider availability in rural communities and those with larger Black populations as a strategy to reduce LBW.
Social workers are at high risk of suffering from burnout syndrome due to the high work demands and the characteristics of their professional practice, yet there is little research that investigates the predictors and protectors of burnout among this group. This article examined the relationship between mental workload (MWL) and burnout in a sample of Spanish social workers. In addition, it analyzed whether psychological capital (PC) and perceived social support (PSS) mediate this relationship. For this purpose, 270 social work professionals completed an online questionnaire that collected information on MWL, PC, PSS, and burnout. The results show that MWL predicts burnout, and that PC and PSS only partially mediate the relationship between MWL and burnout. However, the direct effect of MWL on burnout remains significant, suggesting that other factors may also be involved. Nevertheless, PC and PSS act as internal and external protective factors, respectively, of burnout. This work underlines the importance of implementing interventions to strengthen personal resources and social support as a way to prevent burnout in social workers.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has surged across the United States, with undocumented Latina immigrants from South and Central America disproportionately affected. The heightened immigration enforcement has further discouraged help-seeking, creating significant barriers to accessing formal support systems. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 15 undocumented Latina IPV survivors in Westchester County, New York. Drawing on seven in-depth, semistructured interviews, the study examined how participants navigate support with complex social and structural constraints. Findings are organized into three thematic categories: (1) engagement with public services, (2) utilization of nonprofit services, and (3) reliance on informal support systems. Consistent with prior research, participants reported turning first to informal sources of support due to the fear and stigma surrounding their legal status and the limitations of the systems meant to protect them. These findings highlight the urgency for culturally responsive, trauma-informed interventions and policies that reduce systemic barriers and services for undocumented Latina survivors of IPV.
Relatively little is known about social workers in interprofessional primary healthcare (PHC) teams, despite social work being one of the largest health and social service professions. Understanding the experiences of social workers in PHC teams will help strengthen the integration of social workers in these settings. The research question guiding this study was: "What are the experiences of social workers working in interprofessional PHC teams in Ontario, Canada?" This was a descriptive qualitative study and the authors conducted focus groups with social workers embedded in PHC. Fifty-seven social workers participated in 10 focus groups that were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis guided an inductive analysis of the data. Seven themes in the data were identified: (1) social work is valued by the team, (2) social work enhances the team, (3) the pandemic disrupted team relationships, (4) team collaboration requires intention and opportunity, (5) lack of physical space, (6) limited influence on decision making, and (7) clinical supervision mitigates isolation. While social workers feel valued by their team members, opportunities to contribute to organizational decision making remain limited. Addressing the tacit hierarchies that facilitate these challenges through shared leadership practices or adoption of collaborative competency frameworks is recommended.
Emergency departments are vital safety-net resources for adults seeking mental health treatment. Frequent mental health emergency department use has been associated with homelessness and alcohol use. However, little of this research has been conducted in rural settings, particularly in Northern Appalachia. Therefore, this program-level study aimed to describe the relationship between recent mental health emergency department use, homelessness, and alcohol use in intake survey data from one outpatient mental health clinic. Participants were 1,293 adults seeking treatment between June 2020 and August 2022. On average, participants reported using an emergency room for a psychiatric or emotional problem less than one time in the past 30 days. Nights spent homeless were statistically significantly positively associated with recent mental health emergency department use. Additionally, those who used alcohol daily or almost daily demonstrated a statistically significant greater frequency of mental health emergency department use compared with adults who did not use alcohol within the past 30 days. Future social work research should replicate this study with a larger, multisite, random sample of mental health treatment-seeking adults in rural Northern Appalachian settings.
This article examines the growing crisis of maternal mortality among Black women in the United States, concentrating on the healthcare system's impact on the quality of pre- and postnatal care received by this population. Insufficient care and systemic inequities have reinforced life-threatening outcomes and excessively increased maternal mortality rates. The World Health Organization estimated 700 maternal deaths occur annually in the United States due to pregnancy-related difficulties, with Black women accounting for the majority. According to data from the National Vital Statistic System, the 2022 maternal mortality rate for Black women was 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births-disproportionately higher than rates among White, Hispanic, and Asian women. Research has demonstrated that more than half of maternal mortalities are avertible, underscoring deep concern among healthcare workers. This article discusses strategies to reduce the number of maternal deaths among Black women, including providing (a) pre- and postnatal care awareness for women in impoverished areas; (b) diversity, equity, and inclusion training for healthcare professionals; and (c) routine social work screening to high-risk women to ensure healthcare needs are met. The objective of the article is to increase awareness of the crisis of maternal mortality, so as to take action and commit to a systemic change.
Given the rapidly aging global population, attention to the psychosocial health of older adults has become increasingly important. Parts of health systems that provide primary services often overlook the social dimensions of older adults' health. Integrating social services, such as social work, into health systems is becoming increasingly essential. This study employs a scoping review method based on Arksey and O'Malley's framework to explore the research on social work services for older adults within primary health systems. The eligibility criteria included studies published in English between 2005 and 2023, concentrating on social work services for older adults. The reviewed studies focused on three key points: (1) the role and services of social work, (2) the importance of interprofessional collaboration, and (3) integration of social work services. Social work services play an essential role in improving the quality of primary services in the health system for older adults, and the presence of social workers is necessary to provide more comprehensive and efficient services to them. Policymakers should prioritize policies related to the socialization of health and health management, the improvement of social services, and promoting the position of social workers in primary services within more organized and specialized health systems.
