OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social service accessibility for persons with disabilities in the Philippines, with a focus on disability related opportunity costs and out-of-pocket expenses.

A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and interviews were conducted to gather qualitative insights, while quantitative analysis, utilizing one-sample t-tests, was used to assess the impact of the pandemic on key areas such as income, access to essential goods, employment, healthcare, mental health, and social support.

Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 141 participants. Qualitative insights highlighted that 89% of participants reported negative effects on daily living conditions due to rising costs and limited access to necessities. Parents of children with disabilities indicated that early childhood care and development services were adversely affected by school closures, and transitioning to online learning posed significant barriers, with 62% lacking access to training and resources. While many participants had access to healthcare, lockdowns exacerbated disability-related opportunity costs, complicating access to routine care. Quantitative data findings were analyzed through one-sample t-tests to assess the impact of COVID-19 on various aspects of daily life, including income, access to essential goods, employment status, healthcare access, mental health, and social support. Findings revealed significant challenges, with an average income decrease rating of 7.39, reflecting substantial financial loss. Ratings for access to essential goods and healthcare services also averaged 7.39, while employment status was rated at 7.82, indicating instability. Mental health impacts averaged 7.13, and social support was rated at 7.42, underscoring inadequacies during this crisis.

Overall, the study emphasizes the urgent need for targeted interventions and inclusive responses in emergency planning to mitigate the pandemic's disproportionate impact on this marginalized group in the Philippines.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have specifically addressed quality of life issues for elderly hospice patients. The purpose of this study is to explore various factors and service patterns of the quality of life of end-of-life care for the elderly. METHODS: We collect the data and make small-scale exploratory study via semi-structured individual interviews. Data were collected from the family of 2 elderly cancer patients receiving hospice services, and the data were analyzed qualitatively. RESULTS: After investigation, we found that elderly people in hospice care, regardless of age, are suffering from physical and psychological pain and do not want to spend the rest of their lives in the hospital, but want to die in their own homes. CONCLUSIONS Both hospitalization and in-home care can improve resource utilization, and the key is to find various factors affecting the quality of life. Improving the quality of life is what patients and their families need most.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Female ; Health Personnel ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Hospice Care ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; Patients ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Quality of Health Care ; statistics & numerical data ; Social Work

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to identify needs and barriers that cancer patients experience with returning to work (RTW) by analyzing posts of the patients on the Internet. METHODS: Posts of online communities of the cancer patients related to RTW were collected using key words from Jan. 2004 to Dec. 2017. PFNet and NodeXL were utilized to visualize intellectual interchanges of the keywords. Additional content analysis of the posts was then conducted to specify informational needs related to RTW. RESULTS: There were 996 posts and 6394 responses related to RTW. A total of 163 and 129 keywords were found for posts and responses respectively. Posts were categorized into four groups by network analysis: 1) cancer diagnosis and treatment; 2) changing working status after cancer diagnosis; 3) concerns about RTW during cancer treatment; 4) balance of work and life after cancer. Responses were grouped into similar themes but most of them were empathetic or encouraging messages. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients posted various concerns and needs in relation to RTW on the online communities. At the same time, they expressed difficulties to obtain information and resources about RTW both on and off line. Further studies would be necessary to develop appropriate intervention for helping cancer patients to return to work.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Internet ; Return to Work ; Social Networking ; Survivors

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of and the sociodemographic risk factors for depressive symptoms among inpatients with chronic diseases who completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) conducted by a social work department at university medical centers. METHODS: In 2015, PHQ-9 data were collected from six medical centers affiliated with Hallym University Medical Center. The sample comprised 517 inpatients aged 18 years or over with chronic diseases. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, simple logistic regression, and multiple logistic regression were used for data analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among inpatients with chronic diseases was 31.7 percent. The results of the simple and multiple logistic regressions showed that the single/widowed/divorced/separated group was at higher risk for depressive symptoms than married inpatients. Having a religion or being unemployed also increased the risk of depressive symptoms among the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study emphasize the importance of systematic depressive symptom management for inpatients with chronic diseases.
Academic Medical Centers ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Social Work ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

To understand the development of medical social work in China, and provide reference and basis for promoting medical social work in the next stage.
 Methods: A random sampling method was used to survey and analyze the data from questionnaires distributed to hospitals at or above the second level in China.
 Results: Medical social work had been carried out in all parts of the country, but the development was not balanced with the establishment of specialized agencies accounting for about 7.9% of the total survey. Only 17.5% of the hospitals carried out medical social work as a routine work. The medical social work service mainly included volunteer operation and management, patient psychological counseling, and so on.
 Conclusion: The development of medical social work in hospitals in China is still in its infancy, and the regional development is not balanced. Lack of professionals, unclear responsibilities of medical social workers and low social identity of medical social work are the main factors restricting development.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Social Work ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the basic characteristics of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and its differences between occupations using Korea's National Health Insurance (NHI) and National Employment Insurance (NEI). METHODS: The study participants were obtained from the NEI and NHI data from 2008 to 2015, with a diagnosis code of G560 (CTS) as the main or sub-diagnosis. Data about gender, age, diabetes mellitus, smoking, drinking, and length of employment, information about type of occupation, and number of employees according to age and occupation were obtained from NHI and NEI data. In total, 240 occupations were classified into blue-collar (BC) and white-collar (WC) work. In addition, each occupation was classified as high-risk and low-risk groups depending on the degree of wrist usage. RESULTS: The number of patients with CTS per 100,000 individuals increased with advancing age, and it was higher in women (4,572.2) than in men (1,798.5). Furthermore, the number was higher in BC workers (3,247.5) than in WC workers (1,824.1) as well as in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group in both BC workers (3,527.8 vs. 1,908.2) and WC workers (1,829.9 vs. 1,754.4). The number of patients with CTS was higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group among male and female BC workers and female WC workers. However, the number was higher in the low-risk group among male WC workers. In the BC category, the number of patients with CTS was highest among food processing-related workers (19,984.5). In the WC category, the number of patients with CTS was highest among social workers and counselors (7,444.1). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are expected to help identify occupational differences in patterns of CTS. High number of patients with CTS was seen in new jobs, as well as in previous studies.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Counseling ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Drinking ; Employment ; Female ; Humans ; Insurance ; Male ; National Health Programs ; Occupations ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Social Work ; Social Workers ; Wrist

OBJECTIVES: This study developed an information and communication technology (ICT)-based comprehensive health and social-needs assessment (CHSNA) system based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) with the aim of enhancing person-centered community care for community residents and supporting healthcare professionals and social workers who provide healthcare and social services in the community. METHODS: Items related to a CHSNA tool were developed and mapped with ICF codes. Experts validated the CHSNA system design and process using the Delphi method, and a pilot test of the initial version of the system was conducted. RESULTS: The following three steps of CHSNA were embedded in the system, which had a user-friendly screen and images: basic health assessment, life and activity assessment, and in-depth health assessment. The assessment results for the community residents were presented with visualized health profiles, including images, graphs, and an ICF model. CONCLUSIONS: The developed CHSNA system can be used by healthcare professionals, social workers, and community residents to evaluate the reasoning underlying health and social needs, to facilitate the identification of more appropriate healthcare plans, and to guide community residents to receive the best healthcare services. A CHSNA system can improve the implementation of standardized terminology utilizing the ICF and the accuracy of needs assessments of community residents.
Classification ; Community Health Services ; Decision Support Techniques ; Delivery of Health Care ; Methods ; Needs Assessment ; Patient-Centered Care ; Social Work ; Social Workers

PURPOSE: Group-based interventions help the members of the parent group work together to share their parenting stress, provide opportunities for them to support each other emotionally and informatively, and allow them to achieve what they want to accomplish. The purpose of this study is to investigate and synthesize the outcome of a parenting support program for infant and toddler parents. METHODS: Published randomized control trials were identified through Ovid-Medline, Embase and CINAHL DB. Eligible studies include articles published between 2008 and 2018 in English in the randomized controlled trial design in which parenting support programs were implemented for infant and toddler parents group. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies was selected for this review. These programs reported large level of effect size for parenting, and middle level effect size for parent's psycho-social outcomes and child development. There were many programs conducted for parents with infants between 13 and 24 months, and the frequency of programs provided for 2 hours a week was high with 9 to 12 sessions. Most programs were facilitated by trained professionals including nurses and social workers except two programs led by lay persons. CONCLUSION: This review demonstrates that group-based parenting support programs have positive effects on parenting, parent's psychosocial health and infant development. To disseminate the effective group-based parenting support programs, further research is needed to confirm the long term effect and develop nurse's role as a group facilitator.
Child ; Child Development ; Humans ; Infant ; Nurse's Role ; Parenting ; Parents ; Peer Group ; Social Work ; Social Workers

The purpose of this study were to identify the dietary practices of vulnerable older adults and to assess the foodservice and food provision service programs perceived by the health and welfare service providers in the community. A survey was conducted on health and welfare service providers working in outreach community centers and community health centers in Seoul. A total of 260 nurses and social workers participated in the survey and 224 responses were used for data analysis after excluding significant missing data. The respondents consisted of nurses (58.5%) and social workers (41.5%). In terms of the dietary life of the vulnerable older adults, they perceived that the food cost was burdensome to the older adults and poor dental conditions prohibited them from eating various foods. The health and welfare service providers rated highly for ‘home-delivered meal and side dish services are effective for checking older adults’ conditions' but rated low for availability of menu choices. In targeting vulnerable older adults for food and nutrition service programs, the home-delivered meal service was found to be suitable for older adults living alone, those over age of 80 years, those with mobility difficulties, and those with economic difficulties. The food provision service was appropriate for older adults living with their spouse or other family members. Vulnerable older adults are a heterogeneous population with diverse needs related to food and nutrition. Home-delivered meal/side dish service and food provision services will achieve their goals when they reach the correct targets with a customized service.
Adult ; Community Health Centers ; Eating ; Humans ; Meals ; Seoul ; Social Work ; Social Workers ; Spouses ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Diabetes is a chronic disease that requires patient self-management. Successful self-care by diabetics includes accepting their diabetes status and learning proper diabetes management, as well as creating and maintaining a lifestyle that enables diabetes management.Recently, in order to improve diabetics’ self-care capability, health education has been shared by trained specialists (doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and medical social workers, etc.) through team access. Under these circumstances, the medical social worker acts as a member of the treatment team and plays a role in helping patients’ stabilize treatment and return to society smoothly by training them in psychological, economic, and social issues that make living with diabetes treatment difficult.The purpose of this study was to examine the role of medical social workers engaged in the treatment of diabetics based on their clinical work.
Chronic Disease ; Health Education ; Humans ; Learning ; Life Style ; Nutritionists ; Self Care ; Social Work ; Social Workers ; Specialization