Care For Vulnerable Groups Research Articles

Controversy Over Media Coverage of Teen s Death: Lessons for Journalism

How can professional media better care for vulnerable groups while upholding the journalistic principles of objectivity and impartiality in the social media era? This case study examines the controversy surrounding a video reported by Beijing News, accused of triggering cyberbullying that led to the death of Liu Xuezhou. The analysis includes differing opinions on the media s role in Liu s death and highlights the challenges journalists face in maintaining balance, accuracy, and privacy in their reporting. The paper calls for greater anticipatory care and adherence to ethical standards to minimize harm and ensure compassionate, empathetic reporting.

Systematic Thinking Approach for Analyzing Individuals and Government Impact on COVID-19 Outbreak in Iran

The world faced a crisis called the coronavirus pandemic, a disease that has been able to disrupt a large proportion of the power and activities of the whole world and has evolved all economic and social decisions. These decisions are primarily related to restrictions such as widespread lockdowns and social distancing. Different countries have taken various approaches and decisions to deal with this situation, each of which has positive and negative sides. Apart from this issue, the rapid spread of this pandemic has affected researchers’ knowledge and viewpoints about this disease. Without any doubt, to expand our scientific knowledge and reduce the side effects of this challenge, it is essential to evaluate the behavior of COVID-19. Moreover, developing an effective vaccine in the short term was challenging. Regarding this issue, systematic thinking not only helps to find various ways to prevent this illness from spreading throughout the world but also reduces the mortality rate of this viral disease. From a systematic thinking perspective, governments and individuals play pivotal roles. They take care of vulnerable groups, support health employees, provide general education, identify new patients, and control specific situations in their countries. In such a situation where experts have not discovered any vaccine, governments and the people of society can be considered essential parameters to intensify or reduce the outbreak of this viral disease throughout the country. This paper’s main objective and motivation are to utilize causal loop diagrams (CLDs) to evaluate and determine various affecting factors created by governments and members of societies that have direct impacts on deteriorating or decreasing the outbreak of COVID-19 in Iran from a system dynamics perspective. Hence, the statistics on the incidence and deaths caused by the coronavirus in Iran were extracted during some periods. Using the cause and effect diagrams, the behavior of the people and the government in increasing or decreasing the number of patients is discussed.

Heat-health action planning in the WHO European Region: Status and policy implications

Adverse health effects from extreme heat remain a major risk, especially in a changing climate. Several European countries have implemented heat health action plans (HHAPs) to prevent ill health and excess mortality from heat. This paper assesses the state of implementation of HHAPs in the WHO European Region and discusses barriers and successes since the early 2000s. The results are based on a web-based survey among 53 member states on the current national and federal HHAPs in place. Guided by the eight core elements of HHAPs as outlined by the WHO Regional Office for Europe guidance from 2008, we analyzed which elements were fully or partially implemented and which areas of improvement countries identified. HHAP adaptations to account for COVID-19 were sought via literature search and expert consultations. 27 member states provided information, of which 17 countries reported having a HHAP. Five out of eight core elements, namely agreement on a lead body, accurate and timely alert systems, heat-related health information plans, strategies to reduce health exposure, and care for vulnerable groups, were at least partially implemented in all 17 plans. Alert systems were implemented most often at 94%. The least often implemented items were real-time surveillance, long-term urban planning, and preparedness of health and social systems. Five countries had published COVID-19 guidance online. Our findings suggest a progressive improvement in the development and rollout of HHAPs overall and awareness of vulnerable population groups in WHO/Europe, while integration of HHAPs into long-term climate change and health planning remains a challenge.

Social Welfare Provision at the Imperial Edge: Single Mothers and Abandoned Children in the Late Russian Empire

AbstractThis article looks to the societal and imperial margins to examine attitudes towards social welfare provision in the final decades of the Russian Empire. Drawing on archival material from the Empire's Estliand province (now northern Estonia), the article focuses on the self‐representation of single mothers and official discussions of abandoned children. Society was in flux in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as rapid industrialisation, urbanisation and rural‐to‐urban migration served to undermine traditional social structures, mentalities and identities. These changes were accompanied by the disruption of the traditional patriarchal gender order, as well shifting ideas about who ought to be responsible for taking care of vulnerable groups. In rural Estliand, Estonian‐speaking unmarried women sought engagement with Russian imperial judicial structures to secure child maintenance. In the early 1900s, anxieties about the social impacts of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation and the development of new currents in philanthropy, meant that care for foundlings and abandoned children became a burning issue in the minds of Estliand's provincial officials. Examining single mothers and child abandonment in Estliand illuminates tensions between empire‐wide and local mechanisms for dealing with social issues, as well as shifting attitudes to gender, the family and charity in light of urbanisation and modernisation.

Виявлення соціально-економічних проблем на основі аналізу оцінок процесу децентралізації влади в Україні

Проаналізовано оцінки процесу децентралізації влади в Україні, які давалися впродовж реалізації реформ засобами масової інформації, населенням новоутворених об’єднаних територіальних громад (далі – ОТГ) та публічними службовцями. Зауважено, що оцінки змінювалися впродовж процесу децентралізації влади, проявляючи, загалом, тенденцію до покращення. Виявлено слабкі зміни в оцінках стану корупції в публічному секторі та охорони навколишнього середовища. Зазначено, що серед нових проблем є загроза появи явища вседозволеності з боку керівників ОТГ і брак кваліфікованих кадрів.

Going above and beyond: a qualitative study on the experiences and perspectives of HIV healthcare providers in Greece

BackgroundThis study concerns the experiences and perceptions of healthcare providers (HCPs) in Greece, as they respond to the changing health and psychosocial needs of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in unfavorable conditions, within a healthcare system encumbered by a decade of austerity measures.MethodsTo this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 HCPs in six HIV units throughout Greece. The data were analyzed employing reflexive thematic analysis, under a critical realist approach.ResultsThree main themes were generated from the analysis of the data: 1) Care Beyond Medicine, 2) Compensating System Barriers Towards Optimized Care and 3) Role Appraisal. According to HCPs’ perspectives, 1) their role extends beyond medicine, as they provide care for vulnerable groups and respond to their psychosocial difficulties. 2) Struggling to overcome structural barriers, HCPs often manage to provide privileged care to PLHIV. 3) In doing so, they become excessively involved. Despite the fulfillment experienced, HCPs often feel invalidated by the hospital setting, and frustrated, when they cannot manage to respond to the pressing needs of PLHIV.ConclusionsHCPs are forced to pull together their personal resources in order to coordinate care and respond to PLHIV’s psychosocial difficulties and health issues, as there is no formal model of coordination of care for PLHIV in Greece. Considering these findings, the development of case management protocols and integrated care pathways in Greece is being proposed.

An empirical analysis of the impact of income inequality and social capital on physical and mental health - take China\u2019s micro-database analysis as an example

BackgroundIncome inequality is one of the important reflections of the unbalanced development of the world economy and can have adverse effects on physical and mental health.MethodsThis article used the 2018 China Family Panel Studies Database as an empirical analysis data source. The Kakwani index (KI) was used to measure income inequality, and social capital was broken into cognitive social capital and structural social capital. Our assessment was conducted by using STATA16 software for ordered logistic regression, verifying income inequality, social capital on correlation between physical and mental health firstly; then by gradual regression methods to verify intermediary effect, and demonstrate the social capital as an intermediary variable affecting physical and mental health as income inequality.ResultThe income inequality has a significant negative effect on physical and mental health (β = − 0.964, − 0.381; OR = 0.382, 0.758; P < 0.01), Social capital has a significant effect on physical and mental health (Cognitive SC(MH): β = 0.146 and 0.104, OR = 1.157 and 1.110, P < 0.01; Cognitive SC(PH): β = 0.046 and 0.069, OR = 1.047 and 1.071, P < 0.01; Structural SC(MH): β = − 0.005, 0.025 and 0.015, OR = 0.995, 1.025 and 1.015, P > 0.1, P < 0.01 and P < 0.01; Structural SC(PH): β = − 0.026, 0.009 and − 0.013, OR = 0.975, 1.009 and 0.987, P < 0.01, P > 0.1 and P < 0.01). Our analysis also showed that social capital (cognitive social capital and structural social capital) has an intermediary effect on physical and mental health due to income inequality.ConclusionThis study shows that income inequality can not only directly affect physical and mental health, but also through social capital intermediary utility indirectly affect physical and mental health, social capital has positive effects on physical and mental health. At the same time, income inequality and social capital’s effects on physical and mental health exist regional differences, urban-rural differences, and gender differences. Therefore, in the development of special policies to support and take care of vulnerable groups, special attention needs to be paid to poor rural areas and female groups.

A qualitative exploration of the role of NGOs in the recovery support for persons with substance use disorders in a low-income African setting

BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa, most government mental health facilities are under-resourced to cater for the mental health needs of the population, including the provision of treatment and recovery support services for persons with substance use disorders (SUDs). However, in other settings, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play significant roles by complementing governments’ efforts in the provision of care for vulnerable groups. Presently, no study exists that examines the contributions of NGOs in the recovery support of individuals with SUDs in the Ghanaian context. This study sets out to explore the role of NGOs in the recovery of persons with SUDs in Ghana.MethodUsing a descriptive qualitative design, eight staff (directors and senior recovery practitioners) from eight NGOs in southern Ghana were purposively selected and interviewed face-to-face using semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the thematic analysis within an inductive approach.ResultsThe results showed that NGOs provide three main services: treatment of drug addiction (through psychotherapy and recovery capital), re-integration of recovered individuals into society, and advocacy and awareness creation in schools and communities. These efforts are thwarted by limited qualified professionals and inadequate government support.ConclusionOur results underscore the need for government agencies to collaborate with NGOs involved in the recovery management of persons with SUDs and other mental disorders to complement their efforts in strategizing, designing, and implementing context-appropriate substance misuse prevention and intervention programs and policies in Ghana.

Income-related inequalities in unmet dental care needs in Spain: traces left by the Great Recession

BackgroundDental health is an important component of general health. Socioeconomic inequalities in unmet dental care needs have been identified in the literature, but some knowledge gaps persist. This paper tries to identify the determinants of income-related inequality in unmet need for dental care and the reasons for its recent evolution in Spain, and it inquires about the traces left by the Great Recession.MethodsData from the EU-SILC forming a decade (2007–2017) were used. Income-related inequalities for three years were measured by calculating corrected concentration indices (CCI), which were further decomposed in order to compute the contribution of different factors to inequality. An Oaxaca-type decomposition approach was also used to analyze the origin of changes over time. Men and women were analyzed separately.ResultsPro-rich inequality in unmet dental care needs significantly increased over time (CCI 2007: − 0.0272 and − 0.0334 for males and females, respectively; CCI 2017: − 0.0704 and − 0.0776; p < 0.001). Inequality showed a clear “pro-cycle” pattern, growing during the Great Recession and starting to decrease just after the economic recovery began. Gender differences only were significant for 2009 (p = 0.004) and 2014 (p = 0.063). Income was the main determinant of inequality and of its variation along time -particularly for women-, followed by far by unemployment –particularly for men-; the contributions of both were mainly due to changes in elasticites.ConclusionsThe Great Recession left its trace in form of a higher inequality in the access to dental care. Also, unmet need for dental care, as well as its inequality, became more sensitive to the ability to pay and to unemployment along recent years. To broaden public coverage of dental care for vulnerable groups, such as low-income/unemployed people with high oral health needs, would help to prevent further growth of inequality.

Epidemic of COVID-19 in China and associated Psychological Problems.

The world is experiencing pandemic of the COVID-19 now, a RNA virus that spread out from Wuhan, China. Two countries, China first and later Italy, have gone to full lock down due to rapid spread of this virus. Till to date, no epidemiological data on mental health problems due to outbreak of the COVID-19 and mass isolation were not available. To meet this need, the present study was undertaken to assess the mental health status of Chinese people. An online survey was conducted on a sample of 1074 Chinese people, majority of whom from Hubei province. Lack of adequate opportunities to conduct face to face interview, anxiety, depression, mental well-being and alcohol consumption behavior were assessed via self-reported measures. Results showed higher rate of anxiety, depression, hazardous and harmful alcohol use, and lower mental wellbeing than usual ratio. Results also revealed that young people aged 21-40 years are in more vulnerable position in terms of their mental health conditions and alcohol use. To address mental health crisis during this epidemic, it is high time to implement multi-faceted approach (i.e. forming multidisciplinary mental health team, providing psychiatric treatments and other mental health services, utilizing online counseling platforms, rehabilitation program, ensuring certain care for vulnerable groups, etc.).

Ethical paradigms in business and society

Introduction. Ethical conduct emerges as a topic of discussion especially when conflicts arise between people, which cannot be resolved by regulation because of new circumstances and situations, or when legal norms prove insufficient or are disregarded, therefore leading to ethically unacceptable practices. Ethical issues of this kind are now at the forefront of social treatment, mainly because modern management practices have become increasingly problematic, areas of activity are expanding, and businesses and other forms of activity are increasingly under ethical pressures from multiple stakeholders. According, ethical behaviour is becoming a global issue and a pressing topic both in general and professional discussions; scientific analysis is therefore extremely relevant.&#x0D; Aim and tasks. This article’s aim is to study the ethical principles and morally ethical problems that arise in various business environments, such as medical, technical, legal, and commercial, as well as in sectors, including state, non-governmental, and private markets. It also explores ethical bases change over time and depending on social flows. Undoubtedly, stakeholders are interested in such ethics-based governance, which means that ethical issues should be effectively put into practice. The study identifies the key paradigms of how different sectors operate and what issues arise.&#x0D; Results. The diachronic study finds that there was almost no interest in studying business ethics over the last century. The beginning of the 21st century saw strong increase in interest regarding these issues, as evidenced by the number of studies and analyses, the introduction of ethical business courses, and other ethical issues. Hyperconnected modern society is increasingly globally interdependent, wherefore interest in the appropriate culture and ethics of action is increasing with the aim of reducing risks and conflicts. Nongovernmental organizations increasingly involved in these processes, develop their business practices of responsibility and care for vulnerable groups and the environment. They have indirectly become a strong factor in leveraging for the ethical conduct of free market operators as well as state/public institutions.&#x0D; Conclusions. The existing studies identified seven key ethical paradigms that emerge in the operation of non-governmental, state, and market sectors, differing in key two dimensions: the first extends from emphasizing community (communitarianism) to exposing individuality, and the second from self-orientation (egocentricity) to a focus on the other (sociocentricity). On this basis, an array of various approaches to ethics can emerge, providing for useful tools for the professional analysis of business practices, as well as to assist stakeholders in introducing better business at all levels.

Society Retreats – A Report about the Work Environment in Swedish Libraries

ABSTRACT The study shows that problems such as social disorder, aggressive behavior, and violence have increased in Swedish libraries over the past 2 years. Sexual harassment, drug dealing, and racist propaganda are also common. Many librarians state that their health has been negatively affected, and that they have considered a career change. Most respondents believe that the problems are due to a changing society that is failing to take care of vulnerable groups. While psychiatric and addiction care, social services, and youth activities are diminishing, the libraries are one of the few places open to all and therefore have to handle tasks far beyond their responsibilities.

Referral to cancer genetic counseling: do migrant status and patients\u2019 educational background matter?

Participation rates in cancer genetic counseling differ among populations, as patients with a lower educational background and migrant patients seem to have poorer access to it. We conducted a study to determine the present-day educational level and migrant status of counselees referred to cancer genetic counseling. We assessed personal characteristics and demographics of 731 newly referred counselees. Descriptive statistics were used to describe these characteristics. The results show that about 40% of the counselees had a high educational level and 89% were Dutch natives. Compared to the Dutch population, we found a significant difference in educational level (p = < 0.01) and migrant status (p = < 0.001). This suggests disparities in cancer genetic counseling and as a result of that, suboptimal care for vulnerable groups. Limited health literacy is likely to pose a particular challenge to cancer genetic counseling for counselees with a lower education or a migrant background. Our study points to considerable scope for improvement in referring vulnerable groups of patients for cancer genetic counseling.

Mij een zorg!?

Who cares? A comparison of care ideals of government and citizens Who cares? A comparison of care ideals of government and citizens In the public debate on participation there is much focus on the reconciliation of work and care for vulnerable groups. In this article we analyze the ideals of the government on care for children and the elderly and how these policies are related to the care ideals of citizens.Successive governments have considered professional child care as an important labor market instrument, needed to enable young parents to continue participating in the labor market. In policy documents on care for elderly there is also a focus on ‘participation’ but this refers to social participation. The professional elder care is inhibited as much as possible by encouraging informal care by family. These principles of policy do not correspond to the preferences of citizens. Most citizens find that care for ill parents is mainly a task for the government, but parents are somewhat reluctant to use formal child care.In the public debate on participation there is much focus on the reconciliation of work and care for vulnerable groups. In this article we analyze the ideals of the government on care for children and the elderly and how these policies are related to the care ideals of citizens.Successive governments have considered professional child care as an important labor market instrument, needed to enable young parents to continue participating in the labor market. In policy documents on care for elderly there is also a focus on ‘participation’ but this refers to social participation. The professional elder care is inhibited as much as possible by encouraging informal care by family. These principles of policy do not correspond to the preferences of citizens. Most citizens find that care for ill parents is mainly a task for the government, but parents are somewhat reluctant to use formal child care.

Competencias, características y ambiente institucional en educadores de albergues infantiles

En México, los albergues infantiles son requeridos para garantizar niveles mínimos de bienestar (Gobierno de México, 2002) a niños víctimas de violencia y abandono. En estos albergues, la presencia del educador que cuida de ellos es de suma importancia y ha de ser capacitado y supervisado (Gobierno de Brasil, 2007). A este respecto, la educación social sustenta en su teoría el perfil de un educador capaz de atender de manera directa a los grupos vulnerables, incluidos niños y adolescentes (AIEJI, 2007). De aquí se desprende que el objetivo del presente estudio sea el análisis de las competencias, características personales y ambiente institucional de los educadores que laboran en albergues de Hermosillo, Sonora, México. Los participantes fueron 117 educadores de 10 instituciones de asistencia social, dedicadas al albergue de menores maltratados o en situación de riesgo. El instrumento fue una escala de evaluación basada en los indicadores del Libro Blanco (ANECA, 2005). Los participantes fueron entrevistados en los albergues donde se encontraban trabajando. Se computaron estadísticas univariadas alfas de Cronbach y coeficientes de correlación para el análisis de datos. Las correlaciones significativas fueron encontradas entre lenguaje, razonamiento y funciones educativas de los educadores (.26) y con compromiso con la propia identidad (26); la satisfacción de necesidades se relacionó con compromiso con la propia identidad (.22) con lenguaje y razonamiento (.39); y último grado de estudios con habilidades interpersonales (26). La edad se correlacionó con la antigüedad (.48), el último grado de estudios (-.19), satisfacción de necesidades (.25) y lenguaje y razonamiento (.19). Estos resultados muestran la importancia del ambiente institucional en el desarrollo de las funciones educativas y el compromiso con la institución de los educadores

Mental health care systems in Latin America and the Caribbean

This paper summarizes a series of events that were historical milestones in Latin America and the Caribbean in the long road toward restructuring and setting up psychiatric and mental health services to shift from the old and obsolete psychiatric hospital models to other, community-based models. This has been and largely remains the principal challenge that we face.The burden of mental illness is described in terms of morbidity, mortality, and disability. In 1990, it was estimated that psychiatric and neurological disorders accounted for 8.8% of the disability-adjusted life years in Latin America and the Caribbean; in 2004 that burden had grown to 21%. However, the treatment gap (sick people who remain untreated) exceeds 60%; added to that there is a prevailing gap in funding and resources for the treatment of mental health problems.In response to these problems, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) has continued to strengthen its technical cooperation with the countries. The 49th Directing Council of PAHO/WHO approved the Strategy and Plan of Action on Mental Health for the region of the Americas, which constitutes a major historical landmark; for the first time, the ministries of health in every country in the hemisphere studied and approved a work programme to improve mental health care based on the experiences gained and expressing a technical and political commitment.It is a key priority to continue working to restructure mental health services and strengthen intersectoral initiatives to promote mental health; specific problems, such as care for vulnerable groups, child and adolescent mental health, suicide, alcohol abuse, and violence, also pose a great challenge for mental health programs today.

A Turning Point in the History of Humanity's Oldest Diseases: Guest Commentary by WHO Director-General Margaret Chan

The launch of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases marks yet another turning point in the long and notorious history of some of humanity's oldest diseases. The values and principles embodied in primary health, the United Nations Millennium Declaration, and initiatives such as PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases are all about fairness, solidarity, collective responsibility, participatory approaches, and a duty to take care of vulnerable groups. Equity is a fundamental principle of health development. Access to life-saving and health-promoting interventions should not be denied for unjust reasons, including an inability to pay. The free availability of leading research articles will benefit decision-makers and diseases control managers worldwide. It will also motivate scientists, both in developing and developed countries. The prospects for reducing the enormous burden caused by neglected tropical diseases have changed dramatically in just the past few years. We can identify a succession of well-planned actions, firmly rooted in evidence, which have paved the way forward. These actions hold lessons for other areas of public health, and deserve to be widely publicized. Strongly associated with poverty, these diseases frequently overlap geographically. They tend to cluster in places where housing is substandard, drinking water is unsafe, sanitation is poor, access to health care is limited or non-existent, and insect vectors are constant household and agricultural companions. This geographical overlap means that people are often affected by more than one disease. It also means that strategies developed to deliver interventions for one disease can rationally be used to deliver interventions for others. This opens opportunities for integrated approaches, for simplification, cost-effectiveness, and streamlined efficiency. We must not forget that we are dealing with neglected populations, as well as neglected diseases; populations usually living in areas not covered by formal health services, which are often extremely difficult to reach. When these diseases are viewed together, we gain critical mass. We get a better grip on the scale of the economic and social consequences as well as the health burdens. Arguments for giving these diseases higher priority become more powerful, more persuasive. In addition, grouping these diseases together creates opportunities for sharing innovative solutions, especially as most control programmes face similar operational constraints. Persuasive arguments have come from additional lines of evidence. Research continues to reveal the intricate damage caused by these diseases. I am convinced that PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases will generate more evidence, spearhead innovation, and help to disseminate knowledge, experiences, and achievements.​achievements. Image 1 Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General

Developing an effective policy for home hygiene: a risk-based approach

Evaluation of the infection potential in the home suggests that improved hygiene practice could significantly reduce the impact of infectious diseases. Fundamental to developing infection prevention policy for the home is the need to recognise that people live in an environment where all human activities occur, including food and water hygiene, hand hygiene, and hygiene related to care of vulnerable groups. In all these situations, reducing infection risks is based on the same underlying microbiological principles. In developing countries, disposal of human and animal excreta and other waste is often also the responsibility of the family and community. Adopting a holistic approach provides the opportunity for a rational approach to home hygiene based on risk assessment. The International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) believes that to deliver hygiene policy with real health benefits, a risk-based approach must be developed and promoted for the home. A risk-based approach starts from the principle that pathogens are introduced continually into homes on people, food and water, pets, insects and air. Inadequate disposal of human and animal excreta serves to increase this risk. Additionally, sites where stagnant water accumulates, such as sinks, toilets and cleaning cloths can support microbial growth and become a source of infection. By assessing the frequency occurrence of pathogens and potential pathogens on hands, hand and food contact surfaces, laundry, reservoir and reservoir/disseminator sites, together with the potential for transfer in the home, the exposure risk can be assessed.

Preventing infection in the home

F undamental to controlling infection transmission in the home is the need to recognise it as an environment where all human activities occur, including food hygiene, hand hygiene and hygiene related to care of vulnerable groups. In recent years the concept of a risk assessment/risk reduction approach to hygiene has successfully controlled microbial risks in food and other manufacturing environments. To deliver hygiene policy with real health benefits it is now accepted that a risk-based approach must also be developed for the home. The first step, hazard characterisation, involves identifying sites and surfaces where pathogens most frequently occur, and whether they are likely to be present in numbers that represent an infectious dose. A risk assessment is then made by considering this information together with an assessment of the probability of human exposure to the hazard. Risk reduction is achieved by application of a suitable hygiene procedure at the appropriate time.