Participation In Support Programs Research Articles

Examining predictors of loneliness among Older Americans Act National Family Caregiver Support Program participants.

Family caregivers may be at particular risk for social isolation and loneliness. Multiple factors can impact caregivers' health and well-being outcomes, including loneliness. Guided by an adaptation of the Stress Process Model of Caregiving, this study uses the 2019 National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP)-Family Caregiver Support module to inform efforts to reduce loneliness through family caregiver support programs. A hierarchical multiple regression model reveals that caregivers who report more loneliness are more likely to be female, Hispanic, living alone, not a child or other caregiver of the care recipient, have a care recipient with 3+ ADL needs, experience more social life conflict related to caregiving, experience less joy in caregiving, feel less appreciated by the care recipient, feel less support in caregiving, and attend counseling. This study helps advance the goals of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, and the findings underscore the importance of continuing and expanding efforts to address loneliness and related well-being outcomes among family caregivers.

Examining the impact of participation in a foster parent support program on child welfare outcomes in Georgia

ABSTRACT This study compared the child welfare outcomes for families who participated in a private foster care support program, Promise686, compared to all other families in Georgia’s foster care system. Using AFCARS data for three fiscal years and utilizing case identifiers to link the Promise686 families to the AFCARS data, child welfare outcomes were compared, including the average number of removals and placements, average length of placements, and the likelihood of adoption or reunification. The positive results of the Promise686 program are noteworthy and expanding such services would allow more foster parents to receive support, ultimately resulting in more children and youth obtaining better child welfare outcomes.

Accessibility of government support for small businesses and awareness of it by small enterprises

The article analyzes the availability of participation in government support programs for small businesses. The state assesses the importance of organizing support measures for small and medium–sized enterprises from the point of view of their significant social and economic role for the country. The article presents the division of state assistance into programs at the federal, regional, sectoral and municipal levels. Areas of state support are classified into material, informational, organizational and monetary areas. The most common barriers to expanding business activities have been identified, including difficulties in finding investors and additional financing, length of bureaucratic procedures, difficulties with counterparties, lack of highly qualified personnel, and lack of commonality in support programs. For a more detailed consideration of the issue, a structure for preparing a state support project has been built. Statistical information is provided on the awareness of entrepreneurs about support measures, among which the most well–known were digital services for business and a moratorium on inspections. It is proposed to involve public associations of entrepreneurs in the discussion and creation of support projects with the development of an appropriate legal framework for such discussions. A conclusion is drawn about the most significant problems of access to government support and a way to solve them is proposed.

팬데믹 환경에서의 뉴스 읽기

During the COVID-19 pandemic, this study sought to understand economically disadvantaged individuals’ media dependency, motivations and reasons for reading the news, and challenges they experienced. Through a survey of a newspaper subscription support program participants in South Korea, the study found differences in patterns of media dependency and motivations for reading the news by age groups. Interviewees in their 50s responded that they read newspapers to understand and make sense of the world. Those in their 40s utilized broadcast news to communicate with and educate their children, and ones in their 20s and 30s searched for news on social media for self-actualization. As the older generation still perceived the digital environment as uncomfortable and confusing, digital literacy education is necessary for senior citizens. Young people responded that newspapers facilitated balanced news consumption. Findings of this study suggest that media access support should be differentiated by age groups.

Exploring stigmatizing perceptions of dementia among racialized groups living in the Anglosphere: A scoping review

A prominent gap exists in understanding stigma among racialized persons living with dementia, care partners, and community. A scoping review was conducted to explore stigmatizing perceptions of dementia among racialized groups living in Anglosphere countries. Eligible studies focused on dementia and stigma, and reported data on racialized groups (i.e., Black, Hispanic, South Asian, East Asian, Middle Eastern) living in Anglosphere countries (i.e., Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand). All publication dates were included. Eligible studies were published in English. Scopus, CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Medline(Ovid), EMBASE databases were searched in November 2022. Data extraction and thematic analysis was performed on eligible studies using Corrigan's Model of Stigma. Themes were categorized into stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination. Thirty-six studies were included. Themes aligning with stereotypes included derogatory and unpredictable labels, religious beliefs and mysticism toward dementia, and associating dementia with other diseases. Themes aligning with prejudices included shame or embarrassment of dementia. Themes aligning with discrimination included discouragement in help-seeking and isolation, and lack of social acceptance. Stigmatizing perceptions of dementia among racialized communities may delay diagnosis, treatment, and participation in support programs. Future studies must aim to educate and promote dementia awareness among racialized groups.

Exploring Parental Incarceration, US Government Support Programs, and Child Health and Well-Being: A National Cross-Sectional Study

To describe relationships between parental incarceration and child health and flourishing-a measure of curiosity, resilience, and self-regulation-and to identify government programs that moderate this relationship. Using the National Survey of Children's Health data from 2016 through 2019 for children 6-17years old, we estimated associations with logistic regression between parental incarceration and overall health and flourishing, adjusting for child, caregiver, and household factors. We secondarily examined physical health (asthma, headaches), mental health (attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression), developmental needs (learning disability, special educational plan use), and educational (missing ≥11 school days, repeated grade) outcomes. We performed interaction analyses to determine whether government program participation (eg, free/reduced lunch, cash assistance) moderated relationships between parental incarceration and child outcomes. Children with parental incarceration accounted for 9.3% of the sample (weighted n=4 400 000). Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and multiracial children disproportionately experienced parental incarceration. Parental incarceration was associated with worse health (aOR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.11-1.55) and higher odds of not flourishing (aOR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.46-1.89). Physical health, mental health, developmental issues, and educational needs were also associated with parental incarceration. Participation in free and reduced lunch moderated the relationships between parental incarceration and general health and flourishing, and cash assistance moderated the association between parental incarceration and flourishing. For each, parental incarceration had an attenuated association with health among people who participated in government programs. Parental incarceration is disproportionately experienced by Black and Indigenous children and associated with worse child health and well-being. Government support program participation may mitigate negative associations between parental incarceration and child outcomes.

Digital technologies in the work of a social enterprise

Introduction. The paper examines the peculiarities of the functioning of social enterprises in the conditions of new economic and social challenges in Ukraine. Under these conditions, social entrepreneurship is gaining more and more popularity. It is developing faster as an inevitable response to a difficult economic situation and an effective mechanism for overcoming them. The purpose of the paper is the justification of the need and further use of digital technologies in the activities of social enterprises: outlining the ways and providing recommendations for their use. Results. The essence of a social enterprise focused on achieving a social effect from its activity is studied. The components of a social enterprise are distinguished: social problem, social values, social goal, self-sufficiency, innovation, community involvement, social influence, and social effect. For a social entrepreneur, the primary criterion for success is "social influence". Modern challenges require social entrepreneurs to use the latest digital technologies to develop and maintain their businesses. The advantages of using digital technologies at the micro level are the automation of processes, increased labor productivity, professional and creative HR growth, the creation of innovative products, and reduced costs. Accordingly, at the macro level, these are the development of innovative entrepreneurship, cooperation with the international community of social entrepreneurs, participation in social entrepreneurship support programs, the opportunity to get a place with low competition, and the opportunity to find change-makers in the territory. A number of active programs to support the development of social entrepreneurship in Ukraine recommended by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine are analyzed. Conclusions. The business component of social enterprises ensures their self-sufficiency and allows solving existing social problems. The use of digital technologies in the work of a social enterprise allows: optimizing enterprise costs, increasing the efficiency of business processes, elaborating production planning, improving customer service and taking a leadership position in the selected segment.

How Does Medicaid Expansion Impact Income Support Program Participation and Employment for Different Types of People with Disabilities?

How Does Medicaid Expansion Impact Income Support Program Participation and Employment for Different Types of People with Disabilities?

TECHNICAL SUPPORTS TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR OLDER ADULTS PARTICIPATING IN TELEMEDICINE

Abstract Older adults’ relative lack of technological literacy is a barrier to telemedicine, including participation in virtual caregiver support programs. Details of technology assistance required before and during a virtual, seven-session group skills training program for family caregivers were recorded. A majority of participants, all older adults, had difficulty using videoconferencing technology that ranged from finding meeting links in emails to difficulty with basic device use. Personalized support was provided to each caregiver as needed. None required any support by the final session. Those with initial technology challenges felt a sense of accomplishment and increased tech comfort by the end of the sessions. While some older adults had difficulty using telemedicine technology, they were eager to learn and educable with personalized help. Infrastructure to provide this personalized help is necessary to support older adults’ desire to engage in telemedicine and to reduce the digital divide.

A Qualitative Study on the Motivators, Barriers and Supports to Participation in a Pediatric Produce Prescription Program in Hawai'i.

Produce prescriptions that provide vouchers to individuals to purchase fresh FVs at a specified retail outlet have the potential to positively impact food security status, diet, and chronic disease risk. However, maximizing program participation is vital to ensuring program success. This research describes motivators, barriers, and support for participation in a child produce prescription program among a population of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders, who are underrepresented in this field of research. This qualitative grounded theory study was nestled within a quasi-experimental pilot intervention trial and included semi-structured interviews with pediatric program participants. Twenty-five interviews were conducted, which represented one-third of program participants. The top support factors for program participation included: ease of voucher use, program convenience, health center/pediatrician endorsement and positive communications with farmers' market vendors. Key motivators for program participation were produce enjoyment, child support, financial support, and positive impacts on family. Three themes emerged consistently as barriers to participation amongst participants, (1) difficult use of vouchers, (2) conflicting schedules, and (3) online market concerns. (4) Conclusions: This research offers insight into policy implications as the number of produce prescription programs has grown. These findings suggest that key program design characteristics can enhance and support program participation.

A Cross-Sectional Survey Reporting on the Value of Patient-Centered Ostomy Programs: A Smooth Transition After Ostomy Surgery.

PURPOSE:The purpose of the study was to evaluate a postsurgical ostomy patient support program in regard to postsurgical experience, education, skin care, pouching system and accessory use, insurance issues, supplier assistance, hospital readmission status, and the benefit of multiple interactions.DESIGN:Cross-sectional design.SUBJECTS AND SETTING:Potential respondents were randomly selected from a group of adults 18 years or older who underwent ostomy surgery within 6 months prior to survey completion. Nine hundred seventy-one individuals met inclusion criteria, and 297 were selected for analysis, based on having 1 or more program interactions. Data were collected between the second and third quarters of 2020. All participants were residents of the United States.METHODS:Participants were contacted by e-mail containing an invitation to participate in a survey; the e-mail also described the intent of the survey. Survey distribution was conducted by the sponsor and linked to a third-party survey management organization for compilation. The survey questionnaire, developed specifically for the purpose of this study, comprised 73 items that queried demographic and pertinent clinical data, participation in an industry-sponsored patient support program, and their post–hospital discharge experiences including unplanned health care provider visits, emergency department visits, and hospital readmissions.RESULTS:Eighty-three percent (n = 237) of respondents did not have postsurgical ostomy-related emergency department visits, 75% (n = 223) did not have related unplanned physician visits, and 90% (n = 268) did not have related hospitalizations. Participants with 2 or more interactions were more likely to contact a program representative for issues of stoma care, leakage and skin care, ostomy products/accessories, and supplier issues than their single-interaction counterparts.CONCLUSIONS:Study findings suggest that patients with new ostomies benefited from engagement in an industry-sponsored patient support program. The benefit appears to arise from personal interactions and respondents; 2 or more interactions were shown to have greater benefit than a single interaction.

Childhood Protective Factors and Future Adult Health Outcomes in an Urban Environment.

To evaluate protective factors that help individuals overcome adverse health outcomes associated with childhood trauma in an urban environment. This retrospective cohort study included adults born between 1970 and 1995 who grew up in the former Cabrini-Green Homes, a low-income, Chicago public housing development. Participants completed surveys asking about general health, smoking, and mental health status. Surveys included questions related to neighborhood and family support, community safety, and childhood youth program participation. Simple regression models were performed to compare childhood exposure of adverse and protective factors to adult health outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to adjust for age, sex, and educational attainment. 334 former residents completed the survey, and only those that reported an adversity score ≥ 2 were included in the analysis (n = 248). For those individuals who reported that their families cared for them as children, they described feeling hopeful about the future (OR 2.77, 95% CI, 1.28-6.00, aOR 2.63, 95% CI, 1.21-5.75) and reported decreased smoking rates as adults (OR 0.30, 95% CI, 0.14-0.66, aOR 0.35, 95% CI, 0.16-0.78). Better self-reported adult health status was associated with residents who believed the neighborhood looked out for one another (OR 2.31, 95% CI, 1.21-4.42, aOR 2.01, 95% CI, 1.02-3.95). These findings suggest that a caring family and neighborhood connectedness are protective in mitigating childhood adversity. Devoting resources to strengthen families and communities is a promising strategy to promote healthier adult behaviors.

Sibling Support Program: A Novel Peer Support Intervention for Parents, Caregivers and Siblings of Youth Experiencing Mental Illness.

Caregivers and siblings of youth with mental illness often experience role-related psychological challenges, and it is important to focus on the needs of these family members. Existing literature demonstrates that caregivers and affected children benefit from participation in peer support and family-centered programs. This paper describes the Sibling Support Program: A Family-Centered Mental Health Initiative (SSP), a novel intervention for families of youth with mental illness. The SSP distinguishes itself from existing family-centered programs in that it utilizes a unique combination of peer support, parent mentor guidance, and clinician-led group therapy. The paper details the structure of the treatment model and presents preliminary data from participant surveys. Results show preliminary indications that the program provides both emotional and practical benefits. Along with high satisfaction ratings, family members report decreased feelings of isolation, gains in knowledge, and more positive thinking after program participation. Caregivers report that the SSP helped improve their understanding about the impact of a child’s mental illness on family members, and that they learned about effective family management strategies and access to resources. Siblings report learning coping strategies and feeling better after meeting peers with shared experiences.

체육계열 대졸자의 직장 건강보험 가입 일자리 취업에 따른 대학교육 만족과 부모의 사회경제적지위

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze whether there are differences in the satisfaction of university education support, major education satisfaction, participation in employment support programs, parental socioeconomic status according to employment for jobs providing the National health insurance program (NHIP) for graduates in sports studies and identify the influence relationship between variables.BR Method: 414 sports-related majors data from the Graduates Occupational Mobility Survey (GOMS) from 2017 to 2019 were used. Satisfaction of university education support, major education satisfaction, participation in employment support programs, and parental socioeconomic status were set as variables, To analyze the differences in variables, frequency analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, ANCOVA, independent sample T-test, and chi-square test were performed and to analyze the influence, logistic regression was also performed.BR Results: The results of this study are as follows. 1) There was no difference in satisfaction of university education support of graduates in sports studies according to employment for jobs providing NHIP. 2) There was no difference in the satisfaction of major education according to employment for jobs providing NHIP. However, among the sub-variables, the ability and enthusiasm of major professors were found to be higher in the employment group than in the unemployment group. The ability and enthusiasm of major professors were found to have a significant influence on employment for jobs providing NHIP. 3) There was no significant difference in participation in employment programs according to employment for jobs provided by NHIP. 4) There was a significant difference in the parental socioeconomic status according to employment for jobs providing NHIP. Among the sub-variables, differences were showed in the income and assets of the parents and assets were found to have an influence on employment for jobs providing NHIP.BR Conclusion: In summary, the factors that showed a difference in employment for jobs providing NHIP of those who graduated in sports studies were parental socioeconomic status (income, asset), and the ability and enthusiasm of professors teaching major subjects were found to be an important factor in the employment for jobs providing NHIP of graduates in sports studies. It is meaningful to use the index of employment for job providing NHIP as a variable, an indicator of the government’s employment rate management.

National Family Caregiver Support Program Participants' Recommendations to Boost Caregiver Supports

Most older adults prefer to age in place rather than moving to a long-term care (LTC) facility, but little is known about the factors that predict entry into LTC. This study sought to utilize administrative claims data to understand the predictors of LTC transitions using de-identified claims data from Medicare Advantage members in the UnitedHealth Group Clinical Discovery Database. We investigated LTC transitions of 250,587 adults (Mean age = 77, standard deviation = 7.75) between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2019. Types of predictors for these transitions include aggregated medical data surrounding chronic conditions and frailty indices, as well as healthcare utilization and demographics in 2016 and 2017. We then fit data of these types to an extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model to predict long-term care transitions in 2018 and 2019 (ROCAUC = 0.84, accuracy = 0.84, precision = 0.68, and recall = 0.42). Frailty indicators, such as falls and fractures, mobility problems, dementia, and delirium, as well as osteoporosis are strong predictors of LTC transitions. These findings can be used to design interventions aimed at preventing LTC transitions and enabling older adults to age in place.

How Lonely are Older Americans Act National Family Caregiver Support Program Participants?

Older Americans Act (OAA) family caregiver services connect family members caring for older adults with a diversity of community-based resources and supports. Social isolation and loneliness are known public health threats, and family caregivers may face greater vulnerability to loneliness given the often-intensive time demands of care provision. Policy stakeholders and aging services providers are increasingly focused on combating loneliness among older adults and family caregivers. To inform efforts to reduce loneliness, we conducted descriptive analyses to identify characteristics of the participants in the OAA National Family Caregiver Support Program associated with higher rates of loneliness, measured with the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Using data from the 2019 National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants, we examined how caregiver loneliness varied based on caregiver age, gender, income, race and ethnicity, living alone, rurality, and self-reported health, as well as care recipients’ health status and difficulties with ADLs. Among our sample of 1,824 family caregivers, rates of loneliness were high overall (70%). Loneliness was significantly higher for caregivers with poor health (71.4%), incomes less than $20,000 (75.3%), living alone (75.4%), aged 65 or older (73.2%), Hispanic caregivers (82.2%) and caregivers for care recipients with 3 or more ADLs (76.0%). Findings underscore the importance of increasing social engagement opportunities for family caregivers. Policies and programs focused on reducing caregiver loneliness should be accessible to all family caregivers but should prioritize outreach and engagement for groups at higher risk of loneliness.

National Family Caregiver Support Program Participants' Recommendations to Boost Caregiver Supports

For more than 20 years, family caregivers have been supported through the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) of the Older Americans Act (Title IIIE). The NFCSP provides information to caregivers about available services; assistance in gaining access to services; counseling, support groups and caregiver training; respite care; and supplemental services. In the 2019 National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants, 1,909 NFCSP caregivers were asked “What recommendations do you have for improving the service?” The resulting 748 open-ended responses were thematically coded. The thematic analysis yielded six major themes: Additional Resources, Staffing, Communication, Care Coordination, Quality of Services, and Eligibility. Sub-themes were identified for Additional Resources and Staffing. The most common sub-themes for Additional Resources were requests for more help or services (e.g., grocery shopping), increased funding or financial assistance, and more service hours (e.g., overnight or holiday care). The most common sub-theme for Staffing was the need for consistent staffing due to high turnover of staff. Chi-Squared tests and Fisher’s Exact tests indicated that there were no significant associations between any of the recommendation themes and the gender of the caregiver, employment status of the caregiver, or whether the care recipient has Alzheimer’s or dementia. Many of the themes align with results from a recent RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council Report. Recommendations from both sets of findings indicate ways that programs, services, and policies can be enhanced to support the needs of care recipients and caregivers.

Identifying and Evaluating the Mechanisms and Modes of Governance of Ecosystem Services – The Case of Bulgarian Agriculture

This article presents the results of a large-scale study on the mechanisms and modes of governance of diverse ecosystem services in Bulgarian agriculture. Firstly, it identifies the type, amount, and importance of various ecosystem services maintained and “produced” by the Bulgarian farms. The study has found out that country’s farms provide a great number of essential ecosystem services among which provisioning food and feed, and conservation of elements of the natural environment prevail. Secondly, it identifies and assesses the efficiency and complementarities of specific modes and mechanisms of governance of ecosystem services used by agricultural holdings. The study had found out that a great variety of private, market, collective, public and hybrid modes of governance of farm activity related to agroecosystem services are applied. There is significant differentiation of employed managerial forms depending on the type of ecosystem services and the specialization of agricultural farms. Furthermore, the management of agroecosystem services is associated with a considerable increase in the production and transaction costs of participating farms as well as big socio-economic and environmental effects for agricultural holdings and other parties. The factors that mostly stimulate the activity of agricultural producers in Bulgaria for protection of (agro)ecosystems services are participation in public support programs, access to farmers’ advice, professional training, available information, and innovation, received direct subsidies from EU and national government, personal conviction and satisfaction, positive experience of others, long-term and immediate benefits for the farm, and integration with suppliers, buyers, and processors.

Impact of a Government Income Support Program on the OHRQoL and orthodontic treatment need. A case-control study

This study aimed to assess the impact of a Government Income Support Program in orthodontic treatment need and on adolescents' oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). A population-based, matched case-control study involving 309 adolescents aged 11-14 years was conducted in the northeast of Brazil (Bahia, Brazil). The case group (with impact on OHRQoL) and the control group (no impact on OHRQoL) were matched by age and sex (p>0.05) at a ratio of 2: 1 (206 controls: 103 cases). Impact on the adolescent's OHRQoL was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14). Families who received Bolsa Família determined their participation in Government's Income Support Program. The Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN-DHC) determined the orthodontic treatment need. The data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression (p≤0.05; 90%CI). The results showed that 96.1% of adolescents in the case group and 89.3% of adolescents in the control group present orthodontic treatment need. Adolescents with a negative impact on OHRQoL are 2.75 (90%CI: 1.12-6.72) times more likely to present orthodontic treatment need than the control group. The exposure factor to Government Income Support Program did not affect the adolescent's OHRQoL. However, adolescents reported a negative impact of orthodontic treatment need in their OHRQoL.

Infusion parameters of 20% subcutaneous immunoglobulin for primary immunodeficiency diseases among patient support program participants

BackgroundThe safety and efficacy of subcutaneous immune globulin 20% (human) solution (Cuvitru; Ig20Gly) for primary immunodeficiency disease (PID) have been demonstrated in 2 pivotal trials. ObjectiveTo describe patient characteristics and infusion parameters of patients with PID initiating Ig20Gly outside of a clinical trial setting. MethodsThis retrospective, observational study analyzed records of patients participating in the HelloCuvitru program, a patient support program in the United States providing Ig20Gly free of charge for the first 4 infusions to patients aged 2 years or older who had PID and no previous experience of Ig20Gly. Data were collected retrospectively from patient records and during nurse visits. ResultsA total of 817 patients (88% of 931 enrolled) completed 4 infusions. At the fourth Ig20Gly infusion, the median (interquartile range) dose was 0.55 (0.46-0.69) g/kg/mo, infusion rate per site was 40 (30.0-50.0) mL, and infusion rate per site was 47 (42.5-53.3) mL/h/site. By the fourth infusion, most patients (58%) received Ig20Gly at 2 infusion sites every 7 (30%) or 14 (25%) days. Median prescribed Ig20Gly dose per month was similar across age groups; median infusion volume per site increased with age. Most patients younger than 18 years received infusions every 14 days; patients aged 18 years or older were more likely to receive infusions weekly. Infusion parameters were similar regardless of whether patients received previous immunoglobulin subcutaneously or intravenously. ConclusionIn this large, real-world population of patients with PID, most Ig20Gly infusions were administered for less than 1 hour and required fewer than 2 infusion sites, consistent with the pivotal trials. Infusion rate per site was similar regardless of age, previous immunoglobulin treatment, or infusion frequency.