People In Vulnerable Situations Research Articles

The Influence of Psychosocial Factors on the Successful Formal Education Trajectories of Young Spanish People in Vulnerable Situations.

Young people in vulnerable situations tend to have more difficulties realizing successful formal education trajectories. It is extremely important to conduct studies that explore the key dimensions that can help young people overcome the conditioning of vulnerable situations, assisting in the achievement of academic success. According to the existing literature, one of these key dimensions is psychosocial well-being. Thus, this qualitative research aims to identify and analyze psychosocial factors that favor successful school pathways among young people in vulnerable situations. Through a case study approach, 12 in-depth interviews were carried out with 12 young Spanish people who not only have a vulnerable background but also successful formal education trajectories. The data were explored through qualitative content analysis-NVivo11. The results revealed that young people generally associate their successful educational trajectory with the positive impact of psychosocial factors, such as the following: positive caregivers' valuation of formal education and positive school experiences and support networks. Young people also point to many negative school experiences that have been overcome via positive attitudes and individual protective factors. The youngsters suggest changes in the educational system and teachers' skills in order to improve the levels of psychosocial support in formal education contexts. The study's implications and limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Challenges and Dilemmas Faced by Labor Market Integration Support Providers in Portugal

This research delves into the challenges and dilemmas faced by both professionals and people in vulnerable situations in the process of social and professional inclusion. Grounded in a theoretical framework that underscores the persistent rates of labor exclusion among specific social groups and the fragmented social policies in Portugal, the study aims to understand the structural framework and practices in this field. This research adopts a qualitative approach to investigate the challenges of the social and professional integration of people in vulnerable situations. For this purpose, the study employs nine in-depth case studies within the context of social economy organizations in Portugal. The findings illuminate the complex challenges faced by professionals supporting people with complex needs, including the nonlinearity and multifaceted nature of the inclusion process, resource inadequacies, the need for specialized training and guidance, and a labor market unaligned with the needs and abilities of the clients. The study underscores the necessity for a more holistic, supportive, and inclusive approach to address the intricate dynamics of social and professional integration for people in vulnerable situations.

Integration and differentiation in collaboration between services for youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET)

ABSTRACT The need for a holistic social work-like approach to labour market inclusion is widely acknowledged. When considering the case of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEETs), services from different public service organisations are often needed. To succeed in providing holistic, integrated services, interagency collaboration is necessary. Drawing on 24 semi-structured interviews with managers and practitioners, this paper aims to investigate how services in different municipalities work to enable integrated service delivery to NEETs with complex problems. The study takes place in six Norwegian municipalities, three of which had higher NEET shares than predicted and three with lower NEET shares. The municipalities are compared to explore whether there are systematic differences and similarities regarding the collaboration between services for young people in vulnerable situations. The findings suggest that the municipalities with lower NEET shares than predicted had more integrated services compared to those with higher NEET shares. The municipalities handled differentiation in collaboration differently. In the municipalities with higher NEET shares, differentiation had caused disconnections between services, while the municipalities with lower NEET shares worked to achieve a common ground through strategies such as more extensive and closer collaboration, clearer communication, and more organised information sharing across services.

Integrated Place-Based Primary Interventions: Levers and Tensions Related to Multilevel Governance for Community Integrated Pathways, A Multiple Case Study.

Integrated Place-Based Primary Interventions (IPPIs) are considered an innovative response to the challenges and complex issues faced in disadvantaged areas where traditional institutional services have difficulty reaching people in vulnerable situations. IPPIs are an innovative approach to the delivery of in services, conceived as an original community-based local care and service pathways. However, these intervention practices require adaptive modes of governance. In this article, we explore how and to what extent the mode of governance of IPPIs influences the performance of community-integrated pathways. To this end, using a qualitative exploratory multiple-case study design (observation and semi-structured interviews), we describe 4 IPPIs in 3 territories in Quebec. This includes an examination of the levers of action and tensions related to their governance and the performance levels of the community-integrated pathways. We conclude that collaborative and shared multilevel governance, despite its demanding nature, appears to contribute to the longevity of the actions and benefits of IPPIs and could prevent their relevance from being questioned.

Vocal Self-Perception of Singers During COVID-19 Pandemic.

to compare the self-perception of vocal fatigue and use of singing voice during the COVID-19 pandemic between professional and amateur singers and to relate this self-perception with vocal use characteristics during this period. Participants were 121 singers divided into professional singers group (PSG) (12 men and 20 women) comprising singers who depended exclusively on singing as a profession and an amateur singers group (ASG) (37 men and 52 women) of singers who did not depend exclusively on singing for their livelihood. All answered online questionnaires through Google Forms ®. Sociodemographic and vocal characteristics were investigated before and during the pandemic; symptoms of vocal fatigue were assessed through the vocal fatigue index (VFI); and self-perception of use of singing voice through the evaluation of the ability to sing easily protocol for Brazil (EASE-Br). In the comparison between groups, the PSG presented higher scores of vocal fatigue in fatigue and vocal limitation (P=0.045), vocal restriction (P=0.002), and recovery with vocal rest (P=0.008) domains than did the ASG. There was no difference between the groups regarding the use of singing voice. Based on the relationship between self-perception and vocal use characteristics during the pandemic, it was observed that the presence of vocal complaint was the only factor associated with self-perception of fatigue symptomatology in both groups. Regarding the self-perception of the current status of the singing voice, singing time, the presence of vocal complaints, the need to increase visual concentration, and the perception of vocal worsening during the pandemic were considered predictive for amateur singers. For professional singers, vocal complaints and vocal training were predictors for self-perception of the current status of the singing voice. Professional singers presented with higher scores of vocal fatigue than did amateur singers. The symptomatology of vocal fatigue was associated with the presence of vocal complaints in both groups. However, self-perception of the current status of the singing voice was different between the groups and was associated with vocal training for professional singers and characteristics of vocal demand of singing voice during the pandemic period for amateur singers.

Socio-Economic Vulnerability Assessment for Supporting a Sustainable Pandemic Management in Austria

The outbreaks of a new pandemic in 2019 let humankind face a new type of challenge. People and groups in vulnerable situations were especially affected. Increasing urbanization, climate change, and global travel raise the likelihood of pandemics. COVID-19 has shown that sustainable and well-planned pandemic management is necessary, which also includes and identifies people in vulnerable situations. In this study, a socio-economic vulnerability assessment (VA) for supporting improved pandemic/epidemic risk management at the municipality level in Austria was conducted. The VA provides a holistic overview of the vulnerability under pre-event conditions in Austria, which can be used to support pandemic management. Therefore, we calculated a composite indicator with expert-based weighting. The necessary indicators were defined through a literature review and an expert consortium consisting of practical and scientific members. As a result, an interactive map containing the vulnerability index (VI) for each municipality was created, making it possible to also assess underlying vulnerable factors to support decision-making. The applicability of the VA was shown in the relationship between a high VI in a municipality and a high number of deaths. A limiting factor to the VA was the missing data for health indicators for the whole of Austria. Hence, we provide a list with recommendations on which data should be collected to improve the VA in the future.

REVIAC: ten years of advice for populations in vulnerable situations

The REVIAC device was designed ten years ago, with the aim of advising social workers in their efforts to support and reintegrate people in vulnerable situations. In this article, it will be a question of identifying the current issues and the challenges to be met for the future.

2.K. Skills building seminar: Nutrition: A Challenge For The Intervention Research And Health Promotion

Abstract Cancer is the leading cause of death in Europe, the second in North America and it's estimated that 40% of cancers are preventable. Among these cancers, it's estimated that 10,8% are attributable to unbalanced diet (5.4%) and overweight (5,4%), and in addition, a smaller proportion is attributable to lack of physical activity (0,9%). In France, it's estimated that one in two people is overweight and particular attention is paid to young people. It's recognised that the risk of cancer can be reduced when the risk factor is known and acted upon: experience has shown that this knowledge is necessary but insufficient to know how to act. Population health intervention research (PHIR), a “solutions” science, fills this gap. It's concerned with the design, implementation, evaluation, adaptation, transferability and sustainability of interventions aimed at improving the health of populations, in order to produce valid knowledge with high potential for social and health impacts. This scientific approach apprehends interventions as “events in systems” and challenges the methodological hegemony imposed for many years by the biomedical sciences and especially epidemiology approach. Finally, this approach follows to act and intervene with and for the targeted populations, particularly people in vulnerable situations. Today, the development of PHIR in health promotion and in the field of cancer on the topic of nutrition, faces three major challenges: - Political; - Methodology; - Transferability. It's therefore proposed to give three complementary presentations directly addressing these issues on the topic of nutrition, each based on concrete examples of implementation in health promotion and in the field of cancer. The aim of this workshop is to offer a time for exchange and discussion on the challenges to be met in developing PHIR in health promotion - on the topic of nutrition - as an innovative model of research within an innovative paradigm shift. It will enable participants to clarify their conceptions of PHIR for the advancement of health promotion in oncology and to evolve these concepts in relation to these three key issues. An interactive format is proposed, including time for discussion based on participants’ perceptions and time for presentations. Key messages • PHIR: an effective scientific approach and a relevant tool for thinking about and developing health promotion policies on the topic of nutrition. • New research paradigm in health promotion and the fight against cancers, particularly linked to unbalanced diet and overweight, based on intervention with populations to act on the determinants of health.

Fostering healthy ageing through understanding food coping strategies

PurposePreventative public health policies often rely on objective criteria to identify people in vulnerable situations. Age is one of the criteria when investigating the risk of malnutrition associated with ageing. By looking at changes in the food practices of individuals as they age, this study aims to seek to contribute to more precise targeting of older adults in view of the dynamic nature of ageing.Design/methodology/approachFrom a theoretical perspective, this research is based on the life course paradigm. Data were collected from 42 semi-structured interviews with retirees aged 60 and over.FindingsThe results show that some ageing events lead to immense reconfigurations of individuals’ lives, implying changes as prior food practices are extensively replaced by new ones (“rebuilding after a tsunami”). Other more diffuse and gradual effects of ageing lead to adaptations of previous food practices and, in a more localised way, areas that can be targeted by healthy eating campaigns (“plugging the gaps”). Lastly, this study shows that a normative perspective can help endorse a new social role (“getting into character”), and that relying on their human capital (“it’s a matter of perspective”) can help people cope with new age-related mindsets.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample did not include individuals with serious physical or mental health problems at the time of the interviews.Practical implicationsThe study identifies social, biological and psychological events related to ageing that have an impact on food practices, as well as moments and milestones for developing public policy campaigns to promote healthy eating.Originality/valueThe study gives insights into the place of food in the process of coping with ageing, showing that food can be either a problem to solve or a resource to help cope with social or psychological imbalances. The holistic view adopted contributes to identifying other events that impact food practices (and consequently health) during the ageing process.

Identifying indicators sensitive to primary healthcare nurse practitioner practice: A review of systematic reviews.

To identify indicators sensitive to the practice of primary healthcare nurse practitioners (PHCNPs). A review of systematic reviews was undertaken to identify indicators sensitive to PHCNP practice. Published and grey literature was searched from January 1, 2010 to December 2, 2022. Titles/abstracts (n = 4251) and full texts (n = 365) were screened independently by two reviewers, with a third acting as a tie-breaker. Reference lists of relevant publications were reviewed. Risk of bias was examined independently by two reviewers using AMSTAR-2. Data were extracted by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer to describe study characteristics, indicators, and results. Indicators were recoded into categories. Findings were summarized using narrative synthesis. Forty-four systematic reviews were retained including 271 indicators that were recoded into 26 indicator categories at the patient, provider and health system levels. Nineteen reviews were assessed to be at low risk of bias. Patient indicator categories included activities of daily living, adaptation to health conditions, clinical conditions, diagnosis, education-patient, mortality, patient adherence, quality of life, satisfaction, and signs and symptoms. Provider indicator categories included adherence to best practice-providers, education-providers, illness prevention, interprofessional team functioning, and prescribing. Health system indicator categories included access to care, consultations, costs, emergency room visits, healthcare service delivery, hospitalizations, length of stay, patient safety, quality of care, scope of practice, and wait times. Equal to improved care for almost all indicators was found consistently for the PHCNP group. Very few indicators favoured the control group. No indicator was identified for high/low fidelity simulation, cultural safety and cultural sensitivity with people in vulnerable situations or Indigenous Peoples. This review of systematic reviews identified patient, provider and health system indicators sensitive to PHCNP practice. The findings help clarify how PHCNPs contribute to care outcomes. CRD42020198182.

How Do Professionals Regard Vulnerable People in a Portuguese Community Setting? A Qualitative Content Analysis

The commitment to leave no one behind is at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with special attention given to people in vulnerable situations. The present study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of professionals who have attended to vulnerable people in a community setting. Descriptive qualitative research was conducted using qualitative content analysis of interviews with fifteen Portuguese professionals from one community-based association, who were selected via purposive sampling. Data analysis revealed nine subcategories, which were grouped into three major categories, namely: (1) meanings of human vulnerability; (2) barriers to vulnerability mitigation; and (3) approaches to addressing vulnerability. Vulnerability manifests as a discrepancy between an individual’s needs and the available resources. With the accelerated pace of globalization and the exponential rise in complexity of systems and people’s needs, vulnerability is gaining visibility, but this only emphasizes the urgent need to find customized cultural, political, and institutional responses.

Vulnerability, Intertemporality, and Climate Litigation

ABSTRACTThe entire world is experiencing a combination of old threats and new climate-related disasters; they are perceptible in our everyday lives at an unprecedented level. The current pandemic, together with geopolitical instability, has dramatically demonstrated how exposure to multiple risks can disproportionately affect people in vulnerable situations. This article aims to explore how the international human rights framework takes into account the notion of vulnerability, with a view to moving international protection to the centre of dealing with climate change. It takes a closer look at the promises and limitations of embracing vulnerability through a study of the interpretative practice of UN treaty bodies and the evolution of domestic litigation regarding climate change. It selectively reviews how normative pathways that involve multiple interpreters could create new opportunities for defining the route along which to channel climate justice and its temporalities.

Autoethnography as a Tool for the Achievement of Deep Learning of University Students in Service-Learning Experiences

This exploratory study was carried out within the framework of a pilot learning and service experience in the subject of Qualitative Research Tools in Social Work, where the autoethnographic field journal was used as a tool for the development of deep learning competency in a group of third-year university students undertaking a degree in Social Work and fourth year students undertaking a double degree in Social Education and Social Work in the Social Work, at the University of Deusto. The authors hypothesized that this qualitative research tool could help students develop their ability to critically reflect on their experiences, identify their own strengths and weaknesses in relation to deep learning competency, and establish goals to improve their learning. The service-learning methodology experience proposed for the students involved to participate in a program aimed at the transition to adulthood of young people in situations of vulnerability, where they were required to record in a field journal the emotions, interpretations, and contradictions that the experience of meeting and living with unaccompanied migrant minors using the program could evoke. The results of the qualitative study showed that the autoethnographic field journal was an effective tool for developing deep learning competency in the students participating in the pilot service-learning methodology experience. The results concluded that the autoethnographic field journal could be a valuable tool for promoting reflection, self-awareness, and critical thinking.

Theoretical background to the forensic characteristics formation for hostage-taking of a government official or law enforcement officer.

The widespread aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine has led to an increase in the number of people in vulnerable situations, including a significant increase in the cases of disappearances and hostage-taking. In this regard, there is a need to improve the methods of investigating the hostage-taking of government officials or law enforcement officers. When developing and formulating an appropriate investigation methodology, it is first of all necessary to determine the forensic characteristics of the relevant crime.
 The purpose of the article is to define the concept, purpose, sources of formation and elements of the forensic characteristic of hostage-taking of a government official or a law enforcement officer. To achieve this goal, the following methods were used: analysis to work with the existing views of scholars on the issues of forensic characteristics; comparison to summarise information on the seizure of people both in the world and in Ukraine; and the scientific functional method to determine the purpose of forensic characteristics.
 As a result of the study, it has been established that there are some developments in the formation of various methods for investigating criminal offences, but there is no methodology for investigating the hostage-taking of a government official or a law enforcement officer. Therefore, there is a need, first of all, to formulate a forensic characteristic of the crimes under investigation, which will serve as the first step in the development of the investigation methodology.
 The concept of “forensic characteristics of hostage-taking of a government official or a law enforcement officer” has been defined as an important component of the forensic methodology, which is a detailed description of a criminal offence which will serve as a basis for solving practical problems arising during the pre-trial investigation. It has been clarified the theoretical and practical role of forensic characteristics, and two types of sources of information necessary for its formation have been identified: persons who have information about a criminal offence, including law enforcement officers, experts and specialists, and other participants to criminal proceedings; as well as relevant documents. Scientific positions on determining the composition of a forensic characteristic have been analysed and typical elements of the forensic characteristic of a hostage taking of a government official or a law enforcement officer have been identified: the circumstances of the crime, the method of its commission, traces of the crime, tools and means, the identity of the victim and the identity of the perpetrator.

Responsiveness of water-sector regulation in Brazil to the Covid-19 pandemic: A view through the human rights lens.

This paper provides an overview of the regulatory responses to Covid-19 from the regulatory authorities of Brazilian states. This paper aims to provide new insights into the operationalization of the human rights to water and sanitation in the Brazilian regulatory authorities' actions during a health emergency. We find that communities located in unserved areas were not mentioned in the regulatory responses, nor were people in vulnerable situations. Equity and non-discrimination principles were correlated more with economic measures. This study has also identified the absence of responses related to access to sanitation facilities, with normative contents related to the issue not appearing in the content analysis.

The Participation of People in Vulnerable Situations in Interest Organisations: A Qualitative Study of Representatives Views

Abstract People in vulnerable situations have the same right as others to participate in public spheres and influence health and welfare services. However, organisations that support these people and promote their interests are essential to their participation. This study investigated how people in vulnerable situations with lived experiences of using public services participate in organisations representing their interests. Fourteen representatives from eight interest organisations were interviewed. The first theme we developed – namely, participation as representatives of the organisations, revealed that a spokesperson’s role is connected to competence and that users of public services rarely obtain such a position. However, people with experience of using public services participate as living examples in external activities, increasing the groups’ visibility through their physical presence and their stories. The second theme was titled participation in organisational activities. The extent to which people with lived experiences participate in formal meetings varies, but they are often consulted by the organisations and attend events and informal gatherings. Notably, people in vulnerable situations interact with and, thus, influence the service-providing organisations. This article discusses the findings in light of representation theory and their implications for practice.

Using Walking / Go Along Interviews With People in Vulnerable Situations: A Synthesized Review of the Research Literature

Walking/go along interviews are increasingly used in qualitative research studies to explore various phenomena, including the experience of disability. The method involves a researcher walking or travelling alongside a participant in their local neighborhood and asking questions along the way. It enables researchers to generate data about a person’s relationship with themselves and others, as well as the place in which they live. Scholars acknowledge that this method may pose risks and challenges for both participant and researcher, and so the rationale for using walking/go along interviews must be clarified. Further, qualitative researchers need to keep abreast of how the method is used with different participant groups, so methodological lessons can be shared within the research community. Therefore, the aim of this synthesized review was to identify, collate and analyse current evidence related to the use of walking/go along interviews with adults in a vulnerable situation, defined as those ‘at risk’ of discrimination, harm, or abuse due to disability and/or age. As such, the article combines, for the first time, the collective methodological knowledge of scholars working across disability, ageing, and dementia studies. The 23 articles included in the review were analyzed using the thematic synthesis method. Five themes were identified; (1) shifts in power dynamics (2) making things known and knowable (3) revealing barriers in the environment (4) embodied knowledge (of place), and (5) being one. An overall synthesis of these themes culminated in the methodological insight that walking interviews are broadly aligned with applied phenomenological research. Having studied how and why researchers deploy walking/go along interviews with people in a vulnerable situation, we conclude that it is a tool favored by scholars who wish to advance knowledge of the connection between micro-experiences, meso-movements, and macro-change.

Caring for Delivery: Healthcare Professionals’ Ethical Conflicts in Surrogate Pregnancy

AbstractFrom the beginning of the practice of surrogate pregnancy, ethical approaches to it have included several dimensions. Central issues such as surrogates’ genuine autonomy, the risk of exploitation of people in vulnerable situations, or the legitimacy of the commercialization of the body have kept this debate alive for more than three decades. Among all the conflicts, those related to healthcare professionals involved in the surrogacy process have been less frequently addressed. Which patient(s) should they protect? Whose interests should they preserve, the surrogate mother's or the intended parents’? Are there differences in healthcare provision between regular pregnant women and those who are going to relinquish their babies? Is adequate compliance with the ethical standards of the caregiver–patient relationship possible? In this article, I will address these questions to identify interests and practices at stake in the healthcare context, where an important part of the surrogacy process occurs.

Acoustic event characterization for service robot using convolutional networks

<p>This paper presents and discusses the creation of a sound event classification model using deep learning. In the design of service robots, it is necessary to include routines that improve the response of both the robot and the human being throughout the interaction. These types of tasks are critical when the robot is taking care of children, the elderly, or people in vulnerable situations. Certain dangerous situations are difficult to identify and assess by an autonomous system, and yet, the life of the users may depend on these robots. Acoustic signals correspond to events that can be detected at a great distance, are usually present in risky situations, and can be continuously sensed without incurring privacy risks. For the creation of the model, a customized database is structured with seven categories that allow to categorize a problem, and eventually allow the robot to provide the necessary help. These audio signals are processed to produce graphical representations consistent with human acoustic identification. These images are then used to train three convolutional models identified as high-performing in this type of problem. The three models are evaluated with specific metrics to identify the best-performing model. Finally, the results of this evaluation are discussed and analyzed.</p>

Evaluating the Interdependencies of Infrastructure Critical Systems during Earthquake Event: A Case Study for Padang City

Our modern society is becoming increasingly reliant on transportation networks, as well as the interdependent infrastructures and technologies that interact with them. The increasing complexity and interconnectedness of infrastructure networks make them susceptible to impact not only directly from external shocks but also indirectly from the failure of dependent infrastructures. This research study was conducted in Padang city, one of the most disaster-prone areas in Indonesia. Based on the literature review, it is no doubt that research study on seismic risk assessment is insufficient and outdated. In fact, a study about the interdependency between Critical Infrastructures (CIs) is yet to be done in this region. In this study, there are two approaches used for data gathering which is by surveying existing CIs using Google Earth and by an online questionnaire survey via Google Form. Based on the qualitative survey, a functionality rating method is done to obtain the level of outage/loss functionality which is an indicator for the damage occurred to the structure and infrastructure. Following that, a seismic risk analysis was conducted to assess the interdependency between investigated CIs and facilities. Respondents’ judgement from the questionnaire were used to identify the base criticality of each critical infrastructure. Based on the qualitative survey, the level of loss in functionality for the substation and the telecommunication tower is rated as “High”, but the loss in functionality for the water supply system is rated as “Moderate”. Moreover, the findings used from the respondents’ judgements were used to establish the initial level of criticality for each vital infrastructure. According to the findings, hospitals, power substations, and communication towers all have a criticality level of “5-Vital”, while police stations and fire stations both have a “3-medium” criticality rating. Eventually, the results of this assessment of interdependence are displayed in a criticality map, which shows how the interdependency relationship affects the initial criticality of a certain upstream infrastructure. Understanding the potential consequences of infrastructure failure, especially in regard to dependent infrastructures, can help emergency response teams formulate more targeted strategies for managing risks. As a consequence of this, the resilience of the wider community is improved, which contributes toward the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Sustainable cities and communities particularly in reducing disasters and people in vulnerable situation.