Reintegration Programs Research Articles

Support for pharmacy professionals returning to (clinical) practice after a break: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract Introduction The continuing expansion of clinical roles for pharmacists, combined with National Health Service workforce shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic, have significantly increased pressure on pharmacy professionals.1 These pressures have heightened stress levels, causing many to consider leaving the field.2 Addressing workforce shortages and retension is crucial, with a particular focus on the reintegration of professionals returning to practice after a break. However, those returning after extended breaks often face challenges such as decreased skills and confidence. Nevertheless, research on the effectiveness of reintegration programmes to help pharmacy professionals return remains limited. Aim To explore participants’ reasons for leaving and returning and to assess the effectiveness of the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE)’s Return to practice (RTP) and Return to the register (RTTR) programmes in helping individuals return to pharmacy practice in England. Methods CPPE emailed an anonymous link to an online survey, with two reminders, in December 2023 and January 2024, to individuals who participated in the RTP and/or RTTR programme(s) before March 2023 (n=701) and had given consent to be contacted for evaluation purposes. The survey employed closed, Likert-type and free-text questions. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), with inferential statistics for subgroup comparisons and thematic analysis for qualitative comments (statistical significance p≤0.05).3 Using the university’s ethical approval tool, this study did not require approval due to not collecting personal, confidentical or sensitive information, with no vulnerable groups included, or risk of disclosure. Results The valid response rate was 15% (n=106). Most respondents were female (n=67, 79.8%), aged 35 and older (n=82, 97.6%), and pharmacists (n=77, 85.6%) or pharmacy technicians (n=8, 8.9%). The primary reasons for leaving included family responsibilities, career transition, and relocation, while the main motivations for returning were career reconnection, relocation, and other personal reasons. Participants reported a high degree of satisfaction with both programmes; those who perceived high content relevance reported significantly higher satisfaction (8.90±1.47 for RTP and 8.75±1.58 for RTTR on a 10-point scale). Overall, 70.8% (n=75) successfully returned to pharmacy practice and/or the GPhC register after completing the programme(s). Of those who returned, 68.1% (n=47) took less than 6 months. It was found that those who were more satisfied and more likely to recommend the programme(s), had been off the register for less than 10 years (n=41, 78.8%), and completed the programme(s) before 2020, prior to the shift to online delivery due to COVID-19 (n=41, 83.7% for RTP and n=16, 88.90% for RTTR), were more likely to have returned. Discussion/Conclusion The CPPE RTP and RTTR programmes supported participants effectively in returning to pharmacy practice. Increasing the number of pharmacy professionals returning to practice using reintegration course(s) positively impacts workforce shortages and addresses skill gaps after a break. One study limitation is the lack of information about those who did not use or are unaware of these support programmes. Further research could explore the support needs of all those wishing to return to practice or the GPhC register.

Feasibility, acceptability, and initial outcomes of a psychological adjustment and reintegration program for transitioned military veterans

BackgroundReintegration and adjustment to civilian life after military service is crucial for veterans’ mental and physical health. However, there is a lack of evidence-based interventions in Australia that specifically address the psychological and cultural factors associated with improved adjustment and mental health in this group. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial outcomes of a novel group intervention program, developed to address this gap in supports and services for Australian veterans.MethodsA non-controlled, within-subjects longitudinal design was employed with a feasibility framework including assessment of demand, implementation, integration, experience, perceived effectiveness, and burden or discomfort. The program included eight weekly 2.5-hour group sessions using cognitive-behavioural and acceptance and commitment therapy techniques. Participants included 24 transitioned veterans who completed the Military-Civilian Adjustment and Reintegration Measure, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire–Short Form, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up.ResultsHigh participant ratings of engagement, experience and usefulness of the program were found, as well as perceived improvement in adjustment to civilian life as a result of the program. Sound program retention (82.8%), completion (87.5%), and manual adherence rates (89.6%) were also found. Significant improvements were found in adjustment and reintegration scores from pre-intervention to post-intervention (p = < 0.001) and from pre-intervention to follow-up (p = < 0.05), with large effect size (ηp2 = 0.344). All participants who completed the program reported they would recommend the program to another veteran.ConclusionThis study demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a novel group intervention program designed for military veterans in Australia. The program showed promising initial evidence of effectiveness in improving adjustment and reintegration to civilian life and provides an essential first step towards addressing a substantial gap in services for veterans struggling to adjust to civilian life. A randomised controlled trial may be an appropriate next step.ANZCTR registration numberACTRN12622000172707.Date of registration02/02/2022.Type of registrationRetrospectively registered.

The impact of healthcare worker migration in source countries: Colombia, Indonesia, and Jordan

Abstract Background To address domestic shortages, high-income countries are increasingly recruiting healthcare workers from low- and middle-income countries. This practice is much debated, yet empirical evidence is rare. This study fills this knowledge gap by reporting high-level stakeholders’ perspectives on health system impacts of international migration and active recruitment of HCWs in Colombia, Indonesia, and Jordan. Methods We used a multiple case study methodology, based on qualitative methods integrated with information available in the published literature. Results All respondents decried a lack of robust and detailed data as a serious challenge in ascertaining their perspectives on impacts of healthcare workersmigration. Stakeholders described current emigration levels as not substantially aggravating existing healthcare workforce availability challenges. This is due to the fact that all three countries are faced with healthcare worker unemployment grounded in unwillingness to work in rural areas and/or overproduction of certain cadres. Respondents, however, pleaded against targeting very experienced and specialised individuals. While observing little harm of healthcare worker migration at present, stakeholders also noted few benefits such as brain gain, describing how various barriers to skill enhancement, return, and reintegration into the health system hamper in practice what may be possible in theory. Conclusions Improved availability of data on healthcare workers migration, including their potential return and reintegration into their country of origin’s health system, is urgently necessary to understand and monitor costs and benefits in dynamic national and international health labour markets. Our results imply that potential benefits of migration do not come into being automatically, but need in-country supportive policy, such as favourable reintegration policies or programs targeting engagement of the diaspora.

Improving affected victims and communitie reintegration of former Boko Haram terrorist defectors in Nigeria: a community-informed participatory action research

ABSTRACT Reintegrating defectors of terrorist groups into society is challenging due to community resistance and affected victims’ trauma. This article is the first to detail affected victims and community involvement in designing a trauma-informed cognitive behaviour therapy intervention to aid the reintegration of former Boko Haram members and defectors in Nigeria. Participants were recruited from Borno state, Nigeria. Informed by a participatory action research design and a social constructionist theoretical lens, we found that agonizing experiences, resentment towards incentives provided to former defectors limit successful reintegration, whilst using Trauma-informed intervention to address community needs could improve reintegration. It concludes that affected victims and community involvement in the design of reintegration programmes is crucial to its success.

Caring for the carers: an evaluation of the recovery, readjustment and reintegration programme (R3P)

IntroductionThe challenges faced by healthcare workers, not least during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, have been extensively studied, and concerns continue to be highlighted in relation to their long-term...

Keeping the Ex-Enemy Close but Not in My Backyard

How receptive are societies to the reintegration of deradicalized terrorists? Specifically in countries where the terrorists attacked the communities targeted for reintegration. I posit that closer proximity to terrorist violence is correlated with lower receptivity to reintegration in such scenarios. I examine the disposition of Nigerian citizens toward the Government’s deradicalization and reintegration program. I delineate three community categories: Core, Outer, and Peripheral based on their proximity to incidents of terrorist violence. Employing semi-structured interviews with 100 Nigerians across these communities, the empirical findings contradict my initial arguments. Surprisingly, the community closest to terrorist violence exhibited the highest receptivity to reintegration. Furthermore, community residents’ proximity to designated reintegration venues was negatively correlated with receptivity towards reintegration.

Psychosocial Causes of Crime; Offender as Victim. Post-Soviet Georgian Perspective

This study explores the psychosocial causes of crime, particularly focusing on the unique socio-cultural context of post-Soviet Georgia. It examines how offenders can be both perpetrators and victims due to tough environments. It shows how socio-economic issues and the breakdown of traditional support systems influence criminal behavior. This study explores the experiences and motivations behind criminal behavior among older individuals in post-Soviet Georgia. It aims to understand how the collapse of socio-economic structures and the influence of criminal subcultures contributed to the rise in crime during this period. Using mixed approache, the study combines a thorough literature review with in-depth interviews of 12 men aged 35 to 50, who were convicted of violent crimes in Georgia during and shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The findings suggest that economic hardship, social stigmatization, and the appeal of criminal subcultures were major drivers of criminal behavior. Many participants pointed to tough economic conditions, societal pressures, and a feeling of learned helplessness as key factors behind their actions. The study also highlights the long-lasting effects of early stigmatization and the socio-economic challenges faced during the post-Soviet era. The study concludes that to effectively address criminal behavior, it’s essential to create comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration programs. These programs should address both psychological and biological factors, provide economic support, build social networks, and offer trauma-informed care. There’s a clear need for targeted interventions that not only prevent crime but also help former offenders reintegrate into society.

Social Reintegration of Inmates Through Right to Parole

This study aims to analyze the implementation and obstacles to social reintegration of prisoners through the right to parole. Social reintegration through parole of prisoners is a crucial aspect in the penitentiary system that aims to restore the social life of prisoners into society. The idea is that parole is the right of every inmate as mandated by the Correctional Law. This research uses normative and empirical methods. The normative method is carried out by analyzing laws and other legal materials, while the empirical method collects field data to assess the effectiveness and challenges of the social reintegration program at the Class IIA Correctional Center Bandar Lampung. The results of the study show that the granting of parole has great potential in supporting the social reintegration of prisoners, although in fact not all of these reintegration processes can run according to the expected goals, including aspects of relationship recovery that are not optimally achieved. There are various inhibiting factors, including lack of resources, training for officers, lengthy administrative procedures and mechanisms, and most importantly, the lack of community and victim involvement in the reintegration process until the aspect of restoring relations is not achieved.

Perspectives and Experiences of Public Safety Personnel Engaged in a Peer-Led Workplace Reintegration Program Post Critical Incident or Operational Stress Injury: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis.

Public safety personnel (PSP) experience operational stress injuries (OSIs), which can put them at increased risk of experiencing mental health and functional challenges. Such challenges can result in PSP needing to take time away from the workplace. An unsuccessful workplace reintegration process may contribute to further personal challenges for PSP and their families as well as staffing shortages that adversely affect PSP organizations. The Canadian Workplace Reintegration Program (RP) has seen a global scale and spread in recent years. However, there remains a lack of evidence-based literature on this topic and the RP specifically. The current qualitative study was designed to explore the perspectives of PSP who had engaged in a Workplace RP due to experiencing a potentially psychologically injurious event or OSI. A qualitative thematic analysis analyzed interview data from 26 PSP who completed the RP. The researchers identified five themes: (1) the impact of stigma on service engagement; (2) the importance of short-term critical incident (STCI) program; (3) strengths of RP; (4) barriers and areas of improvement for the RP; and (5) support outside the RP. Preliminary results were favorable, but further research is needed to address the effectiveness, efficacy, and utility of the RP. By addressing workplace reintegration through innovation and research, future initiatives and RP iterations can provide the best possible service and support to PSP and their communities.

‘As if the soul returns to the body’: affect, stuckedness, and (in)voluntary return to Nicaragua from Spain

ABSTRACT This article attends to the emotional resonances of ‘stuckedness’ and (in)voluntary return as experienced by Nicaraguan migrants stranded in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeling both figuratively and literally trapped in a context of cascading lockdowns, border closures, and travel restrictions, many viewed Spain’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme as offering a choice to ‘freely’ depart Spain – a way to simultaneously leave their distressing circumstances behind while returning to the comfort of ‘home’ and family. Building on recent literature that challenges the basis for participation in such programmes as founded on free, voluntary, and individual decisions, this article contends that, for some, the act of ‘choosing’ to return generates a profound and unexpected emotional response. In the case of a Nicaraguan migrant woman explored in detail here, the execution of said return activates feelings of relief, euphoria, and hope, as well as a renewed sense of self. Nevertheless, her response is temporally and geographically contingent, as returning to Nicaragua via AVRR does not necessarily diminish her desire to remigrate or render her less ‘stuck’. The empirical material that informs this paper was collected through digital ethnography and in-person encounters in both Spain and Nicaragua between 2020 and 2021.

Unveiling the Shadows: Childhood Traumas and the Dynamics of Seeking Psychological Help and Self-Stigmatization Among Prisoners.

Compared with the general population, prison inmates show a higher prevalence of mental disorders, particularly among those with childhood traumas. Despite childhood traumas being robust indicators of poor mental health, there is limited research on their relationship with prisoners' attitudes toward seeking psychological help. This study investigates the impact of childhood traumas on prisoners' attitudes toward help-seeking and self-stigmatization. This cross-sectional, explanatory study was conducted with 250 persons in prison. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Attitudes Toward Seeking Psychological Help Scale, and the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale. Statistical analysis was performed using Spearman correlation test and multiple linear regression analysis with SPSS Version 28. A significant link was found between childhood traumas and self-stigmatization in seeking psychological help. Positive attitudes toward help-seeking were significantly associated with increased self-stigmatization. Childhood traumas were significantly related to single-parent families, conflicted intrafamilial relationships, entering prison at the age of 19 years or older, mental health issues, and behavioral disorders. Moreover, a meaningful association was observed between self-stigmatization in help-seeking and being from a single-parent family with a low socioeconomic status. In conclusion, imprisoned persons with childhood traumas exhibit higher levels of self-stigmatization in seeking psychological help, contributing to negative attitudes. Recommendations for adequate access to mental health services in prisons include fostering a culture of psychological help, enhancing mental health literacy, providing trauma-informed care, and developing comprehensive strategies. In addition, the suggestion is made for the development of societal reintegration programs.

Workplace Reintegration Programs, Policies, and Procedures for Nurses Experiencing Operational Stress Injury: A Scoping Literature Review.

Nurses experience elevated rates of operational stress injuries (OSIs). This can necessitate taking leave from work and subsequently engaging in a workplace reintegration process. An unsuccessful process can have long term impacts on a nurse's career, affecting the individual, their family, and broader community, while contributing to nursing shortages. A knowledge gap regarding the workplace reintegration of nurses experiencing mental health challenges, impedes the development and implementation of initiatives that might increase the success of nurses reintegrating into the workplace. This scoping review explored the existing literature concerning workplace reintegration for nurses experiencing OSIs. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting guidelines were utilized. Three key search terms across six databases were employed followed by a qualitative content analysis of the resulting literature. Eight documents were included. The literature exhibited high heterogeneity in objectives, content, and article types. The content analysis revealed five themes: (1) recognizing stigma, (2) elements of successful workplace reintegration, (3) considerations for military nurses, (4) considerations for nurses with substance use disorders, and (5) gaps in the existing literature. A paucity of programs, policies, procedures, and research exists regarding workplace reintegration for nurses facing mental health challenges. It is imperative to recognize that nurses may experience OSIs, necessitating mental health support, time off work, and operationally/culturally-specific assistance in returning to work. Innovative and evidence-based approaches to workplace reintegration are needed to enhance the retention of a skilled, experienced, compassionate, and healthy nursing workforce.

Fostering Alignment and the Catalytic Potential of Community-Engaged Research With US Military Veterans and Advocates

This paper explores the concept of “community-engaged research” (CEnR) within the context of Veteran health care delivery and reintegration programs. A multi-sector expert panel (msExP) was formed to evaluate and make recommendations on Veteran community reintegration research and programs. The panel consisted of Veterans, care partners, clinical providers, researchers, community stakeholders, and subject matter experts. The paper examines the composition and lifecycle of the panel, highlighting the characteristics and experiences of the participants. Shifts in the panel’s purpose and engagement levels occurred in response to unanticipated disruptions, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. The transformation of the panel emphasizes the importance of aligning individual and group needs and deepening intrapersonal relationships Findings based on observations, surveys, and interviews with panel members contribute to the field of community-engaged research by demonstrating the utility of catalytic validity that balances group and individual development. As part of a broader study on Veteran reintegration, the panel and its development over time allowed for various perspectives on Veteran experiences and reintegration within the community that shaped the overall project. Despite the challenges of developing and maintaining a panel alongside a research study, feedback from the panel members on their participation provides insight into the potential for future working alliances in community-engaged health research.

Breaking the Risk of Conflict Trap: Way forward for Limiting Child Soldiers’ Phenomenon

The recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts or child soldier phenomenon has inflicted much pain and suffering to thousands of children in many countries during recent decades. This article examines the pathway to protect children from predatory recruitment as well as the prevention of those who are already recruited from becoming trapped into further violence, generically termed as &amp;lsquo;conflict trap.&amp;rdquo; In pursuance, the current law shall be applied as an instrument of social engineering to bring about the desired change towards the protection of child soldiers alongside the use of art and science of persuasion in promoting the ideas. Therefore, to accomplish the above desired social change, this article proposes three objectives: firstly, to explain the law in plain terms and present it as a valuable instrument designed to protect children in armed conflict situations; secondly, to enumerate the serious psycho-social impact to the mental health of the child, and the ensuing disruption of the cognitive and affective development of the child, that are often irreversible; thirdly, to present reintegration program that has transformed former child soldiers into international figures like Ishmael Beah. It is premised that these three objectives, if implemented in society, would be successful strategies in imputing the desired social change, which is to rally support for the elimination of child soldiering, thus diminishing some incentives for conflict perpetuation. Therefore, these strategies would help to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts and in the long term will aid in the breaking away from conflict trap. As child soldiers in previous conflicts will be ready to resume fighting, limiting the impact of conflict traps becomes imperative to preserve a conflict free society.

Intersectionality and rehabilitation: how gendered, racial and religious assumptions structure the rehabilitation and reintegration of women returnees

ABSTRACT Women associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are returning to their home countries from camps in northern Syria and require prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration. Yet, as feminist security and terrorism scholars have demonstrated, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes are mostly focused on men and neglect women’s experiences. The absence of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes designed for women is influenced by gender stereotypes around women’s peacefulness and their lack of agency. Alongside gender, further intersecting Islamophobic dynamics also shape these practices through, for instance, racial profiling or the trope of associating Islam with “terrorism”. This paper, thus, explores to what extent rehabilitation and reintegration programmes are influenced by underlying assumptions. I build upon feminist security and terrorism scholarship and draw from interviews with practitioners and policy- makers who have worked with ISIS women returnees across juris- dictions and countries. I argue that intersecting gendered, racial and religious assumptions influence the rehabilitation and reintegration practices of women returnees. This analysis is illustrated with three themes: 1) vocational training in rehabilitation programmes, 2) the freedom in the expression of religion and 3) the stigmatisation of returnees.

Reintegration Programs and the Willingness of Displaced Persons to Return Home: Analyzing the Role of Social Infrastructure in North-East Nigeria

Reintegration Programs and the Willingness of Displaced Persons to Return Home: Analyzing the Role of Social Infrastructure in North-East Nigeria

Education and work in the prison system: the importance of social reintegration programs in prisons

This study addresses the relevance of education and work as essential tools in the social reintegration of incarcerated individuals. The research focuses on understanding how educational and work activities within prison units can contribute to the development of skills, with a view to the effective and dignified reintegration of prisoners. The study discussed the following guiding question: to what extent are education and work in prison units effective for the more successful social reintegration of incarcerated people? The aim of this research was to analyze the importance and impact of these activities on the resocialization of prisoners, emphasizing the need for an approach that promotes inclusion and citizenship. The research method used was deductive, with a qualitative approach based on a literature review. It was concluded that the effective implementation of education and work programs is fundamental for the social reintegration of prisoners, emphasizing that such strategies must be aligned with the highest standards of inclusion and respect for human dignity. The study also suggests the need for future research focused on the analysis of recent statistical data from the Brazilian prison system and the formulation of efficient public policies for the resocialization of inmates, contributing to a fairer and more inclusive penal system.

The impact of international health worker migration and recruitment on health systems in source countries: Stakeholder perspectives from Colombia, Indonesia, and Jordan.

To address domestic shortages, high-income countries are increasingly recruiting health workers from low- and middle-income countries. This practice is much debated. Proponents underline benefits of return migration and remittances. Critics point in particular to the risk of brain drain. Empirical evidence supporting either position is yet rare. This study contributes to filling this gap in knowledge by reporting high-level stakeholders' perspectives on health system impacts of international migration in general, and active recruitment of health workers in specific, in Colombia, Indonesia, and Jordan. We used a multiple case study methodology, based on qualitative methods integrated with information available in the published literature. All respondents decried a lack of robust and detailed data as a serious challenge in ascertaining their perspectives on impacts of health worker migration. Stakeholders described current emigration levels as not substantially aggravating existing health workforce availability challenges. This is due to the fact that all three countries are faced with health worker unemployment grounded in unwillingness to work in rural areas and/or overproduction of certain cadres. Respondents, however, pleaded against targeting very experienced and specialised individuals. While observing little harm of health worker migration at present, stakeholders also noted few benefits such as brain gain, describing how various barriers to skill enhancement, return, and reintegration into the health system hamper in practice what may be possible in theory. Improved availability of data on health worker migration, including their potential return and reintegration into their country of origin's health system, is urgently necessary to understand and continuously monitor costs and benefits in dynamic national and international health labour markets. Our results imply that potential benefits of migration do not come into being automatically, but need in-country supportive policy and programming, such as favourable reintegration policies or programs targeting engagement of the diaspora.

Social Reintegration and Life Satisfaction among Uganda Migrant Worker Returnees from Middle East

Social Reintegration and Life Satisfaction among Uganda Migrant Worker Returnees from Middle East

Child Protection of Perpetrators of Terrorism in Indonesia: How should we do? Should we punish them?

In Indonesia, the issue of child protection within the context of perpetrators of terrorism presents a multifaceted challenge that necessitates a careful balance between justice and rehabilitation. This paper delves into the complexities surrounding this issue, acknowledging the rights and well-being of children while addressing the imperative for accountability and security. While children may be both victims and perpetrators of terrorism, the prevailing question is how to effectively respond to their involvement. This paper examines the existing legal frameworks in Indonesia, international standards, and the various challenges encountered in implementing appropriate strategies. It considers the identification and assessment of affected children, the efficacy of rehabilitation and reintegration programs, as well as the importance of psychological and social support. Moreover, it highlights the significance of community perceptions and the risk of stigmatization, as well as the need for long-term monitoring to prevent recidivism. Ultimately, this paper advocates for a comprehensive approach that combines punitive measures with rehabilitation efforts, emphasizing the importance of multi-agency collaboration, educational initiatives, psychosocial support, and legal safeguards. Through case studies and lessons learned, it aims to inform policymakers and practitioners in Indonesia on effective strategies for ensuring the protection and well-being of children involved in terrorism while upholding principles of justice and accountability.