Utilization Of Social Services Research Articles

Utilization of Social Support Center on Depression and Suicidal Ideation among Undergraduates in a Tertiary Institution, Benin City

Background: Social support consists of a network of people drawn from the community members that promote mental health wellbeing, as inadequate social support gives rise to various mental illnesses such as depression and this has a negative influence on the life of students which can increases the risk of suicidal ideation. Aim: This study aims to access the utilization of social support among undergraduate students residing in halls of residence at University of Benin. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional non-experimental research design was used for the study. A total of 380 participants was employed using convenient sampling and a self-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hypothesis were tested using ANOVA, ANCOVA, Independent T-test, and Multivariate logistic regression model at a 5% level of significance.. All the analyses were done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: Findings from this study showed that most 226(59.5%) of the respondents recorded a fair level of knowledge of social support on depression and suicidal ideation. The majority 266(70%) of the respondents had a good level of utilization of social support. Factors that promote the use of social support among undergraduates were nearness to residence (2.50 ± 0.90), availability of time (4.01 ± 0.31), awareness of social support centers (3.90 ± 0.52), free of cost/charges (3.90 ± 0.42), less time-consuming process (4.01 ± 0.21), and concern from family (2.72 ± 0.92). There was a statistically significant difference in the mean knowledge level based on the hall of residence of respondents (F = 6.033, p < 0.001). On the effect of the covariate “Level of respondent” on the outcome variable “Knowledge of social support”. The association between the class level of respondents and their knowledge of social support was not statistically significant (F1,7 = 0.576, p = 0.448), while the association between hall of residence and knowledge of social support was statistically significant (F6,7 = 6.121, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although the level of utilization of social support services in the present study is encouraging there is a need for improvement as the level of knowledge is poor. Better knowledge of social support services can translate into good utilization among the students. The researchers, therefore, recommend that more sensitization, seminars, conferences, and workshops on the importance of social support services should be organized from time to time to update the students’ knowledge and create awareness on the various social support services available both physical and online.

Stress, Coping, and Quality of Life Among Custodial Grandparents

ABSTRACT An increasing number of custodial grandparents are raising grandchildren, and intensive childcare is stressful with many negative personal, interpersonal, economic, and health implications. Grandparents’ strengths, including resilience, positive caregiving appraisal, and social support should be considered in the face of parenting stress and adversity. Guided by the stress and resilience model, the current study investigated the associations of parenting stress and coping resources with life satisfaction and mental wellness among custodial grandparents (N = 76). Data were collected between December 2020 and April 2021, through collaborations with community-based agencies located in two metropolitan areas, which provide supportive services to custodial grandparents and their families. Findings showed that more parenting stress was associated with less life satisfaction and worse mental health, and that stress management boosted life satisfaction and mental wellness. Grandparents with more informal social support and social service utilization fared better than their counterparts with less social support and no experience of service use. The results of this study suggest that social work interventions should focus on improving stress management to cope with daily and caregiving stressors. Social workers can help with informal social support and formal social services utilization to address caregiving needs among custodial grandparents.

Understanding social care need through primary care big data: a rapid scoping review.

A more comprehensive understanding and measurement of adult social care need could contribute to efforts to develop more effective, holistic personalised care, particularly for those with multiple long-term conditions (MLTC). Progress in this area faces the challenge of a lack of clarity in the literature relating to how social care need is assessed and coded within variables included in primary care databases. To explore how social care need is assessed and coded within variables included in primary care databases. An exploratory rapid scoping review of peer-reviewed articles and grey literature. Articles were screened and extracted onto a charting sheet and findings were summarised descriptively. Articles were included if published in English and related to primary and social care using data from national primary care databases. The search yielded 4010 articles. Twenty-seven were included. Six articles used the term 'social care need', although related terminology was identified including 'need factors', 'social support', and 'social care support'. Articles mainly focused on specific components of social care need, including levels of social care usage or service utilisation and costs incurred to social care, primary care, and other providers in addressing needs. A limited range of database variables were found measuring social care need. Further research is needed on how social care need has been defined in a UK context and captured in primary care big databases. There is potential scope to broaden the definition of social care need, which captures social service needs and wider social needs.

The Impact of Housing Insecurity on Access to Care and Services among People Who Use Drugs in Washington, DC.

People who use drugs are highly marginalized communities and are disproportionately affected by environmental changes—e.g., neighborhood gentrification—that affect housing availability and stability, particularly in urban locations. These changes could negatively affect individuals’ access to and utilization of health care and social services, resulting in poorer health outcomes. This study examined the impact of gentrification and housing instability on drug users’ access to harm reduction and other health services. Data were collected from 139 clients of a large harm reduction organization. Results showed that 67% of the participants were either unstably housed or homeless, and about one-third of participants indicated that their current housing situations negatively affected their access to primary care (33.9%), behavioral health services (36.7%) and basic services (38.3%). While homeless individuals were still able to access services generally, a greater percentage—compared to those unstably or stably housed—reported difficulty accessing care. As these data were collected prior to the COVID pandemic, it is likely that many of our participants faced greater struggles with housing insecurity and health care access issues due to shutdowns and increased need for social isolation and quarantine. More work is needed to address housing instability and homelessness among already marginalized populations.

Coping Styles in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: Consideration in the Co-Designing of Integrated Care Concepts.

Integrated care models may help in designing care for Parkinson’s disease (PD) that is more efficient and patient-centered. However, in order to implement such models successfully, it is important to design these models around patients’ needs and preferences. Personality traits and coping styles play a well-studied important role in patients’ disease perception and their utilization of medical and social services to cope with their disease. There is evidence that coping styles remain largely unchanged over the course of PD; coping styles are defined in the early stages of life and extend over the entire lifespan of the patient. Therefore, it seems necessary to consider aspects of the personality traits and coping styles of PD patients in the development and implementation of care models. We postulate that by taking patients’ personality traits and coping styles into account, care models for PD can be designed in a more individualized and, thus, more effective way. This paper, structured in three main sections, attempts to structure the uptake of patients’ coping styles in the co-design of integrated care models. However, further studies are needed to better develop tailored care concepts to the needs of people living with PD and their individual coping styles.

Are resources out of reach? Analyzing the accessibility of domestic violence shelter services

AbstractBackground and purposeDomestic violence is a serious public health issue. Resources such as domestic violence shelters have a vital impact on victim outcomes and, consequently, on the economic costs associated with domestic violence. Although accessibility is known to be an important factor for the utilization of social services, little research has been done on analyzing accessibility to shelter services for victims. This article seeks to mend this disparity by examining the spatial relationship between victims and shelter services and various factors associated with spatial mismatch and inefficiency in the location of shelter sites.MethodsUsing Los Angeles County as a study area, the enhanced two‐step floating catchment area method was used to measure domestic violence shelter site accessibility. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the demographic characteristics of census tracts experiencing greater spatial mismatch and inefficiencies related to the location of shelter sites.ResultsThe results reveal that census tracts characterized by a greater proportion of whites in poverty, males aged 18–35, and children have detrimental spatial mismatch and greater inefficiency present.ConclusionThis research highlights the importance of utilizing spatial analysis to better understand victims’ accessibility to domestic violence shelter services and the resulting spatial mismatch and inefficiencies in their distribution. From an efficiency perspective, it is important to proportionately match service accessibility with the level of need.

Overcoming Barriers to Service Access: Refugees’ Professional Support Service Utilization and the Impact of Human and Social Capital

After arriving in a new country, refugees are typically dependent on professional support to re-establish their livelihood. However, it is well documented that refugees face barriers when seeking access to services aimed at facilitating their settlement. This study examines refugees’ support service needs, their actual utilization, and investigates the impact of social and human capital on service utilization. Using data from the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees (2016–2019; N=7662), this paper, employing nested logistic regression models, highlights the diversity of refugees’ support service needs as well as large differences in utilization across eight different domains during the first couple of years after arriving in Germany. It provides evidence for an overall positive association between human and social capital and service utilization in general while also revealing differences in service domains. While language proficiency is positively associated with service utilization across all service domains, previous work experience in the country of origin particularly increases utilization of employment-related services. The analyses also find a positive association of inter-ethnic networks, whereas intra-ethnic connections are negatively associated with service utilization across many domains. The findings are especially relevant since they support the hypothesis of exclusive host community knowledge that benefits those refugees who engage with individuals outside their own ethnic network. The findings of this study accentuate the need to acknowledge the diversity of refugees’ service needs as well as the barriers to service utilization that only well-equipped refugees seem to be able to overcome.

Council tenancies and hoarding behaviours: A study with a large social landlord in England.

Hoarding behaviours are highly stigmatised and often hidden. People with problematic hoarding behaviours have a higher rate of mental health and other healthcare and social services utilisation. Hoarding is a community health problem, one factor being housing insecurity. Hoarding behaviours represent significant burden to housing providers, impact the community and dealing with it involves multiple community agencies. This study with a city council in England with a large housing stock (over 14,000 properties) in summer 2021 sought to understand the nature, circumstances and extent that hoarding presents. We developed a reporting system and conducted 11 interviews with housing officers in which they described a case to explain their involvement. Our report details the nature of 38 people who hoard: 47% had a known disability or vulnerability, 34% presented a fire and environmental risk, 87% lived alone and 60% were resident in flats. Our qualitative themes are: Working with others, Balancing an enforcement approach, Feeling conflicted, Complex needs of people who hoard and Staff needs. The cases described by the housing officers are combined into six case studies and illustrate the complex, multi-agency circumstances around decision making and risk stratification. Our findings point to housing officers as frontline professionals dealing with a public health and social care issue which is often the manifestation of complex life histories and mental health conditions. We suggest a greater focus on risk stratification and a more holistic approach to hoarding cases to effectively deal with this most complex of community health and social care issues.

Community Volunteers and Primary Care Providers Supporting Older Adults in System Navigation: A Mixed Methods Study.

Introduction:Primary care providers and community volunteers have important roles in supporting patient system navigation and utilization of community-based health and social services (CBHSS). This study aimed to explore the experiences and impacts of system navigation in a complex intervention supporting older adults.Methods:We used a convergent mixed methods design. Participants included primary care team members (n = 67), community volunteers (n = 38), and programme clients (n = 128) across six communities in Ontario, Canada. Data sources included focus groups, interviews, system navigation function survey for volunteers, CBHSS use survey for clients, and implementation data on CBHSS recommended by providers and volunteers and used by clients.Results:Results showed the different patterns of how CBHSS categories were recommended and ultimately used. Exercise-related CBHSS were both recommended and used, independence-related CBHSS were mostly only recommended with less uptake, and chronic health condition and diet/nutrition CBHSS were most often used by clients.Discussion:Primary care teams’ practice of system navigation was impacted by programme participation, including through learning about local CBHSS. However, volunteers felt more confident in tasks that did not include connecting to CBHSS. The programme did seem to result in many referrals, though the actual client uptake tended to be to more clinical rather than healthy lifestyle resources.

The Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Cognition and Mental Health and Technology Use Among Socially Vulnerable Older People: Retrospective Cohort Study.

BackgroundCOVID-19 forced the implementation of restrictive measures in Spain, such as lockdown, home confinement, social distancing, and isolation. It is necessary to study whether limited access to basic services and decreased family and social support could have deleterious effects on cognition, quality of life, and mental health in vulnerable older people.ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia as the main outcome and the quality of life, perceived health status, and depression as secondary outcomes and to analyze the association of living alone and a change in living arrangements with those outcomes and other variables related with the use of technology and health services. Likewise, this study aims to analyze the association of high and low technophilia with those variables, to explore the access and use of health care and social support services, and, finally, to explore the informative-, cognitive-, entertainment-, and socialization-related uses of information and communications technologies (ICTs) during the COVID-19 outbreak.MethodsThis cohort study was conducted in Málaga (Spain). In total, 151 participants with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, from the SMART4MD (n=75, 49.7%) and TV-AssistDem (n=76, 50.3%) randomized clinical trials, were interviewed by telephone between May 11 and June 26, 2020. All participants had undergone 1-3 assessments (in 6-month intervals) on cognition, quality of life, and mood prior to the COVID-19 breakout.ResultsThe outbreak did not significantly impact the cognition, quality of life, and mood of our study population when making comparisons with baseline assessments prior to the outbreak. Perceived stress was reported as moderate during the outbreak. After correction for multiple comparisons, living alone, a change in living arrangements, and technophilia were not associated with negative mental health outcomes. However, being alone was nominally associated with self-perceived fear and depression, and higher technophilia with better quality of life, less boredom, perceived stress and depression, and also less calmness. Overall, health care and social support service access and utilization were high. The most used ICTs during the COVID-19 outbreak were the television for informative, cognitive, and entertainment-related uses and the smartphone for socialization.ConclusionsOur findings show that the first months of the outbreak did not significantly impact the cognition, quality of life, perceived health status, and depression of our study population when making comparisons with baseline assessments prior to the outbreak. Living alone and low technophilia require further research to establish whether they are risk factors of mental health problems during lockdowns in vulnerable populations. Moreover, although ICTs have proven to be useful for informative-, cognitive-, entertainment-, and socialization-related uses during the pandemic, more evidence is needed to support these interventions.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04385797; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04385797International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.2196/26431

Rationale, design and methods of VA-BRAVE: a randomized comparative effectiveness trial of two formulations of buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder in veterans

BackgroundTo address the US opioid epidemic, there is an urgent clinical need to provide persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) with effective medication treatments for OUD (MOUD). Formulations of sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone (SL-BUP/NLX) are considered the standard of care for OUD including within the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA). However, poor retention on MOUD undermines its effectiveness. Long-acting injectable monthly buprenorphine (INJ-BUP) (e.g., Sublocade®) has the potential to improve retention and therefore reduce opioid use and overdose. Designing and conducting studies for OUD pose unique challenges. The strategies and solutions to some of these considerations in designing Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) 2014, Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder in Veterans (VA-BRAVE), a randomized, 20-site, clinical effectiveness trial comparing INJ-BUP to SL-BUP/NLX conducted within the VHA may provide valuable guidance for others confronted with similar investigation challenges.MethodsThis 52-week, parallel group, open-label, randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluates the comparative effectiveness of two current FDA-approved formulations of buprenorphine: (1) daily SL-BUP/NLX vs. (2) monthly (28-day) INJ-BUP for Veterans with moderate to severe OUD (n = 952). The primary outcomes are (1) retention in MOUD and (2) opioid abstinence. Secondary outcomes include measures of other drug use, psychiatric symptoms, medical outcomes including prevalence rates of HIV, hepatitis B and C as well as social outcomes (housing instability, criminal justice involvement), service utilization and cost-effectiveness. Special considerations in conducting a comparative effectiveness trial with this population and during COVID-19 pandemic were also included.DiscussionThe evaluation of the extended-release formulation of buprenorphine compared to the standard sublingual formulation in real-world VHA settings is of paramount importance in addressing the opioid epidemic. The extent to which this new treatment facilitates retention, decreases opioid use, and prevents severe sequelae of OUD has not been studied in any long-term trial to date. Positive findings in this trial could lead to widespread adoption of MOUD, and, if proven superior INJ-BUP, by clinicians throughout the VHA and beyond. This treatment has the potential to reduce opioid use among Veterans, improve medical, psychological, and social outcomes, and save lives at justifiable cost.Trial registration Registered at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04375033

Response Patterns to Weekly Short Message Service Health Surveys Among Diverse Youth at High Risk for Acquiring HIV.

HIV researchers use short messaging service (SMS)-based surveys to monitor health behaviors more closely than what would be possible with in-person assessment. Benefits are tempered by nonresponse to completing surveys. Understanding response patterns and their associated study participant characteristics would guide more tailored use of SMS-based surveys for HIV studies. We examined response to weekly 7-item SMS surveys administered as part of an HIV prevention trial. Using Mixture hidden Markov models (MHMM), we identified the underlying response patterns shared by subgroups of participants over time and quantified the association between these response patterns and participant characteristics. Three underlying response patterns were identified; responders, responders with phone-related errors, and non-responders. Non-responders versus responders were more likely to be younger, male, cis-gender, Black and Latinx participants with histories of homelessness, incarceration, and social support service utilization. Responders with phone-related errors compared to non-responders were more likely to be Black, Latinx, female, students, and have a history of incarceration and social support service utilization. More nuanced results from MHMM analyses better inform what strategies to use for increasing SMS response rates, including assisting in securing phone ownership/service for responders with phone-related errors and identifying alternative strategies for non-responders. Actively collecting and monitoring non-delivery notification data available from SMS gateway service companies offers another opportunity to identify and connect with participants when they are willing but unable to respond during follow-up.

The Community Action Program Works to Improve Mental Health at the District Level: The Evaluation of the Community Action Program in Districts of Iran.

Objective: Three categories of interventions are considered for reducing the prevalence of mental disorders in Iran: mental health promotion, increasing mental health and social service utilization and controlling mental health risk factors. In this regard, we designed a community action program in a national plan to provide comprehensive social and mental health services (SERAJ) that were implemented as a pilot in three districts of Iran: Bardasir, Oslo, and Quchan. In this study, we have reviewed the results of this pilot project. Method : This study was conducted based on the collaborative evaluation model; first, the program was described and the evaluation indicators of each component of the program were determined. Stakeholders were determined; also, data were collected through literature review, semi-structured interview, and focused group discussion and were analyzed by thematic analysis methods. Results: The community action program consists of four components: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the departments of the districts, People’s Participation House (PPH), Self-reliance Unit (SRU), and actions taken for stigma reduction. A total of 48% of the actions set out in the three MoU of three districts have been executed. The PPH was formed in all three districts. A total of 816 social referrals were admitted to SRU for which a self-reliance process has been initiated. Moreover, 47% of referrals have received services and at least 10 messages for stigma reduction and promoting mental disorders have been sent from different sources at the district level. Conclusion: Strengthening vertical cooperation between the national and provincial levels is essential for the full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and self-reliance processes. Referring individuals for receiving social support with collaboration between the primary and secondary programs reported to be successful, but feedback to the primary and secondary levels which provides basic and specialized services, is not transparent. Therefore, we suggest an electronic system as an option to solve this problem. The careful selection of representatives of the people's network and empowerment of PPH and directors of the district on community action skills are essential. The experiences of the governors and chairs of health networks of the three districts should be presented at a national conference.

General perception of illness and gender differences in health seeking behaviour amongst Kom people of Boyo division in Cameroon during the COVID 19 pandemic

Background: Individual responses to health are influenced by an array of issues, ranging from personal traits, such as beliefs, to elements acquired through education and the socioeconomic environment. Individual responses to health became intensified during the COVID 19 pandemic in Cameroon. Health-seeking behavior is an important indicator of how health services are used and how they can modify the health outcomes of populations. This study aimed to evaluate the perception of illness and health-seeking behavior amongst the indigenous Kom people in Njinikom Sub Division, Cameroon within the COVID 19 pandemic era Cameroon to help facilitate this process of making health care choices within a brewing COVID 19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out by trained interviewers (five nurses), during which a total of 400 people (55.7% female) aged 18-60 years were chosen using multistage random sampling and interviewed after obtaining their informed consent. Data on the respondent's socio-demographic structures and patterns of illness and health-seeking behaviors in their last illness were collected using structured questionnaires. The study statistic used was Chi-square (X2), with a significant level (α) set at 0.05. Four components of community engagement were considered in the study, namely; (1) social support, (2) individual motivation, (3) service utilization, and (4) community acceptance. Results: The study revealed malaria as the most common disease (51%), followed by typhoid fever (21%). Results showed that women are more likely to seek health than males. The differences explained above were significant (X2 = 8.771, P = 0.003). A significant relationship was also observed between gender and health-seeking with an effect size of 0.148 (P = 0.003), as well as between level of education and health-seeking (X2 = 49.422, P < 0.001). There was no significant relationship between religion and health-seeking (X2 = 6.383, P = 0.076), as well as between occupation and health-seeking (X2 = 44.476, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Health-seeking behavior in Njinikom includes a high rate of self-medication and use of traditional medicine, due to the misconception of disease and the costs of health services. Even among respondents who prefer orthodox medicine, the principal reasons for its use were comparisons to traditional medicine, usually with a bad perceptional concept of it. Better health outcomes will be achieved if practical health literacy and promotional programs are developed that take into account the special needs of the community members and their living environment.

Cognitive Outcomes During COVID-19 Confinement Among Older People and Their Caregivers Using Technologies for Dementia: Protocol for an Observational Cohort Study.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to worldwide implementation of unprecedented restrictions to control its rapid spread and mitigate its impact. The Spanish government has enforced social distancing, quarantine, and home confinement measures. Such restrictions on activities of daily life and separation from loved ones may lead to social isolation and loneliness with health-related consequences among community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia and their caregivers. Additionally, inadequate access to health care and social support services may aggravate chronic conditions. Home-based technological interventions have emerged for combating social isolation and loneliness, while simultaneously preventing the risk of virus exposure.ObjectiveThe aim of this cohort study is to explore, analyze, and determine the impact of social isolation on (1) cognition, quality of life, mood, technophilia, and perceived stress among community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia and on the caregiver burden; (2) access to and utilization of health and social care services; and (3) cognitive, social, and entertainment-related uses of information and communication technologies.MethodsThis study will be conducted in Málaga (Andalucía, Spain). In total 200 dyads, consisting of a person with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia and his/her informal caregiver, will be contacted by telephone. Potential respondents will be participants of the following clinical trials: support, monitoring, and reminder technology for mild dementia (n=100) and television-based assistive integrated service to support European adults living with mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment (n=100).ResultsAs of May 2021, a total of 153 participants have been enrolled and assessed during COVID-19 confinement, of whom 67 have been assessed at 6 months of enrollment. Changes in the mean values of the variables will be analyzed relative to baseline findings of previous studies with those during and after confinement, using repeated-measures analysis of variance or the nonparametric Friedman test, as appropriate. The performance of multivariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to introduce potential covariates will also be considered. Values of 95% CI will be used.ConclusionsIf our hypothesis is accepted, these findings will demonstrate the negative impact of social isolation owing to COVID-19 confinement on cognition, quality of life, mood, and perceived stress among community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia, the impact on technophilia, caregiver burden, the access to and utilization of health and social care services, and the cognitive, social, and entertainment-related use of information and communication technologies during and after COVID-19 confinement.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04385797; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04385797International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/26431

Trends and Challenges in Rural Homeless Populations

Background: Homelessness is a significant public health issue in the United States. Living in rural locations has been associated with an increase in poverty. Additionally, it has been found that veterans are at greater risk for homelessness than the general population. The aim of this research was to characterize rural homeless veterans and non-veterans living in Nebraska, United States.&#x0D; Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted comprising 50 veterans and 64 non-veterans recruited from rural locations in Nebraska. Fully structured interviews were conducted by the research staff that consisted of questions regarding participant sociodemographics, housing, clinical characteristics, psychosocial factors, and utilization of health care and social services.&#x0D; Results: In comparison to non-veterans, rural homeless veterans were found to be older, more qualified, and more likely to have ever been married. Veterans spent fewer nights in a shelter and more nights in a halfway house. Regarding clinical features, veterans were more likely to report posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol misuse. Veterans also reported shorter travel times to reach health care services and used them more often compared to non-veterans.&#x0D; Conclusion: These findings suggest that homeless veterans and non-veterans within rural settings have unique needs to be addressed when it comes to providing health care and social services, as well as in attempts to eliminating homelessness. Further research will help in the development of improved methods to support rural veterans and non-veterans.

Linking Underserved Patients to Social Services Using the SScAR Tool.

The need to screen for social determinants of health (SDOH) is well documented in the literature. Addressing SDOH also requires linking patients to available social service resources. This Social Screen Assess and Refer (SScAR) Quality Improvement (QI) project purpose was threefold: (1) develop an agency specific tool to screen for SODH; (2) implement this tool in all new patient evaluations; and (3) provide referral to patients for necessary social services. The SScAR tool adapted questions from published screening tools and created new questions centered on available social services. A pilot study implemented the tool. Documentation of social needs before the pilot, SScAR utilization during the pilot, number of social needs, and referrals made were measured. Documentation of SDOH screening significantly improved with the tool (α .05, χ2(1) = 21.85, p < .001). Follow-through referral to specific social resources only increased by 5%. The SScAR is a feasible tool for identifying SDOH needs and creates a mechanism for linking patients with social services. Future studies must measure social service referrals, utilization of social services, and the resulting impact on specific health outcomes such as blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and cholesterol.

Factors Related to Self-Confidence to Live Alone in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundMany older adults prefer to live alone in their own homes, with age-related issues in physical movement, regardless of their cultural background. Importantly, however, to identify the features of successfully ageing in place (AIP), and foster independent living among these individuals, this study explored their level of self-confidence to live alone and its related factors.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using secondary data from an earlier study with older adults living alone in South Korea recruited by convenience sampling methods (N = 936, mean age = 77.1 years, 76.1% female). Data regarding the general, health-related, and social characteristics as well as self-confidence to live alone were collected via face-to-face interviews in 2019. Self-confidence to live alone was measured with a numeric rating scale of 0 to 10.ResultsThe average self-confidence score to live alone was 6.59. A regression analysis showed that mould exposure at home, depression, emergency department visits, and loneliness hinder self-confidence to live alone. Meanwhile, such self-confidence was facilitated by independency in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), interactions with family members, social service utilisation, and social support.ConclusionsThis study suggests that healthcare providers need to consider the importance of self-confidence to live alone and influencing functional, mental, social, and environmental factors to promote quality of life as well as successful AIP for older adults living alone. Further, self-confidence to live alone could be a new practical index in the field of health and ageing to screen the successful AIP of older adults living alone.

Increasing access and utilization of social services for Cambodian American refugees: An ethnic-specific services approach

Cambodian Americans are a growing subgroup of the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) population in the United States but they have largely remained invisible. This invisibility may have contributed to social services needs being unmet. This study sought to identify strategies for increasing access and utilization of social services for Cambodian American refugees that are culturally-informed. A qualitative approach was taken that enhances the ability to ascertain 29 social service providers’ perspectives who specifically work with the population through ethnic-specific social services programs and agencies. Themes emerged from the data as strategies for increasing social services access and utilization included 1) providing a welcoming environment to increase the possibility of Cambodian Americans using services and return rates; 2) having bilingual and bicultural service providers to help Cambodian Americans feel understood and develop a stronger sense of trust; 3) engaging in community outreach to increase awareness of available services; 4) embracing culture and spirituality to demonstrate respect and understanding; and 5) developing patience by assisting with various needs in order to build trust. Implications of the findings from the study provide specific strategies for mainstream providers and agencies to consider adopting in order to increase social services access and utilization among Cambodian Americans.

The Effect of Online Social Relations Service Utilization on Life Satisfaction of Middle-aged and Older Adults : Focusing on the Mediating Effect of Social Support

The Effect of Online Social Relations Service Utilization on Life Satisfaction of Middle-aged and Older Adults : Focusing on the Mediating Effect of Social Support