Social work in public health
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Soc Work Public Health · Jan 2013
ReviewSubstance use disorders and anxiety: a treatment challenge for social workers.
Converging evidence from epidemiologic and treatment studies indicate that anxiety disorders and substance use disorders commonly co-occur, and the interaction is multifaceted and variable. Epidemiological studies and investigations within clinical substance abuse populations have found an association between anxiety disorders and substance use disorders. Specific anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder have all been associated with substance use. ⋯ The risk of nicotine dependence is significantly higher among individuals with an anxiety disorder, and conversely, smoking has been found to be associated with trait anxiety and anxiety disorders. A review of the current literature and the relationship between specific anxiety disorders and alcohol and substance use disorders is discussed in detail. This article, written for social workers in a variety of practice settings, reviews the prevalence, diagnostic, and treatment issues at the interface of substance use disorders and anxiety disorders.
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Soc Work Public Health · Jan 2012
Veterans use of non-VHA services: implications for policy and planning.
Most Veterans elect not to use the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), even if eligible, or access the VHA system but rely on non-VHA providers as well. Given considerable cross-system use, failure to account for non-VHA care can bias conclusions about prevalence and incidence in utilization, diagnoses, and other characteristics. ⋯ To better coordinate services, the VHA needs to construct the necessary health information bridges while widening the purview of case management programs. These changes are especially important in light of increased demand for care among younger Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanstain and older Veterans who served in previous wars.
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The issue of sexually transmitted diseases is a socially sensitive one in Asian communities, with governments being criticized for not doing enough to reduce AIDS transmission, and the advertising of such issues potentially causing offense to people. This article surveys 630 people in China to determine their level of offense toward the advertising of condoms and STD prevention and analyzes the qualitative responses to how they would reduce the offensiveness of such advertising. The results found that generally women are more offended by the advertising of these products than men, and in terms of creative execution, women prefer implicit, prevention or effects messages, whereas men suggested a scientific message, or a focus on the creative strategy or media/location of the advertisement. It is recommended that traditional Chinese Confucian values are important for public policy makers to keep in mind when wanting to advertise socially sensitive issues in China and wider Asia.
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Soc Work Public Health · Nov 2009
Where they want to die: correlates of elderly persons' preferences for death site.
The purpose of this study is to characterize older people who prefer dying at home versus those who prefer dying elsewhere. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study that was conducted of 1138 elderly persons in Israel. ⋯ Those who preferred to die at home did not differ significantly in most sociodemographic characteristics from those who preferred to die elsewhere except for marital status, economic status, living arrangements, and place of residence. The preference for the death site showed that those who lived with somebody, had trust in the family, and had frequent social contacts preferred to die at home.