Prisoner Reentry: A Public Health or Public Safety Issue for Social Work Practice?

Summary The effects of pornography have received increased scrutiny in the digital age. Several U.S. states have recently passed resolutions declaring pornography a public health crisis, and clients are increasingly seeking help for related concerns. Given the pornography debate encompasses micro and macro arenas, social workers have reason to be engaged. But there is a dearth of literature examining social workers' views on these issues. Given values play an integral role in informing attitudes about sexuality, we sought to better understand the role of religiosity in shaping social work students’ views on pornography via a web-based survey ( n = 136). Findings Results from a path analysis suggest highly religious students are more likely to believe pornography is a serious public health issue, and this relationship is mediated through their perception of pornography’s addictiveness. Applications That highly religious social work students are more likely to pathologize pornography has implications for policy advocacy and clinical social work practice. If highly religious social workers are more likely to rate pornography as addictive, they may be more likely to pathologize their clients' use of it. This is significant in that addiction is a heavy label that may harm clients. Our findings further speak to the importance of educating social work students and practitioners about reflexivity, not only in the context of individual practice but also in the macro practice arena. We argue that staying cognizant of their biases and utilizing a biopsychosocial perspective, social workers can bring a valuable perspective to the pornography debate.

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Mapping Dual-Degree Programs in Social Work and Public Health: Results From a National Survey

Advances in Social Work ◽

10.18060/18372 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 406-421 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Dory Ziperstein ◽

Betty J. Ruth ◽

Ashley Clement ◽

Jamie Wyatt Marshall ◽

Madeline Wachman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Work ◽

Work Practice ◽

Social Work Practice ◽

Degree Programs ◽

Educational Preparation ◽

Program Administrators ◽

Geographically Dispersed ◽

Talented Students ◽

Dual Degree

Dramatic changes in the health system due to national health reform are raising important questions regarding the educational preparation of social workers for the new health arena. While dual-degree programs in public health and social work can be an important response to what is needed educationally, little is known about them. The National MSW/MPH Programs Study surveyed MSW/MPH program administrators to better understand the prevalence, models, structure, and challenges of these dual-degree programs. Forty-two programs were identified, and 97.6% of those contacted participated (n=41). Findings indicate that MSW/MPH programs are popular, increasing, geographically dispersed, and drawing talented students interested in trans-disciplinary public health social work practice. Challenges for these programs include the need for greater institutional support, particularly funding, and a general lack of best practices for MSW/MPH education. While findings from this study suggest graduates appear especially well-prepared for leadership and practice in the new health environment, additional research is needed to assess their particular contributions and career trajectories.

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