scholarly journals Participatory Research With Older Workers in a Pandemic: Innovations and Lessons Learned

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 256-256
Author(s):  
Cal Halvorsen ◽  
Kelsey Werner ◽  
Elizabeth McColloch
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Case Managers ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Workforce Training ◽  
Future Research ◽  
History Of ◽  
Federal Workforce

Abstract In the spring of 2020, and as the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic became increasingly dire, in-person studies halted throughout the world. This included our planned study to examine the role of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)—the sole federal workforce training program for low-income older adults—in influencing participant financial, physical, and mental well-being. While our original plans were to hold a series of in-person workshops with SCSEP participants and case managers using a form of participatory research called community-based system dynamics (CBSD), we paused the launch of our study to determine the safest path forward. This presentation will describe how we responded as well as innovations and implications for future research with harder to reach populations. First, we met with the Massachusetts state SCSEP director to assess the feasibility of moving our sessions online with this particular population. After determining that virtual and telephone sessions would both be needed to increase accessibility, we identified virtual whiteboard software rigorous enough to utilize CBSD-specific activities, user-friendly enough for populations less familiar with virtual environments, and with security features that would be approved by our university, as well as discussed what types of activities to conduct on the telephone for such a visual research method. Our CBSD study was one of the first to utilize virtual and telephone formats in the history of this method, and our results indicate that it is possible—and sometimes beneficial—to move in-person participatory methods to these environments to increase inclusion and efficiency.

Youth as Interviewers: Methods and Findings of Participatory Peer Interviews in a Youth Garden Project

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 496-519
Author(s):  
Joy Lile ◽  
Leslie Richards
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Community Based Participatory Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Youth Engagement ◽  
Interview Process ◽  
Individual Outcomes ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Successes And Challenges

The process of conducting peer interviews has not been widely reported on as a participatory method. Youth gardens are known to support individual and community health and well-being. Producing for the Future utilized the principles of community-based participatory research within a gardening and microenterprise program for low-income youth. In addition to several mixed-methods data collection techniques, a process was implemented in which youth participants designed, conducted, and debriefed peer interviews in order to address their own questions about program impacts. Participants in the peer interview process observed four emergent themes, which were not identified elsewhere in the data, focusing on individual outcomes and the successes and challenges of implementation within unique community settings. A methodological discussion of the process of peer interviewing within a participatory research project is presented. Researchers found that the benefits of the peer interview process included high levels of youth engagement in research, shared learning and new ideas generated by youth, and building youth capacity for critical social awareness. Researchers present lessons learned from the peer interviewing process, as well as implications for using peer interviewing in future participatory research and evaluation projects.

Reflections on a Scholarly Career in Sport and Exercise Psychology: The Influence of Significant Others on the Psychosocial Well-Being of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Thelma S. Horn
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Significant Others ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The North ◽  
Senior Scholar ◽  
Sport And Exercise ◽  
American Society

This paper is based on a Senior Scholar presentation delivered at the 2020 annual meeting of the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity. The paper begins with a summary of the research work completed by the author and coinvestigators in regard to the influences that significant others (parents, peers, and coaches) exert on the psychosocial well-being of individuals in sport and physical activity. In each of these three areas, illustrative research studies are summarized in a predominantly chronological order with a commentary at the end of each section that identifies unanswered questions and suggests future research directions. In the second section, four particular lessons learned by the author over the course of a scholarly career are identified and explained.

Selected Observations and Lessons Learned for 21st-Century Supports for Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprises

2020 ◽  
pp. 358-368
Author(s):  
Katharine Briar-Lawson ◽  
Paul Miesing ◽  
Blanca M. Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social And Economic Development

Key propositions and recommendations for support of social enterprises and entrepreneurship are presented in this chapter on “Selected Observations and Lessons Learned for 21st-Century Supports for Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprises.” These are derived from snapshots of developments in the nations and regions discussed in prior chapters. In addition, warning signs about these innovations are offered. Some recommend more social protection and social supports for social entrepreneurs. Others suggest more, not less, government intervention in support of sustainable social and economic development. Key domains for further exploration include the premises on which social enterprises and social entrepreneurship are built. In addition, more contextual understanding is needed, as well as a balancing of social and economic development for human well-being. Moreover, selected findings for social enterprises and their role in social inclusion and economic development are offered. Lessons learned are highlighted along with recommendations for future research.

scholarly journals Housing Workers’ Evaluations of Residential Environmental Quality in South Korean Welfare Housing for Low-Income, Single-Parent Families

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 5599
Author(s):  
Minjung Cho
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Single Parent ◽  
Housing Quality ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Design Criteria ◽  
Spatial Design ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
Family Privacy

This study evaluates the spatial conditions of the residential environment in welfare housing built for low-income, single-parent (LISP) families in South Korea to reveal the significant residential environmental (RE) design criteria concerning housing quality and family well-being. The primary data were analyzed by surveying 30 housing directors from 29 welfare residences, in conjunction with facility visits and interviews. The survey data were supplemented by interviewing 11 stakeholders, including government institute officials, project architects, and former residents who exited the program. A statistical analysis examined the RE quality in relation to building and resident features. Most respondents reported insufficient physical quality, specifically due to inappropriate units in size and number; poor indoor noise control; and substandard unit rooms, children’s rooms, and outdoor spaces. Furthermore, adequate rooms, family privacy, and a pleasant indoor environment (i.e., noise barrier, thermal comfort) were the most critical spatial design criteria. Particularly, the aforementioned housing environmental attributes were found to be different depending on a building’s construction year and type, householder type and age, and children’s age. Practical and methodological implications and future research directions are discussed to elevate the housing quality and sustainable well-being in welfare housing.

scholarly journals Sense of coherence: A distinct perspective on financial well-being

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 647-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoni Barnard
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Coherence ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Income Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Reference Frequency ◽  
Relationship Dynamics ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Sample Distribution ◽  
The Relationship

With the ongoing financial challenges being faced in the economic environment, research exploring financial and psychological well-being is of significant value because employees’ socio-economic behaviour affects productivity. Research emphasises mainly the effect of income level on psychological well-being, and its orientation to psychological well-being is narrowly derived from a focus on subjective well-being constructs. This study addresses the research gap by exploring the relationship dynamics between sense of coherence, income level and financial well-being. Secondary data were obtained from a cross-sectional online employee-wellness survey (n=7 185). The sample distribution included 66 per cent females and 34 per cent males from various age groups, with 46 per cent of the sample comprising single-household earners and 54 per cent sharing household income. Analysis of variance was conducted to examine the relationship dynamics between sense of coherence, level of income and financial well-being. Demographic variables that formed part of the survey results were included in the analysis. The relationships between sense of coherence and identified significant income level, financial well-being and demographic effects were further explored in Bonferroni multiple comparisons of means test and cross reference frequency tables that included Pearson’s chi-square and/or Cochran–Armitage trend tests. Detail results indicate that high-income employees exhibit a significantly stronger sense of coherence than low-income employees, and that, despite level of income, financial wellbeing is nevertheless positively related to sense of coherence. Results indicate important implications for managing a financially healthy workforce. Limitations are discussed and recommendations for future research are highlighted.

Negotiating Participatory Research Processes With Domestic Violence Program Staff to Obtain Ecologically Valid Data

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (23-24) ◽  
pp. 4817-4837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nkiru Nnawulezi ◽  
Cris M. Sullivan ◽  
Suzanne Marcus ◽  
Latoya Young ◽  
Margaret Hacskaylo
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Ecological Validity ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Community Partner ◽  
Community Partners ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Staff Members

The choice of research design affects not only internal and external validity but ecological validity as well. Ecological validity refers to the extent to which data are based in and relevant to real-world settings. One way for researchers to maximize the likelihood of achieving ecological validity is to design studies with community partners that use participatory approaches. Engaging deeply with community partners in determining what to study, how to measure constructs of interest, interpreting results, and using findings to create change is one means of conducting research that is likely to produce findings that are meaningful to communities. Conducting in-depth, participatory research within agencies providing crisis supports to individuals who have experienced trauma creates an additional level of complexity in the research process. This article presents a case example of how academic researchers and staff members of a nonprofit organization working with survivors of intimate partner violence collaborated on an evaluation of the community partner agency. As part of this process, the team members had to be continually aware of and responsive to the nature of crisis-focused work. We provide a reflexive account of the lessons learned and recommendations for future research.

scholarly journals Retirement Confidence: Development of an Index

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 004695802110357
Author(s):  
Eraj Ghafoori ◽  
Fernanda Mata ◽  
Kim Borg ◽  
Liam Smith ◽  
Debora Ralston
Keyword(s):  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Relative Weight ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Linear Aggregation ◽  
Confidence Index ◽  
Financial Awareness

Older workers who are confident about the changes accompanying retirement report higher well-being. We have developed an index to measure retirement confidence – the Retirement Confidence Index (RCI). A six-stage approach was used to develop the index items, including (i) a literature review to catalogue retirement confidence components; (ii) a consultation with a panel of experts to review the proposed indicators and combine components according to their meaning; (iii) normalisation of the selected components to make them comparable; (iv) weighting of the top-level dimensions using experts’ judgement; (v) linear aggregation of the dimension scores according to their corresponding relative weight; and (vi) correlation of the composite score with a self-report measure of retirement confidence. Based on the review of the literature, a list of nine sub-components (financial literacy, financial attitude and behaviour, financial control, financial anxiety, physical health, mental health, social connectedness, goal setting for retirement and future uncertainties) was compiled. Subsequently, these components were grouped into four broad dimensions. Correlations between these dimensions (social, financial awareness and skills, health and well-being, and retirement awareness and planning dimensions) and the corresponding self-reported measures were as high as r = 0.555, r = 0.603, r = 0.591 and r = 0.569, reflecting 30.8%, 36.3%, 34.9% and 32.3% shared variance with the corresponding self-reported indices, respectively. The Retirement Confidence Index provides the foundation for future research to measure retirement confidence, with the aim of identifying deficient RCI dimensions and directing efforts to targeted policies to ensure older workers are confident about retirement.

scholarly journals 3rd TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY;

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (06) ◽  
pp. 1113-1116
Author(s):  
Nasira Naseem ◽  
Ijaz-Ul-Haque Taseer ◽  
Sohail Safdar
Keyword(s):  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Multiple Pregnancy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
History Of

Objective: To see the frequency of anemia in pregnant ladies and its possible outcomes. Study design: Descriptive cross sectional study. Setting: Fatima Jinnah Women Hospital, Multan. Duration of study: Six months. Material and method: This prospective cross sectional study was conducted at Gynae and Obst. OPD at Fatima Jinnah Women Hospital, Multan. Non probability convenient sampling technique was used. All the pregnant women between 20-35 years irrespective of gestational age or any concurrent illness having parity upto 5 were registered for the study after getting written consent for participation. The pregnant ladies were evaluated by asking history of blood loss, parity, multiple pregnancy, worm infestation, use of NSAIDS and blood transfusion. They were especially asked about dietary habits which were rated as good, average and poor. Their socio economic status was assessed and was placed into high, middle and low income groups. Blood samples were drawn for blood counts and hemoglobin estimation in all the women presenting at hospital. Reflotron photometer, Roche Diagnostic was used for the blood testing. A cut off value of< 11 g/dl irrespective of duration of pregnancy was used for anemia. Peripheral blood film was examined for RBC morphology. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was used to categorize into micorcytic (< 76fl), macrocytic (>98fl) and normocytic (78-98fl). Fetal well being was evaluated by serial abdominal ultrasounds. Results: Three hundred pregnant women attending Gyne and Obst. OPD, Fatima Jinnah Women Hospital, Multan, were registered according to the study protocol. The duration of the study was 6 months. Maternal age was between 25-35 years. 86 % women were multiparous, 79% women presented during 3rd trimester, 15% during the 2nd trimester and 6% during 1st trimester. Thirty eight percent women had hemoglobin 8-9.9 g/dl, 48% had from 7-7.9 g/dl and 10%were falling between 5-7 g/dl. Eighty eight percent had microcytic hypochromic anemia, 12% with dimorphic picture and 4% were having low MCV and MCH but normal MCHC and these were referred for hemoglobin electrophoresis. Fifty eight percent had monthly income 2-4 thousands rupees and only 10% were earning 4-10 thousands per month. Seventy eight percent had poor diet and 22% had an average and no women were fit into the criteria for good diet. History of breast feeding was positive in 92% of the women. History of use of iron supplement was also asked, 28% had used various preparations of iron and folate for a variable period from 1-4 months, 72% never used hematinic supplements. History of previous blood transfusion during pregnancy and labour was present in 16% of the women. Three percent had fetal growth retardation. Conclusions: Prevalence of anemia during 3rd trimester of pregnancy in is high our society. It can have significant effects on maternal and fetal out come. It is a preventable cause which can be treated easily. Poverty and lack of education are the most important causes of anemia during pregnancy.

scholarly journals Evaluating The Economic Impact Of Marriage Versus Cohabitation In Same-Sex Couples Age 50+

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 876-876
Author(s):  
Setarreh Massihzadegan ◽  
Jan Mutchler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Same Sex Couples

Abstract Utilizing the first set of 5-year American Community Survey data available since the United States’ legalization of same-sex marriage in mid-2015, this poster investigates the economic security of older adults (age 50+) in same-sex marriages compared to those in same-sex partnerships who are cohabiting but not married. Viewed through the lens of cumulative disadvantage theory, we consider differences in the economic circumstances of same-sex couples by gender and by geographic location. Findings point to gender differences in economic well-being, but relatively few differences based on marital status. For example, rates of low income are somewhat higher among female couples than among their male counterparts, but marital status differences are not substantial. These findings suggest that the benefits of being married that have long been recognized among older adults may not extend equally to same-sex couples. Findings are discussed with respect to the emerging salience of marriage within the LGBTQ older community, future research opportunities, and important policy implications.

scholarly journals Injustice Squared? An Intersectional Lens to Research on Productive Engagement in Later Life

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 24-24
Author(s):  
Christina Matz ◽  
Cal Halvorsen ◽  
Jacquelyn James
Keyword(s):  
Asian American ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Race And Ethnicity ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Unpaid Work ◽  
Longitudinal Association ◽  
Paid And Unpaid Work

Abstract Social inequalities over the life course shape later life opportunities and outcomes in important ways. However, research on paid and unpaid work in later life has not always captured (and has sometimes mischaracterized) the variety and complexity of lived experiences in later life—in particular for low-income workers, workers of color, women, and others marginalized due to their social position. Further, statistics often obscure the most important information: how the most marginalized older workers are faring. Intersectionality, a term coined by legal scholar, Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw, describes the overlapping and intersecting social identities that often influence how we move around in society. Some identities garner privilege and power and others oppression and marginalization; we must look at their intersection to better understand complexity and inform solutions. This symposium will apply an intersectional lens to research on paid and unpaid work in later life. The first paper is a scoping review that assesses the extent to which race and ethnicity are investigated in studies of the longitudinal association between workplace demands and cognitive health. The second paper explores how older Black and Hispanic adults’ work engagement is impacted by COVID-19. The third paper considers gender differences in volunteer engagement among Asian-American older adults. The final paper examines the Senior Community Service Employment Program’s role in participant financial, physical, and mental well-being. A discussant will reflect on these studies and the need for continued research that considers intersectionality in opportunities and experiences for paid and unpaid work in later life.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document