Motivations to Help: Local Volunteer Humanitarians in US Refugee Resettlement

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 437-459
Author(s):  
Kristin Elizabeth Yarris ◽  
Brenda Garcia-Millan ◽  
Karla Schmidt-Murillo

Abstract Drawing on qualitative interviews conducted in 2017 with 29 volunteers in the US state of Oregon, in this article, we critically examine volunteers’ motivations to aid migrants and refugees in an overtly hostile political period. Our central aim is understanding what sustains local volunteer actions to offer welcome to refugees when state policies and practices are exclusionary and unwelcoming. Considering these community-based efforts as a form of volunteer humanitarianism, we discuss three central motivations for these efforts: first, personal and family histories connect volunteers in intimate ways to migrant and refugee struggles; second, volunteers are therefore affectively motivated to help, drawing on powerful emotions to sustain their efforts; and third, these local volunteer efforts strive to reimagine US citizenship and national belonging in more inclusionary ways.

2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110295
Author(s):  
Jung-Hwa Ha ◽  
Changsook Lee ◽  
Jennifer Yoo

This study examined cultural differences in advance care planning (ACP) and various strategies that social workers use to initiate conversations on ACP. We conducted qualitative interviews with 12 social workers in South Korea and the US and a thematic content analysis of the transcribed data. Our findings show that different cultural norms and generational viewpoints surrounding death and health-related decision-making influence how people prepare for end-of-life care (EOLC). Whereas principles of self-determination and autonomy guide ACP practices in the US, decisions regarding EOLC are more often made in consultation with family members in Korean and Korean-American communities. Nevertheless, social workers in both countries identified relationship-building, empowerment, and individualized approaches as common strategies in initiating discussions on ACP.


Author(s):  
Kellie Rhodes ◽  
Aisland Rhodes ◽  
Wayne Bear ◽  
Larry Brendtro

Approximately 1.7 million delinquency cases are disposed in juvenile courts annually (Puzzanchera, Adams, & Sickmund, 2011). Of these youth, tens of thousands experience confinement in the US (Sawyer, 2019), while hundreds of thousands experience probation or are sentenced to community based programs (Harp, Muhlhausen, & Hockenberry, 2019). These youth are placed in the care of programs overseen by directors and clinicians. A survey of facility directors and clinicians from member agencies of the National Partnership for Juvenile Services (NPJS) Behavioral Health Clinical Services (BHCS) committee identified three primary concerns practitioners face in caring for these youth; 1) low resources to recruit and retain quality staff, 2) training that is often not a match for, and does not equip staff to effectively manage the complex needs of acute youth, and 3) the perspective of direct care as an unskilled entry-level position with limited impact on youth’s rehabilitation. This article seeks to address these issues and seeks to highlight potential best practices to re-solve for those obstacles within juvenile services.


Author(s):  
Elizabeth L. Andrade ◽  
Nicole D. Barrett ◽  
Mark C. Edberg ◽  
Matthew W. Seeger ◽  
Carlos Santos-Burgoa

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to examine factors that may have contributed to community disaster resilience following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Methods: In April 2018, qualitative interviews (n = 22) were conducted with stakeholders in 7 Puerto Rican municipalities (9% of total). Transcripts were deductively and inductively coded and analyzed to identify salient topics and themes, then examined according to strategic themes from the Federal Emergency Management Association’s (FEMA) Whole Community Approach. Results: Municipal preparedness efforts were coordinated, community-based, leveraged community assets, and prioritized vulnerable populations. Strategies included (1) multi-sectoral coordination and strategic personnel allocation; (2) neighborhood leader designation as support contacts; (3) leveraging of community leader expertise and social networks to protect vulnerable residents; (4) Censuses of at-risk groups, health professionals, and first responders; and (5) outreach for risk communication and locally tailored protective measures. In the context of collapsed telecommunications, communities implemented post-disaster strategies to facilitate communication with the Puerto Rican Government, between local first responders, and to keep residents informed, including the use of: (1) police radios; (2) vehicles with loudspeakers; (3) direct interpersonal communication; and (4) solar-powered Internet radio stations. Conclusions: Adaptive capacities and actions of Puerto Rican communities exemplify the importance of local solutions in disasters. Expanded research is recommended to better understand contributors to disaster resilience.


Author(s):  
Heba Salem

This chapter describes the my experience as the instructor for a course rooted in community based learning theory that was forced to move online in spring, 2020, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The course, titled ‘CASA Without Borders’, allows Arabic language students in the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) program at The American University in Cairo (AUC) to leave the university environment and serve the community, while also benefiting from the experience both linguistically and culturally. This course was disrupted by the students’ mandatory return to the US from Cairo as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, and continued remotely in an online format. This chapter describes the CASA program and explains both the purpose of the CASA Without Borders course and its significance to CASA students and to the program. It also describes and reflects upon my experience of continuing the course remotely during the ongoing pandemic.


2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Kathleen McMullin ◽  
Sylvia Abonyi ◽  
Maria Mayan ◽  
Pamela Orr ◽  
Carmen Lopez-Hille ◽  
...  

On the Canadian Prairies, First Nations and Métis peoples are disproportionately affected by tuberculosis (TB) compared to other Canadians. Statistics show enduring transmission and high rates of active TB disease. Despite awareness of the social determinants of TB transmission—such as substance abuse, comorbidities, and basic needs being unmet—transmission and outbreaks continue to occur among Aboriginal people. The Determinants of Tuberculosis Transmission project is a mixed methods, interdisciplinary study that used quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews to look more closely at patients’ experiences of TB. Provincial Network Committees (PNCs) comprised of Elders, traditionalists, community-based TB workers, and health researchers in three participating provinces guided the project from inception through to data analysis, interpretation, and dissemination. The collaborative efforts of the patients, the research team, and the PNCs uncovered a continuing influence of colonization in TB transmission. Overwhelming feelings of apathy and despair for the hold that TB continues to have in the lives of patients, families, and communities is captured by the Cree word “keyam,” which may be translated as “to give up” or to ask, “What is the use?” This paper explores the concept of keyam in relation to TB transmission.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 3168-3168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J Noga ◽  
Robert M. Rifkin ◽  
Sudhir Manda ◽  
Ruemu Ejedafeta Birhiray ◽  
Roger M. Lyons ◽  
...  

Background US MM-6 is a US community-based study that investigates the transition from a parenteral (btz) to an oral (ixazomib) proteasome inhibitor (PI) in NDMM to increase PI-based treatment duration and adherence, maintain QoL, and improve outcomes. Here, we report on the novel, RW aspects of the study including the use of digital devices/wearables to evaluate QoL, medication adherence, and actigraphy (average steps and sleep time/ day) in a community oncology setting, for the first 55 enrolled pts. Methods NDMM pts who are transplant-ineligible or transplant-delayed >24 mos and have ≥stable disease after 3 cycles of btz-based induction are being enrolled at 23 community sites. Pts receive IRd (ixazomib 4 mg, d 1, 8, 15; lenalidomide 25 mg, d 1-21; dexamethasone 40 mg [20 mg for pts aged >75 yrs], d 1, 8, 15, 22; each 28-d cycle) for up to 26 x 28-d cycles or until progression/toxicity. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival. Novel secondary and exploratory endpoints are included to capture pts' experience in the RW community setting. Electronic pt-reported outcomes (ePROs) are used to assess medication adherence and QoL, as measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Core QoL Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), EORTC QoL Questionnaire-Multiple Myeloma Module (QLQ-MY20) for peripheral neuropathy (PN), and the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM-9). Pts use wearable digital devices/smartphones to complete a monthly medication adherence survey and record actigraphy. Results At the data cutoff of April 1 2019, 55 pts had been enrolled at 16 sites in the US; 40 were still undergoing treatment. Females comprised 53% of pts, 13% were of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and 13% were black/African American. Pt/disease characteristics revealed a comorbid, difficult-to-treat RW population: median age was 72 yrs (35% 65-75 yrs; 42% ≥75 yrs); 40% had International Staging System stage III disease, and 42% had lytic bone disease. Most common comorbidities at study start were hypertension (51%), anemia (44%), fatigue (42%), renal and urinary disorders (36%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (31%), and cardiac disorders (27%). Prior to IRd treatment, the 3-cycle btz-based induction required adjusting in 11 (20%) pts: 38 (69%) pts started induction with btz-lenalidomide-dexamethasone (VRd) (1 had only 1 cycle documented, 1 de-escalated to Vd), 7 (13%) started on btz-cyclophosphomide-dexamethasone (VCd) (2 had only 1 cycle documented), 4 (7%) started on Vd (3 escalated to VRd), and 2 (4%) started on VCRd but de-escalated to VCd/VRd after 1 cycle; 3 (5%) pts received VR only (Figure). Average compliance with completing issued ePRO questionnaires during IRd treatment was 96%, and ≥87% in all cycles (61 pts; data cutoff July 8, 2019), revealing the feasibility of ePRO collection in community pts, most of whom were elderly. During IRd treatment, there was a trend toward improved treatment satisfaction and QoL, with no increase in PN symptoms (Figure). Mean change (95% CI) from baseline on EORTC QLQ-C30 score was 5.12 (-13.79-24.02) by cycle 5 (n=13), 15.47 (-16.45-47.39) by cycle 8 (n=7), and -4.18 (-21.29-12.94) by cycle 12 (n=5). Mean change (95% CI) from baseline on TSQM-9, subscale 'effectiveness', was 7.54 (-1.84-16.91) by cycle 5 (n=14), and 11.13 (-12.82-35.08) by cycle 12 (n=3), with similar patterns for subscales 'convenience' and 'global satisfaction' (Figure). Mean change from baseline on EORTC QLQ-MY20, PN component, was between 0.0-2.0 throughout all cycles. Patients recorded their monthly medication adherence for the previous 4 weeks; 81% of evaluable pts (n=32) in cycle 1, 81% in cycle 2 (n=27), 77% in cycle 3 (n=22), 96% in cycle 4 (n=24), and 94% in cycle 5 (n=18) (n<11 [20% of pts] beyond cycle 5) reported 'excellent'/'very good' adherence. Analysis of actigraphy data for 24 pts (2086 compliant days [≥12h of data]) (Figure) revealed normal levels of activity (Tudor-Locke 2011) and sleep durations (Coleman 2011). Updated actigraphy data will be presented. Conclusions Preliminary ePRO and actigraphy data from this RW community study suggest that long-term treatment with all-oral IRd has no impact on health-related QoL or on pts' lifestyle. High ePRO compliance indicates that RW studies using wearable electronic data collection devices are feasible in this mostly elderly, comorbid population, and may have a positive impact on medication adherence. Disclosures Noga: Takeda: Employment. Rifkin:Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Birhiray:Alexion: Consultancy; Bayer: Honoraria; Helsin: Honoraria; Sanofi Oncology: Speakers Bureau; Puma: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Speakers Bureau; Tessaro: Speakers Bureau; Exelexis: Speakers Bureau; Kite Pharma: Honoraria; Clovis Oncology: Speakers Bureau; Lilly: Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria; Takeda: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Genomic Health: Speakers Bureau; Jansen Bioncology: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Seattle Genetics: Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Coheris: Honoraria. Lyons:Texas Oncology: Equity Ownership; Amgen: Consultancy; McKesson: Other: Leadership. Whidden:Takeda: Employment. Schlossman:Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Employment. Wang:Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Employment. Boccia:Celgene: Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Speakers Bureau; AMAG: Consultancy; DSI: Speakers Bureau.


Author(s):  
H. Miao ◽  
K. Chen ◽  
X. Yan ◽  
F. Chen

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between sugar in beverage and dementia, Alzheimer Disease (AD) dementia and stroke. Methods: This prospective cohort study were based on the US community-based Framingham Heart Study (FHS). Sugar in beverage was assessed between 1991 and 1995 (5th exam). Surveillance for incident events including dementia and stroke commenced at examination 9 through 2014 and continued for 15-20 years. Results: At baseline, a total of 1865 (63%) subjects consumed no sugar in beverage, whereas 525 (18%) subjects consumed it in 1-7 servings/week and 593 (29%) in over 7 servings/week. Over an average follow-up of 19 years in 1384 participants, there were 275 dementia events of which 73 were AD dementia. And 103 of 1831 participants occurred stroke during the follow-up nearly 16 years. After multivariate adjustments, individuals with the highest intakes of sugar in beverage had a higher risk of all dementia, AD dementia and stroke relative to individuals with no intakes, with HRs of 2.80(95%CI 2.24-3.50) for all dementia, 2.55(95%CI 1.55-4.18) for AD dementia, and 2.11(95%CI 1.48-3.00) for stroke. And the same results were shown in the subgroup for individuals with median intakes of sugar in beverage. Conclusion: Higher consumption of sugar in beverage was associated with an increased risk of all dementia, AD dementia and stroke.


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