scholarly journals A Community Participation Initiative During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study From India

2021 ◽  
pp. 025371762199101
Author(s):  
Aarti Jagannathan ◽  
Sreekanth Nair Thekkumkara ◽  
Jagadisha Thirthalli ◽  
Sekar Kasi

Background: A community participation initiative of stitching personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, and face shields for healthcare professionals working in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted using a case study design. Methods: The hospital tailoring unit was used to cater to the in-house demand for stitching safety gear kits for healthcare professionals. A transect walk was conducted to survey hospitals for selecting material for stitching the safety gears and to draw up a plan to meet future demand. The psychiatric social worker induced a community participatory initiative using the method of social work of community organization. A flyer was prepared to invite participants with prior experience in tailoring for this initiative. All participants were trained by the master trainers of the tailoring unit. The participants were also interviewed about their views on this initiative in an informal interview. Results: A total of 83 participants, including 26 individuals (8 volunteers and 18 who received an honorarium), 2 boutiques ( n = 12), and 1 government organization, participated in the activity ( n = 45). A total of 1700 complete PPE kits and 13,000 masks were stitched during this period. The participants reported that the benefit of being a part of this initiative was reduced boredom, sense of purpose and satisfaction, and improved mental health due to structured activity. Conclusions: A community participation initiative using the principles of community organization, a method of social work, can help produce desired outputs and improve the well-being of the participants.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 883-887
Author(s):  
Hemapriya L ◽  
Maureen Prativa Tigga ◽  
Anil Kumar M.R ◽  
Prathap T ◽  
Neha Wali ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND A novel coronavirus (now termed as SARS-CoV-2) was detected as the causative agent of severe pneumonia in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. Declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global pandemic in March 2020, it has created profound changes in global economy and healthcare systems. This study evaluates the knowledge and practice with regard to various personal safety measures used by the healthcare professionals. METHODS We conducted a questionnaire study after obtaining approval, from the Institutional ethical committee. An online survey was conducted using a preformatted questionnaire consisting of multiple-choice questions which assessed the knowledge and practices adopted by various healthcare professionals. The survey was done between 1st and 30th of June 2020 and a total of 536 responses was analysed. RESULTS 58.4 % of the participants were females, 66 % of the healthcare workers worked at a private hospital / private medical college with 82.1 % being located in urban areas. Of the 536 respondents, 90.1 % practiced bathing immediately after returning home and 86.8 % sanitized their accessories. 86.9 % of the professionals used frequent sanitization with use of mask and gloves whereas only 12.3 % used full personal protective equipment. 58 % of females had used hydroxychloroquine as prophylaxis whereas only 41 % of males used it (statistically significant, P = 0.005). Healthcare workers in younger age group (23 - 40 years) were more likely to maintain distance with family members, and government doctors were significantly more likely to do so (P < 0.001) as compared to private practitioners. CONCLUSIONS With the medical professionals being at high risk for contracting the infection, the need to provide the healthcare professionals with adequate personal protective equipment is of utmost importance. There is also a need to maintain the well-being of the healthcare professionals as they are the weakest link in the chain. KEY WORDS Medical Practitioners, Personal Protective Equipment, Safety Measures


2020 ◽  
pp. postgradmedj-2020-139150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramanathan Swaminathan ◽  
Bimantha Perera Mukundadura ◽  
Shashi Prasad

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the use of enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) in healthcare workers in patient-facing roles. We describe the impact on the physical and mental well-being of healthcare professionals who use enhanced PPE consistently.MethodsWe conducted a single-centre, cross-sectional study among healthcare professionals who use enhanced PPE. A web-based questionnaire was disseminated to evaluate the effects on individuals’ physical and mental well-being. Physical and mental impact was assessed through a visual analogue scale.ResultsProspective analysis of the views of 72 respondents is reported. 63.9% were women and 36.1% were men. Physical impact included exhaustion, headache, skin changes, breathlessness and a negative impact on vision. Communication difficulties, somnolence, negative impact on overall performance and difficulties in using surgical instrumentation were reported.ConclusionOur study demonstrates the undeniable negative impact on the front-line healthcare workers using enhanced PPE and lays the ground for larger multicentric assessments given for it to potentially be the norm for the foreseeable future.


2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 571-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherina J Schenck ◽  
Phillip F Blaauw ◽  
Jacoba MM Viljoen ◽  
Elizabeth C Swart

Food security (or the lack of it) has a direct impact on people’s well-being and is of great concern to many disciplines. The study on which the article is based used Drèze and Sen’s ‘nutritional capability’ concept as a theoretical framework to explain the food (in)security of landfill waste pickers. A cross-sectional research approach was followed, coupled with a triangulation mixed method research design. Viewing the waste pickers against the nutritional capability framework highlighted the important role that social work should play in focusing on people’s capabilities within their particular context.


2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas D. Bordelon

This case study demonstrates the process by which a class composed of senior social work students learns macro practice values and skills by partnering with a community organization. The products of this collaboration emerge from the real-life problem scenario in which students, community partners, and the social work educator collaborate to develop the skills necessary to resolve problems. Through community partnership, social work educators are in the position to expand the opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills, and provide opportunities to practice community organization within the classroom setting.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Çağla Gür ◽  
Şerife Özbiler ◽  
Başak Eser ◽  
Hüseyin Göksu ◽  
Şahin Karasalih

This study was carried out within the scope of the Art of Happiness, Positive Thinking, and Subjective Well-Being Project. Within the scope of the project, 8-session pre-training was provided to teachers to inform them on the scope of positive thinking and in order to support their subjective well-being. Within the scope of positive thinking applications at schools, which formed the second stage of the project, teachers developed and applied their own projects at their schools. In the study, teachers' views on the scope of the projects they applied at schools and the project application process were analyzed. As the study design, the case study design was applied. The study group consisted of 28 voluntary teachers who received positive thinking training in the first stage of the project and were entitled to get a certificate of achievement. Within the scope of the study, teachers planned their projects and reported on the process. In addition, they kept researcher diaries regarding their applications and noted down their observations. In the research process, 28 teachers at 15 different schools developed and applied 17 different projects. The teachers' views were analyzed in the context of interviews, reports, and diaries. In the study, teachers' observations and evaluations regarding positive thinking education realized in the COVID-19 process were discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 117-127
Author(s):  
Ananda Vieira de Lima Almeida ◽  
Vitor Erick Cardoso Freitas

The discussion about the use, or not, of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by gas station attendants has been growing, in the contemporary context, due to the expansive increase in the consequences generated by the absence of this essential equipment at gas stations. The present study highlighted the importance of raising awareness among the attendants regarding their working conditions, mainly due to the high exposure to toxic compounds. At this core, resistance to use PPE by these workers comesfrom sociocultural issues that notoriously influence the conditionsimposed by this service. In this logic, the case study, determined by the book of Research Methodology by Marconi and Lakatos (2003), thistheme is based on data collection at gasstationsin the city of Salvador- BA, in 2021, to highlight the situations faced by these professionals and, consequently, the impacts on their quality of life and health. The resistance to the use of this equipment harms the present and future well-being of the attendants.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 765-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Obadia Kyetuza Bishoge ◽  
Lingling Zhang ◽  
Witness Gerald Mushi ◽  
Nametso Matomela

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the context of community opinions and participation in the natural gas sector in developing countries, a case study of Tanzania. To achieve this purpose, the study pointed out six facts, namely, information on the natural gas sector; awareness of the natural gas-related policies; laws and regulations and the creation of employment opportunities; local experts in the natural gas sector; the use of natural gas revenues; and natural gas for poverty reduction and improvement of social well-being. Design/methodology/approach The study is a systematic review of the literature on community participation based on the relevant studies published between 2010 and 2018. A comprehensive literature review was carried out following the seven-step model whereby relevant themes from different potential bibliographic databases such as Google Scholar were systematically selected, compiled and analyzed using descriptive methods. Findings The study revealed that despite the various efforts made by the governments and other stakeholders to promote community participation, there is an inadequate level of community participation in the natural gas sector in developing countries. There are limited local experts for natural gas operations and low transparency on natural gas contracts, agreements and revenues. Therefore, there is the need to raise awareness for a highly informed society with a clear sense of ownership of the natural gas wealth among the local communities. Moreover, transparency and accountability are recommended for the sustainable natural gas sector development. Originality/value This paper offers new and current cross-sectoral inclusion, opinions, hopes and concerns of the community on the natural gas sector management in developing countries.


2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-88
Author(s):  
Paul Force-Emery Mackie ◽  
George Leibowitz

Social work students are expected to develop competency in and be able to use macro practice concepts in communities. One common area of macro practice involves organizing communities to improve socioeconomic environments. This article compares 2 prevailing models of community organization— Alinsky's conflict and Eichler's consensus models— from a postmodernist perspective. The goal is to guide educators and students in determining the appropriate use of each model based on the conditions influencing the need to organize. A case study is included to provide an opportunity to engage in a critical thinking exercise aimed at further honing practitioners’ skills.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hemapriya.L Kukreja ◽  
Maureen Prativa Tigga ◽  
Neha Wali ◽  
Prathap.T ◽  
Anil Kumar M R ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: A novel coronavirus (now termed as SARS-CoV 2) was detected as causative agent of severe pneumonia in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. Declared by the WHO as a global pandemic in March 2020, it has created profound changes in global economy and healthcare systems. COVID-19 is transmitted through close contact and droplets with healthcare professionals at significant risk of acquiring the infection, thus requiring to protect themselves. Various measures help in protecting the professionals from contracting the infection. These include hand hygiene, N95 masks, goggles, gloves, gowns, face shields, coveralls and frequent sanitization. Healthcare professionals need to be educated in these various modalities with proper protocols and policies enacted by the health institutions. This study evaluates the knowledge, attitude and practice of various personal safety measures used by the healthcare professionals.Materials and Methods: After institution ethical committee approval, we conducted an online survey with a preformatted questionnaire consisting of multiple choice questions which assessed the knowledge, attitude and practices adopted by the various healthcare professionals. The survey was done between 1st - 30th of June 2020 and a total of 536 responses were analyzed. Results: 58.4% of the participants were females, 66% of the healthcare workers worked at a private hospital/ private medical college with 82.1% being located in urban areas. Of the 536 respondents, 90.1% practiced bathing immediately after returning home and 86.8% sanitized their accessories. 86.9% of the professionals used frequent sanitization with use of mask and gloves whereas only 12.3% used full personal protective equipment. 58% of females had used Hydroxychloroquine as prophylaxis whereas only 41% of males used it ( statistically significant, p = 0.005 ). Healthcare workers in younger age group ( 23-40 years ) were more likely to maintain distance with family members and government doctors were significantly more likely to do so ( p< 0.001 ) as compared to private practitioners. Conclusion: With the medical professionals being at high risk for contracting the infection, the need to provide the healthcare professionals with adequate personal protective equipment is of utmost importance. There is also a need to maintain the well-being of the healthcare professionals as they are the weakest link in the chain.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Elizabeth B. Delia ◽  
Jeffrey D. James ◽  
Daniel L. Wann

Adding to research on team identification and well-being, inquiry into meaning in life and team identification could illuminate how sport fandom impacts consumers’ lives. In the current study, an instrumental case study design was used to explore how team identification impacts meaning in life, focusing on significance. Participant diaries and interviews with identified fans of a professional women’s basketball team revealed that connecting with family and friends, supporting women’s sport, and enhancing mental health via support of the team were sources of significance in participants’ lives. The findings illustrate that meaning in life is not necessarily experienced just from being a highly identified fan. Instead, specific elements of one’s connection to the team provide meaning. The findings also highlight the importance of close relationships over imaginary intimate relationships, impacting social justice among fans of women’s sport, and how mental health via fandom may provide older adults significance.


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