Environmental social work and related terms have been used widely to describe an approach to social work practice that is founded on ecological justice principles. However, practice applications of environmental social work are scant and there are various terms and a range of interpretations of the practice that exist. Using a concept analysis framework we identify the attributes and characteristics of environmental social work, develop an operational definition, and use a case study to illustrate the practice of environmental social work. In this way, we seek to improve clarity, consistency, and understanding of environmental social work practice among educators, practitioners, and researchers. In essence, environmental social work assists humanity to create and sustain a biodiverse planetary ecosystem and does this by adapting existing social work methods to promote societal change.
, she has worked in Brisbane's multicultural sector in government policy, cross-cultural training and project management. She has worked closely with Queensland's African refugee community, particularly with single women, and has researched refugee women's resilience and wellbeing. Her interests include anthropology, visual ethnography to promote mental health, transnationalism, gender and development, and refugee women. [Author 2 bio] Dr Boddy is an early career researcher and lecturer in the School of Human Services and Social Work. She has previously worked with children and families as a counsellor and therapeutic case worker, and holds the values of social justice, human dignity and worth, and integrity at the forefront of her teaching and research. She has maintained an active role in social work practice, mentoring practitioners on scholarly endeavours and serving on the Australian Association of Social Work National Social Policy Committee and other community advisory boards. She is currently working on several studies that explore the psychosocial affects of chronic illness, community capacity building, and advance care planning.
This article presents findings from six focus groups with health care practitioners in an Australian hospital during 2010, which sought to elicit their perspectives on the barriers for people to plan their future health care should they become unwell. Such knowledge is invaluable in overcoming the barriers associated with advance care planning and enhancing the uptake of advance directives and the appointment of an enduring power of attorney for people of all ages. A person's rights to self-determination in health care, including decision making about their wishes for future care in the event they lose cognitive capacity, should not be overlooked against the backdrop of increasing pressure on health care systems. Findings suggest that multiple barriers exist, from practitioners' perspectives, which can be divided into three major categories, namely: patient-centred, practitioner-centred and system-centred barriers. Specifically, patient-centred barriers include lack of knowledge, accessibility concerns, the small 'window of opportunity' to discuss advance care planning, emotional reactions and avoidance when considering one's mortality, and demographic influences. At the practitioner level, barriers relate to a lack of knowledge and uncertainty around advance care planning processes. Systemically, legislative barriers (including a lack of a central registry and conflicting state legislation), procedural issues (particularly in relation to assessing cognitive capacity and making decisions ad hoc) and questions about delegation, roles and responsibilities further compound the barriers to advance care planning.
Podcasting is the dissemination of asynchronous, downloadable digital media files. Amateur and professional podcasting have gained considerable popularity since the early 2000s. It is used as an alternate and flexible means of delivering course materials in higher education. Open access podcasting or podcasts available freely on the internet on specific disciplinary topics are gaining prominence but are not well researched. The paper explores the usefulness of a new podcast series for social workers freely available on the internet that aims to: promote the profession of social work and contribute to a social work identity; make connections between theory, research and practice; introduce students to real-life practice issues much earlier than often occurs in undergraduate degrees; and to provide practitioners with opportunities for ongoing professional development. Evaluation provides limited evidence that these aims are being met and concludes that further research is needed.
This systematic review investigates evidence on the association between body image concerns and weight-related behaviours of adolescents and emerging adults. It includes peer-reviewed journal articles reporting research involving body image concerns and weight-related behaviours of adolescents and emerging adults, published between 2005–2017, and located through systematic searches from four databases. This review includes studies from 11 countries or regions: United States (n = 13), Asia (n = 9), Europe (n = 8), Middle East (n = 3), South America (Brazil; n = 3), Canada (n = 3), Australia (n = 1), New Zealand (n = 1), Trinidad (n = 1), Turkey (n = 1) and Seychelles (n = 1); 24 different countries (n = 1); three Asian countries and the United States (n = 1). Out of 46 studies included in this review, 45 studies reported a positive association between body image concerns and weight-related behaviours. Adolescents and emerging adults who misperceived their weight engaged in weight-related behaviours. Higher body dissatisfaction had a significant association in the development of eating disorders and extreme weight-loss behaviours. Body image concerns play a significant role in adolescents and emerging adults engaging in weight-related behaviours. Experimental research designs are required to determine the causality of this association. Evidence strongly suggests policy makers and public health practitioners contemplate strategies to promote positive body image and healthy weight-related behaviours among adolescents and emerging adults.
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