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The authors aimed to assess the impact of a family caregiver support intervention on caregiver burden and hospital readmission before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. By adopting a quasi-experimental design with no randomization, caregivers (n = 65) received a 90-day home visitation caregiver support intervention before the COVID-19 pandemic and caregivers (n = 41) received a 90-day phone-only visitation caregiver support intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Caregiver burden was collected in a survey, and hospital readmission of the care recipient was collected by hospital data. The results of a repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated that participants of a family caregiver support intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic improved their caregiver burden statistically significantly more than those who received the intervention before the pandemic. There were no significant differences in hospital readmissions before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study demonstrates the efficacy of family caregiver support interventions over the phone during a pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Autistic disorder (AD), Asperger's syndrome (AS), and pervasive developmental disorder--not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) have been removed from the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--Fifth Edition" ("DSM-5"). It now contains the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. This study assessed how people with AD and AS felt about the "DSM-5" ASD criteria. Method: Phenomenological analysis of discussion forum dialogue among participants ("N" =76) with AD and AS was conducted. Results: Discussions demonstrated agreement that the PDD-NOS diagnosis should be removed from the "DSM-5". People with AD and AS were concerned about the inclusion of medical or neurobiological research, functioning, reciprocity, and gender bias in the ASD diagnosis. Discussion: Social workers should acknowledge the feelings of people with AD and AS when they use the "DSM-5".

When students feel connected to the instructor, they are more likely to remain motivated, engaged, and persist toward completing an online course. Rarely have studies compared connectedness in three modalities: online only, blended, and face-to-face. This study compared perceptions of connectedness among students (N = 27) from an Hispanic Serving Institution with their instructor and peers in a research methods course. The sample of students took the same course in three different sections- each taught in a different modality by the same white instructor. Connectedness and students' grades were lower for students who took the course fully online. However, student ratings of teachings were highest for those who took the online-only section. Latinx students reported less connectedness in the online-only section than others. The results inform decisions about teaching modalities during the pandemic and in the future; synchronous learning is critical to obtain equitable connectedness among Latinx students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As our population ages, the prevalence of brain injuries increases due to strokes and falls. Brain injuries are a leading cause of rehospitalization for patients, and most brain injury survivors experience depression soon after hospital discharge. This study assessed the difference between: 1) survivors of brain injury’s baseline and 30-day depression, functional ability, and quality of life and caregivers’ depression and caregiver burden among those that received the Care Transitions intervention, and 2) 30-day hospital readmissions between survivors of brain injury that received Care Transitions and a control group. The study used a quasi-experimental pre-posttest design. Participants included people with brain injuries who received the Care Transitions intervention (n = 22) and their caregivers (n = 20) compared to a services-as-usual control group of brain injury survivors (n = 27). Care Transitions is a 90-day family-focused, home visitation, coaching hospital-to-home transition intervention. Outcomes were self-reported baseline and 30-day depression, functional independence, quality of life, and caregiver burden. Hospital record data was used to report readmissions. Study results showed that there were statistically significant differences between depression, functional ability, and caregiver burden between pre- and post-survey scores among Care Transitions participants. Care transitions’ participants experienced lower brain injury-related hospital readmissions than the services as usual control group. Social work hospital discharge planning needs to continue beyond the hospital and include home visitation to ensure patient and caregiver needs are met post-hospital discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With implementation of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, which lowers payments to hospitals with high 30-day readmission rates, hospitals have a financial incentive to improve hospital-to-home care transitions. Brain injury is a leading cause of 30-day hospital readmissions. Traditional discharge planning has not met the needs of brain injury survivors and caregivers especially Latinas/os whom experience worse rates of depression and caregiver burden. Trabajadora de Salud, a bilingual, bicultural, 90-day home visitation, family-focused, care transitions intervention, has demonstrated efficacy in improving outcomes among Latinas/os with brain injuries and their caregivers. This study described three case examples from the intervention to illustrate common needs among Latinas/os with brain injuries and methods of intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the odds of experiencing a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of interpersonal violence (IPV) among Native Americans compared to other races controlling for gender, age, socioeconomic status, rurality and intoxication at the time of the injury. Methods: A secondary data analysis of the Arizona Trauma Database consisting of 18 944 cases of TBI between 2008-2010 throughout the state of Arizona was conducted. There were 312 patients who experienced injuries caused by IPV in the sample. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, bivariate analyses and a logistic regression model were used for analyses. Results: The logistic regression model found that Native Americans (OR = 1.15), patients from the other race category (OR = 1.18), females (OR = 1.35) and those who were insured (OR = 1.26) had higher odds of experiencing a TBI as a result of IPV. Rurality and intoxication were mediators of the correlation between Native American race and TBI as a result of IPV. Conclusions: Native Americans are more likely than Whites and females are more likely than males to experience TBIs as a result of IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents with disabilities are more likely than adolescents without disabilities to become pregnant, although very little is known about the lived contexts of their sexual and pregnancy experiences. Such youths are often deprived of sexual health information across a range of potential sources, although school social workers are in a unique position to provide them services. Thirteen school social workers working primarily with adolescents with disabilities were interviewed using a phenomenological study design to offer their perspectives concerning the sexual and pregnancy experiences of such youths. Inductive content analysis revealed that school social workers provided services for pregnant and parenting adolescents with a range of disabilities in areas that included making decisions about sex, deciphering whether they were pregnant, and making decisions once they were pregnant. These experiences were complicated by cognitive impairments; emotional struggles; desires to fit in with peers; histories of sexual abuse; and issues with communication, self-esteem, and impulsivity. School social workers play an integral role in preventing pregnancy and supporting adolescents with disabilities who are pregnant. Recommendations pertaining to the provision of sexual health services for adolescents with disabilities are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Individuals who are chronically homeless have significantly higher rates of morbidity at significantly younger ages because they experience homelessness, physical and mental health impairments, and substance use disorders. The health status and health service utilization of 260 unsheltered, chronically homeless individuals in a large southwestern, metropolitan community are reported. The behavioral model for vulnerable populations was used to conceptualize the factors associated with hospital, mental health, and substance abuse service utilization among the sample. Health insurance coverage was positively associated with the use of all health services. Other factors were also observed to exert differential relationships to health service utilization.