The Reach and Limits of Asian Panethnic Identity: The Dynamics of Gender,Race, and Class in a Community-Based Organization

Qualitative Sociology - What are the processes that foster or inhibit the development of panethnic alliances? Through ethnographic study of an Asian pan-ethnic community agency I examine the ways...     

Health and mental health services for children in foster care: the central role of foster parents

It is well documented that children enter foster care with special health and mental health needs and, while in care, those conditions are often exacerbated. However, less attention has been given to foster parents who have the most contact with these children. Results are presented from a national study on the developmental, health and mental health care needs of children in foster care that included foster parents' perspectives and observations. Their role in improving child well being is explained and recommendations for policy, practice and advocacy also are included.     

Vital Conversations with Family in the Nursing Home: Preparation for End-Stage Dementia Care

Family members of persons with advanced dementia may be asked to make complex treatment decisions without having adequate knowledge regarding the risks and benefits. This 6-month, prospective, randomized trial tested the effect of an intervention consisting of a face-to-face, structured conversation about end-of-life care options with family members of nursing home residents with advanced dementia. A comparison group received only social contact via telephone. Structured conversations between a palliative care team and intervention group family members included goals of care and how best to achieve those goals, and provision of psychosocial support. Psychosocial support was also provided via telephone at three 2-month intervals. Family members participated in three telephone interviews: baseline, 3, and 6 months. Specific advance directives for persons with dementia were extracted from medical records. Results showed that intervention families had higher satisfaction with care than comparison families at the 6-month time point, and they were more likely to have decided on medical options listed in residents' advance directives (Do Not Resuscitate, Intubate, Hospitalize) over time. Study findings reinforce the need for increased education and support for families around issues of end-of-life care decisions for advanced dementia.     

Adolescent emancipation from foster care

This demonstration project tested the degree to which a short-term, competence-oriented service delivery model prepared 31 older adolescents to move into responsible independent living upon termination of foster home placement. The adolescents achieved significant growth as measured by independent living, employment, and social network skills but not in level of psychosocial functioning.     

Perceived strengths and weaknesses in employment policies and services among people with multiple sclerosis: results of a national survey

More than 1,300 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) responded to an employment concerns survey. The results from this survey served as the topics of discussion for seven focus groups including people with MS and service providers in four states. Recommendations to improve the employment outcomes of people with MS that emerged from these discussions clustered in three areas: employment policies and practices, Social Security benefits, and healthcare. Strategies for preserving strengths in employment supports for people with MS clustered in two areas, access to respectful service providers and personal control.     

The Hispanic population: 1990–2000 growth and change

Data sources indicate that there were significant changes in the Hispanic populationbetween 1990 and 2000. Using short-form data from the 1990 and 2000 censuses,we explore changes in the size and distribution of the Latino population. The mostimportant shifts in the Hispanic population are the continued increase of the Latinopopulation in the United States, the significant growth of Hispanic population whoidentify as `other' Latino, and the growing importance of the Midwest and South aspopular receiving areas for Latinos. Additionally, our comparison of householdcomposition over the ten-year period shows little change. We offer potentialexplanations, both substantive and methodological, for these important transitionsin the Latino population over the decade.     

Selection,context, or both? The English fluency of Mexican immigrants in the American Midwest and Southwest

Population Research and Policy Review -     

Itinerant Children in the Schools: A Neglected Social Issue

A hitherto neglected area of social and educational research has been the problems faced by itinerant children in their social development, personal adjustment and educational progress. These problems are likely to grow with the increasing mobility of the Australian population. This article briefly explores the issue and reviews research undertaken with geographically mobile families and children of defence force personnel. It recommends further research to delineate the extent of the problems, identify cause-effect relationships and help children and their families to cope with the effects of mobility.     

Moving from ‘what we know works’ to ‘what we do in practice’: An evidence overview of implementation and diffusion of innovation in transition to adulthood for care experienced young people

Global research has shown that most young people who are care experienced are not prepared to transition to independent living at 18 years of age and require support into early adulthood. We used rigorous systematic methods to identify English-based peer reviewed and grey literature describing innovations relevant to care experienced young people as they transition into adulthood, with a focus upon lessons for their implementation and diffusion. We synthesised the evidence narratively and organise data linked to seven key areas important to the transition to adulthood: (1) Health and well-being; (2) relationships; (3) education and training; (4) employment; (5) participation in society; (6) accommodation; (7) other. Twenty-five papers met our inclusion criteria. This review has found that, whilst there are a broad spectrum of innovations taking place within the social care environment for care experienced young people to support their transition into adulthood, there exists limited insight into how best to support implementation and diffusion of evidence-based innovation. We drew upon the ‘Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research’, developed in the setting of clinical service delivery, to highlight challenges in implementing and diffusing evidence-based innovation for care experienced young people transitioning into adulthood.