Needs and Supports in Transitional Housing for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Ontario,Canada

ABSTRACT

There is a paucity of research on transitional housing for people living with HIV/AIDS (PHA) and even less so within the Canadian context. The present work addresses that gap and reports on the results from the Transitional Housing Study, a province wide community-based research collaboration involving PHA, service providers, and university researchers in Ontario Canada. This article answers the following research questions: What supports do residents in transitional housing for PHA access and what needs do these supports address? Developing from a thematic analysis of in-depth qualitative interviews with 25 residents in one of three transitional housing agencies in Ontario for PHA, the findings reveal that participants benefited from four key supports while in transitional housing: the provision of a safe environment, co-coordination and management of HIV (and other) drug therapies, assistance with appointments, and referrals to health and social services. Until more resources are available to increase availability of transitional housing for PHA, the nonprofit housing sector must fill the gap that exists by offering the types of supports identified in this study in order to address the needs of PHA. Future research may link these supports efficiently with concrete health improvements and permanent housing stability among PHA.     

When Knowledge Is Not Enough: Elements to Strengthen Intercultural Sensitivity Among Professionals of Social Services in Andalusia (Spain)

ABSTRACT.

This study examines social services delivery in Andalusia, Spain, to determine the degree of cultural adaptation of its workers, given the important migratory flows taking place in the region during recent years. This study investigates the main characteristics of those workers with a high level of intercultural sensitivity (IS) and their cultural competences. The survey included 298 professionals with a validated IS scale along with questions related to the degree of intercultural contact and competence. A series of scales for the IS levels was created, and correlation analyses were carried out depending on the variables used. Results revealed high levels of self-attributed cultural competence and training as well as low levels of awareness and motivation for intercultural encounters. Theoretical knowledge appeared to be the only aspect in correlation with all dimensions of IS. Important deficits have been also observed when examining the type and intensity of contact among professionals and people of foreign origin. This highlights the need to transform knowledge in culturally adapted responses. Future research is necessary to deepen knowledge on how these aspects affect professional interventions.     

Differences in Problems Faced by Families with a Child Coping with a Serious Emotional Disorder or an Adult Member Coping with Mental Illness

Abstract

Examination of similarities and differences in the issues families face can help determine whether models for families with a child coping with serious emotional disorder (SED/behavioral disorder (BD)) warrant inclusion in, or adaptation of, interventions for families with an adult member coping with a mental disorder. Families attending psycho-education workshops identified problems faced in managing their family member's illness. Composite lists of problems generated by 175 participants were categorized and sorted, using previously established methods for determining reliability and validity. Fourteen categories were identified for children and fifteen for adults, with ten overlapping. Family members attending the child-focused workshops more often listed mood symptoms and problem behaviors. Family members attending the adult-focused workshops more often listed family issues, denial and noncompliance, and positive symptoms of psychosis. Problems identified by families with a child coping with SED/BD may be sufficiently distinct from those of families with an adult coping with mental illness to warrant separate and distinct interventions.     

The Influence of Service Factors on Spousal Caregivers' Perceptions of Community Services

The literature clearly denotes that spouses differ from other family members in their reactions to caregiving, their patterns of service use and their assessment of specific services. Yet, despite their prevalence as caregivers, little is known about their unique perceptions of community services and the factors that impact their experiences with the service system. The purpose of this study was to explore the relative influence of (a) spouses' personal factors (e.g., gender, family support) and (b) service factors (e.g., one-on-one professional support), on spousal caregivers' perceptions of community services. The study employed a survey design with a sample of 73 spousal caregivers caring for their partners with dementia at home.

This study found that spousal caregivers have more negative perceptions of the service system when their in-home workers are not informed about their spouses' likes, dislikes and routines. This service factor was the most significant predictor of caregivers' service perceptions. The study further found that most spousal caregivers receive fewer than five consultations from a non-medical professional over a one year period. While spouses longed for more professional support, this service factor was not uniquely associated with service related stress. The policy and practice implications of these findings are discussed.     

“线上销售/回收+线下服务”的闭环供应链定价与服务决策

对于“线上销售/回收+线下服务”的闭环供应链模式,研究了制造商在正向和逆向渠道中都与服务商进行收益共享情况下的最优销售/回收定价决策和最优服务水平决策,并比较了制造商领导的Stackelberg博弈、服务商领导的Stackelberg博弈、制造商与服务商Nash均衡博弈三种情形下的最优决策和最优利润。结果表明：最优的新产品销售价格和正向渠道服务水平均与正向渠道收益分成比例呈正相关;最优的废旧产品回收价格与逆向渠道收益分成比例呈负相关,而最优的逆向渠道服务水平与之呈正相关。制造商和服务商的最优利润不仅受正逆向渠道收益分成比例的影响,而且与新产品生产成本的大小有关：当新产品生产成本较小时,处于领导地位的一方获得的最优利润最大,而当新产品生产成本增大到一定程度后,对方处于领导地位时自身获得的最优利润反而最大,而双方均势时各自获得的最优利润均不占优。     

“I knew there has to be a better way”: Women’s pathways to freebirth in Poland

BackgroundEach year a small number of women decide to birth at home without midwifery and medical assistance despite the availability of maternity services in the country. This phenomenon is called freebirth and can be used as a lens to look into shortcomings of maternity care services.AimBy exploring women’s pathways to freebirth, this article aims to examine the larger context of maternity services in Poland and identify elements of care contributing to women’s decision to birth without midwifery and medical assistance.MethodsA qualitative methodology was used employing elements of ethnographic fieldwork, including digital ethnography. Semi-structured interviews with twelve women who freebirth, analysis of online support groups, secondary sources of information and elements of participant observation were used.FindingsWomen’s decisions to freebirth were born out of their previous negative experiences with maternity care. Persistent use of medical technology and lack of respect from maternity care providers played a major role in pushing women away from available Polish maternity services. While searching for a better environment for themselves and their babies for the subsequent births, women experienced a rigidity of both mainstream and homebirth services and patchy availability of the latter that contributed to their decisions to freebirth.ConclusionsFreebirth appears to be a consequence of inadequate maternity services both mainstream and homebirth rather than a preference. Women’s freebirth experiences can be used to improve maternity care in Poland and inform similar contexts globally.     

移动增值服务消费者感知风险前因的实证研究

对移动网络环境下消费者对增值服务的感知风险的前因进行了实证研究,采用问卷法对移动增值服务的主要用户群进行了抽样调查,使用结构方程模型检验了消费者感知信息不对称,感知移动商务技术不确定性、移动增值服务的无形性等三个前因变量分别对消费者感知风险各维度的作用。结果表明消费者感知信息不对称对消费者感知隐私风险、财务风险、功能风险、心理风险和时间风险均有显著的正相关作用;消费者感知技术不确定性仅对感知功能风险、感知财务风险和感知时间风险有显著的正相关作用;而增值服务的无形性则对除感知财务风险之外的其他风险维度均有显著的正相关作用。研究表明增值服务的信息不透明是消费者感知风险的主要来源,另外消费者对移动技术缺乏了解和技术本身的不确定性也会增加消费者感知风险。研究结论为相关企业采取措施降低消费者感知风险,促进移动增值服务的接受提供理论依据。     

加拿大养老保障制度运行实践与经验借鉴

现阶段,加拿大已建立起广覆盖、高水平、多元参与、高效率与可持续性强的社会保障体系,但这一体系仍存在缴费率偏高、运营社会成本较高和公共部门与私人部门差距过大等问题,也面临着人口老龄化和国际经济发展前景的不确定性对养老保障制度可持续性带来的挑战。借鉴加拿大社会保障制度的经验,我国应尽快建立以全国统筹的基础养老保障为基本保障制度的多元化养老保障机制,改革养老基金的投资运营机制,提高养老基金投资收益率,大力发展社区养老服务,增加养老服务供给,增强养老保障制度的可持续性。