Margaret S. Sherraden

Maternal Support and Cultural Influences Among Mexican Immigrant Mothers

The proportion of low-birth-weight infants born to women of Mexican descent is consistently low despite adverse social and economic conditions. This is particularly true among immigrant Mexican women, who have better birth outcomes than do women of Mexican descent bom in the United States. This qualitative study explores pregnancy and childbearing among a sample of 41 Mexican immigrants in Chicago, including women with low-birth-weight babies and women with normal-birth-weight babies. In-depth interviews focused on social, economic, and cultural contexts of childbearing. Family support, especially support of a womans mother, may help explain why women of Mexican descent have relatively few low-birth-weight infants compared with other groups. Implications for future research and policy development are suggested.

Qualitative Research with an Understudied Population: In-Depth Interviews with Women of Mexican Descent

Community-based qualitative research offers advantages for study of populations that are understudied and not well understood, but qualitative methodology presents major challenges. This article examines some of these challenges, illustrated by a study of pregnancy and childbearing among women of Mexican descent. Issues addressed in this article include culture and gender relevance, access to the population, representativeness, skilled interviewers, trust with research informants, effective in-depth interviews, and data analysis. Practical applications and implications for theory building are discussed.

Prenatal care experiences and birth weight among Mexican immigrant women

National studies indicate that Mexican immigrant women tend to have more positive birth outcomes than other groups, despite receiving relatively low levels of medical prenatal care. Our study-based on in-depth interviews with immigrant women who had recently given birth in Chicago-examines womens experiences seeking prenatal care. Qualitative findings contribute to understanding why many of these women received less than optimal care during pregancy. The study also offers modest evidence that, despite overall positive birth outcomes and low levels of prenatal care, adequate prenatal care may make a difference in birth outcomes in this group. Suggestions are made concerning ways to improve access to adequate care, paying particular attention to the impact of migration and communication in prenatal care.

International Service and the Perceived Impacts on Volunteers

Although international volunteer service is growing in prevalence worldwide, there is little rigorous research about its impacts. This quasi-experimental study assesses the perceived impacts of international service on international volunteers. We focus on four internationally oriented outcome categories: international awareness, intercultural relations, international social capital, and international career intentions. International service provides exposure and immersion to develop these perspectives, relationships, and intentions. Using generalized linear mixed regression modeling, international volunteers (n = 145) are statistically more likely to report increases between the baseline (1 month before service) and postservice time periods (1 week to 1 month after service) in all outcomes except intercultural relations, as compared to a matched comparison group (n = 145). Age, race, occupational experience, and previous international experience are also associated with various outcomes. Implications include continued cultural growth, potential mutual impacts of international social capital, and future research on the volunteers and host communities.

Measuring International Service Outcomes: Implications for International Social Work Field Placements.

International field placements are a unique educational opportunity for social work students to develop the skills they need for social work practice in a globalized world; however, outcomes of international placements have not been rigorously studied. This article reports on the International Volunteer Impacts Survey (IVIS), a 48-item survey administered to 983 respondents that measures perceived outcomes of international service. Using factor analysis procedures, the authors assess factor structure and reliability of major outcomes of international service including international contacts, open-mindedness, international understanding, intercultural relations, life plans, civic activism, community engagement, media attentiveness, and financial contributions. Further development of the IVIS and the implications for using it to assess student outcomes in international social work field placements are discussed.

Innovation in primary care: Community health services in Mexico and the United States

Providing adequate health care to a nations citizens is a challenge in every country. Despite large differences in wealth, health care organization, and health politics, both Mexico and the United States undertook similar efforts to expand primary care to previously underserved populations during the past 30 years. This study analyzes common antecedents, contexts of change, elements of the innovations, problems with entrenched interests, and resources that have allowed both programs to survive in difficult environments. We show that new forms of primary health care can face similar problems and prospects in very different countries because of similar political, bureaucratic, and economic limitations.

CIVIC CAPACITY AND SCHOOL/COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN A FRAGMENTED SUBURBAN SETTING: THE CASE OF 24:1

ABSTRACT: This paper uses the “civic capacity” framework to analyze an emerging school–community reform initiative, called 24:1, focused on an inner-ring suburban school district. Contrary to the existing literature on civic capacity, we argue that institutions strongly influence civic capacity building. A fragmented public sector and weak institutions of civil society, especially when combined with racial divisions and poverty, restrict the ability of local actors to collaborate among themselves and partner with outside institutions. Despite these daunting challenges, 24:1, led by a local nonprofit with a long history in the area and a school district with dynamic new leadership, has mobilized a diverse coalition of stakeholders and built consensus around a comprehensive plan for revitalization. But stronger indigenous institutions, as well as greater support from the business community, will be needed to sustain the initiative.

Political change and the welfare state: The case of health and food policies in Mexico (1970–1993)

Abstract This paper addresses recent changes in Mexicos welfare policy and governmental strategies designed to retain popular support in the context of economic deterioration. In the first part, we discuss major interpretations of welfare policy development. In the second part, we review food and health policy changes since 1980. Contrary to popular conception, social policies were not eliminated. The period pattern was an initial cutback, followed by stagnation, and later growth. Implications of these changes are examined in light of current policy developments.

Financial Social Work

Beginning in the Progressive Era, social workers collaborated with home economists to improve financial wellbeing in US cities swelling with poor rural migrants and immigrants. Today, in the wake of the Recession, there is a resurgence of interest in financial social work (FSW) in an era where finances increasingly shape human wellbeing. With a focus on low-income and financially vulnerable communities, social workers provide financial guidance and education, and access to sound financial supports, services, and wealth building opportunities. Social science theory and key social work principles—including person-in-environment and the strengths perspective—guide FSW practice. Social workers use direct practice, organizational development, community organizing, policy advocacy, and research to help households achieve income sufficiency, financial capability, and asset building. Looking to the future, schools of social work are launching FSW curricula aimed at tackling growing economic challenges affecting financially vulnerable households and communities.

From Foster Care to Adulthood: The Role of Income

This study explores the role of income for young people with experience in foster care transitioning to adulthood. It draws on in-depth structured interviews with eight staff members and 38 current and former foster youths age 18 years and older, who were participants in an innovative program to build their assets and financial capability. Interviews took place in four sites in three states. This study illuminates how those with experience in foster care seek to obtain and manage money to transition successfully to adult financial roles. Findings suggest that early and practical experiences with money are important for gaining financial capability. The study also highlights the need for child welfare professionals to develop expertise in financial literacy and understand the pitfalls that lie in both traditional and nontraditional financial services. By deepening understanding among staff of the economic realities facing the young people today, child welfare agencies will be more likely to prepare former foster youths for life on their own.