Tracey Marie Barnett

Knowledge is (Not) Power: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for African-American Women

African-American women are more likely to be overweight or obese as compared to other ethnic groups. The purpose of this Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis (QIMS) was to explore the experiences that African-American women encounter when trying to eat healthily and maintain physical activity to inform practice and research. The QIMS included studies from various disciplines to understand the experiences of African-American women with eating healthily and being physically active. Five themes were identified: family; structured support; translating knowledge into behavior modifications; barriers to physical activity; and God is my healer. These themes enhance understanding of what African-American women know, their support system(s), and how cultural barriers impact nutrition and physical activity.

Domestic Violence Shelters’ Efforts to Prevent Teen Dating Violence A National Survey

This research note reports data from a national survey of 213 domestic violence shelters regarding their teen dating violence (TDV) prevention efforts. More than half of the shelters reported that they provide TDV programing to at least 1/2 of the high schools in their communities; about 1/3 of shelters provide TDV programming to parents. Approximately 85% of shelters reported that they use or adapt a TDV curriculum. Shelters use information booths and Internet-based activities most often to increase public awareness, and they work through coalitions to advocate for TDV prevention efforts. This study is a first step toward documenting shelters’ TDV prevention work.

Mental health for youth: Applying an African-centered approach

ABSTRACT Service delivery challenges persist for African American youth who are impacted by mental health conditions. Along with access, of primary concern is the absence of an Afrocentric perspective that can be used to honor the cultural uniqueness, personal strengths, and interconnectedness of those receiving services. The African-centered philosophy, a system based on holistic values and ways of living, is encouraged as a standard framework in mental health service delivery. Nguzo Saba principles, also rooted in the Afrocentric paradigm, can be essential in improving mental health practices by countering the conventional pathological approach and promoting a commitment to augment service delivery for the individual and strengthen access in the community. This article discusses the historical and cultural significance of the African-centered philosophy in mental health practice and utilizes a case study narrative to demonstrate its usefulness in mental health service delivery.

The role of social work in free healthcare clinics and student-run clinics

ABSTRACT Background: The role of social work in free healthcare clinics and student-run clinics remains an understudied topic. Method: We conducted a literature review of the published studies through four online databases: Google Scholar, Social Work Abstracts, Academic Search Complete, and PsycInfo. Results: The literature review revealed 449 possibly relevant studies, but only nine met the criteria for the final review. Based on these findings, social work is not fully utilized in free healthcare clinics and student-run clinics. Conclusion: Our literature review provides evidence for the need for social work in free healthcare clinics and student-run clinics.

Book Review: Social justice and the urban obesity crisis: Implications for social work

Is urban America getting fatter? Can poor people really afford healthy food? Melvin Delgado seeks to examine these controversial issues in his new book, Social Justice and the Urban Obesity Crisis. Within the confines of his text, the author seeks to address a subject rife with conflict and difficulty: obesity in urban America. The featured text embraces empirical data from varying sources to adequately examine multiple cultural, economic, and environmental issues that have contributed to this growing epidemic. The suggestions presented throughout the text adequately reveal new strategies and interventions that social workers, political leaders, physicians, and community liaisons should employ in order to combat this explosive phenomenon.

Book Review: Essential case studies in public health: Putting public health into practice

Can everything one needs to know about public health be contained within the confines of a single textbook? The featured book by authors Hunting and Gleason (2012) addresses various issues related to public health in a practical manner so that practitioners, clinicians, and researchers can examine relevant concerns within the field. These range from investigations of outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) cases, to the wide-reaching HIV pandemics. The book contains a total of 46 case authors whose fields encompass education, law, medicine, public health, science, and social work. Cases for this book illustrate how various disciplines combat public health issues. It is a “must-read” for anyone interested in the controversial world of public health. The text is concisely organized into three subparts: assessment, policy development, and assurance cases, with each subsection providing an overview of the cases found therein. These cases are not abstract phenomena formulated by industrious scholars but are a compilation of 21, real-life cases experienced by various professionals within several disciplines. In the world of public health, many issues are notable “hot topics” such as use of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, as discussed in this book. The text adequately provides an easy read for the average layman, while still offering insights for the learned scholar, and it can also be used for general readership. The case studies present important information for social work and social welfare, as a whole. For instance, the first part of the book deals with basic issues with which even the novice social worker can identify. A case discussed in Part One, which is an assessment case, addresses the topic of male circumcision and HIV. As such, all workers can benefit from this case, as HIV is a problem across ethnicities and socioeconomic lines. For instance, there are many proponents of neonatal circumcision in areas such as Africa, which is experiencing a widespread rise in the number of HIV cases. Many argue that those residing in Africa have an increased probability of embracing circumcision for babies, due to the lower costs associated with the procedure when compared to that of adolescent or adult circumcision. Although it would take many years to realize the benefits of this transformation, the gains received in future years could save numerous lives. Supporters advocate that this intervention strategy be embraced to improve overall public health. Another case featured in Part One addresses the issue of HIV screening in large urban cities across America. The noted featured study involves the increasing prevalence of HIV/AIDS cases in Washington, D.C. Many have argued that HIV screenings should be conducted in all major emergency rooms in close proximity of the city, as low-income individuals are most likely to utilize emergency departments as their primary source of medical service. This same cohort has the highest risk of contracting the infection. Proponents of this study argue for the importance of testing this group while in the emergency room, as they do not usually have access to this type of screening due to insufficient medical insurance. Supporters for the proposed testing argue