Luke Muentner, Alycia Chmielewski, Rebecca Freese, Carrie Henning-Smith, Rebecca Shlafer
{"title":"Adverse Childhood Experiences, Mental Health, and Access to Treatment: Differences Among Rural and Urban Youth.","authors":"Luke Muentner, Alycia Chmielewski, Rebecca Freese, Carrie Henning-Smith, Rebecca Shlafer","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2573795","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2573795","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poor adolescent mental health. Despite evidence that ACEs may be more prevalent in rural communities, it remains underexplored how region moderates the association between ACEs and mental health, as well as how access to treatment may vary across regions. Data for this study come from the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey, a state-wide survey of 125,375 adolescents. Results suggest that cumulative ACEs and certain mental health conditions (i.e. suicidality) were more common among town and rural youth compared to city and suburban youth. Even after adjusting for ACEs, town and rural youth who endorsed a mental health problem were less likely to receive treatment compared to urban peers. The findings have implications for social work and public health responses that reduce ACEs, particularly in rural communities, and expand treatment options for adolescent mental health in more remote settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145276235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reframing Cannabis in Social Work and Public Health: From Prohibition to Equity.","authors":"Paulette S Smith Ms Lcsw-C","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2573380","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2573380","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This commentary reframes cannabis prohibition as both a public health crisis and a social justice imperative, arguing that neutrality is not an option for social work. Despite the expansion of legalization across the United States, the racialized harms of prohibition persist, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown communities through arrests, stigma, and structural barriers. Within the profession, cannabis has historically been constructed almost exclusively as a harmful substance, leaving its therapeutic potential, equity implications, and policy consequences largely unaddressed. These silences perpetuate stigma in practice and risk reproducing systemic inequities. Drawing on public health, legal, and social work literature, this commentary emphasizes the ethical mandate - grounded in dignity, justice, and integrity - that compels social workers to engage in this work. It outlines implications for education, practice, and policy, including curriculum reform, stigma reduction, harm reduction, continuing education, policy advocacy, and intersectional practice. By engaging cannabis justice directly, social work can advance health equity and fulfill its ethical commitments in an evolving policy landscape.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145253112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reproductive Justice for All: The Way Forward with Empowerment.","authors":"JaNeen Cross","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2568059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2568059","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Dobbs decision adversely impacts maternal health, with generational impacts on healthcare access and quality. Analyzing existing data, this article examines the overturning of Roe v Wade, specifically exploring the effect on health disparities, particularly for low-income Black women. This article will discuss reproductive health and decision-making through the lens of the Health Belief Model. Utilizing this model, a strength-based, empowerment approach is recommended as an alternative response to restrictive and harmful maternal health policy. Recommendations are provided to help mitigate the detrimental impacts of the Dobbs decision. The implications for social work practice, policy, and research are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145253130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Uncovering Unique Lived Healthcare Experiences of Homeless Gay and Bisexual Young Men in New York City: A Qualitative Study.","authors":"Harlem Gunness, Rubab Quresi, Sabrina Chase, Hunter Grogan","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2569635","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2569635","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An estimated 1.6 million American youth are experiencing houselessness in the United States. Of these, 20-40% are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. However, limited attention has been given to the preventive and primary healthcare experiences of homeless gay and bisexual young men, despite documentation of their elevated health risks. This is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews of 30 homeless gay and bisexual young adult men in New York City to examine their experience with the healthcare system. Three themes emerged from content analysis of the interview data. First, all participants exhibited misunderstandings about what constitutes routine preventive healthcare. Second, only those receiving HIV-related care reported experiencing continuous, high-quality care. Third, bisexual men expressed concerns about clinician's lack of understanding about the divergence between identity and actual sexual behavior. This study adds to the growing literature as it unearthed nuances in the healthcare system as experienced by homeless gay and bisexual young men in New York City. More research is warranted to explore healthcare providers' assessment of bisexuality among young adult men experiencing houselessness. A comparative assessment is needed to understand the perception and expectations of gay and bisexual young men experiencing homelessness regarding primary healthcare to that of medical recommendations.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145239965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Relationship Between the Subjective Experience of a Pet Impacted by Extreme Heat and Climate Anxiety: Applying the Construal Level Theory for Psychological Distancing.","authors":"Erin L Teigen, Lisa K Zottarelli","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2566676","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2566676","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Climate change is increasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of extreme weather, including extreme heat. As 87 million U.S. households include pets, and 97% of those households identify their pets as a family member, it is important to understand how a changing environment is impacting interspecies families. Applying the construal level theory for psychological distancing to climate change, this study explored the relationship between a pet impacted by extreme heat and climate anxiety. This secondary-data analysis of the July 2024 AP-NORC Center Poll AmeriSpeak Omnibus® survey of 1,143 U.S. adults included a subsample of 798 pet caregivers. A significant positive relationship was found between the subjective report of a pet impacted by extreme heat and self-reported climate anxiety. Implications for understanding how the construal level theory for climate change applies within the human-animal connection and the role of pets in identifying risk for climate anxiety.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145187027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cristian Meier, Terry Peak, Lily Ward, Jessica Lucero
{"title":"Field-Driven Best Practices for Conducting Community Needs Assessments in Rural Areas.","authors":"Cristian Meier, Terry Peak, Lily Ward, Jessica Lucero","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2561053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2561053","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A three-stage community needs assessment process is the gold standard in conducting community assessments; however, social workers working in rural communities should consider best practices when working in rural areas. Within the community needs assessment literature, there are no rural specific identified best practices to enhance the experiences of social workers and community members engaged in the process. To identify these field driven best practices, we conducted interviews with professionals who had a history of conducting rural community needs assessments. Four best practices emerged from these interviews (<i>N</i> = 17) including using participatory approaches throughout the needs assessment process, investing in relationship building, using investigator-specific methods that came from experiences in the field, and the use of tools for conducting needs assessments. Social workers should be intentional about their use of foundational macro skills that align with the field driven best practices that emerged in the current study.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145076382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Classes of Racism and Suicide Risk Among Black Emerging Adults.","authors":"Sean Joe, Enoch Azasu, Robert O Motley","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2558949","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2558949","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between three distinct types of racism-based experiences (i.e. hostile, aversive-hostile, and avoidant) and suicide risk among Black emerging adults. Computer assisted surveys were administered to a sample of 300 Black emerging adult college students. Increased exposure to hostile racism was linked to higher risk of suicidal ideation and attempts, whereas an increase in exposure to aversive-hostile racism was associated with a decreased likelihood of experiencing suicidal ideation. These findings underscore the complex and multifaceted nature of the relationship between racism-based experiences and suicide risk for Black emerging adults. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145070862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Holla if Ya Hear Me: Amplifying the Voice of Fathers in Maternal Health.","authors":"Tasha L Alston","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2558958","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2558958","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is a maternal health crisis in the US, the country with the highest rates of maternal deaths. This crisis disproportionately affects Black women, whose maternal death rate is three times higher than for white or Hispanic women. Black women are dying, and these deaths are preventable. Solutions are needed to address this maternal health crisis, which is not only a Black women's issue but also a Black fathers' issue. Black fathers are profoundly impacted by the death and sickness that Black women experience as a result of pregnancy-related complications. Yet we know too little about Black fathers' experiences and roles in maternal health. The voice of Black fathers is largely silenced in maternal health and maternal health spaces. A knowledge gap results from this silencing, limiting opportunities to develop interventions to involve Black fathers. Thus, there remains a need to amplify the vital, necessary voice of Black fathers in maternal health. Involving Black fathers in the pregnancy period and in maternal health in a meaningful way can support Black mothers and optimize their health outcomes. Relevant theoretical frameworks can be used to give voice to Black fathers, to better understand how they are involved in the pregnancy period and how they want to be involved. The voice of Black fathers is necessary. This conceptual paper will describe a relevant theoretical framework that can be utilized to give, de-silence, and amplify the voice of Black fathers in maternal health, in order to better engage Black fathers as partners in maternal health. This conceptual paper will 1) provide a historical overview of relevant theory and key concepts, 2) describe the theory as a way to give voice and amplify the voice of Black fathers in maternal health, and 3) explain how the theoretical framework can be used to frame future research on the subject of Black fathers in maternal health.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Johnny Rice, Sharon D Jones-Eversley, Christa C Gilliam, Devron Dickens, Howard Henderson
{"title":"Partnering with Black Funeral Home Directors to Reduce Mortality and Gun Violence.","authors":"Johnny Rice, Sharon D Jones-Eversley, Christa C Gilliam, Devron Dickens, Howard Henderson","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2559987","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2559987","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>For generations, Black Funeral Home Directors BFHDs have operated within the Black community, accumulating extensive knowledge of multiple family generations impacted by firearm-related deaths and possessing decades of neighborhood-level insights. BFHDs can be key allies in developing and implementing premature death and violence prevention efforts. The increasing incidence of chronic disease, suicide, and homicide related to gun violence among Black Americans, particularly in low-income neighborhoods, represents a significant public health threat and social justice issue. The Epidemiological Criminology framework is proposed to understand factors affecting chronic disease risks, premature deaths, and criminal justice responses, allowing for the promotion of social work practice that supports trauma-informed responses, self-care, and healing. This article explores the potential for collaboration between BFHDs and social workers to address the complex issues of gun violence and premature death in Black communities, leveraging the unique position and cultural competence of BFHDs to complement existing efforts targeting high-risk groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145055996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Samantha M McKetchnie, Elizabeth K Klein, Kavita S Arora, Mara Buchbinder, Erika L Sabbath
{"title":"\"I Feel Like there's a Politician in the Room\": Provider Perceptions of the Impacts of State Abortion Bans on Physician-Patient Relationships.","authors":"Samantha M McKetchnie, Elizabeth K Klein, Kavita S Arora, Mara Buchbinder, Erika L Sabbath","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2557349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2557349","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>State-level abortion bans enacted after <i>Dobbs v. Jackson</i> may have a deleterious impact on the health of women and may increase maternal morbidity and mortality. In obstetrics-gynecology, strong patient-physician relationships, which are built via patient-centered care strategies, are associated with better pregnancy-related outcomes. Abortion bans may limit physicians' ability to utilize these strategies by restricting care that can legally be provided. Further, all members of the care team, including social workers, may face legal and professional consequences for engaging in options counseling, altering how providers engage with patients. This study assessed OB-GYNs' perceptions of how patient relationships have been impacted by <i>Dobbs</i>, using semi-structured interviews with 54 OB-GYNs from 13 US abortion-restrictive states. Four themes emerged: mistrust and fear of legal consequences; governmental intrusion into the patient-physician relationship; patients assigning blame; and strategies for strengthening relationships post-<i>Dobbs</i>. These findings indicate that abortion bans may have a substantial impact on patient-physician relationships. Knowledge of this dynamic provides context for social workers related to identifying gaps in patients' education about care options and intervention targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145034582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}