{"title":"Rethinking Crisis Communication in Public Health: Insights from Social Work and Social Marketing.","authors":"Hafize Nurgul Durmus Senyapar","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2626377","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2626377","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Public health crises intensify existing social inequalities and challenge conventional models of crisis communication. This study examines how social work, social marketing, and crisis communication are conceptually integrated in the public health literature to support equity-oriented and behavior-sensitive interventions during emergencies. Using a semi-systematic (narrative) qualitative review, the study synthesizes interdisciplinary scholarship published between 2014 and 2024, focusing on recurring challenges, adaptive strategies, and integrative mechanisms across these domains. The findings indicate that social workers play a central mediating role by addressing psychosocial vulnerabilities, advocating for marginalized populations, and translating institutional guidance into context-sensitive practice. Social marketing principles - particularly audience segmentation, message framing, and value exchange - are positioned as tools that enhance engagement and voluntary behavior change, but also introduce ethical tensions related to self-determination, conditionality, and power asymmetries. Digital communication platforms expand reach and trust-building capacity, yet simultaneously risk reinforcing exclusion through digital divides and misinformation. By synthesizing these patterns, the study highlights how interdisciplinary integration can strengthen crisis communication when guided by social work ethics and equity considerations. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 3, 10, and 17, the analysis contributes an analytically grounded perspective on inclusive and ethically informed crisis communication and identifies priorities for future empirical research in diverse and resource-constrained public health contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"318-331"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120536","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":"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":"230-242"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","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}
{"title":"Integrity of Urine Drug Testing in the US Criminal Justice System.","authors":"Heather Kratz, Alex Elswick","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2626384","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2626384","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many people enter addiction treatment through the criminal justice system, which has an important role in oversight, accountability, and adherence to addiction treatment. While urine drug tests (UDT) are valuable tools in addiction treatment, they are easily misinterpreted which can result in tragic legal and social consequences. Practical solutions are needed to enhance the integrity of UDT in the criminal justice system and to ensure that the twin goals of individual rehabilitation and community safety are achieved. Clinicians should remain within the scope of their training, involve the appropriate professionals, understand the limitations, and be aware of the most common areas of misinterpretation of UDT. Proper objective assessment of the data by a qualified professional is essential to avoid serious consequences to due process. Furthermore, there are no current statistics on the total numbers of people receiving UDT in the criminal justice system, resulting in a paucity of data and research on UDT and its effectiveness in addiction treatment. Due to the time needed to update and educate court professionals, practical solutions offer a bridge to solving the most common issues facing this vulnerable population. Updated guidance is needed to enhance the integrity of UDT in the criminal legal system.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"332-340"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146114551","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":"Beyond the Classroom: The School-To-Prison Pipeline as a Public Health Crisis.","authors":"Miguel A Rodriguez","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2607693","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2607693","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The School-to-Prison Pipeline (STPPL) is primarily positioned in the discourse relating to education and criminal justice yet its public health implications remain underexplored. This commentary draws the connections between STPPL and social determinants of health on Macro, Mezzo, and Micro levels. The STPPL disrupts access to mental health care, nutritional programs, and safety systems embedded within schools. Exclusionary practices such as suspensions and expulsions disconnect students from critical services that promote psychological stability and physical well-being Obsuth et al. (2024). National data identifies that Black and Brown students experience disproportionate rates of exclusion, reinforcing systemic inequities and chronic stress linked to poor health outcomes (Warren, 2021). Viewing the STPPL through a public health lens highlights the need for interdisciplinary research that examines how educational exclusion contributes to health disparities across the life course. This article concludes that addressing the STPPL requires coordinated responses between social work, education, and public health systems. Recognizing exclusionary discipline as a public health crisis reframes prevention and belonging as essential components of youth health and equity Marmot and Wilkinson (2006), Obsuth et al. (2024).</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"292-296"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145821529","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":"Engagement as Care: Instructor Presence, Connection, and Student Well-Being in Asynchronous Learning.","authors":"Denae J Cook","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2637774","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2637774","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Drawing on informal student feedback and communications, as well as reflective teaching practices from an asynchronous social work course, this commentary examines how intentional instructor presence influences engagement, connection, and student well-being. Asynchronous learning has become a common modality, with engagement often operationalized through participation metrics that obscure the relational and affective dimensions of learning. Grounded in a social work and public health lens, this commentary presents instructor presence as relational infrastructure rather than a peripheral instructional practice. It also shares how timely, content-based feedback, consistent communication, flexibility, and routine check-ins can foster relational engagement and challenge the normative assumptions of disengagement in asynchronous learning environments. Further, instructional practices that acknowledge students' lived realities, including health concerns, caregiving responsibilities, and sociopolitical stressors, are identified as mechanisms for humanizing digitally mediated classrooms. This commentary reframes instructor presence and relational intentionality as central to the engagement and student supports often lost in asynchronous environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"368-371"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285661","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}
Md Koushik Ahmed, Robert H Keefe, Brittany Kmush, Emily Shuman, Kathleen Walker, Robert A Rubinstein, Robert Silverman, Andrea Shaw, Sandra D Lane
{"title":"A Gap Analysis in Therapeutic Services for Birthing Individuals with Perinatal Mental Health Disorders.","authors":"Md Koushik Ahmed, Robert H Keefe, Brittany Kmush, Emily Shuman, Kathleen Walker, Robert A Rubinstein, Robert Silverman, Andrea Shaw, Sandra D Lane","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2618487","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2618487","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article calls attention to a gap in services to address the needs of birthing individuals diagnosed with perinatal mental health conditions (PMHs) in New York State (NYS). We analyzed secondary birth data and surveyed MSW programs in NYS. Results indicate a gap in the availability of masters-prepared social workers to provide care for pregnant persons and their partners. In a three-year period in Syracuse (2017-2019), nearly one-third (<i>n</i> = 1,684, 30.1%) of persons delivering a baby reported depression during pregnancy. Among prenatal patients who reported being \"very depressed,\" 44.5% had no documented referral for treatment. Of the 21 MSW programs in NYS, we found only two (9.5%) have specific coursework on PMH conditions. We recommend that MSW curricula be enhanced to reflect the perinatal mental health needs of birthing individuals and their families.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"300-313"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120446","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}
Emory L Perkins, Chizoba Anako, Clarafrancie D Cromer Sowers, Tyra Davis, Lynette Jones
{"title":"Update: Social Determinants of Risk-Taking Behaviors Associated with HIV Positive Status among Black/African American Women.","authors":"Emory L Perkins, Chizoba Anako, Clarafrancie D Cromer Sowers, Tyra Davis, Lynette Jones","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2651532","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2651532","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This qualitative explanatory study investigated risk-taking behaviors of sex practices and drug use associated with HIV-positive status among African American women. This study was conducted using a non-probabilistic sample of 252 African American women aged from 18 to 65. The data was analyzed using a <i>t</i>-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise regression. Four research hypotheses were tested: Ha1: The HIV-positive group will exhibit significantly higher risk-taking behaviors compared to the HIV-negative group. Ha2: HIV-negative group will possess significantly greater knowledge of HIV compared to the HIV-positive group. Ha3: Knowledge of HIV is inversely related to risk-taking behaviors. Ha4: Demographic and socioeconomic factors (age, student status, sexual orientation) have a significant effect on HIV risk-taking behaviors and HIV knowledge. The data suggests that hypotheses one and four were supported, and hypotheses two and three were unsupported. Specifically, the data confirms hypothesis one. Respondents have higher HIV risk-taking behaviors than their HIV negative counterparts. Further, the data confirms that HIV risk-taking behaviors were primarily predicted by positive status (b = 3.816, <i>p</i> < .01, sr2 = .03) and bachelor's education or higher (b = -4.848, <i>p</i> < .01, sr2 = .07). A key finding of this study is that HIV-negative and HIV-positive Black/African American female respondents were similar in their risk-taking behaviors. HIV-negative and HIV-positive Black/African American female respondents were identical in HIV knowledge.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"408-424"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147616934","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":"Black Fathers as an Asset in Times of Crisis: Associations Between Father Involvement and Daughters' Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes.","authors":"Marquitta Dorsey, Alejandra Priede, Brianna Lemmons, Heather Jones, Zaynab Berety, Tyriesa Howard","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2643220","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2643220","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The post-<i>Dobbs</i> decision has exacerbated the challenges Black women face in navigating sexual and reproductive health. The ruling in <i>Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization</i> not only ended federally protected access to abortion but also expanded state authority to impose stricter barriers to sexual health care. As a result, Black women face increased difficulty not only in obtaining abortions but also in securing necessary and preferred contraceptive methods. Addressing culturally responsive sexual and reproductive health needs, especially in the post-<i>Dobbs</i> era, requires a focus on interventions that leverage trusted sources of information, such as parental ties, and systems at both familial and community levels. This study provides an overview of the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) landscape before and after the <i>Dobbs</i> decision, focusing on Black women and the historical role of Black fathers in their daughters' SRH education. Results from chi-square, Cramér's V, and Somers' D tests revealed significant associations within a sample of <i>N</i> = 735 young adult Black women. Participants who received information about contraceptives from their fathers used them more frequently than those who did not. Additionally, those who received this information during adolescence were more likely to use contraceptives later in life. Having early conversations about sex with their fathers was also linked to contraceptive use in young adulthood. These findings highlight the crucial role Black fathers play in helping their daughters navigate limited SRH resources, particularly in the post-Dobbs era, increasing the likelihood of access to necessary contraceptive methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"393-407"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147487850","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}
Daisuke Higuchi, Yuta Takahashi, Mari Takeuchi, Sayaka Nagao-Sato, Tomoyuki Shinohara
{"title":"Validating the Factor Structure of the Fujisawa Social Capital Scale (FSCS) Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults Participating in \"Kayoi-no-ba\": The Gunma Aging Cohort Study.","authors":"Daisuke Higuchi, Yuta Takahashi, Mari Takeuchi, Sayaka Nagao-Sato, Tomoyuki Shinohara","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2689953","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2026.2689953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Social capital is a fundamental social determinant of health for older adults in rapidly aging societies; however, existing comprehensive instruments often impose high cognitive friction through complex recall tasks, potentially leading to systematically excluding vulnerable populations. This study validated the factor structure of the Fujisawa Social Capital Scale (FSCS) - an independent, brief tool designed for inclusive community-based practice - among community-dwelling Japanese older adults participating in \"Kayoi-no-ba\" (neighborhood social participation hubs). Data were analyzed from 587 participants in the Gunma Aging Cohort (mean age 79.2 ± 6.0 years; 87.1% female; 29.6% living alone). Exploratory factor analysis using the Weighted Least Squares Mean- and Variance-adjusted estimator was prioritized to ensure statistical stability for this specific cohort. A robust two-factor structure emerged: Factor 1, \"Sense of Security and Attachment to the Community,\" and Factor 2, \"Mutual Aid Among Neighbors.\" These findings underscore the conceptual distinction between psychological belonging and functional support within community settings. The model demonstrated favorable fit indices, with a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation of 0.071 and a Tucker-Lewis Index of 0.96. High internal consistency was confirmed using McDonald's omega (ω) for the total scale (ωt = 0.85), Factor 1 (ω = 0.77), and Factor 2 (ω = 0.74). Overall, these results indicate that the FSCS is a \"practice-first\" instrument that minimizes respondent burden while maintaining data reliability. By distinguishing psychological attachment from functional support, it provides a \"common language\" for interdisciplinary teams to guide social prescribing and prioritize targeted community-based support for socially vulnerable older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"481-489"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148273364","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":"Mental Health Challenges of Climate Change for Older Korean and Korean American Adults: Navigating Vulnerability, Isolation, and Resilience.","authors":"Suk-Hee Kim","doi":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2557348","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19371918.2025.2557348","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Climate change presents a growing mental health concern for older adults, particularly among Korean and Korean American populations who may experience heightened vulnerabilities due to cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic factors. This study examines the psychological impact of climate change on this demographic, focusing on three key areas: increased vulnerability to climate-related disasters, the exacerbation of social isolation, and the role of resilience in mitigating negative outcomes. Drawing on interdisciplinary research, this study explores how environmental stressors, displacement, and disruptions to traditional support systems contribute to mental health challenges. Furthermore, it highlights protective factors such as cultural resilience, intergenerational support, and community-based interventions that can help older Korean and Korean American adults adapt to climate-related stressors. The findings underscore the need for culturally responsive mental health strategies, policy initiatives, and social support networks to promote psychological well-being and climate adaptation in aging populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":46944,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Public Health","volume":" ","pages":"212-220"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006696","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}