{"title":"(Inter)mediation and support: core interdisciplinary purposes of social workers in oncology.","authors":"Carolina Correia, Octávio Sacramento","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2744169","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2744169","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer is one of the greatest health challenges of our time. This study addresses the issue through the work of social workers in Portuguese hospital units and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide oncology care. We aim to understand the main roles assumed by social workers and the constraints they face in a context that demands constant interdisciplinarity and interinstitutional coordination. Data gathered from fieldwork, based on interviews and documentary research, show that the roles of social workers in oncology are quite diverse, designed to meet the complex challenges that cancer poses across multiple scales and social dimensions. This diversity of roles is oriented toward two major, intertwined, and interdisciplinary purposes: multivariate intermediation and psychosocial support for patients. The pursuit of these purposes is hindered by multiple structural obstacles that undermine the provision of accessible, adequate, comprehensive, and humanistic services, grounded in inalienable rights. Despite the significant constraints they encounter, social workers often (re)produce an understanding of their professional role that aligns with the normative and conceptual ideals of oncology social work, without fully examining the realities of daily practice in context or the dissonances between what they believe they should do and what they actually do.</p>","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149138804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nihat Eren Uğural,Erkin Can Bilgin,Cenan Hepdurgun,Selin Tanyeri Kayahan,Ömer Faruk Dadaş,Özen Önen Sertöz,Hayriye Elbi,Jose R. Maldonado
{"title":"Psychosocial assessment of transplant candidates: Internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, and predictive validity of the Turkish adaptation of Stanford Integrated Psychosocial Assessment for Transplantation (SIPAT)","authors":"Nihat Eren Uğural,Erkin Can Bilgin,Cenan Hepdurgun,Selin Tanyeri Kayahan,Ömer Faruk Dadaş,Özen Önen Sertöz,Hayriye Elbi,Jose R. Maldonado","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2739411","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2739411","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":"8 1","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149088685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hospital-based physicians’ recognition and perceptions of social workers: International and UK perspectives in the twenty first century","authors":"Stewart Collins","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2738439","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2738439","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":"31 1","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149088686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessment of associated factors for the need of health care social worker intervention in emergency departments patients.","authors":"Yacine Chebani, Pradeebane Vaittinada Ayar, Sarrah Meziane, Matthieu Gay, Rosine Kossi, Prabakar Vaittinada Ayar","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2738441","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2738441","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Social vulnerability is frequently overlooked in emergency departments, where acute medical priorities may overshadow patients' social needs. We evaluated the AP-HP Early Social Frailty Identification Questionnaire in 343 consecutive adult emergency department patients. Fifty patients (15%) met criteria for hospital social worker intervention, compared with only two referrals through routine clinical practice. Housing instability, social isolation, and financial insecurity were the most frequent needs identified. Male sex and higher triage acuity were independently associated with referral. The AP-HP questionnaire provides a rapid, standardized approach to identifying patients requiring social work assessment and supports more equitable emergency care.</p>","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149041100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Knowledge, training qualification and experiences of oncology social work services among generic medical social workers in Malaysia: a path toward enhancing support for cancer patients","authors":"N. Kassim,S. H. Abu Bakar Ah,N. Omar","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2730970","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2730970","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":"11 1","pages":"1-26"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148922986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of social workers in responding to health and social inequity: Promoting positive changes in healthcare.","authors":"Miriam Schiff,Lynette Joubert,Martin Webber","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2693455","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2693455","url":null,"abstract":"Social determinants of health (SDOH) have a powerful influence on health inequities. Studies have revealed associations between SDOH and health status and recovery from illness. Research on how social workers in healthcare advocate for awareness of the associations between SDOH and health status, or recovery from illness, is scarce, especially from an international perspective. Barriers to addressing SDOH in the social work in healthcare profession are also rarely systematically studied. This special issue aims to address this gap. It aggregates qualitative and quantitative studies that address the major roles SDOH play in different diseases, populations, contexts, and countries. However, the different research methods used do not allow for comparison of findings. The presented studies point to a lack of standardization in screening and addressing SDOH, as well as large discrepancies in institutional policies, regulations, and the status of health social workers. In conclusion, international dialogue and comparative longitudinal quantitative and qualitative studies are required to better understand the factors that enhance or diminish the impact of social workers in integrating SDOH into decision-making and routine care, as well as in crisis interventions in health settings.","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":"51 1","pages":"221-228"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148498748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiangyang Zhong,Shaoping Qiu,Wendy M Green,Naizhu Huang
{"title":"The effect of competence on intention to quit among substance abuse social workers: Sequential mediation of role conflict and job burnout.","authors":"Xiangyang Zhong,Shaoping Qiu,Wendy M Green,Naizhu Huang","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2675218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2675218","url":null,"abstract":"This study aimed to examine the effect of competence on intention to quit among Chinese substance abuse social workers while also exploring the sequential mediating effects of role conflict and job burnout on this relationship. Data were collected from 668 substance abuse social workers participating in 21 community drug rehabilitation projects across 14 social work agencies based in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Zhongshan in Guangdong Province, China. A cluster sampling method was utilized for data collection. Analysis was conducted using the SPSS and Model 6 of Hayes's PROCESS macro. The findings revealed that: (1) the direct effect of competence on the intention to quit was not statistically significant; (2) both role conflict and job burnout exhibited significant mediating effects between competence and the intention to quit, with a notable sequential mediation effect. It is essential to strengthen the training and supervision of substance abuse social workers to enhance their competence, while focusing on mediating role conflict and preventing job burnout. This approach is expected to promote team stability among substance abuse social workers and facilitate the high-quality development of community drug rehabilitation services.","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":"35 1","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148365019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carrie Lethborg,Erin McFadden,Sophie Heywood,Beth Turnbull,Rachel Zordan
{"title":"Emotional harm and the absence of trauma-informed care: A social work analysis of hospital complaint narratives.","authors":"Carrie Lethborg,Erin McFadden,Sophie Heywood,Beth Turnbull,Rachel Zordan","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2694353","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2694353","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUNDNegative events in hospitals can deeply impact people receiving healthcare and their carers. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) aims to promote safety, choice, collaboration, and empowerment, but gaps remain between these principles and the lived experiences of patients.METHODSThis qualitative study, led by hospital social workers, analyzed written complaints to an Australian general hospital during two three-month periods in 2019 and 2021. Complaints were categorized using traditional and trauma-informed frameworks, and thematic analysis captured the emotional aspects of these experiences.RESULTSAmong 61 complaints, issues were categorized into clinical, organizational, and relational concerns. However, a lack of TIC principles was identified in a higher percentage of complaints compared to these traditional categories. Five key emotional themes were identified: feeling unheard, misunderstood, uninformed, disrespected, and powerless.","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":"96 1","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148365020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mihoko Maru,Elizabeth R Boskey,Christina S Lee,Melissa Deane,Pamela Chamorro,Thomas Byrne,Elizabeth Holleran,Mary Elizabeth Collins,Sara M A Donahue,Hiu-Fai Fong
{"title":"Trends in referrals to psychosocial services in a pediatric emergency department before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Mihoko Maru,Elizabeth R Boskey,Christina S Lee,Melissa Deane,Pamela Chamorro,Thomas Byrne,Elizabeth Holleran,Mary Elizabeth Collins,Sara M A Donahue,Hiu-Fai Fong","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2648200","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2648200","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic upended healthcare in the United States, profoundly impacting the mental and physical health of children and adolescents. This study examined how referrals to psychosocial services in a freestanding children's hospital emergency department changed during the initial COVID-19 state of emergency period in Massachusetts when compared to a previous period of similar length. While the total number of emergency department encounters decreased during the COVID-19 period, there were significant increases in rates of referrals for social work support across general, psychiatric, and child protection needs. Social workers played a critical role addressing children's needs during the COVID-19 crisis.","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":"112 1","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147636006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Between duty and dignity navigating medical social work practice with unknown patients in India's government medical college and public healthcare system.","authors":"Tushar Savarkar","doi":"10.1080/00981389.2026.2648205","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2026.2648205","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores the complex role of medical social workers (MSWs) in addressing structural determinants of health among unidentified and homeless patients within India's public health system. Drawing on grounded field experiences, it reveals how MSWs act as crucial intermediaries navigating institutional apathy, legal ambiguity, and human rights obligations to uphold dignity and ensure care. The study highlights how caste, poverty, mental health stigma, and systemic neglect intersect to deepen marginalization. It further examines the strategies employed by MSWs to mitigate these inequities, including advocacy, ethical negotiation, and inter-sectoral coordination. By foregrounding MSWs' practice-based knowledge, this study contributes to limited empirical literature on social work interventions with unidentified patients and underscores the need for clearer institutional protocols, legal safeguards, and policy recognition of MSWs as central actors in advancing health equity within public healthcare systems in India.","PeriodicalId":47519,"journal":{"name":"Social Work in Health Care","volume":"139 1","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147617349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}