Authors:Elizabeth Oluwakemi Adekoya Abstract: The private individuals share about 76% in total healthcare expenditure in Nigeria, in contrast to about 24% by other sources. This has attracted researchers to explore the determinants of private health expenditure in the country. However, little attention has been paid to the role of socio-economic characteristics of service users as drivers of users’ healthcare expenditure. This study was motivated to fill this knowledge gap by surveying the perspectives of service users on whether the level and changes in their socio-economic status may influence their propensities to spend on healthcare. The study has a descriptive design such that twenty (20) service users were recruited randomly from a general hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria with a semi-structured questionnaire and interview used as instruments of data collection. The collected data were analyzed using a mix of frequency counts, percentages and logistic regression. Findings revealed that users' income level, educational attainment and occupation are strong determinants (with high probability coefficients) of private healthcare expenditure. However, family size and proximity to health facility are weak determinants of private healthcare expenditure in Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that government should increase the minimum wage in the country in order to allow users to increase their spending on healthcare. Alternatively, the reach of available health insurance schemes in the country should be expanded so that more service users with low private funding are eligible to access healthcare. This is especially important given low public health expenditure and the current experience of rising inflation in Nigeria. PubDate: Thu, 27 Jun 2024 01:19:58 -070
Authors:ERIKA CARCAÑO Abstract: The epistemological challenge of radical ecological economics is to understand sustainability with environmental justice and to account for community subjects (men and women) and the potential they have to confront actions that modify their socio-metabolic configurations imposed by depredatory and extractivist development logics. For its part, community ecofeminism takes into account in its analysis the link between women and nature, criticises the development model and its extractivist practices, and suggests that women's perspectives and experiences differ according to their rural and/or peripheral situation, proposing as an alternative new social pacts and new forms of community strategies, which are incorporated into new feminine and masculine identities, underpinning processes of community agency that appeal to the sustainability/reproduction of life.This chapter will analyse how these two theoretical proposals thus open up the possibility of identifying analytical categories with which to dialogue and explain in a more holistic way the emancipatory processes of indigenous-peasant communities, thus raising an interdisciplinary debate that contributes to the analysis of the sustainability of human and planetary life. PubDate: Wed, 29 May 2024 23:22:41 -070
Authors:Mohamad Musa; Amy Alberton, Khaldoun Aldiabat, Chelsea McLellan Abstract: This research paper explores the ongoing discourse surrounding the professional identity of social work within the realm of social science disciplines. It posits the idea that social work may be more aptly classified as an art form, challenging established paradigms. Through a critical examination of various approaches in practice, ethics, and professionalism, the study highlights the absence of mandated educational seminars, a departure from norms observed in similar professions. Insights gleaned from the literature review shed light on the intricacies of social work practice, ethical dilemmas, and challenges in maintaining professionalism, and the limited use of evidence-based practices, leading many critics of the discipline to suggest that social work is needed but is not based on a robust scientific foundation, proposing it may be better characterized as an art than a science. Employing Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) model for scoping reviews, the paper conducts a comprehensive search for both published and unpublished research spanning the last 25 years. Findings reveal existential challenges facing social work, such as funding cutbacks, increasing demands for mental health services, and inadequate initiatives for field practitioner support. These challenges, coupled with the lack of employment security, affect prospective students’ interest, thereby compromising education quality and service delivery. As a result, criticisms challenging the conventional categorization of social work as a social science gain momentum, suggesting that social work is more similar to an art form that relies heavily on practitioners’ intuition, empathy, and creative problem-solving abilities. This perspective contributes to disparities in funding, empirical research, and the scarcity of scientific rebuttals to practitioners’ narratives, which are often rich with anecdotal experiences and subjective interpretations. PubDate: Wed, 29 May 2024 05:49:46 -070
Authors:Shafket Ali; Satvinderpal Kaur Abstract: The present study was conducted on the perceptions of tribal children toward online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of the present study were to find out the perceptions of tribal children about online learning during the pandemic. The data was collected from the tribal children of the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. The investigator collected data from the 100 tribal children of elementary schools which includes (50 male and 50 female tribal children). The data were collected with the help of a self-made questionnaire. The interpretation of data was done with the help of percentage analysis of statistical techniques. The finding of the study revealed that overall, the majority of tribal children have a very negative attitude towards online learning during the pandemic. Almost the majority of tribal children do not like the online learning system. At the same time, the tribal children preferred and considered on-school education more effective and successful than online learning. The study also states that the tribal children faced a lot of challenges and problems in their education during the pandemic. These challenges and problems include internet connection problems, electricity problems, financial problems, lack of technological skills among tribal children, etc. Overall, a greater number of tribal children are of the view that online learning does not fulfill their learning satisfaction level. PubDate: Mon, 27 May 2024 20:36:03 -070
Authors:Obedi Ngalesoni; Geofrey Mwakifwamba, Haghai Pandisha Abstract: Youth gambling is a growing concern in Tanzania, with significant participation rates among young people. Public awareness campaigns have been identified as a potential strategy to reduce youth gambling behaviors by educating them about the risks associated with gambling and promoting responsible behaviors. This study aimed to assess the impact of public awareness campaigns on reducing youth gambling in Gallapo Ward, Manyara Region, Tanzania.A mixed-methods approach was employed, including both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. A sample size of 75 youth who had participated in gambling activities was selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.The findings revealed that public awareness campaigns had a significant impact on increasing awareness of legal age restrictions for gambling and improving understanding of gambling risks among youth. The campaigns also helped reduce peer pressure related to gambling and influenced youth to resist negative influences. Moreover, there was a strong belief among respondents that public awareness campaigns could contribute to a decrease in youth gambling rates.Based on the study findings, it is recommended to continue investing in and expanding public awareness campaigns focused on educating youth about responsible gambling practices. Tailored educational programs and support services should be developed to address specific knowledge gaps and behavioral patterns related to gambling among youth. Collaborative efforts involving various stakeholders are crucial for the success of these interventions.Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of public awareness campaigns in promoting responsible gambling behaviors and advocating for policy measures to safeguard youth from the harms of gambling. These findings provide valuable insights for stakeholders and policymakers working towards reducing youth gambling impact in Tanzania. PubDate: Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 -070
Authors:Avhurengwi Samson Mabade; Luvuyo Wopula Abstract: The purpose of this article is to encourage institutions, especially secondary schools, to move towards greater improvement through turning policy into delivery. It is imperative that each institution or organization has appropriate policies in place. Certain institutions and organizations are good at policy design but less so in policy implementation. Policy itself is not enough to turn an institution or organization around hence policy design should not be equivalent to a silo. To turn an institution or organization around is directly proportional to turning policy into delivery. The policy should promote a culture of development and enculturation of those who happen to join the institution. In addition, self-regulation strategies are crucial when attempting to turn policy into delivery. Clearly, delivery chain should allow for policy to be deliverable. Although there is a vast amount of literature about policy implementation, the researchers wanted to encourage principals of secondary schools to move from partial effectiveness to improvement through intensifying turning of policies into a delivery strategy. The researchers adopted a case study approach and selected five principals of schools randomly. The respondents were interviewed at their respective places of work when convenient. The purpose of interviews of the participants was to ascertain their experiences in turning policy into delivery in their working environments. Their responses were analysed using data matrix. Their responses were recorded and presented as a case study approach. The findings of both the respondents and the literature review confirm that all stakeholders are ultimately responsible for turning policy into delivery. PubDate: Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -070
Authors:Adegbite A. Tella; Nathaniel D. Danjibo Abstract: The conflict between the mining companies and the people of Ibise-Komu community of Oyo State has become perennial. The interventions to manage the conflict have also been continuously applied with limited success. This study is motivated by this background to better understand the dimensions of the miners-community conflict and analyze the immediate and remote causes of the conflict. To do this, the researcher visited the community and implemented a purposive random sampling technique to select 200 locals to participate in the study. A self-designed questionnaire was administered among all the respondents while only 20 of them participated in the semi-structured interview sessions. The empirical analysis was guided by frequency counts, percentages, descriptive statistics and logit regression. Findings revealed that the miners-community conflict has indeed become existential. While the community lays claim of ownership and control over the mineral deposits in their land, the behaviors of the miners seem to be in opposite of the perspectives of the general members of the community. In particular, the respondents argued that the miners recruit less of the indigenes in their mining activities, destroy their roads, pollute their environment and contribute minimally to the growth and development of the community. It follows that the solutions to the miners-community conflict should be addressed from the ends of the miners. This may be labelled with hurdles if the miners enjoy discriminatory backing of the government. PubDate: Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -070
Authors:Alejandro Klein Abstract: As computers become an increasingly integral part of the lives of older adults, the study of computer used by older adults is becoming an increasingly relevant field of study. The aim of the study is a bibliographic review to better understand the relationship of new technologies with the population of older adults. One of the consequences that appears is that to encourage and facilitate the use of new technologies by this important age group, for both personal and professional benefit, it is necessary to understand its implication in the term of cultural traditions. It should be noted that all the researches consulted insist on the increasingly important role of the new technologis in the life of old people, and far from assuming that ageing people would have a rejection to the same, is possible to perceptive an operative and surprising use of the new technologies PubDate: Mon, 11 Mar 2024 19:45:20 -070
Authors:Adegbite A. Tella; Nathaniel D. Danjibo Abstract: This study investigates the impact of mining activity on the environment of a local mining community. A novel approach was employed by contextualizing the role of deforestation and operational disturbance of mining activities in dragging environmental sustainability of the local community. This was anchored by specifying and estimating a structural equation model (SEM). Data used for the analysis were collected by administering questionnaires among 200 residents and indigenes of Ibise-Komu community in Oyo State, Nigeria. The instrument administration was facilitated by two indigenous volunteers who introduced the researcher to the community leaders who in turn mobilized the general community to participate in the study. The choice of this community was informed by the narratives of the locals that their environment has been perennially destroyed by the mining companies. The findings revealed that deforestation and operational disturbance are characteristic of the mining companies in the community, which have done little to champion the development of their host environment. As a result, the community environment is littered with land, water and air pollution which is majorly induced by indiscriminate mining of mineral deposits in the community. It is therefore recommended that the government and regulatory agencies should tie the operational license of the mining companies to their continuous compliance with environmental safety and sustainability of their host communities. This is a mechanism of managing conflicts between the community and the mines. PubDate: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -080
Authors:Utangisila Bena Osée; Kalema Pascal, Ruth Pembe, Eric Kambale, Jeremie Bokombe, Anthony Omombo, Yves Birhonga Abstract: This article critically evaluates the efficiency of NEPAD in promoting development across Africa. Drawing on empirical evidence and scholarly analysis, this article explores the successes and challenges faced by NEPAD in achieving its objectives. It examines the organization's role in leveraging international partnerships, promoting good governance, and fostering socioeconomic progress. Ultimately, this article provides a nuanced assessment of NEPAD's contributions to African development, offering insights into its potential for advancing the continent's growth and prosperity in the future. This article analyzes the efficiency of NEPAD in some areas, such as the promotion of regional integration, the empowerment of women and youth, infrastructure development, challenges and opportunities, perspectives, and recommendations. PubDate: Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -080
Authors:Hope Attipoe Abstract: Culture is a significant factor in human development, sustainability, and societal cohesion. It is greatly cherished and holds universal significance to individuals, groups, families, communities, societies, and nations. Culture affects how a victim, survivor, client, or family responds to life altering experiences such as domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, and trauma. It also influences how a client or family deals with loss and grief, resilience, and recovery. Hence, understanding different cultures and cultural practices, symbols, artifacts, the meaning they hold, and respecting and operating within the confines of a set culture is very important. Cultural competency is a key medium through which this need can be addressed. Cultural competency is a core principle that should undergird a social worker’s service/practice with clients as enshrined in the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Failure to execute cultural competency is detrimental to the delivery of appropriate and effective services to clients, and a digression from the code of ethics and professional standard of practice within the profession of social work. The execution of cultural competency in social work practice fosters a positive and enduring therapeutic relationship between the social worker and client, and lays the foundation for productive engagement, interaction, and intervention. From this perspective, this article embodies a review of the research literature on the topic of culture and culturally competent practice from different disciplines. The review and analysis include a study this author conducted in Ghana-Africa that examined the significance of culture and its impact on individuals and their perceptions as well as behaviors within a cultural context. Specifically, the study focused on the cultural effects on learning and the transfer of knowledge, and this paper relates its significant implications for understanding culture and responsiveness to cultural practices within professional practice. The findings from this original study revealed that culture impacts an individual’s perception and behavior significantly. The implications for culturally effective social work practice were discussed and recommendations for cultural competence, responsive, and responsible practices including anti-oppressive intervention strategies at the micro, mezzo and macro levels were put forward. In addition, a cultural conceptual practice model called GACIE was proposed for use in assessing and intervening with culturally diverse ethnic minority clients. PubDate: Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -080
Authors:Abdullateef B Adeoti; Samuel Olusegun Akinsola, Oluwagbemiga Oyinlola Abstract: There is a frequently higher prevalence of mental health problems among the incarcerated population in Nigeria. However, their mental health is often neglected, leading to a complex interplay of issues that hinder effective rehabilitation and integration of offenders into society. This study examined the attitudinal disposition of correctional officers towards the mental health of an inmate in Agodi correctional home, Ibadan. This is a cross-sectional study design and a stratified random sampling technique were used to select 200 correctional officers. A socio-demographic questionnaire and questions focusing on the stigmatization of inmates living with mental health. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the generated hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between counselling service and inmate mental health (r = .621, n= 200, p < .05), there was a significant relationship between rehabilitation program and inmate mental health (r = .642, n= 200, p < .05), there was a significant relationship between welfare service and inmate mental health (r = .716, n= 200, p < .05), there was a significant relationship between correctional officers attitude and inmates mental health (r = .731, n= 200, p < .05). This study underscored the potential consequences of negative attitudes, such as stigmatization, discrimination, and inadequate provision of mental health care, which can impede the rehabilitation and successful reintegration of inmates into society. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the attitudinal disposition of correctional officers towards inmates with mental illness is imperative. PubDate: Tue, 23 Jan 2024 05:29:16 -080
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