Questioning Social Capital in relation to HIV prevention

The focus in this paper is on the influence of social capital on HIV prevention with French speaking refugees from Bukavu, DRC, living in Durban, South Africa. More specifically the research looks at the elements of social capital (trust, norms, reciprocity and networks) on a social bonding level, to better understand whether these elements act as risk or protective factors in the spread of HIV. Current literature shows a growing attentiveness to the role of social, environmental and political influences on HIV risk behaviours. This is supported by the data in the study which confirms the necessity of using a broad ecological framework to explore the social and contextual complexities inherent in a particular community context before HIV intervention work can be of value. Trust, norms, reciprocity and social networks are complex elements in the refugee community and influenced by a myriad of factors including the past and present stressors that are prevalent in the community. In turn these have an effect on HIV prevention and need to be clearly understood. Without such an understanding, interventions offered to the community may well not lead to the desired behaviour change that may help in HIV prevention. While literature reveals that social capital is a useful component in generating positive community relations and can lead to better health status, the study findings confirm the complexities of these issues in that social capital acts in some circumstances as a protective factor and in others can increase risk behavior. Understanding the way that trust, reciprocity, norms and networks operate in a particular community context is an essential prerequisite to the development of HIV interventions that will add value in a particular community.

Community-based recovery? Investigating Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a community-based NGO that supports people with alcohol misuse concerns to achieve and maintain abstinence. Qualitative methods are best suited to investigate individual experiences of recovery in AA, since this typically involves not only abstinence from alcohol but also the global psychological growth of the whole person.
The aims of Study 1 were to collate and critically review the existing body of qualitative research involving interviews with AA members. This study was designed to (1) examine past studies’ findings in order to better understand AA members’ experiences, and (2) critically analyse the methodological quality of these studies. A systematic literature search identified 21 papers that were included in the review. Since there is not one established tool to evaluate the quality of qualitative research, we used state of the art methods by reviewing each paper according to many varying criteria, such as methodological rigour, reliability, validity, and the substance of findings (Blaxter, 2013). We concluded that research in this field has been characterised by a relatively uncritical discovery of AA narratives among AA members and by a lack of methodological rigour. Overall, findings demonstrated a pressing need for high quality qualitative research on AA.
Studies 2-4 comprise of qualitative interviews with ex-members of AA and current members of AA with differing lengths of time in AA, and includes the first longitudinal study with AA members. Some of the research questions that are being explored include: (1) Do short-term and long-term members value the AA program for different reasons?; (2) Are there differences in the extent to which ex-members, short-term and long-term members identify with AA conceptions of alcoholism?; (3) Are there different types of responses to AA over time?; and (4) Does long-term AA membership facilitate global psychological growth?

Psychological Risks Of The Offshore Oil Platform Workers In The Caspian Sea

Objectives/Scope: The goal is to identify the psychological risk of employees of the offshore ice-resistant oil and gas production platform in the Caspian Sea
Methods, Procedures, Process: The study was conducted on the offshore ice-resistant platform. Y. Korchagin, the Caspian Sea (April 2019), 50 employees took part in it (shift duration - 14 days). Research methods are questionnaire, psychological and psychophysiological testing. Psychological risk in professional activity is the probability of the emergence of professional personal destruction and the formation of unfavorable functional states of employees in the performance of labor functions due to the prolonged impact of negative social and industrial factors with insufficient personal and environmental resources.
Results, Observations, Conclusions: The psychological risks were revealed among employees with an optimal and reduced level of functional reserves and working capacity. The differences of employees of various professional groups are revealed. Key psychological traits are identified that allow employees to effectively cope with their professional duties, while maintaining mental and physical health.
Novel/Additive Information: For the first time, a study was conducted to identify the psychological risks of workers of the offshore ice-resistant oil platform in the Caspian Sea through a scientific expedition. The data obtained as a result of this expedition are unique and are of great scientific and practical value. The reported study was funded by RFBR according to the research project № 18-013-00623.

Lived Experiences of Gaming Workers and the Protective Factors Against Gambling-Related Harm

Gambling-related harm for workers in the gambling industry is a growing health concern, that has significant financial, legal, physical and psychosocial implications. Although research has largely focused on the liabilities and facilitators of gambling for gaming workers, little is known on the factors that protect gaming workers’ from being at risk of gambling-related harm. Building on the limited research on gaming workers in the gambling industry, this qualitative research adopted a phenomenological methodology drawing on a social constructionist perspective and interpretivist framework to better understand the unique lived experiences of gaming workers’ and the protective factors against gambling-related harm. Interviews were conducted on seven workers (1 Female, 6 Males) between 4 to 22 years of work experience in the gambling industry. Using a thematic analysis, the interview data showed the relationship between gaming workers is the biggest protective factor against gambling-related harm, as well as attitude, exposure and awareness of gambling and the industry. The findings also showed that workers would benefit from a confidential helpline for gaming workers, a reporting system, a monitoring system and advertisement for workers to help deal with problem gambling. The research contributes to help policymakers and management devise better gambling harm related initiatives to help reduce gambling behaviours and risks for gaming workers, which may improve gaming workers physical and psychological wellbeing and capacity for work. Ultimately, recognising the unique lived experiences of gaming workers gives workers a voice, thereby helping in building knowledge for stakeholders and for further research. Furthermore, by understanding gaming worker’s lived experience with gambling could be a potential resource for developing gambling harm minimisation strategies.