Suchergebnisse

Bangladesh has been a severe victim of its various sporadic natural disasters—flood, cyclone and storm surge, flash flood, drought, tornado, riverbank erosion, and landslide. Familial and societal lives and security of people are being seriously disturbed by these natural calamities every year. They also bring deadly damage to the economy and general environment of the country. Natural disasters cannot be pre‐empted at all, but their damage can be mitigated with effective responses. Social work has been a profession notably known for its intervention of people's vulnerability to natural and man‐made disasters. This concept paper discusses relevant intervention strategies and approaches to transform the local capacity of communities on natural disaster risk reduction in light of the social work profession.

Non-governmental organisations are acknowledged for their contributions by playing a vital role in promoting social justice and human rights, advocating for marginalised groups, and empowering them to voice their concerns. NGOs collaborate with both the government and private sector. NGOs enable communities to engage in decision-making processes. Additionally, they often work on the ground, providing direct support and resources to communities in need, thereby addressing immediate needs and working towards long-term solutions. They are critical in achieving sustainable development goals, like improving health and eradicating poverty. Despite the advantages, there is uncertainty because aspects of their sustainability have yet to be thoroughly studied, especially in the Malaysian context. This study was therefore carried out to evaluate the study objectives and determine whether the interview questions were appropriate. This study used an entirely qualitative method. Two staff members from one social welfare NGO were interviewed. The results reveal that the interview questions were appropriate for the study objectives, with some corrections needed. The corrections required were primarily in the wording and clarity of the questions, but overall, the qualitative method effectively gathered relevant information from the staff.

Malaysia is witnessing a significant impact of drug use among its population which has seen an upward trend in the last decade. Family members of drug users and drug abusers have borne the heaviest brunt and therefore, this research examines how the family member cope with the latter's' addiction. Eighteen (18) family members of drug users in Penang, Malaysia were interviewed in this qualitative research. Primary data gleaned from these in-depth interviews were analysed, and findings showed that family members adopted many different coping mechanism and strategies, namely emotional, avoidance, controlling, inactive, assertive and supportive in dealing with challenges of intra family drug addiction. External and internal resources as well as support systems were also accessed. Specifically, close relatives and counsellors from National Anti-drugs Agency were approached for emotional support and practical guidance. This research found affected family members who formed self-help and support groups as part of their coping strategies were able to discover meaningful and useful ways to deal with the destructive effects of drug abuse. Government and non-governmental agencies also assisted affected family members in offering practical help. However, it is important both government and non-governmental agencies play a more proactive role. The National Anti-drugs Agency in particular, it is recommended provide tailor made programmes and coping skills in addressing these traumatic situations and enable families deal with this destructive habit of addiction.

The global lockdown due to COVID-19 is a major concern as all higher educational institutions face disruption in teaching, learning and assessment. Social work educators in Malaysia's higher educational institutions are not spared of this disruption. Conventional teaching methods are now being replaced by non-conventional modes of teaching, which include online teaching and assessment using various platforms such as Zoom, WebEx and others. In embarking on online methods of teaching, social work educators will have to undergo many changes. It is particularly so as social work has a practice component that involves field training, which will be a different challenge to educators and students in this new and unexpected environment. This paper aims to discuss the implications of COVID-19 on the changes that have taken place in social work teaching and learning in Malaysia and potential responses.

The impact of mental illness is profound. This qualitative study aims to explore the impact experienced by family caregivers who provide care to relatives with mental illness. A total of 15 family caregivers from the state of Kedah in Malaysia participated in this study. The findings indicated that the family caregivers experienced four types of negative impact, including financial burdens and social, psychological and physical health. This study suggests that the family caregivers should engage in support groups to obtain emotional support and the required information from other caregivers who have similar experiences in caring for individuals with mental illness.

Poverty is multidimensional in nature and exists in every part of the world. Microfinance is considered one of the most important programs to achieve poverty reduction, particularly in Bangladesh. It has been estimated that nearly 45% of Bangladesh's population lives below the poverty line. This qualitative research study was conducted in order to determine the effectiveness of microfinance programs and the contributing factors to the high‐level of poverty among microfinance beneficiaries in the district of Bogra, Bangladesh. Study findings indicated that microfinance programs were ineffective as a result of high interest rates; insufficient loans; unproductive use of loans; corruption and poor skills of microfinance institution staff; weekly repayment schedules; and physical and mental harassment of poor women. Additionally, the lack of employment opportunities, education, healthcare facilities and social safety nets; natural disasters; the dowry system; and the rising cost of basic daily needs have also contributed to chronic poverty.

The coronavirus outbreak has significantly affected the health and well-being of several people around the world. In a similar vein, Bangladeshi medical professionals have also been affected by several severe physical and mental health complications resulting from their frequent contact with COVID-19 patients. This exposes them to a greater risk of infection with the lethal virus, which can substantially impact their job performance. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the manner in which the COVID-19 pandemic affects the occupational health and safety of medical employees. The researchers deployed a descriptive qualitative technique to investigate the complexities of the COVID-19 crisis amongst medical practitioners. Employing purposeful sampling and in-depth interview techniques, the researchers collected data from a total of 32 healthcare professionals and investigated their state of occupational health, their exposure to stress and trauma, and the effects of stress and trauma on their livelihood, health and well-being. The data revealed the occupational health of healthcare workers as being fragile, resulting to stress and trauma, and eventually, a depressed state of mind. To address this issue, relevant government and non-governmental organizations should concentrate on reducing COVID-19-related risks and repercussions in hospital settings. In addition, policymakers, social workers, public health practitioners and psychologists must work together to ensure that healthcare workers are healthy and safe at work.