Acculturation and Diet among Afro-Caribbean Immigrants: Impact on Health

Afro-Caribbean migrants account for 50% of the Black immigrant population in the U.S. Despite this, little is known about their social and economic outcomes as they are often aggregated with all immigrants or American-born Blacks. This presentation adds to the literature by exploring the socio-economic factors that affect the diet of Afro-Caribbean immigrants

TANF ENTRY AND EXIT IN THE POST WELFARE REFORM ERA: THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF HUMAN CAPITAL AND SOCIAL CAPITAL

The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) dramatically transformed the United States’ welfare system. It did so by replacing the old cash system, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). This new system is predicated on several mandates which include mandatory work in exchange for cash assistance, and a five-year lifetime limit on the receipt of cash assistance. This major restructuring resulted in greater emphasis on welfare recipients’ ability to succeed in this market economy. Specifically, it evokes greater attention to the factors that can potentially hinder or promote welfare exit. Research has primarily emphasized human capital theory in welfare receipt and exit. Human capital pertains to an individual’s educational attainment or technical expertise that can translate into productivity within the labor market. Less research has been devoted to social capital, a concept that sheds light on the social reality in which people live. Social capital deals specifically with the advantages that are embedded in social relations than can provide economic benefits. In accordance with this definition, studies have shown that the accumulation of social capital has led to better employment outcomes. Given its importance, a view of the social capital of welfare recipients along with their human capital accumulation will help to illuminate the complexities inherent in entering and exiting welfare. Among low income individuals, educational level does not necessarily reflect welfare status or a change in status. An important contributor to economic well-being, such as promoting TANF exit or hindering TANF entry, is social capital. However, little is known about its role in conjunction with human capital, among welfare recipients. In response to this gap, this dissertation seeks to examine the relative effects of human capital and social capital on TANF exit and entry. This research is based on the Making Connections dataset which is part of a larger initiative by the Annie Casey Foundation to improve neighborhood social and economic opportunities. The results of this study show that social capital is an important predictor of exiting TANF, however it does not affect TANF entry. It also suggests that human capital is important for exiting TANF but does not act as a buffer against entering TANF. The implications of these findings are that welfare policy and programs should promote social capital and human capital efforts for welfare recipients

Reducing the College Progress Gap Between Low- to Moderate-Income (LMI) and High-Income (HI) Young Adults: Assets as an Understudied Form of Economic Capital

Reducing the College Progress Gap Between Low- to Moderate-Income (LMI) and High-Income (HI) Young Adults: Assets as an Understudied Form of Economic Capita

Reducing the College Progress Gap Between Low- to Moderate-Income (LMI) and High-Income (HI) Young Adults

College progress identifies young adults who are “on course,” that is, those who are currently enrolled in, or who have a degree from, a two-year college or a four-year college. However, little is known about the impact of these factors on low-to-moderate-income (LMI) young adults. Findings suggest LMI young adults with school savings are two and half times more likely to be on course than LMI young adults without savings. Policies such as universal Child Development Accounts (CDAs) that can help adolescents accumulate savings may be a simple and effective strategy for helping to keep LMI young adults on course

PITTSBURGH’S RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS: DIFFERENCES AND DISPARITIES

Pittsburgh’s Racial Demographics: Differences and Disparities provides indicators of quality of life by race and ethnicity in the Pittsburgh region. Data are provided for four groups (Whites, African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics) and for four geographic areas (city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, and the U.S.). The most recent data available for the Pittsburgh area and the nation were used in this report. In some instances, however, only data from the 2000 census were available to make comparisons. It is also the case that data were not available on all of our topic areas in the same years. It is our hope to update this report every three years, particularly if the American Community Survey (which is designed to replace the decennial census) produces regular, reliable data by race for cities, counties, and regions

Critical Race Theory in Social Work Education: A Framework for Addressing Racial Disparities

The multicultural approach is the hallmark of social work education. It pushes individuals to develop awareness of their own perspective and to acknowledge the legitimacy of other cultural views. Yet, it does not provide an opportunity for students to address the striking persistence of disparities between different cultures in the United States. Scholars contend that failure to directly and seriously address the striking inequality in a society leads to a divided society with self-destructive tendencies. In this paper I postulate that fully embracing critical race theory (CRT) in social work education can help to overcome the shortcomings of the current multicultural approach in addressing disparity in the United States. Keywords: critical race theory, multicultural, social work, educatio

“The Social and Economic Impact of Water Scarcity: The case of St. Vincent and the Grenadines”

Water scarcity is a serious concern in developing countries, such as those in the Caribbean. Among Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the Caribbean has the least amount of fresh water available per person (Caribbean Environmental Health Institute, 2007). On a per capita basis, the region has 13% of the water available in the Indian Ocean SIDS and only 1.7% of that available in the islands of the South Pacific. The availability of fresh water reserves in the Caribbean is in part limited by the mountainous terrain of many of the islands and frequent natural disasters which often cut off the water supply to homes. Water is a critical resource for social and economic development of the Caribbean islands, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines where the main economic drivers are agriculture and tourism. These industries are essentially non-existent without the ample supply of water. For example, during the 2009 severe drought the quality and quantity of bananas produced were severely impacted. This had a downward effect on the extent to which bananas from this region were able to compete on any global market. Adequate and consistent supply of clean water is also needed to support the tourist industry, through hotels, restaurants and other tourist attractions. The social impact of water scarcity also runs deep. The scarcity of water does not only affect the production of food for export but also for local consumption. Food production that is threatened by scarcity of water therefore threatens the food security of Vincentians as well as change the patterns of food consumption. It also affects the livelihood of farmers and their families. The country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has a poverty rate of 35% which means that a large share of the population rely on the land for economic survival. When water scarcity restricts the growth of their cash crops many farmers are not able to meet the needs of their families. The scarcity of fresh water also has a public health impact. Given the social and economic implications of water scarcity in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, more attention must be brought to the issue in an effort to mitigate its effects. This presentation session is designed to fill that gap. Four presentations will constitute the session. The first presentation will focus on the social and economic impact of water scarcity on Vincentians. The second will highlight the nutritional implications of water scarcity on Vincentians. The third presentation will present results from data collected in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on water use and the social adaptation to water scarcity. The final presentation will provide a conceptual model for social work response to water scarcity in the Caribbean and provide lessons for poor neighborhoods in the U.S

Intimate Partner Violence and Afro-Caribbean Women: Practice Implications for the U.S

Intimate-partner violence (IPV) is a major issue affecting Caribbean countries (WHO). In recent years, various policies and laws were implemented in efforts to reduce gender-based violence in all its forms in the Caribbean. Despite such efforts, gender-based violence persists. A major barrier to reducing gender-based violence is the ill-response of authorities and a culture that is grounded in patriarchy and traditional gender roles (Anderson, 2012; Gibbons, 2013). Many Caribbean women migrate to the US annually and are settling in the South. Frye, Hosein, Waltermaurer, Blney, and Whitt (2005) reported that immigrant women made up over half of all intimate partner femicide victims reported between 1990 and 1999 in New York. Additionally, immigrant women were nearly two times more likely to be killed by an intimate partner than a nonintimate partner. With the increase in migrants to the South and the unique cultural characteristic that Afro-Caribbean immigrants bring, it is important to discuss policy implications and intervention strategies for violence reported by Afro-Caribbean women. Understanding the characterization of gender-based violence from an Afro-Caribbean perspective will inform strategies for intervention and prevention

Women of Color: Using Intersectionality Theory to Explore Cumulative Disadvantages in Health Outcomes

Health disparities between women of color and their White counterparts remain pervasive throughout the U.S, including the South. For instance, Black and Hispanic women are nearly two times more likely than White women to have Alzheimer\u27s disease and related dementia (ADRD). The disparity is also evident in diabetes where Black women are diagnosed with the disease at rate of 9.0 per 100 compared to a rate of 5.4 for White women. They are also more than two times more likely than White women to die from the disease. HIV/AIDS is another area of health that reflects great disparity. Women of color account for the vast majority (78%) of women living with the disease. They are also more likely than Whites to die from the disease. These disparities have tremendous implications for minority families. The high rate of female-headed households among minorities means that poor health among women creates grave financial burden which can unravel the stability of many families. This heightens the need to examine the factors that influence their health. Intersectionality offers a compelling framework to understand the multiple layers of oppression that contribute to poor health. This presentation will highlight the interaction of race, gender, class, and location in shaping health outcomes for women of color in the South

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in International Perspective

Please click the links below to view more information about each presentation. “Combatting Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Islam: Muslim Religious Leaders as the Bridge between Misinterpretation and Resolution ” Mediha Salkic, University of Virginia - Main Campus “Intimate Partner Violence and Afro-Caribbean Women: Practice Implications for the U.S.” Helyne Frederick and Monique Constance-Huggins, Winthrop University “Gun Control and Domestic Violence: An Intersectional Examination” Mary Summersby Okey-Hamrick, Winthrop University Sarah Cohen, Winthrop Universit