Preparing Social Workers to Confront Social Injustice and Oppression: Evaluating the Role of Social Work Education

Since the presidential election of 2016, bias-related incidents, hate-filled rhetoric, and extremist violence have been increasing in the United States. Because social workers are often working with individuals and communities affected by these incidents, practitioners may have increasing responsibility to confront social injustice and oppression. However, limited evidence on the preparedness of social workers to assume this responsibility, particularly among those who are still students, exists. To address this gap, this study used focus group and survey data from the Diversity and Oppression Scale to explore the preparedness of MSW students (N = 22) to confront oppression. Six themes were identified as integral to student experiences in their programs: (1) social worker responsibility to confront oppression, (2) use of dominant group discourse on oppression, (3) variation in faculty preparation and comfort, (4) a focus on knowledge of oppression versus skills and process, (5) role of personal responsibility and experience in student preparation, and (6) strategies to increase student preparedness to confront oppression. Factors identified to enhance students' level of preparedness include faculty opportunities for development, changes to the explicit and implicit curriculum, and creating a formalized way to integrate topics on oppression and diversity into all facets of the curriculum

Binge eating and binge-eating disorder in Black women: A systematic review

Objective: Although several effective behavioral treatments for binge-eating disorder (BED) exist, there are racial disparities in treatment access, with African–Americans and/or Black individuals having some of the lowest rates of access to care. Little is known about the experience and treatment of binge eating (BE) and BED among Black women. Method: This systematic review, conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, synthesizes information related to BE and BED in Black women. Results: A total of N = 38 studies met our eligibility criteria. We did not identify any systematic risk of bias across studies. The majority of included studies used cross-sectional survey methodology, and relied on interview (EDE) and self-report measures (particularly the Binge Eating Scale, BES) for the assessment of BE. Outcomes were inconsistently measured across trials, and there are limited data on the results of evidence-based treatments for BE/BED in Black women. Discussion: Although Black women have similar or higher rates of BE than White women, most research on BE and BED has focused on White women, with Black individuals underrepresented in clinical trials. Future research should examine evidence-based treatments to prevent and treat BED in this population

The Importance of Spirituality in African-Americans' End-of-Life Experience

A profound and moving spirituality provided emotional and psychological support for most terminally ill patients at Grady Memorial Hospital. The authors were able to trace the roots of these patients' spirituality to core beliefs described by African-American theologians. Truly bedrock beliefs often reflected in conversations with the patients at Grady included the providence of God and the divine plan for each person's life. Patients felt an intimate relationship to God, which they expressed through prayer. Importantly, almost all patients were willing to share their beliefs with the authors in long bedside interviews. This willingness to share indicates that physicians can learn about and validate such patients' spiritual sources of support