TAHAP PENGAMALAN PRAKTIS KERJA SOSIAL DALAM KALANGAN PEGAWAI KEBAJIKAN DI MALAYSIA [THE LEVEL OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE AMONG MALAYSIAN SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICERS]

Tujuan dan Latarbelakang: Kualiti penyampaian khidmat kerja sosial oleh pegawai kebajikan masyarakat dipengaruhi oleh latar belakang pengetahuan dan kemahiran kerja sosial yang mereka miliki. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menilai tahap pengamalan praktis kerja sosial dalam kalangan pegawai kebajikan di Malaysia.   Metodologi: Pendekatan kuantitatif yang menggunakan reka bentuk tinjauan telah dilakukan ke atas 305 orang Penolong Pegawai dan Pembantu Pembangunan Masyarakat Gred 19 hingga Gred 38 terpilih yang berkhidmat di Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat di seluruh negara. Persampelan rawak mudah digunakan bagi mendapatkan responden. Tahap pengamalan terhadap praktis kerja sosial diukur berdasarkan Kerangka Kompetensi Kerja Sosial Nasional Singapura dan Piawaian Kompetensi Praktis Kerja Sosial Kebangsaan.   Dapatan: Tahap pengamalan terhadap praktis kerja sosial dalam kalangan responden menunjukkan skor yang tinggi.   Sumbangan: Bersandarkan dapatan kajian, tiga inisiatif bagi meningkatkan lagi kualiti pengamalan dan penyampaian praktis kerja sosial dalam kalangan pegawai kebajikan di negara ini telah dicadangkan iaitu i) pengukuhan program latihan; ii) penetapan semula maksud kecekapan dalam pengamalan; dan iii) penetapan pengamalan berdasarkan kod etika.   Kata kunci: Tahap pengamalan, praktis kerja sosial, penyampaian khidmat kerja sosial, pegawai kebajikan, Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Malaysia (JKM).   ABSTRACT Background and Purpose: The quality of social service delivery by welfare officers is influenced by the knowledge and social work skills they possess. This paper aims to study the level of social work practice among welfare officers in Malaysia.   Methodology: A quantitative approach using survey design was used to collect data from 305 Community Development Assistant Officers and Community Development Helper Grades 19 through 38 who served in the Social Welfare Department across Malaysia.  The respondents were selected using simple random sampling. The level of social work practice was measured using the Singapore National Social Work Competency Framework and the National Social Work Practise Competency Standards.   Findings: The findings showed that the level of social work practice among the respondents is at high score.   Contribution: Based on the findings, three initiatives to improve the quality of social work practce among welfare officers are recommended: i) strengthening training programs; ii) redefining the meaning of practice; and iii) establishing practice based on ethical code.   Keywords: Level of practise, social work practise, welfare officer, delivery of social services, Department of Social Welfare Malaysia (JKM)   Cite As: Siti Hajar, A. B. A., Haris, A. W., Noralina, O., Mashitah, H., Zaiton, A., Al Azmi, B., ... Azreen, R. (2020). Tahap pengamalan praktis kerja sosial dalam kalangan pegawai kebajikan  di Malaysia [The level of social work practice among Malaysian social welfare officers]. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 5(2), 68-85. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol5iss2pp68-8

Effect Of Temperature And Formic Acid Concentration On Delignification Of Leucaena Leucocephala

Delignification is essential for wide range of technologies especially in paper industry and ethanol as transportation fuel.Researches have been made by thermal, mechanical, chemical and biology treatment. Recently, L. Leucocephala has been in centre of attraction for paper making industry while formic acid, a typical organosolv system has been given attention by the researchers due to effectiveness on the ability to break down and modify the lignin structure. Hence, delignification of L. Leucocephala was studied using chemical treatment with formic acid. The effect of reaction conditions including reaction temperature and formic acid concentration were investigated at atmospheric pressure for 6 hours of reaction time. Delignification percentage approximately 70–75%(v/w) with a pulp yield of 40–62%(w/w) was obtained and the optimal reaction temperature is 90oC with 90% of formic acid concentration, respectively. Therefore, temperature and formic acid concentration affected significantly on the delignification process of L. Leucocephal

Evaluation of Simultaneous Exposure to Flour Dust and Airborne Fungal Spores in Milling Plant

Background and Objectives: Wheat flour as an organic allergen particle has an extensive respiratory exposure in milling industry and related industries. Simultaneous exposure to flour dust and fungal spores causes infectious disease, cancers, and impaired pulmonary function tests. This research was carried out with the aim of assessing the concentration of respirable flour particles, determining the type, and concentration of fungal spores in breathing air of workers in milling industries. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 42 area samples were collected on filter and analyzed gravimetrically. Using a specific sampling pump, sampling of bioaerosols and sabro dextrose agar medium of fungal spores, was performed. Microscopic analysis was applied to detect and quantify microorganisms as colony per cubic meter. Results: The mean and standard deviation of total respirable particles in the breathing air of workers was 6/57±1/69mg/m3, which exceeded occupational exposure limit. The concentration of fungal spores in workers’ breathing air ranged from 42 to 310 colony per cubic meter. The percentage of respirable to total dust particles produced in sieve vibration, bagging, and milling sections, were determined 67.83%, 32%, and 62.2%, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the concentration of respirable particles in wheat milling process exceeded the recommended level and the concentration of fungal spores was at the average level of occupational exposure according to ACGIH recommendation. Therefore, engineering controls are required in flour milling process to reduce the exposure of workers

The approach and function of university students to research process: A cross sectional study

Introduction: The approach and function of students can consider as a basis for future intervention in order to improve and enhance their attitude and function. So, this study purposed to detect the attitude and function of university students to research process in Semnan University of medical sciences. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was designed to measure the attitude and function of 190 students of Semnan University of medical sciences (Seman, Iran) toward the research process. Data were gathered by a Likert handmade questionnaire with 27 items. Finally, data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Results showed 60 percent of students were interested to research process. The students’ attitude was positive to following items: “promoting science by research in human world”, “meaning of research as integrating factor of past experience with science for a better future”, and “scientific research as a complementary for learning”. The most practice of students was related to items such as: “accompanying with teachers in research projects”, “presence in scientific congress or seminars”, and “membership in the student research center and research methodology workshops”. Also, least students’ function was related to items such as “paper publication in scientific journals”, “participation in research, and “as a main researcher in research projects”. Conclusion: In regards of interesting of students to research process, holding classes of research methodology, collaboration of faculty members with students, and removing limitations to research acivities, can change the attitude and of students

Safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (FAKHRAVAC®) in healthy adults aged 18–55 years: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase I clinical trial

Background: The FAKHRAVAC®, an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, was assessed for safety and immunogenicity. Methods and findings: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase I trial, we randomly assigned 135 healthy adults between 18 and 55 to receive vaccine strengths of 5 or 10 μg/dose or placebo (adjuvant only) in 0–14 or 0–21 schedules. This trial was conducted in a single center in a community setting. The safety outcomes in this study were reactogenicity, local and systemic adverse reactions, abnormal laboratory findings, and Medically Attended Adverse Events (MAAE). Immunogenicity outcomes include serum neutralizing antibody activity and specific IgG antibody levels.The most frequent local adverse reaction was tenderness (28.9%), and the most frequent systemic adverse reaction was headache (9.6%). All adverse reactions were mild, occurred at a similar incidence in all six groups, and were resolved within a few days. In the 10-µg/dose vaccine group, the geometric mean ratio for neutralizing antibody titers at two weeks after the second injection compared to the placebo group was 9.03 (95% CI: 3.89–20.95) in the 0–14 schedule and 11.77 (95% CI: 2.77–49.94) in the 0–21 schedule. The corresponding figures for the 5-µg/dose group were 2.74 (1.2–6.28) and 5.2 (1.63–16.55). The highest seroconversion rate (four-fold increase) was related to the 10-µg/dose group (71% and 67% in the 0–14 and 0–21 schedules, respectively). Conclusions: FAKHRAVAC® is safe and induces a strong humoral immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus at 10-µg/dose vaccine strength in adults aged 18–55. This vaccine strength was used for further assessment in the phase II trial.Trial registrationThis study is registered with https://www.irct.ir; IRCT20210206050259N1