Rural Social Work in Scotland

The idea that social work in rural areas in Scotland might best be based on different approaches to those used in urban areas (where the vast majority of the population live) has received scant attention in recent years. There is a dearth of research on which to plan services that fit with such a notion. However, given the Scottish Government’s emphasis on community engagement, this is of interest. This Insight looks at the particularities of the rural context, the policy framework, and goes on to describe approaches that can be used to help social workers living and working in rural Scotland. These form a major part of Scotland’s landmass and are home to a number of Scotland’s local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs)

Leadership in a time of climate change - challenges for the future and how we might meet them

The workshop addresses climate change themes that are of national and international importance and how social work's leadership might prepare to address them

Introduction: Rurality and Social Work

This chapter by the editors introduces the reader to the concept of the book: the rediscovery of rural social work and its place in a social work practice fit for the future. Describing rurality and definitions of rural social work practice from the literature, it moves onto an outline of the book’s content and the reasons for breaking the contributions into three themes: stigma, environment and community. The last is premised as an overarching principle of the book—a suggestion that conscious rural social work is different from the use of models and practices that are offered elsewhere as universal because of their focus on the individual regardless of their place

Final Words - Social Work and Rural Communities Reflections and Ways Forward

This chapter, by the editors, summarises the common issues emerging from the three themes of the book: stigma, environment and community, and two that are evident throughout the chapters: stories as data and the pros and cons of the digital revolution. The innovative as well as well-versed ways of seeing the world and its issues that the contributors have outlined are highlighted, offering as the book reaches a conclusion further amplification of the notion of community as fundamental to rural social work practice

Acquisition and Long-term Carriage of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in US International Travelers.

We performed prospective screening of stool for multidrug-resistant organisms from 608 US international travelers and identified an acquisition rate of 38% following travel. Carriage rates remained significantly elevated for at least 6 months post-travel. Travel-related diarrhea was a risk factor for acquisition, as well as for long-term carriage upon return