Home » Pandemic Social Work

Pandemic Social Work

Pages

Oleksandr (Sasha) Kondrashov

March-July 2020

Course history:

I start thinking on developing pandemic social work course in March 2020 after having conversation with one of my colleague at TRU to offer during summer 2020 term as directed studies course. I will keep updating the course during April and if any other universities are interested in running the course please let me know and once we develop the content for each lecture I can post it online too.

Course designers:

Oleksandr (Sasha) Kondrashov, PhD, RSW

Jeanne Albutra, BSW(c)

Course description:

This course critically examines the social work responses to the pandemic, with a specific focus on COVID-19. Students can research social work responses to keep individuals, groups, families and communities together despite social distancing. The course offers students opportunities to create tools to protect vulnerable groups during pandemic and provides an overview of the profession’s role and purpose in fighting the pandemic. It uses the World Health Organization framework to develop preparedness and mitigation strategies and to research how social workers can support communities both locally and globally during and after the pandemic.

Educational Objectives/Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able:

To articulate the roles of social worker during pandemic
To develop adaptive responses to pandemic challenges
To prepare emergency response action plans for human service organizations during and after the pandemic
To describe what strategies should be used to communicate risk and engage communities to detect, prevent and respond to pandemic
To examine strategies for preventing and controlling pandemic.
To outline social work direct practice skills and hygiene measures to protect community members against pandemic
To discuss the WHO Operational Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness and Response through social work values.
To develop a professional response to ethical dilemmas during the pandemic
To recognize the importance of physical distancing during pandemic
To offer professional support to human service professionals in different practice settings (e.g. Schools, Hospitals etc) during pandemic operations.
To advocate for the inclusion of socially vulnerable groups in pandemic planning
To use online social networks to provide access to credible information and respond to infodemic concerns
To examine the history of global pandemics
To evaluate federal, provincial, and municipal policy responses to pandemic
To promote social work pandemic research

Course Materials

Aiello, A., Khayeri, M. Y.-E., Raja, S., Peladeau, N., Romano, D., Leszcz, M., Maunder, R. G., Rose, M., Adam, M. A., Pain, C., Moore, A., Savage, D., & Schulman, R. B. (2011). Resilience Training for Hospital Workers in Anticipation of an Influenza Pandemic: Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 31(1), 15–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/chp.20096

Al-garadi, M. A., Khan, M. S., Varathan, K. D., Mujtaba, G., & Al-Kabsi, A. M. (2016). Using online social networks to track a pandemic: A systematic review. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 62, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2016.05.005

Anna C. Mastroianni. (2009). Slipping through the net: Social vulnerability in pandemic planning. Hastings Center Report, 39(5), 11–12. https://doi.org/10.1353/hcr.0.0186

Barrett, R., & Brown, P. J. (2008). Stigma in the time of influenza: Social and institutional responses to pandemic emergencies. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 197(s1), S34–S37. https://doi.org/10.1086/524986

Baum, N. M., Jacobson, P. D., & Goold, S. D. (2009). “Listen to the people”: Public deliberation about social distancing measures in a pandemic. The American Journal of Bioethics, 9(11), 4–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/15265160903197531

Braunack-Mayer, A. J., Street, J. M., Rogers, W. A., Givney, R., Moss, J. R., & Hiller, J. E. (2010). Including the public in pandemic planning: A deliberative approach. BMC Public Health, 10(1), 501. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-501

Cauchemez, S., Ferguson, N. M., Wachtel, C., Tegnell, A., Saour, G., Duncan, B., & Nicoll, A. (2009). Closure of schools during an influenza pandemic. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 9(8), 473–481. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(09)70176-8

Chapter 2 from Waldman, E., & Glass, M. (Eds.). (2019). A Field Manual for Palliative Care in Humanitarian Crises. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://oxfordmedicine.com/view/10.1093/med/9780190066529.001.0001/med-9780190066529-chapter-2

DeBruin, D., Liaschenko, J., & Marshall, M. F. (2012). Social Justice in Pandemic Preparedness. American Journal of Public Health, 102(4), 586–591. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300483

Delaney, B. (2020). Pandemic: Netflix’s new series about global outbreaks is eerily timed, and moved me to tears. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/feb/05/pandemic-netflixs-new-series-about-global-outbreaks-is-eerily-timed-and-moved-me-to-tears

Dominelli, L. (2020). Social work during a health pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.iassw-aiets.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Social-Work-in-Times-of-the-Covid-19-Pandemic-18-March-20-1.pdf

Drolet, J., Ayala, J., Pierce, J., Giasson, F., & Kang, L. (2013). Influenza “A” H1N1 pandemic planning and response: The role of Canadian social work field directors and coordinators. Canadian Social Work Review/Revue canadienne de service social, 49-63.

Emanuel, E. J., Persad, G., Upshur, R., Thome, B., Parker, M., Glickman, A., … & Phillips, J. P. (2020). Fair allocation of scarce medical resources in the time of Covid-19. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsb2005114

Glass, R. J., Glass, L. M., Beyeler, W. E., & Min, H. J. (2006). Targeted social distancing design for pandemic influenza. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 12(11), 11.

Jordan, D. (n.d.). The deadliest flu: The complete story of the discovery and reconstruction of the 1918 pandemic virus. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/reconstruction-1918-virus.html

Kondrashov, O. (2020). Remote learning practicum discussion topics and learning activities. The SW Educator. Retrieved from https://krasun.ca/remote-learning-practicum-discussion-topics-and-learning-activities/

Kotalik, J. (2005). Preparing for an influenza pandemic: Ethical issues. Bioethics, 19(4), 422–431. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8519.2005.00453.x

Marshall, C. S., Yamada, S., & Inada, M. K. (2008). Using problem-based learning for pandemic preparedness. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences, 24(3), S39–S45. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1607-551X(08)70093-7

Maunder, R. G., Leszcz, M., Savage, D., Adam, M. A., Peladeau, N., Romano, D., Rose, M., & Schulman, R. B. (2008). Applying the lessons of SARS to pandemic influenza: An evidence-based approach to mitigating the stress experienced by healthcare workers. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 99(6), 486–488. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403782

Netflix (2020). Pandemic: How to prevent an outbreak. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81026143

PBS (2010).American experience: Influenza 1918. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/video/american-experience-influenza-1918/

Quiñones, L.A. (2020). Social work in a time of pandemic. The New Social Worker. Retrieved from https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/practice/social-work-in-time-of-pandemic/

Reissman, D. B., Watson, P. J., Klomp, R. W., Tanielian, T. L., & Prior, S. D. (2006). Pandemic influenza preparedness: Adaptive responses to an evolving challenge. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.2202/1547-7355.1233

Rosoff, P. M. (2008). The ethics of care: Social workers in an influenza pandemic. Social Work in Health Care, 47(1), 49–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981380801970814

Rowan, D., Kabwira, D., Mmatli, T., Rankopo, M., & Long, D. D. (2012). Using video as pedagogy for globally connected learning about the Hiv/Aids pandemic. Journal of Social Work Education, 48(4), 691–706. https://doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2012.201100113

Sadique, M. Z., Adams, E. J., & Edmunds, W. J. (2008). Estimating the costs of school closure for mitigating an influenza pandemic. BMC Public Health, 8(1), 135. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-135

Uscher-Pines, Lori., Duggan, P. S., Garoon, J. P., Karron, R. A., & Faden, R. R. (2007). Planning for an influenza pandemic: Social justice and disadvantaged groups. Hastings Center Report, 37(4), 32–39. https://doi.org/10.1353/hcr.2007.0064

Vaughan, E., & Tinker, T. (2009). Effective health risk communication about pandemic influenza for vulnerable populations. American Journal of Public Health, 99(S2), S324–S332. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.162537

WHO (2020a). Emerging respiratory viruses, including COVID-19: methods for detection, prevention, response and control (Module C and D). Retrieved from https://openwho.org/courses/introduction-to-ncov

WHO (2020b). ePROTECT Respiratory Infections (Module 3 and 4). Retrieved from https://openwho.org/courses/eprotect-acute-respiratory-infections

WHO (2020c).COVID-19: Operational planning guidelines and COVID-19 partners platform to support country preparedness and response. Retrieved from https://openwho.org/courses/UNCT-COVID19-preparedness-and-response-EN

Worldwide hospice and palliative care alliance (2020). COVID-19 Resources. Retrieved from http://www.thewhpca.org/covid-19

Student Evaluation & Assessment

Evaluation	Percentage	Due Dates
Professional Learning	20 %
Class Project Part 1	30 %
Class Project Part 2	50%
Total	100%

Course Schedule

Unit	Topic(s)	Required Readings	Assignments
1	Introduction to Pandemic Social Work: Course Design	Course Outline Retrieved from https://krasun.ca/pandemic-social-work/
2	Pandemic Social Work Fields of Practice	WHO (2020); Reissman, Watson, Klomp, Tanielian, and Prior (2006); Quiñones (2020).
3	History and Theory of Pandemic Social Work	Netflix (2020). Delaney, B. (2020). Rosoff (2008). Jordan (n.d.); PBS (2010).
4	Infodemiology and Inforvelience: The use of social media and online data in planning pandemic social work response	Al-garadi, Khan, Varathan, Mujtaba and Al-Kabsi (2016); Vaughan and Tinker (2009).
5	Social Work Skills to Support Community Members from Pandemic: World Health Organization and Palliative Care perspectives	WHO (2020b); WHO (2020c); Worldwide hospice and palliative care alliance (2020); Chapter 2 from Waldman, E., & Glass, M. (Eds.). (2019).
6	Physical (Social) Distancing and Pandemic: Preparing the public in your community.	Glass, Glass, Beyeler and Min (2006); Baum, Jacobson, and Goold (2009).	Class Project Part 1
7	Stigma, Social Justice and Pandemic Response	Barrett and Brown (2008); Uscher-Pines, Duggan, Garoon, Karron and Faden (2007); DeBruin, Liaschenko, and Marshall (2012).
8	Vulnerability, Social Work Ethics and Response to Pandemic	Mastroianni (2009); Kotalik (2005); Braunack-Mayer, Street, Rogers, Givney, Moss and Hiller (2010). Emanuel, Persad, Upshur, Thome, Parker, Glickman, … and Phillips (2020).
9	Social Work Field Educators Response to Pandemic	Drolet, Ayala, Pierce, Giasson and Kang (2013); Kondrashov (2020);	Professional Learning
10	School Social Worker Response to Pandemic	Cauchemez, Ferguson, Wachtel, Tegnell, Saour, Duncan, and Nicoll (2009); Rowan, Kabwira, Mmatli, Rankopo, and Long (2012); Sadique, Adams, and Edmunds (2008).
11	Health Social Worker Response to Pandemic	Maunder, Leszcz, Savage, Adam, Peladeau, Romano, Rose, and Schulman (2008); Aiello, Khayeri, Raja, Peladeau, Romano, Leszcz, Maunder, Rose, Adam, Pain, Moore, Savage and Schulman (2011). Dominelli (2020).
12	Social Policy Response to Pandemic: Supertrackers.	Oxford Supertracker: https://supertracker.spi.ox.ac.uk/
13	Social Work Pandemic Research: Course Review.	Pandemic Social Work Research Ethics Proposal: https://tinyurl.com/y3tgtr7y	Class Project Part 2:
		Check your final grades: Two weeks after the last day of classes