school social worker case study

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School Social Worker Voice during COVID-19 School Disruptions: A National Qualitative Analysis

Gordon capp.

Department of Social Work, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Boulevard, EC-207, Fullerton, CA 92832

Kate Watson

University of California, Los Angeles

Ron A Astor

Michael s kelly.

Loyola University Chicago

Rami Benbenishty

Hebrew University at Jerusalem, Israel

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created unprecedented impacts on our schools and society, requiring school social workers (SSWs) to attend to layered and cascading effects for students and their families. This study presents rich qualitative data from a national survey of SSWs about their personal and professional roles supporting students, families, and staff members as schools shifted to remote instruction. Findings indicate that SSWs are highly concerned about a lack of basic needs resources, including food, housing, and mental health support for students and families. SSWs highlighted the unequal effects of school closures for families without technology and Internet access as well as the difficulties providing services during the pandemic. Recovery policies should target resources to schools with the highest needs while prioritizing food, housing, mental health, and access to tools for online learning. SSWs also need additional and refined professional support to overcome their isolated roles in schools and bolster their ability to deliver online services effectively.

To date, there is little historical research documenting the school social work role during a pandemic. The school safety and crisis literatures are rife with accounts of social workers providing interventions and support during hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, war, and other traumatic events (for example, Knox & Roberts, 2005 ). Given that social workers are one of many professionals who provide social support, social–emotional learning, crisis intervention, and mental health services to students and families in schools, it is important to document the unique perspectives social workers offer during a pandemic. Social work also has a historically distinctive focus on serving vulnerable, marginalized, and oppressed populations and emphasizes understanding individuals in their environmental contexts ( National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2017 ). This viewpoint is particularly important because the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on populations in poverty who have little access to health care ( Shadmi et al., 2020 ).

School Social Work Practice during COVID-19

The March 2020 U.S. novel coronavirus (COVID-19) school closures and transfer to remote instruction offered a unique opportunity to understand the experiences of school social workers (SSWs) during a global pandemic, including the student and family needs they recognized; their personal and professional experiences, including adaptations to service provision; and how they believed roles and professional needs would continue to evolve. Findings from a recent survey of SSWs practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated a range of concerns. For example, SSWs indicated that, in the majority of their schools, at least half of the families needed mental health services, 62 percent needed food, and 43 percent needed housing ( Kelly, Astor, Benbenishty, Capp, & Watson, 2020b ). Furthermore, poverty, mental health, and access to food were noted as factors compounding the pandemic for students and families ( Kelly et al., 2020b ). In addition, SSWs noted difficulties connecting with their families and engaging them in clinical services; they also reported increased stress levels for practitioners ( Kelly et al., 2020b ).

To better understand the stark concerns of SSWs regarding their work and personal well-being, this study presents findings voiced directly by SSWs struggling with the complexity of problems facing schools as they shut down and switched to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also describes SSWs’ efforts to meet the diverse needs of students and families despite unprecedented global events. This study was guided by the following questions: What observations and recommendations do SSWs offer during COVID-19? What lessons can be gleaned for a national recovery policy based on a school social work perspective?

Data for this qualitative study came from a larger national survey of SSWs about their experiences providing services during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Kelly et al., 2020a , 2020b ). Participants were recruited with requests to complete the survey through national, state, and other social work organizations (for example, School Social Work Network, NASW, School Social Work Association of America, American Council for School Social Work, Society for Social Work and Research). The survey link was e-mailed or distributed via multiple social media outlets, including Twitter and Facebook. Approximately 1,275 SSWs and other school and district personnel completed the survey within a one-month period during June 2020. Consequently, data were gathered as schools were finishing one school year and trying to prepare for the next school year with the restrictions of COVID-19.

Participants in the national survey were given multiple options to offer in-depth qualitative feedback about particular aspects of their experiences. Approximately 35 percent ( n =  450 SSWs) responded to the open-ended questions, providing substantive and rich qualitative data surrounding their roles, experiences, and recommendations. This study presents findings from two open-ended questions included in the quantitative survey ( Kelly et al., 2020b ): (1) We will appreciate receiving any comments, suggestions, and thoughts from you that will help us learn about SSWs and practices so that we can share this knowledge with all social workers, professional leaders, and relevant policymakers; and (2) Based on your experiences so far, what recommendations for reopening the education system do you have for your district (for example, policies, procedures)?

Participant responses were imported into NVivo (Version 12) ( QSR International, 2018 ) for analysis using a combined approach of deductive and inductive coding. Quantitative results from this survey along with the structure of the open-ended questions provided an initial coding scheme for the qualitative data. Two researchers then coded a selection of responses to identify additional themes in the data. The qualitative replies had much richer data and descriptions than the multiple choice answers and therefore had themes not detectable in quantitative data. Themes were discussed with a third senior researcher, and a final codebook was established for coding the remaining responses. Interrater agreement on the major themes and subthemes ranged from 86 percent to 98 percent, depending on the code. This combined inductive and deductive qualitative process was appropriate for this study given the goals to explore SSW responses ( Kohlbacher, 2006 ).

Strategies for rigor ( Padgett, 2011 ) included regular peer debriefing during coding and analysis to discuss preliminary findings and the development of codes. All members of the research team are either current faculty or doctoral students in social work programs, and four members of the team have experience working in schools. One focus of research meetings was to debrief and monitor positionality and researcher bias in our analysis. Qualitative results from our survey also provided a source of triangulation throughout analysis.

Participants who responded to the qualitative questions and provided demographic information (see Table 1 ) primarily self-identified as female (91.6 percent). Participants self-identifying as White accounted for 73.8 percent of responses; as Black, 12.2 percent; Hispanic or Latinx, 10.4 percent; and others, 3.6 percent. Most respondents were client-serving SSWs (90.9 percent). Overall, participants were very experienced: More than 30 percent had 20 or more years of service. An additional 31.8 percent had 11 to 20 years of service. In their schools, SSWs reported that, on average, 60.5 percent of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, 50.2 percent were minorities (Black and Latinx), 14.2 percent dropped out, and 56.0 percent entered college. Participants from 43 states responded to the survey; the most were from Illinois ( n  =   119), Connecticut ( n  =   81), Michigan ( n =  77), and California ( n =  40).

Sample Participant Characteristics

Qualitative data suggested many unmet needs for the students and families served in their schools. If unaddressed, these needs could hamper academic progress, regardless of whether students attend school in-person or online.

Lack of Basic Needs of Food, Health Care, Housing, and Crisis Mental Health

Comments from SSWs indicated a pervasive concern about basic needs for the students and families in their schools (see Table 2 ). Food and housing were frequent concerns along with access to physical and mental health services. One SSW directly invoked Abraham Maslow, suggesting that schools “deal with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs first.” Another said, “My main focus was getting my families food and connecting them to resources. Many of them lost their income and jobs because of COVID-19.” As they talked about students and families, other SSWs included mental health concerns. These comments demonstrated the interconnectedness of problems exacerbated by the pandemic and showed that SSWs felt strongly that academic and social–emotional needs of students could not be fulfilled without a widespread and ongoing effort to address basic needs, such as hunger, health, housing, or severe mental health issues.

School Social Workers’ Qualitative Responses, Grouped by Identified Themes

Notes: COVID-19 = novel coronavirus; IEP = individualized education program; SSW = school social worker.

Inconsistent Access to Technology, High-Quality Internet, and Online Resources.

One particular basic need deemed necessary for engaging with school was access to technology. SSWs raised concerns about Internet access for students and families as well as the availability of devices needed to use Zoom, Google Classroom, or other platforms for virtual engagement with schools, including SSW services and academic classes (see Table 2 ). One SSW said that “access to technology and Internet was a huge barrier for our students to receive academic instruction and social work and other services… .” A fundamental need for technology was evident. Especially during the pandemic, SSWs indicated that appropriate hardware and Internet hot spots were necessary for families to access education and supportive services.

Barriers to Serving Special Education and Students with Disabilities.

Many participants were involved in supporting students in special education. Difficulties for these students included behavioral issues, learning difficulties, emotion regulation, anxiety, and other issues (see Table 2 ). Many SSWs were particularly concerned about how these students would engage with online services and how they (the SSWs) would be able to properly assess student progress. One SSW described their concern this way: “It has been very difficult to provide special education services from a distance. Many of my students need concrete, in-person assistance, and they have really struggled to make progress academically.” Although the concerns about special education students mirror concerns for all students, the intensive levels of service required to meet complicated learning and behavioral goals did not translate well to online learning and were again compounded by families’ other needs.

Systemic Inequity due to Community Poverty and Structural Funding Patterns.

SSWs also reported being deeply concerned about access to resources, including technology, basic needs, and the availability of support at home for student engagement in school (see Table 2 ). Many SSWs indicated that the pandemic was exacerbating existing inequity for students of color and low-income families. One said, “Inequity in public education is seriously compromising both educational progress and social–emotional support for students … Internet availability compromises service!” SSWs know that structural inequity has long affected their schools and communities and that COVID-19 has intensified the resulting problems and increased visibility of unequal access to education.

Engagement of Lost Students.

SSWs were concerned about students who did not, or could not, engage in school and SSW activities during COVID-19 online learning. One said, “It is difficult to maintain appropriate contact with the most vulnerable of the students, and these are the ones I worry most about—even when school was in session.” Sometimes, difficulty engaging was related to basic needs and to technology access; sometimes, it was related to other factors. Another respondent said, “The inequity of access to food, to reliable and adequate Internet service, to devices has been very problematic.” Concerns about missing students reflected a tension between the need to create protocols and materials to serve students and families and the need to reach out to students who, for myriad reasons, may not have responded to SSWs or any other educators from their schools (see Table 2 ).

SSWs’ Capacity to Meet Needs.

SSWs often struggled to meet the needs of students and families given the complications of COVID-19 and the restrictions placed on their typical, in-person modes of service delivery (see Table 2 ). One SSW explained, “As a school social worker for many years, the COVID virus brought into perspective how important our position is to be in person.” Many social workers were also singularly responsible for large numbers of students and schools. As a result, SSWs encountered problems and frustrations while serving their school communities. Some examples showed this as a problem of numbers; one respondent reported being the only SSW for 1,500 students. Others described difficulties that arose from expectations of other staff and school leaders that were either unclear, unrealistic, or represented a departure from what SSWs knew they should be doing. One participant said, “The primary barrier to practice is the lack of understanding from school administrators about school social work practice and the nature of our job.” These comments suggested that it is not individual SSW ability that requires intervention; rather, it is the capacity of schools and districts that needs reform. Moreover, a substantive shift in resources is needed to ensure that students and families are supported. Although our findings show that SSWs are resourceful and diligent, their ability to meet the needs of their school communities was compromised by system-level factors.

Professional Isolation and Disconnection.

Social workers also indicated an isolation inherent in their positions as a sole social worker in their schools and sometimes in their districts (see Table 2 ). One said, “As the only social worker, I am without a department. Therefore, I felt lost and on an island with information being distributed.” Many participants articulated the need for professional support and supervision, especially as they pivoted to online programming and interaction with students. SSWs also indicated a need for best practices, including interventions for social–emotional learning and mental health for online or virtual delivery. One said, “I personally need training on how to provide services remotely, what are best practices, and how to engage with families and students remotely.” These findings exemplified SSW needs for adequate supervision to support their efforts in a dynamic, changing environment in which their roles, sometimes already unclear, were further confounded by district and school guidance that was imprecise, improvisational, or unclear.

SSWs’ Personal Experiences and Concerns

SSWs were also affected by the nature of working remotely. In some cases, SSWs highlighted the logistical difficulties of working from home related to maintaining confidentiality for clients and disruptions related to technology. Additional stress arose from burdens of working while caring for their own families and struggling with issues around health and safety. One simply explained, “Being a ‘good’ school social worker is impossible working from home with a one- and three-year-old.” Comments from SSWs about their personal struggles and concerns reflected the universality of COVID-19’s impact on communities and demonstrated a strong commitment to serving their school communities (see Table 2 ).

Discussion and Implications

This study aimed to explore SSW experiences as schools were shut down and then began to reopen, often remotely, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight many complex challenges related to the needs of students and families, the capacity of schools to respond to the situation, and the clinical and personal implications of radical shifts in the way SSWs are able to deliver services. In addition, our findings demonstrate that SSWs are committed to delivering ethical and high-quality services to their schools, students, and communities even as resources and capacity have not kept pace with the evolving needs driven by the pandemic. Based on the responses from SSWs across the nation, we highlight several areas in which shifts in policy and practice are recommended to further support SSWs and the field of school social work.

Targeted Support for Food, Housing, and Mental Health in Schools with the Greatest Need

Findings from this study demonstrate a startling need for basic needs. SSWs clearly identified the lack of support for food, housing, and mental health as critical issues for students and families. Students are unable to make progress with academic or social–emotional skills if they are hungry and do not have a place to live ( Kelly et al., 2020a ). Quantitative findings also indicated basic needs as a critical area: SSWs reported that up to 75 percent of their students and families have a need in this area ( Kelly et al., 2020b ). Furthermore, not all schools or SSWs need the same things. For instance, although many SSWs struggled to make contact with families, some were able to provide asynchronous units and to reach out to students in need. This contrast does not suggest that some social workers are working harder than others; rather, the communities being served need different things. Supports must therefore be strategic, and SSW knowledge about their schools, communities, and families should be considered in the decision making. Blanket policies to increase resources risk leaving schools with high concentrations of minority students and high levels of poverty without sufficient resources; such policies also perpetuate the already pervasive inequality in educational opportunities.

Provision of Sufficient Equipment to Access Internet and Engage in School Work

Findings from this study and from quantitative work with this sample ( Kelly et al., 2020b ) suggest that schools and districts will have to contend with the large numbers of families who do not have Internet access and computers or tablets with which to engage in virtual schooling and virtual social work services. Although some SSWs were able to connect with students and families via phone, the current reliance on videoconferencing and learning management systems as primary vehicles of instruction and interaction creates a significant disadvantage for those without technological resources. Furthermore, quantitative data ( Kelly et al., 2020b ) and qualitative data from this study suggest that technology needs likely accompany other structural indicators of unequal opportunity. SSW responses show that, despite the technological barriers being outside of their control and purview, they persisted in their efforts to engage students and families.

Expansion and Reallocation of Professionals to Schools with Highest Needs

Many SSWs in this study indicated that their difficulties engaging students and families and providing support were related to issues of capacity and the understanding of social workers’ role in schools. These findings are echoed by quantitative results indicating that SSWs are stressed, overwhelmed, and stretched too thin ( Kelly et al., 2020b ). SSWs also reported large caseloads and large populations of students they were sometimes singularly responsible for. Even as researchers forecasted workforce shortages before the pandemic ( Lin, Lin, & Zhang, 2016 ), current findings show the urgency of increased capacity to meet basic needs and mental health needs as well as to provide other supports for school communities as the pandemic continues to disrupt business as usual. That this is a global phenomenon further bolsters calls for a national plan to overhaul how resources are distributed to students and families ( Kelly et al., 2020a ) in a way that reflects the urgency of such resources and personnel. Without structural and systemic support, the experiences of SSWs in this study are likely to continue: At an individual level, SSWs will find ways to support students and families; at other levels, there will be little change to support SSWs. Therefore, questions facing the social work and education communities include: Do our theoretical priorities match our budget priorities? Do we believe that a 1 to 1,200 SSW to student ratio is appropriate?

In addition, many SSWs expressed frustration related to misunderstanding of the social work role, or the inability of administrators within schools and districts to support their roles. These concerns likely existed before COVID but were exacerbated by a lack of guidance and support as well as the absence of structural professional supports. Not only do schools need more professionals trained to meet student and family needs, better supervision models and policies from social work organizations are needed to help these individuals be successful and to streamline interdisciplinary interventions. SSWs should be involved in planning school and district responses to COVID-19.

Protocols for Best Practices and Professional Development

Bolstering the capacity of SSWs and schools to support students is not merely an issue of staffing. Findings suggest that many SSWs wanted guidance as they shifted to online services for a variety of issues, including gathering consent for treatment, using telehealth, and creating materials and a curriculum for students. SSWs invoked feelings of “reinventing the wheel” as they struggled to find resources. Our data suggest that these needs are related to supervisors who are not social workers, being the sole SSW at school sites, and misunderstandings about social work roles and responsibilities. The implications for professional, national, and state social work organizations include providing protocols and professional development to guide SSW services as the pandemic continues to shape their experiences ( Kelly et al., 2020a ). Universities need to similarly include new and flexible methods (for example, telehealth) in their curricula so that SSWs are prepared for the immediate future and the beginning of the school year as well as for future disruptions to “normal” service delivery ( Kelly et al., 2020a ).

Support for SSWs Needs to Be Responsive to Changing Circumstances

Finally, findings from this study also indicate a need for dynamic supervision that provides instrumental and social–emotional support for SSWs. Although this is a typical function of supervision ( Milne, Aylott, Fitzpatrick, & Ellis, 2008 ), SSWs practicing during the pandemic indicated that they did not have the support they needed to meet professional and personal needs. Furthermore, the necessary expansion of SSW services and workforce to meet COVID-19 created needs that will require a corresponding increase in the profession’s capacity to supervise and develop an efficient, nimble, and healthy workforce.

These findings should be understood in the context of their strengths and limitations. This study is unique in that we were able to gather substantive qualitative feedback from practicing SSWs in the midst of the COVID-19 school disruptions. The qualitative nature of our study limits generalizability despite the nationwide sample. Future research is needed to more broadly understand the impacts of school social work practice during a pandemic and how education systems and professional social work organizations can contribute to positive reform. Future research is also needed to examine the process of reopening schools that includes issues of equity and safety for students and staff members.

Contributor Information

Gordon Capp, Department of Social Work, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Boulevard, EC-207, Fullerton, CA 92832.

Kate Watson, University of California, Los Angeles .

Ron A Astor, University of California, Los Angeles .

Michael S Kelly, Loyola University Chicago .

Rami Benbenishty, Hebrew University at Jerusalem, Israel.

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The Social Work and K-12 Schools Casebook

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This volume offers a collection of nine case studies from clinical social workers in K-12 schools, each from a phenomenological perspective, with the objective of educating Master of Social Work students and early career social work clinicians. Each chapter is framed with pre-reading prompts, reading comprehension questions, and writing assignments. This casebook provides a resource for understanding the range of practice in school social work as well as some of the challenges that school social workers face in today’s complex world. Using a phenomenological perspective the contributors stay close to the lived experience of students, teachers, parents, and social workers, revealing a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the genesis and treatment of students’ problems in school.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 | 8  pages, introduction, chapter 2 | 20  pages, educating marta, chapter 3 | 17  pages, resuming the forward edge of development, chapter 4 | 24  pages, finding your “selfie”, chapter 5 | 27  pages, healing in loco parentis, chapter 6 | 15  pages, school social work redefined, chapter 7 | 23  pages, school social work and the sexual and gender minority student in the twenty-first century, chapter 8 | 19  pages, rethinking disciplinary strategies, chapter 9 | 24  pages, mindfulness group work in the school setting, chapter 10 | 19  pages, school social work with parents.

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Education, training, case, and cause: A descriptive study of school social work

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School social workers (SSWs) play a vital role in district-level education, but ambiguity within our collective understanding of school social work is a pervasive problem. Clarity of the SSW role is important for communities of place (schools), practice (SSWs), and circumstance (consumers of school social work). This research recruited and surveyed 52 SSWs in a focal state to contextualize their practice domains and professional capacity. Findings broadly pertain to the actual and idealized education and training of SSWs, as well as their case-level and cause/system-level job functions. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for policy, practice, and future research.

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T1 - Education, training, case, and cause

T2 - A descriptive study of school social work

AU - Forenza, Brad

AU - Eckhardt, Betsy

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 National Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.

N2 - School social workers (SSWs) play a vital role in district-level education, but ambiguity within our collective understanding of school social work is a pervasive problem. Clarity of the SSW role is important for communities of place (schools), practice (SSWs), and circumstance (consumers of school social work). This research recruited and surveyed 52 SSWs in a focal state to contextualize their practice domains and professional capacity. Findings broadly pertain to the actual and idealized education and training of SSWs, as well as their case-level and cause/system-level job functions. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for policy, practice, and future research.

AB - School social workers (SSWs) play a vital role in district-level education, but ambiguity within our collective understanding of school social work is a pervasive problem. Clarity of the SSW role is important for communities of place (schools), practice (SSWs), and circumstance (consumers of school social work). This research recruited and surveyed 52 SSWs in a focal state to contextualize their practice domains and professional capacity. Findings broadly pertain to the actual and idealized education and training of SSWs, as well as their case-level and cause/system-level job functions. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for policy, practice, and future research.

KW - Education

KW - Professional identity

KW - School social work

KW - Systems

KW - Training

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102055254&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/CS/CDAA003

DO - 10.1093/CS/CDAA003

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85102055254

SN - 1532-8759

JO - Children and Schools

JF - Children and Schools

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Self Care for Social Workers: 4 Ways to Reduce School-Related Stress

Stress. It’s a fact of life for most graduate students. But, Master of Social Work students can be especially vulnerable to it.    

Learning strategies to manage this stress and practice self care is key to a successful MSW journey. In this blog, we’ll look at what stress is, the unique stressors that MSW students face, and four self-care strategies to try.   

Understanding MSW Student Stress 

First, let’s review the basics of stress . It’s a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation; it prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. 

Stress affects the mind and the body. And while a little bit of stress is good and can help us perform daily activities, too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems. Symptoms can include feeling anxious or irritable, having difficulty concentrating, experiencing headaches/body pain/upset stomach, or having trouble sleeping.

As an MSW student, you’re preparing to work in a profession where your days can be filled with helping others navigate challenging and emotional situations — and it becomes easy to take on their stress. Then, there’s stress you might feel from coursework, your practicum, etc., and you might also be juggling responsibilities like caring for family and work. 

Self care is the act of taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical and mental health. Let’s look at some strategies that can be helpful during your time as a student and throughout your career.  

Find Balance Among Your Social Work Classes, Work, and Personal Time

From team projects to completing a practicum to caring for kids, your plate is probably full of responsibilities. Try these tips to help you find balance and avoid burnout :  

• Create a Structured Schedule. Develop a daily or weekly schedule that includes dedicated time blocks for social work classes, work tasks, and personal activities. Having a structured routine will help you stay organized and efficient. And use planners/calendars to track deadlines and appointments. 
• Establish Boundaries. For example, if you say you’re going to work on classwork until 5 p.m. and then it’s time to spend time with your family, commit to that boundary. And don’t be afraid to say “no” if your plate is full, and someone is asking you to take on a commitment you don’t have time to follow through on.  
• Practice Time Management. Break down larger assignments into smaller tasks, and allocate specific time slots for each task. Using techniques like the Pomodoro Method that push you to work in focused bursts with short breaks in between can also be helpful.  

Connect With Your MSW Program Peers

Building relationships with your fellow MSW students is another way to manage the stress of school and life. Since they’re going through the same experience, these peers can provide you with the social support, camaraderie, and opportunities you need to make it to graduation.

Here are some ways to create these connections: 

• Form Study Groups. Reach out to your classmates to form study groups, and regularly meet to review course materials, chat about challenges, and prepare for exams.  
• Join Student Organizations. Explore and join student organizations related to social work, advocacy, or specific areas of interest within the profession. Engaging with like-minded peers through these organizations can offer opportunities for shared learning, leadership development, and community involvement.  
• Collaborate on Research or Projects. Look for collaboration opportunities with your peers when it comes to research projects, group assignments, or community-focused initiatives with your peers. Collaborative work not only strengthens your academic and professional skills but also fosters a sense of teamwork and camaraderie among students.

Try Guided Imagery and Other Techniques to Relax Outside of Class

Another piece of the self care puzzle is making time to relax and catch your breath. Consider incorporating these methods into your daily routine:  

• Guided Imagery. Use pre-recorded audio guides or apps that provide guided visualization exercises where you can imagine yourself in peaceful environments or engaging in activities that bring you joy. 
• Breathing Exercises . Try diaphragmatic breathing or "belly breathing." Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to expand. Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling the tension release from your body. Repeat this cycle several times, focusing on your breath and letting go of any tension.
• Aromatherapy. Essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, or bergamot are known for their calming properties. Use a diffuser or apply a few drops to a cotton ball and inhale deeply. 

Check Out Student Health & Wellness Center Resources

It’s likely that your university also offers resources to support your well being and mental health needs through a student health and wellness center or campus health center. Here are some of the supports that are often available to students like you: 

• Counseling Services. Universities typically offer counseling services with licensed mental health professionals for students experiencing mental health concerns. They can help you manage challenges like anxiety, depression, stress, or other emotional experiences.
• Support Groups. Campus health centers also can offer support groups for students dealing with mental health challenges or life stressors.  
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Dexter Voisin, dean of CWRU’s Mandel School, named NASW ‘Social Work Pioneer’

Dexter Voisin , dean of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, can add another prestigious title to his distinguished career.

The National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) has named Voisin a Social Work Pioneer, among the highest honors in the social work profession—awarded to a select few “who have made significant and innovative contributions to human services.”

NASW is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world.

“I am deeply honored to be named a Social Work Pioneer,” said Voisin, who has established himself as a trailblazer pioneer in research, leadership and a career marked by firsts. “This recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of my colleagues, students and the entire social work community who inspire me every day. Together, we have made strides in addressing the complex challenges faced by individuals and families in our society. I am grateful for this opportunity to continue our mission of advancing social justice and making a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve.”

Voisin joins esteemed social workers who have “explored new frontiers and built critical infrastructures to support the health and welfare of individuals and families” across diverse communities, according to the NASWF. “His pioneering efforts have paved the way for thousands of social workers to continue advancing the profession and addressing challenges in both urban and rural settings.” 

Voisin, who also recently began a three-year term as president of the  National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work, said he plans to focus on “collaborating with other major social work organizations to address the significant shortage of mental-health providers across the country in the presence of growing behavioral health needs, while ensuring the protection of the public good.”

Recognized  among the top 2% of social sciences researchers in the world  by Stanford University, Voisin was recently elected to the  2023 class of fellows of the Society for Social Work and Research .

He has also authored more than  200 peer-reviewed publications and generated more than 16 million dollars in external funding. Along the way, Voisin’s work has influenced research, practice and public health policy.

Elevating the impact of the Mandel School, Voisin joins former Mandel School faculty colleagues Darlyne Bailey, Claudia Coulton, Richard Edwards, M.C. “Terry” Hokenstad and John Yankey, all of whom previously inducted as Social Work Pioneers.  

Voisin and 25 other newly minted Pioneers will be celebrated at the NASWF’s 18th Annual Pioneer Program this fall in Washington, D.C. For more information about the Pioneer program and upcoming events, visit NASWF .

For more information, contact Colin McEwen at [email protected] .

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• Published: 18 July 2024

Insights on the contribution of doctoral research findings from a school in a South African University towards policy formulation

• Florence Upenyu Damba   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4668-9574 1 ,
• Ntombifikile Gloria Mtshali 1 &
• Moses John Chimbari 1 , 2  

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume  11 , Article number:  930 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Health humanities
• Social policy

Translation of health research findings into policy contributes to improvement of health systems. Generally, in sub-Saharan Africa policymakers rarely use research evidence and hence policies are often not informed by research evidence. Unless published or in the case of commissioned research, doctoral health research is often not used for health policy formulation. This paper analysed the potential and utilization of doctoral research from the School of Nursing and Public Health by KwaZulu-Natal Health Department of Health. The study adopted a mixed methods approach that combined elements of qualitative and quantitative research aspects. Qualitative data was collected through content analysis of 29 theses produced in the School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal between 2014 and 2021 and interviews held with four Department of Health personnel as policymakers. When researchers could not get information on how research questions were formulated from content analysis, they checked the student questionnaire for answers. Quantitative data was collected from 79 participants through structured questionnaires. Participants included 47 PhD graduates, 11 final year PhD students and 21 PhD supervisors. Data from content analysis and interviews was analyzed thematically while data from questionnaires was analyzed quantitatively. Eleven (52%) PhD supervisors reported that findings from 22 studies were being considered for policy development and adoption while some had resulted in policy guidelines and frameworks that can be used to formulate policies. Factors such as failure to involve the Department of Health during the formulation of research questions, inappropriate packaging of research findings, policymakers not aware of the availability of research findings, lack of commitment to the dissemination of research results by students and poor demand for research evidence by policymakers hindered the translation of PhD research findings into policy. From the 29 theses reviewed, sixteen (28%) of PhD respondents highlighted that they involved the Department of Health to formulate research questions while forty-two (72%) did not. The theses review also revealed limited identifiable information related to policy formulation. The study confirms the use of PhD research findings for policy formulation. Additionally, it highlights the factors that hinder utilization of PhD work by policymakers. Further research to understand the perspectives of policymakers on factors that contribute to utilization of PhD work as well as how the findings have contributed to policy formulation is recommended since there was not sufficient data collected from policymakers due to Covid-19 restrictions.

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In 2013, World Health Organization (WHO) reported that for 20 years there had been an unprecedented effort to use evidence in policy and decision making for health systems. Globally, it has been acknowledged that translation of health research into policy and practice is vital for enhancing the performance of health systems, promoting service delivery, and improving health outcomes (Barratt et al. 2017 ; Langlois et al. 2016 ; El-Jardali et al. 2014 ). However, evidence indicates that whilst there are numerous promising research findings, they are underutilized and often take a long time to be translated into health policy (Walugembe et al. 2015 ; El-Jardali et al. 2014 ). Research generated by universities can be used to influence national health policies to improve service delivery and outcomes (Pariyo et al. 2011 ; Nankinga et al. 2011 ). Studies that document the pathway of students’ research generally show that a substantial proportion of this work ends up on the shelves and are often underutilized (Caan and Cole 2012 , Bullen and Reeve 2011 ). Translation of research findings into policy can be facilitated through numerous ways. Researchers should strive to disseminate their research findings through appropriate methods for targeted policymakers. Examples of these include news media, social media, policy briefs, one-on-one meetings, policymakers’ workshops, and seminars. Researchers should also involve policymakers and other stakeholders in the earlier stages of the research particularly during the identification of key research questions (Uzochukwu et al. 2016 ).

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Health Research and Ethics Committee (KZN-PHREC) in South Africa sets research priority questions for the province and communicates them to the leaders of all academic institutions and research organizations. The priority research questions are also posted on the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health (KZN-DOH) website to encourage researchers to address the questions through research projects (KZN-DOH webpage). Despite the growing knowledge of the factors influencing utilization of health research into policy, we are not aware of research that has specifically examined how doctoral research generated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) School of Nursing and Public Health (SNPH) through doctoral studies has contributed to existing policies or influenced formulation of guidelines and policies in South Africa. Understanding what facilitates utilization of doctoral research findings for policy formulation is critical to ensure that research conducted by doctoral students does not go to waste. We therefore conducted this study to establish if the knowledge generated from doctoral studies at UKZN, SNPH has contributed to existing DOH policies or formulation of DOH guidelines and policies and analyze the factors that may hinder or promote knowledge uptake by policymakers.

The study was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province and data was collected at UKZN in the College of Health Sciences (CHS), School of Nursing and Public Health (SNPH). The school has an average enrollment of 44 PhD students per year with a throughput of 32 students per year. The school has an average total of 54 PhD supervisors distributed across nine disciplines namely, Behavioral Medicine, Biostatistics & Bioethics and Medical Law, Family Medicine, Nursing, Public Health Medicine, Rural Health, Telemedicine, Traditional Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Health. The SNPH works closely with the KZN-DOH to provide skilled staff and inform research.

Study design

A case study design applying the mixed methods approach was used in this study. The SNPH in the CHS was treated as the case. The case study design was adopted because it allows the researcher to investigate a topic in its real-life context (Crowe et al. 2011 ). Mixed methods research was conducted to get an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the research questions and complex phenomena that required the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods (Dawadi et al. 2021 ). The use of mixed methods research enabled researchers to answer the research questions with sufficient depth and breadth allowing them to develop more effective and refined conclusions based on complementarity of the different approaches (Dawadi et al. 2021 ). The mixed method approach also allowed triangulation to enrich and strengthen research results through use of different methods of data collection and analysis (Molina-Azorin 2016 ). A convergent mixed method approach was applied in the study (Tariq and Woodman 2013 ). Qualitative and quantitative data was collected concurrently, and the two data sets were analyzed separately and compared, contrasted, and combined at interpretation stage (Creswell and Clark 2017 ). Equal priority was given to both data sets considering the equal importance of both types of data in answering the posed research questions (Dawadi 2019 ). The three research questions that the study responded to were “How have PhD theses produced in the SNPH, UKZN between 2014 and 2021 contributed to existing policies or influenced policy formulation?”, “What factors contribute to utilization of doctoral research findings in the SNPH, UKZN by policymakers?” and “What factors influence utilization of doctoral research findings by DOH?”. The three research questions had the common goal of establishing if doctoral research findings from the SNPH contributed to existing policies or influenced policy formulation.

Study population and sampling

Non-probability purposive sampling was adopted to select the sample for both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the study. We used our judgment in selecting individuals or items that possessed the required qualities and were able to provide the required data to respond to the questions of interest (Hibberts et al. 2012 ; Baker et al. 2013 ; Creswell 2014a ). Sampled items for the qualitative aspect included PhD theses and key DOH personnel at provincial level who were members of the research committee involved in granting permission to researchers conducting research in the DOH facilities. Sampled individuals for the quantitative aspect of the study included PhD theses, PhD graduates, PhD final year students, and PhD supervisors. The sample size for the two data sets was calculated using the Cochran formula below:

The targeted population included 81 PhD theses, 81 PhD graduates, 48 PhD final year students and 48 PhD supervisors. Out of the 81 theses that were marked and passed only fifty-one were available according to library records. There were however only thirteen theses available in the library repository as the data base was still being developed. Fourteen graduates whose thesis could not be accessed from the library agreed to share their soft copies. An additional twenty- four hard copies of the theses were obtained from the Postgraduate office. Out of the fifty-one theses that were accessed only twenty-nine met the criteria. We considered the 7-year timeframe we used to be reasonable because quality data was available for that period than earlier times and the study period coincided with the time the College adopted the thesis by publications format for presenting thesis which seems favorable for policy processes. We characterized a thesis as “policy related” if it highlighted the development of a framework, a model, guidelines, policy briefs, and if the study highlighted potential for the findings to be translated to policy. We excluded studies that were conducted outside South Africa. Of the eighty-one PhD graduates that were expected to participate only forty-seven (58%) participated. Eleven out of forty-eight (23%) PhD final year students participated. Due to Covid-19, it was not clear if they were still registered or not, so follow-up was difficult. Twenty-one (44%) out of forty-eight PhD supervisors participated making the overall response rate 45%.

Summary of sample selection

We selected all those who met the study’s criteria for eligibility as summarized. Theses produced between 2014 and 2021 based on studies conducted in South Africa, PhD graduates who graduated between 2014 and 2021, PhD final year students who were in the data collection and analysis, thesis write up, thesis submission and awaiting results, PhD supervisors who have supervised PhDs to graduation, and research committee members of the DOH were included in the study. Theses not based on studies conducted in South Africa, PhDs that graduated before 2014, PhD final year students in the proposal development stage, PhD supervisors who have not supervised PhDs to graduation, and those not in the DOH research committee were excluded.

Data collection methods and process

We adopted a mixed methods approach previously used and demonstrated to produce good results (Munce et al. 2021 ; Dawadi 2019 ; Mckim 2017 ). We used a combination of three data collection tools: content analysis, questionnaire, and interviews. The aim of combining the three tools was to manage two research questions and obtain stronger evidence for conclusions by merging research findings (Creswell 2014b ; Greene et al. 1989 ). The data collection tools are described in detail below:

Thesis content analysis

We conducted content analysis of doctoral theses produced between 2014 and 2021 in the SNPH, UKZN. Content analysis allowed us to analyze the data qualitatively and at the same time quantify it by measuring the frequency of different categories and themes (Grbich 2012 ). Content analysis was also conducted to confirm responses to the questionnaires. Twenty-nine PhD theses were analyzed to determine their implications on policy. A thesis by publication is submitted in the form of a series of already published, accepted or under review journal articles. A traditional thesis is a comprehensive piece of research in a book form.

We used a data extraction form to collect information from hard and soft copies of theses. The extraction form captured information on the discipline, research questions identification process, research findings dissemination methods and framework/model/guidelines/policy brief development and contribution of study to policy. The researchers checked the methods section of the theses under review for clues on how the research question formulation process was conducted and from the way thesis are written, the 29 studies had no indication of how the process was carried out. Since we had used mixed methods, we were able to get the information on how the process was conducted from the student questionnaire. Under each of the categories, we extracted information and presented it in a form of questions as indicated in the supplementary file attached:

Qualitative data was also collected through in-depth interviews conducted with four key DOH personnel at provincial level using a structured interview guide which included open-ended questions that were informed by literature review and the objectives of the study (Vaismoradi et al. 2013 ). The DOH personnel were members of the research committee who were responsible for granting permission to the researchers to conduct research. The researcher who conducted the interviews acquired interviewing skills through workshops and consultations with experienced qualitative researchers. The researcher was trained on interview and transcribing skills. Interviews provided detailed and rich data regarding phenomenon under study (Barrett and Twycross 2018 ) which was confirmed by questionnaire data (Harris and Brown 2010 ). Quotations that best illustrated the factors affecting translation of doctoral research into policy were used.

An interview guide with questions focusing on DOH’s expectations from doctoral students and the barriers, and facilitators of utilization of doctoral research findings by DOH was used to solicit for responses from participants. An interview guide allowed the researcher to control the line of questioning (Creswell 2014b ). Participants were contacted through email and telephone. The interviews lasted 40 minutes. Three of the interviews were done through zoom and one was conducted face to face. All four interviews were recorded with permission from the interviewees. Notes were taken to back up the audio recordings in case there were interruptions and, in the event, that the researcher forgot to switch on the recorder.

Questionnaire

Quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire using KoboCollect software. Participants were contacted through email. Two questionnaires were used for data collection. One questionnaire was administered to 47 PhD graduates and 11 PhD final year students. The other one was administered to 21 PhD supervisors. Completing questionnaires took about 40 min to an hour. PhD and PhD final year students’ questionnaire consisted of 50 questions. The supervisors’ questionnaire comprised of 30 questions. Data was fed on Microsoft Excel and cleaned before analysis.

Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data

We used qualitative content analysis to analyze data obtained through review of theses. Qualitative content analysis enables a purposeful interpretation of the data as well as the context in determining meaning which provides a good description of the material (Schreier 2014 ). Content analysis facilitated the categorization of data into themes, thus allowing the information to be analyzed appropriately. We categorized the content of the theses from raw data without a theory-based categorization matrix (Elo et al. 2014 ).

Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim in a Microsoft word document by the researcher and a research assistant and imported into NVivo 12 to manage coding of the data. The files from which the data came from were given a unique identifier. Transcripts were read over and over as recommended by Erlingsson and Brysiewicz in order to familiarize with the data and get the sense of the text as a whole (Erlingsson and Brysiewicz 2017 ). The scripts were closely examined to identify common themes such as topics and ideas that came up repeatedly. The text was divided into meaning units keeping the research aim and question clearly in focus. The meaning units were then condensed further while keeping the meaning intact. Codes were developed using open coding. The exercise was repeated until the researchers were satisfied with the outcome. Codes that appeared to deal with the same issue were assigned to categories and themes. Quantitative data were analyzed using IBM- SPSS version 27 and summarized as percentages. Data from interviews was analyzed thematically using NVivo 12 software.

Rigour/quality/validity and reliability

Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods was used to enhance validity through the convergence of information from different sources (Molina-Azorin 2016 ; Nancy Carter et al. 2014 ; Zohrabi 2013 ; Creswell and Clark 2017 ; Rolfe 2006 ). In-depth interview was pilot tested on DOH personnel who did not take part in the study to check the validity of the tool. Prior to administering the questionnaires, a pilot study was conducted among PhD graduates, PhD final year students and PhD supervisors before being used as final documents, after which they were refined and some questions were rephrased before distribution to participants to ensure validity of the tool (Creswell and Hirose 2019 ; Thomas 2010 ; Ehrenberg and Sniezek 1989 ). The pilot test was used to improve precision, reliability, validity of data, identify problems/omissions, and assess time spent to complete the survey. The interview guide was also pilot tested to ascertain if participants interpreted the meaning of the questions as intended. The research instruments were reviewed by experts in the field of research and unclear questions were revised based on the reviewers’ comments (Zohrabi 2013 ).

Integration of qualitative and quantitative findings

The two data types were handled and analyzed separately and compared and contrasted for corroboration purposes (Tariq and Woodman 2013 ; O’cathain et al. 2010 ). Integration of the two data sets was done during interpretation of the findings (Chaumba 2013 ). The intention of integration was to develop results and interpretations that expand understanding, are comprehensive and validated and confirmed (Creswell and Clark 2017 ). The researchers listed the findings from each component of the study and considered where the findings agreed (convergence), offered complementary information on the same issue (complementarity), or appeared to contradict each other (discrepancy or dissonance) (Farmer et al. 2006 ).

Ethical considerations

The study was approved by the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (BREC/00001384/2020) and the Kwa-Zulu-Natal Provincial Department of Health (KZ-202008-030). All research was performed in accordance with the ethical standards of institutional research committee applicable when human participants are involved. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study.

Demographics of participants

Table 1 shows the demographics of the sources of data.

Eleven (52%) PhD supervisors reported that findings from 22 studies were being considered for policy development and adoption while some had resulted in policy guidelines and frameworks that can be used to formulate policies. Table 2 below indicates the studies produced between 2014 and 2021 that are being considered for policy development and adoption.

Emerging themes

Two major themes emerged during interviews with DOH personnel and content analysis of PhD theses:

Involvement of DOH in the formulation of research questions

DOH priority research questions

Meetings with DOH

Dissemination methods used to communicate research findings to DOH including policy briefs, journal articles, National Health Research Database (NHRD), conference presentations, research reports, media, copies of theses, presentation at DOH annual health research days and stakeholder meetings.

Findings from the two data sets (qualitative and quantitative) were integrated and are discussed below:

Theme 1: Involvement of DOH in the formulation of research questions

The findings revealed that DOH is somewhat involved in the formulation of research questions. Sixteen (28%) of the PhD respondents highlighted that they involved DOH while forty-two (72%) did not involve DOH. Interview data indicated that DOH publishes a list of priority research questions on its website and sends it to senior management of research and academic organizations in KwaZulu-Natal including the SNPH with the hope that researchers will engage with it, for example, some of the participants stated that:

“We have a list of priority research questions that we have published on our website, and we have also sent to the senior management of research and academic organisations in KwaZulu-Natal. We developed these priority research questions with our district managers, program managers and facility managers. We hope that researchers who are looking for topics will engage with them, and we hope that we have advertised them well enough for them to know about them”. Respondent 1, DOH

“The department of Health has a research agenda that is published on its communication platforms”. Respondent 4, DOH

According to data sources, in most cases students do not respond to priority research questions. In some instances, they conduct studies that are part of their supervisors’ bigger projects. For example, 2 (10%) supervisors mentioned that their commissioned projects involve PhD students. PhD research work is not commissioned by DOH as confirmed by one of the participants from DOH,

“We do not really commission research because we cannot pay for it. When we need research to be done, we usually do it in partnership with institutions or if possible, we just do it ourselves”. Respondent 2, DOH .

Theme 2: Research findings dissemination

Only twenty-two (38%) students confirmed that they sent their findings to DOH while thirty-six (62%) did not share their research findings with DOH despite the condition in the DOH gatekeeper permission that the report should be submitted to the DOH. This was also supported by the qualitative data indicating that although part of DOH approval letter instructs students to share their research findings with them, only a small fraction of the students send their research results on completion of their studies.

“The expectation is that as part of dissemination of research findings, the researcher should then come back and share their findings with the Department of Health and table their recommendations because when we do research we want to come up with recommendations at the end. Unfortunately, this is not really monitored or done”. Respondent 2, DOH .

However, it was reported that it is difficult for DOH to monitor the feedback of research findings since there are many projects approved every year in KZN. For example, one of the participants said,

“ Part of our letter of approval states that students are required to send their research findings to DOH on completion of their studies. Beyond that we don’t really do anything and it’s quite difficult to monitor because there are hundreds of projects approved every year in KZN so to follow up will take a lot of time. There is need to systematize it so that when the researcher is done, we ask them to send us their findings. We cannot really do it on an individual basis, and we haven’t got a system in place yet to automate it. We have been discussing various options, but we have not really hit on one that we think is going to improve everything”. Respondent 1, DOH .

Analysis of theses showed that research findings were disseminated to DOH and stakeholders through various methods; peer-reviewed journal articles, copies of theses, conference presentations, community/stakeholder meetings and policy briefs. This corroborates with what was highlighted by PhD graduates and final years in their responses for the questionnaire study. Table 3 below shows responses from the questionnaire on the methods that were used by students to disseminate research findings to DOH.

Five (24%) supervisors stated that their students used policy briefs to disseminate their findings to DOH while seventeen (81%) supervisors said that students used peer-reviewed publications. Sixteen (76%) supervisors reported that students used stakeholder feedback meetings, two (10%) supervisors said they used the media and one (5%) supervisor stated that the students used X. According to PhD graduates and final years questionnaire data, conference presentations were used more than the other methods to disseminate research findings to DOH. Dissemination to NHRD and use of media were the least used methods of dissemination with 1 (2%) participant each.

Thirty-one (53%) PhD students stated that they had attended the KZN-DOH annual research day and twenty-three (40%) had presented on such research days. Twenty-seven (47%) attended the research days to listen to other researchers’ presentations. The dissemination of research findings through the KZN-DOH annual research day was corroborated by a DOH respondent:

“The department holds a research day annually and only a few researchers get the opportunity to present their research findings. There is poor attendance of policymakers who have the decision-making powers at the event hence the research findings and recommendations will not be translated into policy. Respondent 3, DOH .

Apart from KZN-DOH annual research day, the students also presented at other national and international conferences. 76% of participants presented their work at least at four local scientific conferences while 72% presented their work at least at five international conferences. Policymakers suggested dissemination strategies that are potentially useful to translate research into policy such as setting aside a specific day for DOH employees to meet and read an article by a student from SNPH, UKZN that has policy implications or for students from SNPH, UKZN to present their research findings to relevant employees in the department who may consider them for policy formulation. One of the participants stated that,

“It can be sessions at work where you can come up with one article a Friday once a month and engage in research that has been done and choose whatever works for you to improve practice or even in policy development. DOH needs to allow students who have done research an opportunity to present their studies to relevant employees in the department who might take the recommendations seriously and use them to improve and inform our own practice and develop informed policies from them”. Respondent 4, DOH

Policy briefs produced or policy contributions by students

Only two students produced policy briefs with one student producing two policy briefs and the other one producing one. This was confirmed by data obtained from the PhD graduates and final year students’ questionnaire. Only two (3%) students responded that they produced policy briefs. Only one (5%) supervisor indicated that their students have produced policy briefs. Respondents from DOH were not aware of any research conducted by students in the SNPH during the period 2014 to 2021 that has been used in programs, either for guidelines or policy formulation.

“I cannot name any recent or specific research that was done in the SNPH between 2014 and 2021 that was used in programs either for guidelines or policy formulation. Research that I remember that was conducted at UKZN and translated into policy very quickly was research conducted during the early years of HIV which was used in creating policy around HIV and infant nutrition”. Respondent 1, DOH

“I do not want to lie to you… none. whatsoever. I have not heard of any research study conducted by a student actively being converted into influencing our policies or guidelines”. Respondent 4, DOH

“I don’t know of any specific research from the school that was used for policy formulation”. Respondent 3, DOH

Regarding feedback on research results to DOH, supervisors expressed varied degrees of compliance. They were asked to state their responses on a 5- point Likert scale: Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often and Always. Table 4 shows frequency of feedback of research results to DOH by PhD supervisors.

The gap between research and policy and practice is still very wide in low and middle- income countries such as South Africa (Uzochukwu et al. 2016 ). The failure to take-up high- quality research evidence by policymakers is a persistent problem. Academics and policymakers have different incentives (Nutley et al. 2007 ), rules, obligations, values and interests (Newman et al. 2016 ). We analysed the contribution of doctoral theses to the formulation of health policies in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Fifty-two percent (52%) of PhD supervisors who participated in the study reported that 22 studies conducted between 2014 and 2021 in the SNPH, UKZN were being considered for policy development and adoption. Some of the studies resulted in the development of policy guidelines and frameworks that can guide the formulation of policies. According to the information obtained from PhD supervisors’ questionnaire, the studies were successful in reaching policymakers because where supervisors thought there was policy relevancy arising from PhD work, they ensured that they engaged with policymaking entities such as the Department of Health and the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries at provincial and local government level as well as at national level for research findings to be translated into policy. Some studies were also successful in reaching policymakers because supervisors had meetings with policymakers to highlight problem areas and possible solutions. Some supervisors revealed that studies were successful in reaching policymakers because the students embedded their work within their larger projects through a learning collaborative that was established within KZN-DOH which facilitates evidence-based learning. However, none of the 22 studies were included in the 29 theses analyzed by the researchers.

Although we found some evidence of utilization of doctoral research findings for policy formulation, the research was not utilized to its fullest potential by policymakers (Nutley et al. 2007 ). Two major themes of the factors that contribute to utilization of PhD work emerged from the study; involvement of DOH in the formulation of research questions and dissemination methods used to communicate research findings to DOH. The factors were the same across the two data sets (qualitative and quantitative) hence they were merged.

In contrast, DOH personnel reported that they were not aware of any PhD research from the SNPH that has influenced policy formulation. Perhaps, the challenge leading to this disparity is that the provincial officials interviewed may not have been fully aware of research conducted in all the districts and municipalities. Students and supervisors may be disseminating findings to the district and municipalities. It could also be a problem of deficiencies of the reporting systems in cascading information upwards. It is sensible that students report their findings to officials who are closer to their research sites. Furthermore, these findings would be relevant to that municipality or district where research is being conducted. Hence, they disseminate their findings to the closest office. On the other hand, provincial officials are swamped with work and may not be fully aware of research conducted in all the eleven districts.

Results of our study showed that policymakers were not aware of the availability of doctoral research findings due to lack of meaningful discussion of available research findings between researchers and policymakers, their suitability to policy- related problems and identification of other policy related areas requiring research attention (Uzochukwu et al. 2016 ). DOH was also not aware of the availability of research findings because they were not involved in the formulation of research questions for the projects. The results revealed that forty-two (72%) students did not engage with DOH/ policymakers during the formulation of research questions for their projects. It is acknowledged that engagement of stakeholders during formulation of research questions for projects ensures that appropriate research questions are pursued as well as informing policymakers of the availability of research findings (Edwards et al. 2019 , Oliver and Cairney 2019 ). This finding is in line with studies conducted in Ghana and Tanzania (Kok et al. 2017 , Wolffers and Adjei 1999 ). WHO stresses the value of closer collaboration between research organizations and the policymakers they seek to influence, so that evidence creation is better aligned with policy priorities (Organization 2016 ). DOH was also not aware of the evidence from research they did not commission. We established that DOH does not commission research due to lack of funding. Policymakers are likely to translate research that they have commissioned because they would have defined what gap needs to be informed by pending evidence (Mapulanga et al. 2020 ).

The poor demand for research evidence on research projects approved by DOH was also reported as a barrier. This may reflect DOH’s perception of the value of doctoral research evidence or their prioritization of research for decision-making (Ezenwaka et al. 2020 ). Part of DOH approval letter states that students are required to send their research findings to DOH on completion of their studies. However, according to the data obtained from the students’ questionnaire only twenty-two (38%) students sent feedback to DOH when they completed their studies. This was supported by supervisors who reported that students hardly give feedback to institutions that give them permission to carry out their studies. Although DOH do not have an automated system to monitor projects that have been completed out of the hundreds of projects they approve in the province per year, they do not have to rely on students who have completed their studies for feedback. They can use other strategies such as journal clubs to access research results. A participant from DOH suggested that as DOH they can form journal clubs where they can meet once a month and read an article by a student from the SNPH. Another participant suggested that students from SNPH can be asked to come and share their research findings with relevant people in the department. The study also revealed that 76.1% supervisors sent feedback of students’ research findings to DOH.

The methods through which research findings were communicated by the students could have also influenced demand and research uptake by DOH (Uzochukwu et al. 2016 ). It was interesting to note that PhD research findings were disseminated at scientific conferences and in scientific journals more than at policy forums or workshops (Edwards et al. 2019 ; Mcvay et al. 2016 ). 76% of the students reported that they presented their work at least at four local scientific conferences whilst 72% presented their research findings at least at five international conferences. Often, policymakers are not present at these conferences. This finding shows that PhD students prefer to communicate their research results through scientific conferences and peer-reviewed journals more than active engagement with policymakers. These results are consistent with the findings of (Ndlovu et al. 2016 ) that academics prioritize scholarly communication and prefer academic journals and conferences as communication platforms. In the SNPH, this could be attributed to a culture where publishing in peer-reviewed journals is rewarded and carries considerable prestige and power. Institutional priorities such as number of journal articles published, number of conferences attended and number of grants attracted limit researchers commitment to responding to policy issues facing policymakers (Ha et al. 2022 ; Gordon and Bartley 2015 ).

Scientific journals, with their assortment of articles may contain nothing of interest to a policymaker whose needs are very specific (Glied et al. 2018 ). It has also been argued that some policymakers might not have the skills and resources to access research evidence or time to source for evidence from scientific journals (Hyder et al. 2011 ). Most policymakers have responsibilities and priorities that may prevent them from spending a lot of time reading or reviewing the materials provided to them in detail (Brownson et al. 2018 ). Presenting research findings in less complex formats such as policy briefs that use simple language, has been shown to improve health research transfer in policymaking (Newman 2014 ). It was not the case with this study where only three policy briefs were produced. The study revealed that only 3.4% of the students who participated in the survey produced policy briefs. This supports findings of a survey of researchers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region that showed that only 15% produced policy briefs (El-Jardali et al. 2012 ). The low production of policy briefs may be attributed to researchers’ lack of policy briefs writing skills.

DOH acknowledges the strategic role of knowledge translation in attaining national health goals, as evidenced by the creation of KZN-DOH annual research day which is a one-day evidence-to-policy workshop aimed at getting feedback on research that they have approved. The main perceived benefit of the platform is to provide a non-academic space (Fernández-Peña et al. 2008 ) recommended for researchers to disseminate research findings to policymakers who can translate research into policies and adoption of interventions to public health settings (Proctor and Chambers 2017 ; Tinkle et al. 2013 ). The other benefit of the forum is that it is a platform where researchers and policymakers discuss health policy implications of research findings pertaining to policy and practice (Parkhurst 2017 ). This finding is also supported by a study conducted in Nigeria which found that the Nigerian research days that were organized by the Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria had fostered a platform to discuss policies on maternal and child health by allowing dialog among various stakeholders, including researchers and policymakers (Johnson et al. 2020 ). The combined use of policy briefs, policy dialogs and meetings with policymakers have been proposed to enhance knowledge translation as the strategies are deemed to be likely familiar to both researchers and policymakers (Edwards et al. 2019 ).

Whilst the KZN-DOH annual research day is ideal for dissemination of research findings; our study reveals that DOH is not utilizing the platform to its fullest potential. Only 40% of the students presented their research findings at the KZN-DOH annual research day. Only a few students got the opportunity to present their research findings since it is a one-day event. The event may be extended to two or three days or may be conducted on a quarterly basis to allow for more research results to be disseminated to DOH. It was also reported that attendance by policymakers who have the decision-making powers at the event was poor hence the likelihood of the research findings and recommendations being translated is low. Our study also found that although researchers are encouraged to address priority research questions posted on DOH website, projects did not respond to these questions. A previous study highlighted that sharing research priority lists is important in research question identification and rewarding such engagement would incentivize postgraduate students to demonstrate how they engaged policymakers at various levels (Obuku et al. 2021 ). When research does not respond to priority research questions raised, it minimizes the likelihood of research findings being used in policy and practice.

Only thirteen PhD theses produced in the SNPH between 2014 and 2021 were accessed from the institutional repository. The SNPH has an average enrollment of 44 students per year and a throughput of 32 students per year. Given the number of PhD students expected to have graduated during the period under study, the theses in the institutional repository reflected very low levels of content deposit. The finding confirms Harnad’s position that most universities’ institutional repositories are 85% empty with deposit levels sitting at 15% or below (Harnad 2011 ). Some supervisors highlighted that they held meetings with policymakers to highlight problem areas and possible solutions.

Implications for future research and policy

This paper has identified the gaps that exist in the process of translating doctoral research findings into policy. This has opened an opportunity to explore possible solutions to address the gaps. Our findings are unique to the field in that they are postulated by authorities and participants who have an active role in both the development and use of research findings with the department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal. The department on its own is a typical case study that can be portrayed as an example of how such challenges in translating research manifest and how they can be solved. Results of this study contributed to the development of a framework that guides both students and policymakers on the processes necessary for consideration of doctoral research findings in policy formulation.

Strengths and limitations

This is the first study that has attempted to highlight the extent to which doctoral research from the SNPH at UKZN has contributed to existing policies or influenced formulation of guidelines and policies of DOH, South Africa. Data were collected using three different sources (document review, questionnaires, and interviews) which allowed cross-checking of findings. Nonetheless, we encountered some shortcomings, particularly with regards to access to PhD theses produced between 2014 and 2021. The library repository was not up to date and had a limited number of theses produced during the period under study; therefore, the document review did not include all the theses that were produced between 2014 and 2021. The only way to obtain all the theses produced during the period under study was to get them from the graduates themselves. However, some of them were reluctant to share their theses for personal reasons. We could have missed some important information pertaining to our study. Another limitation is that the study was carried out in a single school in one college of UKZN, yet the university has four colleges with 19 different schools. For this reason, our findings may not be generalized for UKZN. Some of the reviewed theses were too recent not allowing enough time for research findings to be utilized for policy. The other limitation was that several PhD supervisors who were approached to participate in the study could not participate due to various reasons such as busy schedules and not having had supervised PhD students to completion. It was a requirement for PhD supervisors to have had supervised students to completion. Due to lockdown restrictions the email was the only means of recruiting participants for the study. However, people have a tendency of not responding to emails even after reminded on several occasions. Since the online questionnaire was the only option for collecting data, the response rate was very low.

This study has identified the gaps that exist in the process of translating doctoral research findings into policy. The findings from this study indicated that some studies were being considered for policy development and adoption while some had resulted in policy guidelines and frameworks that can guide the uptake of PhD work. The study revealed that DOH was not aware of the availability of doctoral research findings which could be attributed to the format in which the research results were disseminated and the fact that students did not involve policymakers in the formulation of research questions for their projects. Research results were communicated through scientific conferences and peer-reviewed journals more than active engagement with policymakers. Findings from this study contributed to the development of a framework that guides both students and policymakers on the processes necessary for consideration of doctoral research findings in policy formulation.

Data availability

The data involved in this study are from in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys, and because the original data involves personal information, it cannot be fully disclosed due to identifiability issues. De-identifiable datasets generated and analyzed during the study will be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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We would like to thank the participants who participated in this study and the university for library resources.

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FUD, NGM and MJC conceptualized, designed, and drafted the manuscript. FUD collected data and prepared data for qualitative and quantitative analyses. FUD, NGM and MJC conducted the analysis. NGM and MJC guided the design, reviewed all the draft manuscripts, and provided comments and critical revisions to the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Damba, F.U., Mtshali, N.G. & Chimbari, M.J. Insights on the contribution of doctoral research findings from a school in a South African University towards policy formulation. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 11 , 930 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03439-x

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The following serial killers were active during the same time span as Sergei Ryakhovsky (1988-1993).

Walter E. Ellis 7 Victims during 22 Years

Gao chengyong 11 victims during 15 years, william suff 12 victims during 7 years, andrás pándy 6 victims during 5 years, serial killers by active year.

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External References

• Sergei Ryakhovsky on en.wikipedia.org , Retrieved on Sep 18, 2018 .
• Juan Ignacio Blanco , Sergei Vasilyevich RYAKHOVSKY on murderpedia.org , Retrieved on Sep 18, 2018 .
• Q372816 on www.wikidata.org , Retrieved on Oct 9, 2018 .

Sergei Ryakhovsky is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

• #3 of 45[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killers with birthdays in December
• #10 of 60[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killer Necrophiliacs sorted by Confirmed Victims
• #10 of 29[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killers active in Russia
• #10 of 55[ Page 1 ] of Capricorn Serial Killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
• #11 of 89[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killer Torturers sorted by Confirmed Victims
• #27 of 250[ Page 2 ] of Serial Killer Stranglers sorted by Confirmed Victims
• #35 of 307[ Page 3 ] of Serial Killer Rapist sorted by Confirmed Victims
• #63 of 651[ Page 5 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
• #264 of 651[ Page 18 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
• #381 of 651[ Page 26 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
• #516 of 651[ Page 35 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers

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Elektrostal

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Elektrostal , city, Moscow oblast (province), western Russia . It lies 36 miles (58 km) east of Moscow city. The name, meaning “electric steel,” derives from the high-quality-steel industry established there soon after the October Revolution in 1917. During World War II , parts of the heavy-machine-building industry were relocated there from Ukraine, and Elektrostal is now a centre for the production of metallurgical equipment. Pop. (2006 est.) 146,189.

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A Qualitative Study of School Social Workers’ Roles and Challenges in Dropout Prevention

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Kristina C Webber, A Qualitative Study of School Social Workers’ Roles and Challenges in Dropout Prevention, Children & Schools , Volume 40, Issue 2, April 2018, Pages 82–90, https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdy003

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High school dropout remains a persistent educational and social problem in the United States, despite promising declines in dropout rates. Social workers are uniquely positioned to identify and address numerous factors influencing students’ likelihood of graduating. The purpose of this small qualitative study was to describe social workers’ engagement in dropout prevention efforts and the context in which this work occurs. Through interviews with school social workers, school counselors, and district-level administrators, three focal practice areas were identified: (1) supporting student attendance, (2) providing intensive support for selected at-risk students, and (3) encouraging dropouts to return to a diploma-granting program. Respondents also identified common barriers and ethical dilemmas that hindered their practice, including challenges in defining the scope and boundaries of the social work profession, and tensions between the needs of the school and the needs of students. Suggestions for future research are provided, and implications for policy, practice, and the education of future school social work practitioners are discussed.

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The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages:  379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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