Associate Professor Lynne Briggs (PhD) Griffith University, has practised for many years as a senior mental health social worker and is an academic with a strong publishing record of over 35 international and national peer-reviewed articles and book chapters (mainly around mental health practice) and several industry and consultancy reports that have influenced policy and practice. Lynne’s research experience spans many years and includes evaluation of mental health outcomes, the impact of child abuse in adult life and, more recently, the specialist area of interventions in disasters (4 publications). This specialization fits well with her overall research into the concept of demoralization-that is, when unpredicted and dramatic circumstances occur that result in major life changes from which there is no going back, people tend to become demoralized.
This paper briefly reports some of the findings for 30 male refugees participating in an Australa... more This paper briefly reports some of the findings for 30 male refugees participating in an Australasian mental health study looking at the psychological needs of refugee and migrant people. The research - undertaken between 2005 and 2007 at RMHS - was funded by the University of Otago. This brief analysis of the data provides a synopsis of the mental health status of the men involved in the study.
Sexuality is rarely addressed when patients are recovering from myocardial infarction (MI). This ... more Sexuality is rarely addressed when patients are recovering from myocardial infarction (MI). This article discusses both nurses' and patients' attitudes to sexuality, and examines ways to increase nurses' awareness so that they can offer sexual advice and apply a truly holistic approach when caring for patients following an MI.
The infants of women with histories of problematic alcohol and other drug use are among the most ... more The infants of women with histories of problematic alcohol and other drug use are among the most vulnerable children known to statutory child protection services, which they enter at a younger age, and in which they remain longer. The net results include overwhelmed child protection systems and the birth of subsequent children conceived to ease women's grief at the loss their infants. Without adequate and appropriate support to the mother and her family, the pattern repeats. Obstetric services have an important role to play in the assessment of risk and protective factors in the perinatal period and in determining pathways to service provision. A comprehensive assessment considers the availability and quality of informal support prior to activation of formal systems of support, both statutory, where engagement is mandated, and non‐statutory, where support is offered on a voluntary basis. This paper uses quantitative methods to explore the social networks of women with problemati...
Briggs, L., & Fronek, P. (2023). Student placement in a university social work health cli... more Briggs, L., & Fronek, P. (2023). Student placement in a university social work health clinic: Key learning experiences, challenges encountered and perceived benefits of interprofessional practice. Social Work Education, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2023.2187371 ABSTRACTThis paper reports on the findings from a mixed methods study exploring the key learning experiences, the challenges, and the increased knowledge of interprofessional practice for students undertaking placement in the Social Work Student Health Clinic at Griffith University. The theoretical framework of the study is based on adult learning theory, a model for experiential learning. After placement had finished 36 students completed the Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and a post-placement questionnaire that included a placement rating scale and a free text section specifically designed to collect data on student perceptions about learning outcomes while in the clinic. The quantitative data was entered into SPSS for statistical analysis. A thematic analysis of the qualitative data identified four major themes (key learning and beneficial aspects, the challenges, impact on future career options, and interprofessional practice). The themes were transformed into quantitative variables for further analysis using SPSS. The key findings indicated that the students perceived their achievements through participation in health clinics as providing positive learning experiences across a range of opportunities, some of which have impacted on future career options and an increased understanding of interprofessional practices in health care.
This paper briefly reports some of the findings for 30 male refugees participating in an Australa... more This paper briefly reports some of the findings for 30 male refugees participating in an Australasian mental health study looking at the psychological needs of refugee and migrant people. The research - undertaken between 2005 and 2007 at RMHS - was funded by the University of Otago. This brief analysis of the data provides a synopsis of the mental health status of the men involved in the study.
COVID-19 had an immediate impact on students undertaking professional placements. From this crisi... more COVID-19 had an immediate impact on students undertaking professional placements. From this crisis came opportunities and challenges forcing the creation of new scenarios to enable students to achieve competencies and complete placements. Social work professional bodies responded flexibly supporting field education innovations. Using examples from four universities, located in Australia, New Zealand and the United States, this chapter discusses the impact on students and new practices arising from crisis. A key issue remains in how the profession can take lessons learned from this pandemic to preparedness planning with governments, educational institutions and agencies in readiness for the next health emergency.
This paper briefly reports some of the findings for 30 male refugees participating in an Australa... more This paper briefly reports some of the findings for 30 male refugees participating in an Australasian mental health study looking at the psychological needs of refugee and migrant people. The research - undertaken between 2005 and 2007 at RMHS - was funded by the University of Otago. This brief analysis of the data provides a synopsis of the mental health status of the men involved in the study.
Sexuality is rarely addressed when patients are recovering from myocardial infarction (MI). This ... more Sexuality is rarely addressed when patients are recovering from myocardial infarction (MI). This article discusses both nurses' and patients' attitudes to sexuality, and examines ways to increase nurses' awareness so that they can offer sexual advice and apply a truly holistic approach when caring for patients following an MI.
The infants of women with histories of problematic alcohol and other drug use are among the most ... more The infants of women with histories of problematic alcohol and other drug use are among the most vulnerable children known to statutory child protection services, which they enter at a younger age, and in which they remain longer. The net results include overwhelmed child protection systems and the birth of subsequent children conceived to ease women's grief at the loss their infants. Without adequate and appropriate support to the mother and her family, the pattern repeats. Obstetric services have an important role to play in the assessment of risk and protective factors in the perinatal period and in determining pathways to service provision. A comprehensive assessment considers the availability and quality of informal support prior to activation of formal systems of support, both statutory, where engagement is mandated, and non‐statutory, where support is offered on a voluntary basis. This paper uses quantitative methods to explore the social networks of women with problemati...
Briggs, L., & Fronek, P. (2023). Student placement in a university social work health cli... more Briggs, L., & Fronek, P. (2023). Student placement in a university social work health clinic: Key learning experiences, challenges encountered and perceived benefits of interprofessional practice. Social Work Education, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2023.2187371 ABSTRACTThis paper reports on the findings from a mixed methods study exploring the key learning experiences, the challenges, and the increased knowledge of interprofessional practice for students undertaking placement in the Social Work Student Health Clinic at Griffith University. The theoretical framework of the study is based on adult learning theory, a model for experiential learning. After placement had finished 36 students completed the Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and a post-placement questionnaire that included a placement rating scale and a free text section specifically designed to collect data on student perceptions about learning outcomes while in the clinic. The quantitative data was entered into SPSS for statistical analysis. A thematic analysis of the qualitative data identified four major themes (key learning and beneficial aspects, the challenges, impact on future career options, and interprofessional practice). The themes were transformed into quantitative variables for further analysis using SPSS. The key findings indicated that the students perceived their achievements through participation in health clinics as providing positive learning experiences across a range of opportunities, some of which have impacted on future career options and an increased understanding of interprofessional practices in health care.
This paper briefly reports some of the findings for 30 male refugees participating in an Australa... more This paper briefly reports some of the findings for 30 male refugees participating in an Australasian mental health study looking at the psychological needs of refugee and migrant people. The research - undertaken between 2005 and 2007 at RMHS - was funded by the University of Otago. This brief analysis of the data provides a synopsis of the mental health status of the men involved in the study.
COVID-19 had an immediate impact on students undertaking professional placements. From this crisi... more COVID-19 had an immediate impact on students undertaking professional placements. From this crisis came opportunities and challenges forcing the creation of new scenarios to enable students to achieve competencies and complete placements. Social work professional bodies responded flexibly supporting field education innovations. Using examples from four universities, located in Australia, New Zealand and the United States, this chapter discusses the impact on students and new practices arising from crisis. A key issue remains in how the profession can take lessons learned from this pandemic to preparedness planning with governments, educational institutions and agencies in readiness for the next health emergency.
This article discusses the impact of COVID-19 on a cohort of international students studying at o... more This article discusses the impact of COVID-19 on a cohort of international students studying at one Australian university and the efforts made by social work academics to assist these students through a challenging and distressing time between December 2019 and July 2020. International social work students usually rely on scholarships and casual employment to support themselves while studying. Nonetheless, the Australian government made no financial provisions for international students when the COVID-19 pandemic struck leaving many students without any means of support. Students from all parts of the world attend Griffith University, located in south-east Queensland, Australia, including students from Wuhan, China, where the first known outbreak of COVID-19 was identified. Shame, anxiety, racism and concerns related to the wellbeing of families overseas were superimposed onto their own health concerns and day-to-day survival while still seeking to maintain academic progress. Material and emotional support were provided through the establishment of a food bank and the development of a case management model to address the needs of students. A COVID-19 Alternative Placement course and a field education student hub supported academic success during the health emergency. These interventions developed independently as a crisis response and were merged into a multi-pronged, coordinated approach that included collaborations with other sections of the university and the community. A School working committee was established to co-ordinate interventions to address individual student need that included crisis intervention, referrals to internal and external resources, and developing communities of support. The journey traveled by students and academics and the lessons learned from this experience are described, all of which are relevant to future health emergencies including the value of involving social work in university preparedness planning. The article concludes that intensive support can enhance resilience while supporting students’ own survival strategies, and, importantly, how such efforts can minimize, as far as possible, disruption to academic progress.
Background
Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations reduce adverse health outcomes in older adults... more Background Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations reduce adverse health outcomes in older adults. The Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides free seasonal influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations for adults ≥65 y. Guidelines recommend all adults ≥65 y receive one dose of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPV) regardless of their risk of invasive pneumococcal disease. However, the reported rate of vaccination against pneumococcal disease is much lower than seasonal influenza. Identifying and understanding the perspective of older people on vaccination is important to informing effective promotional strategies for this age group.
Methods Using a purposive and snowball recruitment strategy, 36 participants aged between 65 and 84 years of age were recruited in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales. Face-to-face qualitative interviews conducted between July 2017 and January 2018 were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.
Results In this sample, the uptake of the influenza vaccine (n = 28, 78%) was greater than for the pneumococcal vaccine (n = 14, 39%). Five key themes identified were health practitioner influence; anti-vaccination influence; social responsibility; work-based vaccination; and perceptions of age. The influences on uptake were complex and multi-faceted.
Conclusions Findings provide new insights, in particular, the role of social responsibility, the long-term impact of workplace vaccinations, and how older people do not necessarily consider themselves old.
This article explores the relevance of demoralization to social work research and practice. Demor... more This article explores the relevance of demoralization to social work research and practice. Demoralization connects to the very core of being human. It is present in social work client groups and is an important but neglected concept in social work. Demoralization occurs when life becomes so overwhelming that daily functioning is affected and people lose all hope, agency, and the capacity to overcome their circumstances. Although a demoralized state is not recognized as a mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it is often confused with psychiatric disorders and its presence can lead to clinical conditions and suicide. This article discusses demoralization and its place in social work practice, identification, and measurement, and appropriate psychosocial interventions are also explored. The article concludes that demoralization has particular relevance to contemporary social work and should be considered in social work practice and research.
Using a post-structuralist narrative approach, this article focuses on insights gained from a qua... more Using a post-structuralist narrative approach, this article focuses on insights gained from a qualitative study with 11 Australian intercountry adult adoptees with particular reference to their adoption experiences and post-adoption support needs. From thematic analysis, six interrelated, overlapping themes are reported. These are as follows: connecting to the past, the ambiguous self, the experience of racism, being grateful, safe and unsafe zones, and post-adoption support needs. Key findings relate to the Australian experience of unmet need and support the importance of the adoptee voice in determining appropriate support.
Using a post-structuralist narrative approach, this article focuses on insights gained from a qua... more Using a post-structuralist narrative approach, this article focuses on insights gained from a qualitative study with 11 Australian intercountry adult adoptees with particular reference to their adoption experiences and post-adoption support needs. From thematic analysis, six interrelated, overlapping themes are reported. These are as follows: connecting to the past, the ambiguous self, the experience of racism, being grateful, safe and unsafe zones, and post-adoption support needs. Key findings relate to the Australian experience of unmet need and support the importance of the adoptee voice in determining appropriate support.
Fronek, P., & Briggs, L. (2020). Demoralization in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: Whereto the... more Fronek, P., & Briggs, L. (2020). Demoralization in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: Whereto the future for young Australians? Qualitative Social Work, doi:10.1177/1473325020973332 COVID-19 is changing lives. Less attention has been paid to the future of young people by governments since the onset of the pandemic. We suggest that young people are vulnerable to demoralization, a state of hopelessness and helplessness, during and post-COVID-19. This reflection drawn from journaling and ongoing reflexive conversation from December 2019 to April 2020 offers a critical perspective on the circumstances of young Australians that encompasses consideration of the structural factors that impact on health, life chances, equality and social justice as well as the personal aspects of reflection.
Social work in health emergencies: Global perspectives, 2022
Chapter 2 takes readers on a journey through world regions during the first six months of the pan... more Chapter 2 takes readers on a journey through world regions during the first six months of the pandemic, a period shaped by vastly different approaches between and within countries ranging from denial, mitigation to suppression. Some countries had to deal with major weather events and other disasters while also managing the health emergency. The ideologies of governments came to the fore influencing whether health or economies were prioritised, the science was accepted, and whether approaches were informed by individualism or collective responsibility. The first six months of the pandemic highlighted vast inequalities and established the global conditions for the emergence of new variants.
Fronek, P., & Briggs, L. (2020). Demoralization in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: Whereto the... more Fronek, P., & Briggs, L. (2020). Demoralization in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: Whereto the future for young Australians? Qualitative Social Work, doi:10.1177/1473325020973332
COVID-19 is changing lives. Less attention has been paid to the future of young people by governments since the onset of the pandemic. We suggest that young people are vulnerable to demoralization, a state of hopelessness and helplessness, during and post-COVID-19. This reflection drawn from journaling and ongoing reflexive conversation from December 2019 to April 2020 offers a critical perspective on the circumstances of young Australians that encompasses consideration of the structural factors that impact on health, life chances, equality and social justice as well as the personal aspects of reflection.
Social work in health emergencies: Global perspectives, 2022
COVID-19 had an immediate impact on students undertaking professional placements. From this cris... more COVID-19 had an immediate impact on students undertaking professional placements. From this crisis came opportunities and challenges forcing the creation of new scenarios to enable students to achieve competencies and complete placements. Social work professional bodies responded flexibly supporting field education innovations. Using examples from four universities, located in Australia, New Zealand and the United States, this chapter discusses the impact on students and new practices arising from crisis. A key issue remains in how the profession can take lessons learned from this pandemic to preparedness planning with governments, educational institutions and agencies in readiness for the next health emergency.
Fronek, P., Briggs, L., Rondon-Jackson, R., Hay, K., Maidment, J., & Medina-Martinez, K. (2021). ... more Fronek, P., Briggs, L., Rondon-Jackson, R., Hay, K., Maidment, J., & Medina-Martinez, K. (2021). Responding to COVID-19 in social work field education in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. International Social Work, 00208728211048934. doi:10.1177/00208728211048934
This descriptive article reports immediate responses to COVID-19 by social work field education faculty in four universities in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Moving swiftly to online innovations, tele-supervision, teaching remote practice methods, and establishing alternative placements allowed students to meet required competencies while supporting students during the immediate crisis. Collaboration between field education faculty teams, professional bodies and agencies and clear communication with students and supervisors enabled all stakeholders to be open to flexible placement options. To conclude, COVID-19 brought opportunities to reflect on responses and explore new possibilities for field education in a post-COVID-19 world.
Social work in health emergencies: Global perspectives, 2022
COVID-19 had an immediate impact on students undertaking professional placements. From this cris... more COVID-19 had an immediate impact on students undertaking professional placements. From this crisis came opportunities and challenges forcing the creation of new scenarios to enable students to achieve competencies and complete placements. Social work professional bodies responded flexibly supporting field education innovations. Using examples from four universities, located in Australia, New Zealand and the United States, this chapter discusses the impact on students and new practices arising from crisis. A key issue remains in how the profession can take lessons learned from this pandemic to preparedness planning with governments, educational institutions and agencies in readiness for the next health emergency.
Chapter 2 takes readers on a journey through world regions during the first six months of the pan... more Chapter 2 takes readers on a journey through world regions during the first six months of the pandemic, a period shaped by vastly different approaches between and within countries ranging from denial, mitigation to suppression. Some countries had to deal with major weather events and other disasters while also managing the health emergency. The ideologies of governments came to the fore influencing whether health or economies were prioritised, the science was accepted, and whether approaches were informed by individualism or collective responsibility. The first six months of the pandemic highlighted vast inequalities and established the global conditions for the emergence of new variants.
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Papers by Lynne Briggs
Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations reduce adverse health outcomes in older adults. The Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides free seasonal influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations for adults ≥65 y. Guidelines recommend all adults ≥65 y receive one dose of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPV) regardless of their risk of invasive pneumococcal disease. However, the reported rate of vaccination against pneumococcal disease is much lower than seasonal influenza. Identifying and understanding the perspective of older people on vaccination is important to informing effective promotional strategies for this age group.
Methods
Using a purposive and snowball recruitment strategy, 36 participants aged between 65 and 84 years of age were recruited in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales. Face-to-face qualitative interviews conducted between July 2017 and January 2018 were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.
Results
In this sample, the uptake of the influenza vaccine (n = 28, 78%) was greater than for the pneumococcal vaccine (n = 14, 39%). Five key themes identified were health practitioner influence; anti-vaccination influence; social responsibility; work-based vaccination; and perceptions of age. The influences on uptake were complex and multi-faceted.
Conclusions
Findings provide new insights, in particular, the role of social responsibility, the long-term impact of workplace vaccinations, and how older people do not necessarily consider themselves old.
COVID-19 is changing lives. Less attention has been paid to the future of young people by governments since the onset of the pandemic. We suggest that young people are vulnerable to demoralization, a state of hopelessness and helplessness, during and post-COVID-19. This reflection drawn from journaling and ongoing reflexive conversation from December 2019 to April 2020 offers a critical perspective on the circumstances of young Australians that encompasses consideration of the structural factors that impact on health, life chances, equality and social justice as well as the personal aspects of reflection.
COVID-19 is changing lives. Less attention has been paid to the future of young people by governments since the onset of the pandemic. We suggest that young people are vulnerable to demoralization, a state of hopelessness and helplessness, during and post-COVID-19. This reflection drawn from journaling and ongoing reflexive conversation from December 2019 to April 2020 offers a critical perspective on the circumstances of young Australians that encompasses consideration of the structural factors that impact on health, life chances, equality and social justice as well as the personal aspects of reflection.
This descriptive article reports immediate responses to COVID-19 by social work field education faculty in four universities in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Moving swiftly to online innovations, tele-supervision, teaching remote practice methods, and establishing alternative placements allowed students to meet required competencies while supporting students during the immediate crisis. Collaboration between field education faculty teams, professional bodies and agencies and clear communication with students and supervisors enabled all stakeholders to be open to flexible placement options. To conclude, COVID-19 brought opportunities to reflect on responses and explore new possibilities for field education in a post-COVID-19 world.