tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Soc Work Public Health
. 2020 Aug 12;1-13.
doi: 10.1080/19371918.2020.1806170. Online ahead of print.
Contact Tracing: An Opportunity for Social Work to Lead
Abigail M Ross[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lisa De Saxe Zerden[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Betty J Ruth[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jennifer Zelnick[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Julie Cederbaum[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Since the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first emerged in December 2019, there have been unprecedented efforts worldwide to contain and mitigate the rapid spread of the virus through evidence-based public health measures. As a component of pandemic response in the United States, efforts to develop, launch, and scale-up contact tracing initiatives are rapidly expanding, yet the presence of social work is noticeably absent. In this paper, we identify the specialized skill set necessary for high quality contact tracing in the COVID-19 era and explore its alignment with social work competencies and skills. Described are current examples of contact tracing efforts, and an argument for greater social work leadership, based on the profession's ethics, competencies and person-in-environment orientation is offered. In light of the dire need for widespread high-quality contact tracing, social work is well-positioned to participate in interprofessional efforts to design, oversee and manage highly effective front-line contact tracing efforts.
Keywords: COVID-19; Social work; contact tracing; public health.
. 2020 Aug 12;1-13.
doi: 10.1080/19371918.2020.1806170. Online ahead of print.
Contact Tracing: An Opportunity for Social Work to Lead
Abigail M Ross[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lisa De Saxe Zerden[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Betty J Ruth[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jennifer Zelnick[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Julie Cederbaum[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32781912
- DOI: 10.1080/19371918.2020.1806170
Abstract
Since the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first emerged in December 2019, there have been unprecedented efforts worldwide to contain and mitigate the rapid spread of the virus through evidence-based public health measures. As a component of pandemic response in the United States, efforts to develop, launch, and scale-up contact tracing initiatives are rapidly expanding, yet the presence of social work is noticeably absent. In this paper, we identify the specialized skill set necessary for high quality contact tracing in the COVID-19 era and explore its alignment with social work competencies and skills. Described are current examples of contact tracing efforts, and an argument for greater social work leadership, based on the profession's ethics, competencies and person-in-environment orientation is offered. In light of the dire need for widespread high-quality contact tracing, social work is well-positioned to participate in interprofessional efforts to design, oversee and manage highly effective front-line contact tracing efforts.
Keywords: COVID-19; Social work; contact tracing; public health.