SOCIAL WORK

This study examined the role of social workers and the effects of social isolation on the mental health of older adults in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Social isolation, a growing global concern among older populations, has been associated with depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and reduced overall well-being. In Nigeria, weakening family bonds, increased migration, and socio-economic pressures have heightened the vulnerability of older adults to isolation, yet limited empirical studies exist at the community level. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 100 older adults and 20 social workers through structured questionnaires and interviews. The findings revealed that many older adults experience significant social isolation resulting from widowhood, declining physical health, reduced community interaction, and minimal family contact. The effects on mental health were profound, including persistent sadness, anxiety, loneliness, emotional withdrawal, and reduced life satisfaction. Social workers were found to play important roles in counseling, advocacy, community outreach, and linkage to social and health services; however, their effectiveness was constrained by limited staffing, funding shortages, inadequate training in geriatric mental health, and logistical challenges. The study concludes that social isolation significantly impairs the mental health of older adults in the locality and that social workers, despite their commitment, require stronger institutional support to meet the needs of this growing population. It recommends increased government funding, enhanced community-based programs, improved mental health services, family-centered interventions, and expanded geriatric training for social workers. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on aging, mental health, and social work practice in developing countries and provides a foundation for further research on elderly care and social isolation

This research work seek to examine the effect of propaganda on election credibility; a study of 2023 presidential election. The study made use of questionnaire to obtain data from respondent. Four objectives were raised for the study. The study found that that most respondents believed that campaign propaganda is used by candidates and political parties to modify the views, attitudes and behaviours of the electorate as opined by the high response of respondents. It also observed Campaign propaganda serves a dual purpose of educating electorate on the proposed plans and programmes of the incoming government and committing voters to exercise their franchise during elections. and thus recommend that the media must be regulated by law to disseminate objective messages during electioneering. Specifically, it must be restrained from been an appendage of a given political party, showing preference for any candidate and serving as tool to disseminate disinformation and hate speeches.

The study examined the psychosocial impact of child defilement and social work intervention in Egor Local Government Area. The objective of the study was to examine the psychosocial impact of child defilement in Egor Local Government Area; to investigate the causes of child defilement in Egor Local Government Area; to know the societal responses to child defilement in Egor Local Government Area; to assess the roles of social workers in the issues of Child defilement and to find out possible ways child defilement be curbed.
The cross sectional research design was adopted for this study. Four hundred (400) copies of questionnaire were distributed to 400 respondents in Egor Local Government Area. Data collected were analyzed using frequency count, percentages and mean, with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 24.0.
The empirical result revealed child defilement often leads to poor childhood experiences and often leads low self-esteem and that the persistent failure to meet a child’s physical and/or psychological needs makes children vulnerable to defilement. The study recommends that strict laws should be enforced to deal with abusers in the society and that parents should train up their children and always be on guard for their children not to fall victims.