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The purpose of this paper is to communicate and share experiences with other dam designers, operators and maintenance officers arising from the rehabilitation of the Osborne Dam outlets, pursuant to informing future dam outlet designs and rehabilitation of similar dam outlets.

This paper documents and utilizes actual events that occurred before and during the rehabilitation of the outlets. Some solutions applied were unique, with resultant innovative engineering designs being decided on site. Realizing that a descriptive research format would best serve the sharing of experiences of the outlets’ rehabilitation, the case study approach was selected. Before commencement of the rehabilitation works, the different operational problems that had been identified, photographed and documented by the dam’s operating staff were verified by the dam owner’s engineers, technicians and consultants. Visual and photographic verification was done using divers for areas under water. Literature review was conducted so as to learn from solutions employed elsewhere. A physical model of the solution considered the best way to keep the intake tower dry was made and tested.

The outlets’ rehabilitation works, taking 12 months to complete at a total cost of US$5 million, involved installation of new service gates, replacement of the sleeve valves, refurbishment of the butterfly valves and provision of dewatering pumps.

This paper offers unique experiences and lessons for dam designers and other dam operation and maintenance officers while contributing to the body of knowledge of outlet works rehabilitation.

We argue that by conducting systematic research with communities rather than on communities, community-based research (CBR) methods can both advance the study of human interaction and strengthen public understanding and appreciation of social sciences. CBR, among other methods, can also address social scientists’ ethical and social commitments. We recap the history of calls by leading sociologists for rigorous, empirical, community-engaged research. We introduce CBR methods as empirically grounded methods for conducting social research with social actors. We define terms and describe the range of methods that we include in the umbrella term, “community-based research.” After providing exemplars of community-based research, we review CBR’s advantages and challenges. We, next, summarize an intervention that we undertook as members of the Publication Committee of the URBAN Research Network’s Sociology section in which the committee developed and disseminated guidelines for peer review of community-based research. We also share initial responses from journal editors. In the conclusion, we revisit the potential of community-based research and note the consequences of neglecting community-based research traditions.

Immigration is considered a stressful process that causes many problems such as social isolation, prejudice, unemployment, minority status and intergenerational tensions. This study aims to determine the opinions of the leaders of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Germany about the experiences of individuals who immigrated from Turkey to Germany.

In this study, a qualitative method was used. This study was conducted between April and May 2014 with leaders of CSOs who were living in Germany. Informed consent forms were signed by all the participants. Purposeful sampling was used to select the leaders of CSOs to be included in the sample. In-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview format. The data reached saturation for the 30 leaders of CSOs. The data were collected through in-depth interviews and evaluated through thematic analysis.

Four main themes were identified: “Difficulties experienced”, “Recommendations to cope with/solve the difficulties experienced,” “Medical tourism” and “Use of health services.”

This study has some limitations that should be taken into consideration during the interpretation of the results. A majority of the leaders of CSOs had bachelor’s degrees, and were middle-aged and older, which might affect the variety required in qualitative studies. Thus, it remains unclear whether the results could be generalized to all Turkish immigrants in Germany.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first qualitative study conducted with different Turkish CSO leaders living in Germany. This study outlines perspectives of CSO leaders’ migration-related challenges that Turkish immigrants struggle with to integrate into German societies. As a consequence, Turkish immigrants’ socio-cultural values, beliefs, difficulties they experienced, and legal rights should be taken into consideration in health care and tourism interactions. Possible found experiences could help to provide evidence on how to improve migrants’ situations.

The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic search of the literature as it pertains to interventions delivered by peers to refugees and asylum seekers during the resettlement process.

A preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis-compliant scoping review based on Arskey and O’Malley’s (2006) five steps was used. Four databases, Scopus, Embase, Ebsco and ScienceDirect, were searched for peer-reviewed articles published in English from 2000 to 2021. Studies were included if they reported on interventions, outcomes or the training received by adult peers to support refugees and asylum seekers during the resettlement process. Of an initial 632 journal articles retrieved, 14 met the inclusion criteria for this review.

Most included studies were conducted in Western high-income countries, with the exception of one. Studies were heterogeneous in terms of the nationalities of peers and those receiving peer interventions, the outcomes reported on, the content of interventions and the methodologies used. Findings suggest that peer interventions seem to be effective in addressing many of the challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers. Community integration, acculturation and reductions in psychological distress are some of the key benefits. When such interventions are co-produced in participatory research involving refugees, asylum seekers and the civil society organisations that support this population, they are naturally culturally responsive and can, therefore, address issues relative to different ethnic needs during the resettlement process.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first scoping review to be conducted in this area and adds to what is a very limited body of research.

In this study, the life experiences of Canadian non-refugee immigrant women were studied to understand their pre-migration lives, the process of decision making about migrating to Canada, and their experiences after resettlement in Canada.

A qualitative methodology involving repeated in-depth person-centred interviewing (n=14) engaged five recent Canadian immigrant women. “Word of mouth” was used to recruit participants. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data set.

Loneliness became manifest given the loss of social networks and support systems immigrant women enjoyed in their home countries. Second, the presence of young children and absence of job opportunities for these women had them spending most of their time at home. Third, in some cases, the lack of professional employment opportunities forced the husband leaving Canada to find jobs – resulting in a deeper level of loneliness experienced by the immigrant women. Loneliness and isolation, and mental health issues associated with such isolation are potentially substantial, especially during the initial settlement years.

Given the small sample size, the generalizability of the study findings are limited and cannot represent the entirety of experiences of all Canadian immigrant women. The sample diversity in this study was also limited. The participants were highly educated and had professional careers in their home countries. The experience of less educated women can be different. Further research with a large sample size and diverse sample is needed.

The study offers deeper insights to the day-to-day challenges associated with the journey of migration. Understanding these concerns is important for mental health professionals, counsellors, and social service workers to offer effective treatment, counselling, and emotional support for immigrant women.

The findings further the understanding of immigrant women's experiences and the need to address relational aspects of their immigration journeys. Examining the experiences of immigrants in relation to their lives before and after coming to Canada is important to gain insight about the contemporary daily lives of individuals. A holistic understanding of immigration experiences can assist service providers, professionals, and policy makers to recognize the obstacles faced by immigrants. Suggestions for future research are also addressed in this study.

This study aims to delve into the impact of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) on the well-being and quality of life of beneficiaries in Surat City of India. Employing correlation and regression analyses, the study uncovers significant correlations between Awareness, Healthcare Utilisation, and Financial Burden Reduction with well-being outcomes.

The investigation employs a structured questionnaire to gather data from 250 beneficiaries, exploring the relationships between Awareness, Healthcare Utilisation, Financial Burden Reduction, Well-Being and quality of Life. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire using a survey method.

The results highlighted the crucial role of Awareness in empowering beneficiaries to make informed healthcare decisions, positively influencing their well-being. Furthermore, the study underscores how active engagement with PMJAY's healthcare services enhances well-being. The mitigation of financial burdens emerges as a pivotal factor, signifying the program's efficacy in improving beneficiaries' quality of life.

The comprehensive model presented in this study reveals that PMJAY's multifaceted approach is pivotal in promoting enhanced well-being and quality of life among beneficiaries. These findings affect public health policies seeking to create holistic interventions that holistically address vulnerable populations' healthcare access, financial burdens, and overall well-being.