Shinwoo Choi

Efforts to bridge the digital divide for older adults have prioritized access and interface usability. However, the proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) introduces interpretive challenges that access alone cannot address. This Forum article argues that digital inclusion must evolve from operational competence to critical engagement. We introduce the concept of epistemic vulnerability to characterize a distinct risk where older adults (65 and older) trust AI outputs not due to cognitive deficits, but because the system’s confident, fluent delivery mimics authoritative sources they have historically learned to trust. Grounding this argument in the sociotechnical co-constitution model of ageing and technology, we conceptualize epistemic vulnerability as emerging from misalignments among older adults’ life-worlds, design worlds, technological artefacts, and broader images of ageing. Rejecting protectionist restrictions, we propose a framework of Critical AI Literacy supported by Ethical Scaffolding, emphasizing empowerment through structural aids that help users distinguish linguistic fluency from factual accuracy. Furthermore, the risk profiles and the feasibility of scaffolding vary across the young-old (65–74), the middle old (75–84), and the oldest-old (85 and older) subgroups. By outlining concrete strategies for adapting information-verification habits, this work provides a roadmap for ensuring older adults remain active, competent agents in an increasingly algorithmic society.

This study explores the perspectives of environmental activists on the disproportionate impacts of environmental crises on vulnerable populations, focusing on issues such as pollution, occupational hazards, and natural disasters. Using critical theory as a framework, the research highlights the intersection of environmental justice and structural inequalities, emphasizing the role of social service providers in addressing these challenges. Through qualitative interviews with 25 environmental activists, the study identifies key themes: the environmental issues affecting vulnerable communities, their health and socioeconomic impacts, and recommendations for social service interventions. Findings underscore the need for social workers to engage in community-based advocacy, education, and policy reform to mitigate environmental injustices. The study calls for a shift towards eco-centric practices within social work, emphasizing the importance of addressing both environmental and social justice issues to build resilient and equitable communities.

The study aimed to test children's subjective perception of participation in decision‐making in school and community as protective factors against the negative effects of bullying on child subjective well‐being in three East Asian countries and territories—South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. This study is based on the subset of data from the third wave of the Children's World survey that consists of 5717 children 10–12 years of age. Our findings suggest that the children with bullying victimization who experience more participation in decision‐making in their school and local community are less likely to have decreased well‐being.

The southeast Texas (SETX) coastal area, owing to its unique geographical location and geological attributes, is facing a spectrum of geological challenges, such as ground subsidence, flooding, and coastal erosion. This study endeavors to evaluate the recent instances of ground subsidence and their associated rates, focusing on comprehending their implications for flooding within SETX. Employing the Persistence Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PS-InSAR) technique, this study employs Sentinel-1 SAR satellite data with descending orbit observations spanning from January 2020 to March 2023. Our findings indicate that both the northwestern and eastern regions of Houston have been settled with rates up to 2 cm/year. This settlement trend is consistent with data derived from GPS and groundwater level measurements. This investigation explicitly shows the substantial temporal and spatial variations in subsidence rates, predominantly influenced by localized groundwater extraction due to urbanization (e.g., population growth, land development, etc.). By advocating for the integration of InSAR, GPS, and groundwater measurements, this research aspires to make valuable contributions toward the mitigation of subsidence and flood-related hazards in the SETX area.

Climate-induced disasters have immediate and lasting effects disrupting the safety and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Children are among the most vulnerable during disasters due to their physical, psychological, and developmental capacities that render them reliant on their parents and/or caregivers to maintain safety and ensure their basic needs are met. This study explored barriers experienced by parents and caregivers during and after Hurricanes Irma and Michael struck Florida in 2017 and 2018. We conducted 41 semi-structured interviews with hurricane-affected parents of children aged 0 to 14. Interviews explored challenges in caring for young children during response and recovery, resource usage/availability, and awareness and willingness to seek formal support in future disasters. Parents reported experiencing stress due to financial constraints and limited resources, which affected their ability to evacuate and make post-disaster decisions.

This study examined the predictive ability of perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD), fear of COVID-19, and coping mechanisms on the Korean immigrants’ psychological distress level amid the pandemic. Through purposive sampling, both foreign-born and US-born Korean immigrants residing in the US above the age of 18 years were invited to an online survey. Between May and June 2020, data collection took place, which yielded the final sample of 790 participants from 42 states. An artificial neural network (ANN) was used to verify variables that predict the level of psychological distress on the participants. The model with one hidden layer holding six hidden neurons showed the best performance. The error rate was approximately 27%, and the results from the sensitivity analysis, the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, showed that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.801. The most powerful predicting variables in the neural network were resilience, PVD, and social support. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.

Social service providers play a vital role in addressing the physical and mental health needs of vulnerable individuals, families, and communities during and after disasters. Considering the essential role of social service providers during and after disasters, it is vital to understand the challenges their clients encounter during emergencies. Our study explored social service providers’ perceptions of the barriers socially vulnerable individuals and communities experienced after hurricanes Michael and Irma struck coastal communities in Florida in 2017–2018. Seventeen social service workers who provided direct support to survivors during and after the hurricanes participated in four focus group interviews. Providers described five factors that increased vulnerability of their clients including risk perception, socioeconomic constraints, physical and mental health challenges, language and literacy proficiency, and resource dependency.