MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK AND INDIA
           AUTHOR
           Dr .A. K. AVASARALA
                        MBBS,M.D.
           PROFESSOR &HEAD,
           DEPT OF COMMUNITY
           MEDICINE & EPIDEMIOLOGY
           PRATHIMA INSTITUTE OF
           MEDICAL SCIENCES,
           KARIMNAGAR,A.P..
           INDIA : +91505417
           avasarala@yahoo.com
PROMPT
• Medical social work, a powerful
  weapon to realize comprehensive and
  qualitative health care is used only in
  a few limited fields and less used.
• It needs boosting up and revitalization,
  particularly among the medical
  students, doctors and health planners.
• This thought prompted me for the
  development of this lecture
Learning objectives
• What is medical social work?
• What are its guiding
  principles?
• What are its working
  principles and methods?
• Its usage in India?
Performance objectives
• Learner should be able to
  Practice Direct and Indirect
  assistance methods of
  Medical social work to
  realize qualitative and
  comprehensive health care .
Definition
• It is the application and
  adoption of the method
  and philosophy of social
  work in the field of health
  and medical care.
Definitions
• Branch of social work and deals
  with the social, physical and
  psychological aspects of patient.

• Social work in medical setting

• Using relevant social skills and
  knowledge to help the patients
History and background
• 1880-1900 In England, after the mental
  patients were discharged, visitors and
  nurses were asked to give advices to them
  .
• Dr. Charles Emerson , USA opined that
  medical science should also include the
  study of emotional and social problems.
• He suggested that medical students
  should work as volunteers under the
  charities and agencies.
History and background
• Year 1905: Boston medical
  institutions appointed MSW
  (medical social worker) for the
  first time
• In India, Tata Institute of social
  sciences had taken up the lead
  medial social work.
Fink ,the Sociologist
• “Life is a series of interruption and
  recoveries.”
• Man is a unity of mind and body and
  medicine must consider this unity.
• Physiology, chemistry and biology
  cannot alone or together explain all
  intricacies of illness.
• The disturbances of mind and body
  cannot be dealt with separately. They
  form the two phases of a single
  problem.
Nature and Scope
• Medical social work is
  based on the assumption
  of the individual’s dignity
• Guided and inspired by
  basic values social work
Nature& Scope
According to medical social
 work--
• health refers to that state or
 condition, in which an
 individual is capable to utilize
 all the capacities of his social
 living.
Nature and scope
 Medical social work considers
  human health with a broad
  perspective.
• The treatment is not the final
  solution for illness in medical
  social work.
• Disease and diseased person
  are different from each other.
Nature and scope
• Medical science gives emphasis
  on the disease but ignores the
  importance of the diseased
  person.
• But the medical social work
  studies the diseased person viz.
  the social aspect of the disease.
Nature and Scope
Medical social work deals with
• the prevention of disease,
• after care of the patients and
• social rehabilitation of
  patients,
--and not just limited to the
  treatment of disease.
Uses
1. To discover the social and
   psychological background
   of a patient
2. To make the patient free from
   his psychological tensions
3. To discover the psychosocial
   factors of the illness
Working concept
• Medical social work deals with the
  those problems of the patient
  which are related to the physical
  and psychological environment

• It is oriented towards the
  assistance of those people, who
  during their treatment, face social,
  physical ,economic and
  psychological problems.
Working principles
 mainly social techniques and mostly
   humanitarian in nature.
2. By enabling the patient for solving his
   problems (building up his capacities)
3. By determining the social and
   psychological influence.
4. By developing the willpower and
   determination of the patient
Working principles
4)By enabling the patient to
 adjust with his problems.

5)By developing proper
 environment
Working methods
• Case study method,
• Direct method of
  assistance
• Indirect method of
  assistance
Case study method
• By, case study method,
  MSW collects information
  with regard to the specific
  needs of the patient and
  works towards their
  fulfillment in accordance
  with the available means
Direct methods of assistance
• MSW is directly involved
  in the assistance.
• Social case work-
  Assistance is provided to
  the individual patient with
  the aim of developing his
  inherent capacity
Direct assistance
•Social group work-
• Medical social worker tries
 at strengthening the social
 relations of the patient and
 works towards the
 development of a healthy
 social environment
Indirect methods of
         assistance
1. Community organization
2. Social administration
3. Social insurance and social
   security
4. Social action
5. Social work research
Indirect assistance
•   Community organization = organization
    of community resources with regard to
    health problem by MSW
•   Social administration= MSW guides the
    public opinion for enactment of new
    social legislations or any amendment in
    prevailing legislations
•   Social security& insurance= enabling the
    patient to utilize the facilities under social
    security and insurance by MSW
Indirect assistance
4)Social action= MSW participates in the
  movements of social action at the national
  (national health programme involvement)
  and international levels( world health
  days)
5)Social work research= MSW inspires
  surveys and investigations regarding the
  social ,economic and psychological
  problems of the patient
Medico social work in India
• Less importance was given to this
  important branch of health promotion
• Tata institute of Social Sciences is only
  pioneering and struggling in this field
• Less awareness and practice of this very
  useful extension of health care delivery in
  India
• most of the national health programmes
  are running at a snail pace due to non- use
  of this field of medicine.
Medico social work in India
• Medical social work is limited to
  few areas of health care in India ---
• Department of Sexually transmitted
  diseases
• Department of pediatrics
• Department of community
  medicine
• Department of obstetrics
Summary
• Medical social work is a very powerful
  and essential branch of medicine for
  realizing a comprehensive and qualitative
  health care.
• As long as it is considered as an
  offshoot of social work, it draws little
  attention by the medical personnel and
  health planners. This is the problem in
  India.
• Time has come to consider it as a part
  and parcel of medical and health care.
References.
• Paul Chowdhary, “Introduction to social
  Work” third revised edition, Atmaram &
  sons, Delhi, Lucknow

25321

  • 1.
    MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKAND INDIA AUTHOR Dr .A. K. AVASARALA MBBS,M.D. PROFESSOR &HEAD, DEPT OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE & EPIDEMIOLOGY PRATHIMA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, KARIMNAGAR,A.P.. INDIA : +91505417 [email protected]
  • 2.
    PROMPT • Medical socialwork, a powerful weapon to realize comprehensive and qualitative health care is used only in a few limited fields and less used. • It needs boosting up and revitalization, particularly among the medical students, doctors and health planners. • This thought prompted me for the development of this lecture
  • 3.
    Learning objectives • Whatis medical social work? • What are its guiding principles? • What are its working principles and methods? • Its usage in India?
  • 4.
    Performance objectives • Learnershould be able to Practice Direct and Indirect assistance methods of Medical social work to realize qualitative and comprehensive health care .
  • 5.
    Definition • It isthe application and adoption of the method and philosophy of social work in the field of health and medical care.
  • 6.
    Definitions • Branch ofsocial work and deals with the social, physical and psychological aspects of patient. • Social work in medical setting • Using relevant social skills and knowledge to help the patients
  • 7.
    History and background •1880-1900 In England, after the mental patients were discharged, visitors and nurses were asked to give advices to them . • Dr. Charles Emerson , USA opined that medical science should also include the study of emotional and social problems. • He suggested that medical students should work as volunteers under the charities and agencies.
  • 8.
    History and background •Year 1905: Boston medical institutions appointed MSW (medical social worker) for the first time • In India, Tata Institute of social sciences had taken up the lead medial social work.
  • 9.
    Fink ,the Sociologist •“Life is a series of interruption and recoveries.” • Man is a unity of mind and body and medicine must consider this unity. • Physiology, chemistry and biology cannot alone or together explain all intricacies of illness. • The disturbances of mind and body cannot be dealt with separately. They form the two phases of a single problem.
  • 10.
    Nature and Scope •Medical social work is based on the assumption of the individual’s dignity • Guided and inspired by basic values social work
  • 11.
    Nature& Scope According tomedical social work-- • health refers to that state or condition, in which an individual is capable to utilize all the capacities of his social living.
  • 12.
    Nature and scope Medical social work considers human health with a broad perspective. • The treatment is not the final solution for illness in medical social work. • Disease and diseased person are different from each other.
  • 13.
    Nature and scope •Medical science gives emphasis on the disease but ignores the importance of the diseased person. • But the medical social work studies the diseased person viz. the social aspect of the disease.
  • 14.
    Nature and Scope Medicalsocial work deals with • the prevention of disease, • after care of the patients and • social rehabilitation of patients, --and not just limited to the treatment of disease.
  • 15.
    Uses 1. To discoverthe social and psychological background of a patient 2. To make the patient free from his psychological tensions 3. To discover the psychosocial factors of the illness
  • 16.
    Working concept • Medicalsocial work deals with the those problems of the patient which are related to the physical and psychological environment • It is oriented towards the assistance of those people, who during their treatment, face social, physical ,economic and psychological problems.
  • 17.
    Working principles mainlysocial techniques and mostly humanitarian in nature. 2. By enabling the patient for solving his problems (building up his capacities) 3. By determining the social and psychological influence. 4. By developing the willpower and determination of the patient
  • 18.
    Working principles 4)By enablingthe patient to adjust with his problems. 5)By developing proper environment
  • 19.
    Working methods • Casestudy method, • Direct method of assistance • Indirect method of assistance
  • 20.
    Case study method •By, case study method, MSW collects information with regard to the specific needs of the patient and works towards their fulfillment in accordance with the available means
  • 21.
    Direct methods ofassistance • MSW is directly involved in the assistance. • Social case work- Assistance is provided to the individual patient with the aim of developing his inherent capacity
  • 22.
    Direct assistance •Social groupwork- • Medical social worker tries at strengthening the social relations of the patient and works towards the development of a healthy social environment
  • 23.
    Indirect methods of assistance 1. Community organization 2. Social administration 3. Social insurance and social security 4. Social action 5. Social work research
  • 24.
    Indirect assistance • Community organization = organization of community resources with regard to health problem by MSW • Social administration= MSW guides the public opinion for enactment of new social legislations or any amendment in prevailing legislations • Social security& insurance= enabling the patient to utilize the facilities under social security and insurance by MSW
  • 25.
    Indirect assistance 4)Social action=MSW participates in the movements of social action at the national (national health programme involvement) and international levels( world health days) 5)Social work research= MSW inspires surveys and investigations regarding the social ,economic and psychological problems of the patient
  • 26.
    Medico social workin India • Less importance was given to this important branch of health promotion • Tata institute of Social Sciences is only pioneering and struggling in this field • Less awareness and practice of this very useful extension of health care delivery in India • most of the national health programmes are running at a snail pace due to non- use of this field of medicine.
  • 27.
    Medico social workin India • Medical social work is limited to few areas of health care in India --- • Department of Sexually transmitted diseases • Department of pediatrics • Department of community medicine • Department of obstetrics
  • 28.
    Summary • Medical socialwork is a very powerful and essential branch of medicine for realizing a comprehensive and qualitative health care. • As long as it is considered as an offshoot of social work, it draws little attention by the medical personnel and health planners. This is the problem in India. • Time has come to consider it as a part and parcel of medical and health care.
  • 29.
    References. • Paul Chowdhary,“Introduction to social Work” third revised edition, Atmaram & sons, Delhi, Lucknow

Editor's Notes

  • #2 Author profile :-After medical graduation, worked for 17 years in the field as primary care physician in primary health centres, area hospitals, mobile medical units, cholera combat team, filarial control project, casualty department, divisional secondary care hospitals Then completed post graduation in public health medicine/preventive &social medicine &epidemiology and teaching medical graduates and post graduates, nursing students, physiotherapy students, primary care personnel for the last 15 years. At present ,working as Professor & Head of the department of Community medicine & Epidemiology contributing to the cause of epidemiological spread and growth in India as Indian super course epidemiology developer . Other eighteen super course lectures of author can be accessed at www. pitt.edu/~super1/faculty/lecturers/htm