To prepare for this Assignment, select a public health issue of interest to you (e.g., obesity, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, mental health).
In a 5 page report:
- Describe the specific population(s) (ethnic or racial group,
homosexuals, veterans, women, children, adolescents, etc.) affected by
the health issue you selected. Explain how this population is
discriminately affected by the health issue you selected. - Explain the primary determinants of the health issue. Then, explain
how these determinants contribute to the disparities in care for the
population. - Explain what specific social work interventions you might implement
to address this health issue, reduce or eliminate disparities, and
improve health outcomes. - Identify some challenges you may encounter when implementing the
interventions. Then, explain the strategies you might employ to address
these challenges. - Explain the advocacy roles a medical social worker might play in
addressing the disparities in health care for the health issues and
population you selected. - Cite your response using external scholarly resources.
Required Readings
Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of health social work (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
- Chapter 7, “Community and Health” (pp. 143–163)
Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of health social work (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
- Chapter 4, “Public Health and Social Work”
- Section: “History of Public Health and Social Work” (pp. 65–67)
- Section: “Common Values” (pp. 70–75)
Coren, E., Iredale, W., Rutter, D., & Bywaters, P. (2011). The contribution of social work and social interventions across the life course to the reduction of health inequalities: A new agenda for social work education? Social Work Education, 30(6), 594–609.
Craig, S. L., Bejan, R., & Muskat, B. (2013). Making the invisible visible: Are health social workers addressing the social determinants of health?. Social Work in Health Care, 52(4), 311-331.
Nguyen, D. D., Ho, K. H., & Williams, J. H. (2011). Social determinants and health service use among racial and ethnic minorities: Findings from a community sample. Social Work in Health Care, 50(5), 390–405.
Robinson, L. M., Dauenhauer, J., Bishop, K. M., & Baxter, J. (2012). Growing health disparities for persons who are aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities: The social work linchpin. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 55(2), 175–190.
Optional Resources
Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). HHS action plan to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities. A nation free of disparities in health and health care. Retrieved from http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/npa/files/Plans/HHS/HHS_Plan_complete.pdf