Health for all and Medical social work.

Abstract

Medical social work is application and adoption of methods and philosophy of professional Social work in the field of Health care and also in medical education. Medical science gives emphasis on disease but ignores the importance of the diseased person but medical social worker studies the diseased person viz the social aspect of disease which contribute to prevention of diseases, planning of rehabilitation , clinical management of the patients There is urgent need to change the health culture of people to achieve a goal Health for All Health care is complex phenomena .Health reflects the existing social, cultural, economic situation of individuals as well as of the community. Health cannot be separated by social determinants like educational level, housing conditions, income, food habits, cultural practices, religious background, political system, gender issues and also of individuals attitudes ,perceptions ,outlook ,cultural practices, literacy status, family size, various psychosocial problems and issues viz bias about free and government health care facilities. Medical social workers can play the role of catalysts in achieving Health for all.