20 Jan Person-in-Environment Perspective

SOCW – 6204/8204: Medical Social Work I 

        Discussion 2: Person-in-Environment Perspective response to 2 colleaques.

The terms disease and illness are often used interchangeably, yet they are conceptually very different. Illness refers to the human experience of disease. Disease, on the other hand, refers to a structural change in the body or mind. Traditionally, the primary focus of the medical model has been the disease and the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. In 1977, George Engel argued that the medical model “leaves no room in its framework for the social, psychological, and behavioral dimensions of illness” (p. 130).

A primary goal of medical social work is to address illness. Medical social workers are charged with evaluating and analyzing how illness impacts the social, emotional, psychological, and behavioral realms of individuals and groups—that is, the “person-in-environment” perspective. Since its inception, medical social work has been rooted in the person-in-environment perspective and has relied heavily on the principles of the biopsychosocial model. The biopsychosocial model, a pinnacle of social work practice, systematically considers biological, psychological, and social factors and their complex interactions in understanding health, illness, and health care delivery. Thus, medical social workers must consider all systems in a patient’s life when assessing a patient’s needs and suggesting interventions.

 

 By Day 6

 ( Note!!! PLEASE WRITE OUT EACH QUESTION BEFORE PROVIDING A RESPONSE)

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond to at least two different colleagues’ postings (see below, half a page each and 2 references each.) in one or more of the following ways:

• Analyze your colleague’s post about the two models in relation to the medical social work profession. Expand on your colleague’s post about the medical model and the biopsychosocial model in the delivery of medical social work services.

• Provide a constructive critique of your colleague’s post on the compatibility of the biopsychosocial model in the future.

 

Be sure to support your responses with specific references to the resources. If you are using additional articles, be sure to provide full APA-formatted citations for your references both within the text and on the referencing section.  PLEASE ALWAYS INCLUDE THE REQIRED TEXTBOOK as part of the references and if possible some of the REQUIRED READING if applicable. Please always start by referring to THE TEXTBOOK, below  REQUIRED

Hospital Social Work (Paperback) 2006  Author:

Handbook of Health Social Work 3RD 19

 

 

Required Readings

 

Learning Resources

Beder, J. (2006). About medical social work. In Hospital social work: The interface of medicine and caring (pp. 1-8). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203956120

 

Massachusetts General Hospital. (n.d.). History of social service. https://www.massgeneral.org/social-service/about/history 

 

Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds.). (2019). Conceptual underpinnings of social work in health care. In Handbook of health social work (3rd ed., pp. 4-17). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119420743 

Engel, G. L. (2012). The need for a new medical model: A challenge for biomedicine. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 40(3), 377–396.

Kontos, N. (2011). Perspective: Biomedicine—Menace or straw man? Reexamining the biopsychosocial argument. Academic Medicine, 86(4), 509–515.

Mishna, F., Bogo, M., Root, J., Sawyer, J. L., & Khoury-Kassabri, M. (2012). “It just crept in”: The digital age and implications for social work practice. Clinical Social Work Journal, 40(3), 277–286.

Reamer, F. G. (2013). Social work in a digital age: Ethical and risk management challenges. Social Work, 58(2), 163–172.

Optional ResourceNASW. (2003). Standards for integrating genetics into social work practice. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/GeneticsStdFinal4112003.pdf

 

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camesha anderson 

RE: Discussion 2 – Week 1

COLLAPSE

Person-in-environment perspective

 

 The person-in-environment is a perspective that focuses on the things that are going on in an individual’s environment. When we examine one’s environment, we look at factors that determine how an individual behaves and acts. This also consists of social, biological, and psychological factors. This orientation, known as the person-in-environment, was what motivated Dr. Cabot and Ida Cannon to establish social work in their hospital, so that the physicians could enhance their healing potential by having a greater understanding of what their patients had to deal with when they left the hospital (Beder, 2013). 

 

Compare and contrast the medical model and the biopsychosocial model. Be sure to describe the advantages and disadvantages of both models in the delivery of medical social work services.

 

 The medical model and biopsychosocial model are both similar. However, the medical model is mainly used to address illnesses. When it comes down to the biopsychosocial model, this model on the other hands focuses more on biological and social issues. Proposed by Engel in 1977, the biopsychosocial model addresses the biological, social, environmental, psychological, and behavioral aspects of illness (Gehlert&Browne, 2019). An advantage of the medical model is the fact that it focuses completely on the medical side of illnesses. An disadvantage of this model is the fact that a person may not receive the proper medical help . The disadvantages of the biopsychosocial model is that people may not understand illnesses. An advantage of this model is that a person may get the proper treatment that one may need. 

 

Explain how the person-in-environment perspective relies heavily on the principles of the biopsychosocial model

 In person in environment perspectives rely heavily on the principles of the biopsychosocial model as social work’s biopsychosocial approach provides a carefully balanced perspective, which takes into account the entire person in his or her environment and helps social workers in screening and assessing the needs of an individual from a multidimensional point of view (Beder, 2013).

 

Explain whether the biopsychosocial model might continue to be compatible with the future of the social work profession

 

 When it comes down to the biopsychosocial model, I must say that I think this model may continue to be compatible with the future of social work. My reason for saying this is due to the fact that this model is used to explain many biological and social factors that are related to illnesses. This model helps explain how some people develop illnesses and why others don’t. Increasingly, the recommended approach for healthcare service delivery today is biopsychosocial (Gehlert&Browne, 2019). 

 

Explain whether the person-in-environment perspective might rely heavily on the principles of the biopsychosocial model in the future.

 

 I think that the  person in environment perspective might rely heavily on the principles of the biopsychosocial model in the future because the person in environment perspective looks at many factors that influences an individual’s life which is similar to the biopsychosocial model which looks at biological, psychological and social factors which can all play influences in an individuals’ life. However, the basic function of social work remains, and social workers’ roles today reflect their responsibility for treating the whole person by taking a biopsychosocial approach to outreach, assessment, intervention, and care (Gehlert&Browne, 2019). 

 

References

 

Beder, J. (2013). Hospital Social Work. [MBS Direct]. Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781135421311/

 

Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds.). (2019). Conceptual underpinnings of social work in health care. In Handbook of health social work (3rd ed., pp. 4-17). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119420743 

 

 

 

 

1 day ago

 Laura Hetrick 

RE: Discussion 2 – Week 1

COLLAPSE

A brief description of the “person-in-environment” perspective.

Person-in-environment perspective focus in on the person and their environments interactions. It focuses on development and support within these environments. Person-in-environment perspective examines how a person and their environment fit together. Emphasis should be upon how a person’s micro, macro and mezzo levels influence the person’s environment (Steen, 2012, p.855).

 

Comparing and contrasting the medical model and the biopsychosocial model. The advantages and disadvantages of both models in the delivery of medical social work services.

Biopsychosocial takes into consideration the whole person in their environment. According to Beder, J. (2006), “The biopsychosocial approach considers three overlapping aspects of the patient’s functioning: “bio” refers to the biological and medical aspects of the patient’s health and well-being; “psycho” refers to the patient’s self-worth, self-esteem, and emotional resources as they relate to the medical condition; and “social” refers to the social environment that surrounds and influences the patient.” (p. 4). The social worker should assess these different areas to get a complete understanding. This is the holistic approach. This enables the social worker to better address their client’s needs and develop the appropriate discharge or treatment plan (Beder, 2006, p. 4-5). The medical model focuses on disease and not the other aspects to the persons life. The biopsychosocial model examines the whole person (Engel, 2012, p. 394). The better practice is to focus on the whole person. The medical model would be narrow minded. The biopsychosocial model incorporates addressing the three different areas in a person life. This would be more beneficial for the patient.

Explain how the person-in-environment perspective relies heavily on the principles of the biopsychosocial model.

Person-in-environment involves the interacting of a person’s systems. These systems adjust and change. Changing environments have an influence on a person (Green, & McDermott, 2010, p. 2427). Life is complex and situations are always changing. Focus should be upon what is changing and the interlocking influence between the environment and the person. Service planning should consider the current social problems. The person and environment cannot be separated (Green, & McDermott, 2010, p. 2428).

 

The biopsychosocial model might continue to be compatible with the future of the social work profession.

The biopsychosocial model would be beneficial to the patient. The biopsychosocial model is compatible with social work. The client’s different areas of need should be addressed. All aspects are important for the patient to function at their best. Social work attempts to work with the whole person. A good assessment will consider the different systems and contributing factors to the situation.

 

Finally, explain whether the person-in-environment perspective might rely heavily on the principles of the biopsychosocial model in the future.

The person environments influence the client’s behavior and ability to cope. The biopsychosocial model focuses on medical, psycho, and social. These factors will intersect and influence each other. The biopsychosocial model will gather information that is pertinent to the person-in-environment perspective.

 

References

Beder, J. (2006). About medical social work. In Hospital social work: The interface of medicine and caring (pp. 1-8). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203956120.

Engel, G. L. (2012). The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 40(3), 377–396. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1521/pdps.2012.40.3.377.

Green, D., & McDermott, F. (2010). Social work from inside and between complex systems: Perspectives on person-in-environment for today’s social work. The British Journal of Social Work, 40(8), 2414–2430.

Steen, J. (2012). The Human Rights Philosophy as a Values Framework for the Human Behavior Course: Integration of Human Rights Concepts in the Person-in-Environment Perspective. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 22(7), 853–862. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1080/10911359.2012.707917.