Post an explanation of health care disparities in a specific minority population. Identify three  nonbiological factors (e.g., public health policy) that might be  associated with health care disparities in the population you selected.

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Our society values equality as a right for all  of our citizens. Yet, the reality is that disparities exist, especially  in health care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2010)  defines health disparity as “a particular type of health difference that  is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental  disadvantage.” Health disparities adversely affect specific groups or  populations who systematically experience obstacles to health care based  on several factors or variables.

For  example, members of disadvantaged populations are known to have poorer  health outcomes as compared to more advantaged populations. Lack of  health insurance, poor neighborhoods without quality institutions, lack  of access to health care services, and inadequate health literacy  contribute to the disparity. Social workers can play an instrumental  role in closing these gaps through advocacy, education, policy making,  and program development aimed at minority groups.

To prepare for this Discussion,  review this week’s resources. Consider cultural, racial, and ethnic  diversity in the United States. Think about how these factors are  associated with health and health care disparities.

Post an explanation of health care disparities in a specific minority population. Identify three  nonbiological factors (e.g., public health policy) that might be  associated with health care disparities in the population you selected.  Explain medical social worker roles in addressing the three factors to  eliminate health care disparities in the population.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific  references to the resources and the current literature using appropriate  APA format and style.

 

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.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

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.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Errickson, S. P., Alvarez, M., Forquera, R., Whitehead, T. L., Fleg, A., … Schoenbach, V. J. (2011). What will health-care reform mean for minority health disparities? Public Health Reports, 126(2), 170–175. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3056029/

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.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

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.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Explain how you would use the Clinician Rated Dimensions of  Psychosis Symptom Severity measure and the WHODAS to help confirm your  diagnosis. 

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Experiences of schizophrenia are not  homogeneous; there is wide variety in onset, course of illness, and  combinations of symptoms. Social workers need to be able to understand  the different manifestations and pathways of the illness to plan  interventions. Social work services play a key role in stabilizing  crises, supporting family coping, and influencing overall quality of  life and outcomes of individuals with schizophrenia. In this Assignment,  you practice applying this necessary individualization.

To prepare:  In the Learning Resources, focus on the associated features,  development, and course of the illnesses in the schizophrenia spectrum.  Also focus on descriptions of the disorder and the way it develops for  different individuals.

Choose two articles  from the list in the Learning Resources that apply to treatment support  and interventions for the schizophrenia spectrum. Access the Walden  Library and research additional peer-reviewed articles.

By Day 7

Submit a 3- to 4-page paper,  supported by at least 3–4 scholarly resources (including both required  and additional resources), in which you address the following:

  • Compare Saks’s and McGough’s experiences with schizophrenia,  specifically referencing the positive and negative symptoms they each  experienced.
  • Explain how you would use the Clinician Rated Dimensions of  Psychosis Symptom Severity measure and the WHODAS to help confirm your  diagnosis.
  • Identify in what ways their cases are typical or atypical of the  illness in terms of onset, associated features, development, and course.  Support your response with references to scholarly resources.
  • Explain how you would plan treatment and individualize it for these  two individuals. Support your response with references to scholarly  resources. In your explanation, consider the following questions:
    • What are the long-term challenges for someone living with the illness?
    • What social, family, vocational, and medical supports are needed for long-term stabilization?
    • How might treatment look similar or different for Saks and McGough, given they have the same diagnosis?
  • Briefly explain how race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,  socioeconomic status, religion, or other identity characteristics may  influence an individual’s experience with schizophrenia. in the black community

 

Morrison, J. (2014). Diagnosis made easier (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Chapter 5, “Coping with Uncertainty” (pp. 43–56)
Chapter 13, “Diagnosing Psychosis” (pp. 185–215)

American Psychiatric Association. (2013o). Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm02

Note: You will access this e-book chapter from the Walden Library databases.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013b). Assessment measures. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.AssessmentMeasures

Note: You will access this e-book chapter from the Walden Library databases.

Required Media

TED Conferences, LLC (Producer). (2012). A tale of mental illness—from the inside [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/elyn_saks_seeing_mental_illness

TEDx Talks. (2017, March 27). I am not a monster: Schizophrenia | Cecilia McGough | TEDxPSU [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/xbagFzcyNiM

Osmosis. (2016d, March 8). Schizophrenia: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment & pathology [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/PURvJV2SMso

Article Choices for Assignment

Select at least 2 articles from the following list for the Assignment.

Breitborde, N. J. K., Moe, A. M., Ered, A., Ellman, L. M., & Bell, E. K. (2017). Optimizing psychosocial interventions in first-episode psychosis: Current perspectives and future directions. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 10, 119–127. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S111593

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Cohen, A. N., Hamilton, A. B., Saks, E. R., Glover, D. L., Glynn, S. M., Brekke, J. S., & Marder, S. R. (2017). How occupationally high-achieving individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia manage their symptoms. Psychiatric Services, 68(4), 324–329. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201600031

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Eack, S. M., Newhill, C. E., Anderson, C. M., & Rotondi, A. J. (2007). Quality of life for persons living with schizophrenia: More than just symptoms. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 30(3), 219–222. doi:10.2975/30.3.2007.219.222

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Hernandez, M., Barrio, C., & Yamada, A.-M. (2013). Hope and burden among Latino families of adults with schizophrenia. Family Process, 52(4), 697–708. doi:10.1111/famp.12042

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Kung, W. (2016). Tangible needs and external stressors faced by Chinese American families with a member having schizophrenia. Social Work Research, 40(1), 53–63. doi:10.1093/swr/svv047

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Mauritz, M., & van Meijel, B. (2009). Loss and grief in patients with schizophrenia: On living in another world. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 23(3), 251–260. doi:10.1016/j.apnu.2008.06.006

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Mueser, K. T., Penn, D. L., Addington, J., Brunette, M. F., Gingerich, S., Glynn, S. M., … Kane, J. M. (2015). The NAVIGATE program for first-episode psychosis: Rationale, overview, and description of psychosocial components. Psychiatric Services, 66(7), 680–690. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201400413

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Velthorst, E., Fett, A.-K. J., Reichenberg, A., Perlman, G., van Os, J., Bronet, E. J., & Kotov, R. (2017). The 20-year longitudinal trajectories of social functioning in individuals with psychotic disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(11), 1075–1085. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.15111419

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Walsh, J., Hochbrueckner, R., Corcoran, J., & Spence, R. (2016). The lived experience of schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-synthesis. Social Work in Mental Health, 14(6), 607–624. doi:10.1080/15332985.2015.1100153

.

White, C., & Unruh, A. (2013). Unheard voices: Mothers of adult children with schizophrenia speak up. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 32(3), 109–120. doi:10.7870/cjcmh-2013-025

Review Chapter 9 of your text, paying special attention to  the section entitled “Combative Persuasion in Step 5 and Step 6” from  pages 277 to 284. your responses to the following question presented for your small group discussion:

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Required Readings

SOCW 6361 Webliography
These websites will be required throughout the semester. Become familiar with these websites, especially when doing research for your assignments.

Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice  (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series.
Chapter 9, “Presenting and Defending Policy Proposals in Step 5 and Step 6 of Policy Analysis” (pp. 284-326)

Jackson-Elmoore, C. (2005). Informing state policymakers: Opportunities for social workers. Social Work, 50(3), 251–261.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.explore and analyze strategies and ideas for presenting policy proposals.

To Prepare: Think about strategies you can use to  persuade others who might not share the same concerns about your issues  or your policy proposals. Think about how you might defend your  position on an issue or a policy and get them to agree with your  perspective. Review Chapter 9 of your text, paying special attention to  the section entitled “Combative Persuasion in Step 5 and Step 6” from  pages 277 to 284. your responses to the following question presented for your small group discussion:

Policy advocates sometimes find themselves discussing the needs of  vulnerable populations with less-than-sympathetic groups of policy  makers. Vulnerable populations might include families living in poverty,  individuals with histories in the criminal justice system, or groups  who have recently immigrated.

How might you communicate the needs of vulnerable populations to  policy makers who may not share your views about the need for services?

Offer alternative strategies for presenting policy proposals

 

Required Readings

SOCW 6361 Webliography
These websites will be required throughout the semester. Become familiar with these websites, especially when doing research for your assignments.

Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice  (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series.
Chapter 9, “Presenting and Defending Policy Proposals in Step 5 and Step 6 of Policy Analysis” (pp. 284-326)

Jackson-Elmoore, C. (2005). Informing state policymakers: Opportunities for social workers. Social Work, 50(3), 251–261.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Describe the social worker’s overall job satisfaction      and strategies they use for self-care Analyze your experience. Specifically,

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In order to function as change agents, social workers interact with others in a wide variety of organizations. Visiting a social work agency allows students of social work to get a glimpse of the form that these interactions may take.

For this Assignment, visit a social service agency in your area and interview a MSW-level social worker there. The agency cannot be a private practice.

By Day 7 of this week, submit the name of the agency and the social worker, including their social work degree or licensure (e.g., MSW, LCSW, etc.), with whom you will collaborate for your Final Project that you will submit in Week 6.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your Project, do the following:

  • Save your Project as a “.doc” file with the filename      “WK3Proj+last name+first initial.doc”. For example, Sally Ride’s filename      would be “WK3ProjRideS.doc”.
  • To upload your Project information, click on Projects      on the course navigation menu, and then click the “Project – Week 3” link.

Looking Ahead: Your Final Project, submitted in Week 6 of the course will be a 4- to 5-page written account of your agency visit, reflection on the experience, and analysis of course topics as related to your experience. Make sure to support ideas with evidence from course resources and additional research.
The final project should:

  • Describe the agency. Including:
    • Services offered
    • Mission of the agency
    • Clientele or population served
  • Describe the social worker’s job activities and      professional roles
  • Explain what brought the social worker to the field and      their work history
  • Explain opportunities for advancement and what the      social worker does for professional development
  • Describe the social worker’s overall job satisfaction      and strategies they use for self-care
  • Analyze your experience. Specifically,
    • Discuss your thoughts and feelings related to the       agency, clientele, and type of work.
    • Reflect on why you may have experienced these       reactions to the agency, clientele, and type of work.
  • Explain which social work values and ethics were      evident (or not evident) during the interview.
  • Explain how social and economic justice relates to the      services provided or population served by this agency.
  • Explain how cultural competence was demonstrated (or      not demonstrated) within the agency or by the social worker.