Course

Unit 1

Health Concept, definition, dimensions and indicators; Different approaches to health – preventive, promotive and remedial health; Health and Well-being. Family of International Classification (WHO). Case History – Preparation of case history (with examples from the field); Social assessment of patients family. Indicators of physical life: subjective well-being, quality of life, etc. Digitalization and AI tools in case assessment, prospects & ethics.

Unit 2

Impact of Illness– Disabling conditions on the patient, family members and the community; Reactions to illness/death/loss – DABDA model; psycho social problems of patient and families during the process of treatment and hospitalization; Burden of Care for the family, Need for involving family in treatment process, Medical Poverty or Catastrophic Health Expenditure.

Unit 3

Skills, Trends and Perspectives in Physical Health Social Work: Essential skills for social work practice in physical health settings; Recent trends- Technology and AI; Prospects and Challenges. Theoretical Perspectives – Person-in-environment orientation; Biopsychosocial approach for practice; Sick role and illness behaviour. Patients’ Rights in Health care. 

Unit 4

Social Work Practice in Different Physical Health Settings– Role of the social worker as a member of a multi-disciplinary team; Importance of teamwork and case conference. Different Physical Health Settings- Outpatient Services, Emergency Care, Inpatient Services, Special Clinics, Community Health Care and Rehabilitation Services, Trauma informed care.

Unit 5

Rehabilitation- Definition, principles, assessment, planning and process of physical rehabilitation; Role of social worker in rehabilitation; Introduction to Aided therapies – physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and recreational therapy. Psychological Problems in hospital staff that lead to morbidity (Stress, Burnout and Compassion Fatigue), Professional Self Care.

Text Books / References

1. Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. A. (Eds.). (2012 or later). Handbook of Health Social Work. John Wiley & Sons
2. Bhalwar Raj Vir (ed). (2009) Textbook of Public Health and Community Medicine, Pune: Publisher Department of Community Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College. Pune, In collaboration with World Health Organization Indian office. New Delhi.
3. Park, K. (2005) Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicines, Jabalpur, M/s Banarsidas Bhanot Publishers.
4. Murugavel, N. (2024/2025 Edition). Medical Negligence and Patient’s Rights in India.
5. Judith L. M. McCoyd, Jessica Euna Lee, and Toba Schwaber Kerson. (2022). Social Work in Health Settings, Practice in Context, 5th Edition, Routledge Publishers.

Suggested Readings:

1. Berkman, B., & D’Ambruoso, S. (Eds.). (2017). Handbook of social work in health and aging(2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
2. Dhooper, S. S. (2017). Social work in health care: Its past and future. SAGE Publications.
3. Gupta, M., & Kumar, R. (2020). Social work and community health practice in India. Rawat Publications.
4. Sachdeva, D. R., & Tripathi, S. (2018). Medical and psychiatric social work. Regal Publications.
5. Beder, J. (Ed.). (2006). Hospital social work: The interface of medicine and caring. Routledge.
6. NASW. (2016). NASW standards for social work practice in health care settings. National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org

Social Work practice in physical health deals with the bio-psychosocial-spiritual components of a person with a problem and evaluates the strength and weakness of the patients, social support systems and their families, to help the patients resolve their issues independently.

Course Objectives:

1. To understand the concepts of physical health, approaches, case history, preparation, and social assessment.
2. To explore the impact of illness on patients, families, and communities.
3. To develop digital and AI-based skills relevant to social work in health and rehabilitation contexts.
4. To learn about multidisciplinary collaboration, rehabilitation, and self-care practices for social work professionals.

Course outcome:

1. Demonstrate understanding of key health and illness concepts within social work frameworks.
2. Apply biopsychosocial approaches to assess and support individuals and families.
3. Integrate digital and AI tools ethically into health-related social work practices.
4. Exhibit multidisciplinary teamwork, cultural competence, and inclusive practice across health care contexts.
5. Design and evaluate rehabilitation plans, considering self-care and sustainability principles.

CO-PO Mapping: (Course outcome and Program Outcome Mapping).