Social Factors and Health Outcomes
Social Factors and Health OutcomesWeek 2 explored the interaction between the “bio” and “psycho” aspects of an illness. The third component of the biopsychosocial model is the focus of this week.Social factors such as socioeconomic status, educational attainment, social interactions and support, and health literacy independently influence the development and progression of illness and health outcomes. Other social determinants of health or illness are race, ethnicity, occupation, geographic location, and religion. These factors influence health through direct psychobiological processes or lifestyle modifications (Martikainen, Bartley, & Lahelma, 2002).To prepare for this Discussion:Review this week’s resources. Consider social factors known to influence health outcomes. Select two factors of interest to you. Consider both macro and micro aspects of medical social workPost an explanation of how TWO social factor influence health outcomes. Describe medical social work interventions that target these factors to improve health outcomes, and explain why you selected these interventions. Explain the tasks a social worker might need to complete in order to reach the desired outcomes.Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the resources and the current literature using appropriate APA format and style.