The Role of Medical Social Services in the Context of Psycho-Social Support for Chronic Diseases

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 12 Sayı: 3, 515 - 519, 30.09.2025

Murat Altuntaş

Öz

Chronic diseases are long-term health problems that deeply affect not only physical health but also the mental and social lives of individuals. These diseases reduce quality of life and make it difficult for individuals to fulfill their social roles and perform daily functions. Today, medical intervention alone is not considered sufficient, and meeting the psycho-social support needs of patients has become increasingly important. Psycho-social support enhances patients' ability to cope with illness while reducing social isolation and psychological problems. Social workers play a crucial role in this process by providing comprehensive support in emotional, social, and economic areas. Issues such as depression and anxiety that accompany chronic illnesses can reduce treatment success, thereby increasing the importance of psycho-social interventions. Additionally, the effects of the disease are not limited to the individual but also extend to family members. Therefore, the coordination and mediation functions of social workers within healthcare teams become critical. This study comprehensively examines the role of social work in chronic disease management through a literature review.

References:
Barker, LR. The Social Work Dictionary. Washington: NASW Press, 1999.
Berkman, L. F., Glass, T., Brissette, I., & Seeman, T. E. (2000). From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Social Science & Medicine, 51(6), 843-857. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00065-4
Donabedian, A. (2003). An Introduction to Quality Assurance in Health Care. (R. Bashshur, Dü.) Oxford University Press.
Hammen, C. (2005). Stress and depression. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 293-319. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.143938
Katon, W. J. (2011). Epidemiology and treatment of depression in patients with chronic medical illness. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 13(1), 7-23. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.1/wkaton
Kessel, K. (2021). Social Work and Health - Master :: Coburg University.
National Association of Social Workers. (2012). NASW standards for social work practice in health care settings. NASW Press.
Oral, M., Tuncay, T. (2012). Ruh sağlığı alanında sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının rol ve sorumlulukları. Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet Dergisi, 23(2), 93-114.
Rosander, A. (1999). The Quest for Quality in Services. Milwaukee: Quality Resources.
Schumann, J. (1988). Social services and social work practice with the elderly in the federal republic of Germany. of Gerontological.
Sieppert, J. D. (1996). Attitudes toward and knowledge of chronic pain: A survey of medical social workers. Health & social work, 21(2), 122-130.
Yuko, Hon’ya and Matsue Yuko (2004). “The role of medical social worker in acute hospitals (The present of our hospital and the direction in future)”, Journal of the Nissei Hospital Vol. 32; no. 2, p. 140-146.
Weinstein, J., & Whittington, C. (2003). Collaboration in Social Work Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Anahtar Kelimeler

Medical social work , chronic diseases , psychosocial support

Kronik Hastalıklarda Psiko-Sosyal Destek Bağlamında Tıbbi Sosyal Hizmetin Rolü

Öz

Kronik hastalıklar, yalnızca fiziksel sağlığı değil, bireylerin ruhsal ve sosyal yaşamlarını da derinden etkileyen uzun süreli sağlık sorunlarıdır. Bu hastalıklar, yaşam kalitesini düşürerek bireylerin sosyal rollerini ve günlük işlevlerini yerine getirmelerini zorlaştırmaktadır. Günümüzde yalnızca tıbbi müdahale yeterli görülmemekte, hastaların psiko-sosyal destek ihtiyaçlarının da karşılanması önem kazanmaktadır. Psiko-sosyal destek, hastaların hastalıkla baş etme becerilerini artırırken, sosyal izolasyonu ve psikolojik sorunları azaltmaktadır. Sosyal hizmet uzmanları bu süreçte duygusal, sosyal ve ekonomik alanlarda çok yönlü destek sunarak önemli roller üstlenmektedir. Kronik hastalıklara eşlik eden depresyon ve anksiyete gibi sorunlar tedavi başarısını düşürmekte, bu da psiko-sosyal müdahalelerin önemini artırmaktadır. Aynı zamanda hastalığın etkileri yalnızca bireyle sınırlı kalmayıp aile üyelerini de kapsamaktadır. Bu nedenle sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının sağlık ekipleri içinde koordinasyon ve arabuluculuk işlevi kritik hale gelmektedir. Bu çalışma, literatür taraması yoluyla sosyal hizmetin kronik hastalık yönetimindeki rolünü kapsamlı biçimde incelemektedir.

Kaynakça:
Barker, LR. The Social Work Dictionary. Washington: NASW Press, 1999.
Berkman, L. F., Glass, T., Brissette, I., & Seeman, T. E. (2000). From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Social Science & Medicine, 51(6), 843-857. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00065-4
Donabedian, A. (2003). An Introduction to Quality Assurance in Health Care. (R. Bashshur, Dü.) Oxford University Press.
Hammen, C. (2005). Stress and depression. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 293-319. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.143938
Katon, W. J. (2011). Epidemiology and treatment of depression in patients with chronic medical illness. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 13(1), 7-23. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.1/wkaton
Kessel, K. (2021). Social Work and Health - Master :: Coburg University.
National Association of Social Workers. (2012). NASW standards for social work practice in health care settings. NASW Press.
Oral, M., Tuncay, T. (2012). Ruh sağlığı alanında sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının rol ve sorumlulukları. Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet Dergisi, 23(2), 93-114.
Rosander, A. (1999). The Quest for Quality in Services. Milwaukee: Quality Resources.
Schumann, J. (1988). Social services and social work practice with the elderly in the federal republic of Germany. of Gerontological.
Sieppert, J. D. (1996). Attitudes toward and knowledge of chronic pain: A survey of medical social workers. Health & social work, 21(2), 122-130.
Yuko, Hon’ya and Matsue Yuko (2004). “The role of medical social worker in acute hospitals (The present of our hospital and the direction in future)”, Journal of the Nissei Hospital Vol. 32; no. 2, p. 140-146.
Weinstein, J., & Whittington, C. (2003). Collaboration in Social Work Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Anahtar Kelimeler

Tıbbi sosyal hizmet , kronik hastalıklar , psiko-sosyal destek…

Kaynakça

• Altuntaş, M., Öztürk, E., ve Arıkın, S. (2019). Madde Bağımlığı Tedavisinde Manevi Desteğin Ekip Çalışması ile Yürütülmesi. The Journal of Social Science, 3(5), 195-207. https://doi.org/10.30520/tjsosci.509793
• Barker, LR. The Social Work Dictionary. Washington: NASW Press, 1999.
• Berkman, L. F., Glass, T., Brissette, I., & Seeman, T. E. (2000). From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Social Science & Medicine, 51(6), 843-857. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00065-4
• Donabedian, A. (2003). An Introduction to Quality Assurance in Health Care. (R. Bashshur, Dü.) Oxford University Press.
• Erdem, M., Kesgin, B., ve Zengin, O. (2023). Klinik Sosyal Hizmet Alanında İntiharın Yeri. Ufkun Ötesi Bilim Dergisi, 23(1), 22-41. https://doi.org/10.54961/uobild.1282697
• Fine, A. (2023). The Importance of Working With Clients With Chronic Illness.
• Hammen, C. (2005). Stress and depression. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 293-319. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.143938
• Katon, W. J. (2011). Epidemiology and treatment of depression in patients with chronic medical illness. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 13(1), 7-23. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.1/wkaton
• Kessel, K. (2021). Social Work and Health - Master:: Coburg University.
• Kınık, K.. (2018). Sosyal Hizmetin Ne’liği - Kavramlar, Tanımlar, Metodoloji - Sosyal Hizmete Giriş. Kadim Akademi SBD 2/2 (Aralık 2018), 232-235. https://doi.org/10.55805/kadimsbd.496375.
• National Association of Social Workers. (2012). NASW standards for social work practice in health care settings. NASW Press.
• Oral, M., Tuncay, T. (2012). Ruh sağlığı alanında sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının rol ve sorumlulukları. Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet Dergisi, 23(2), 93-114.
• Rosander, A. (1999). The Quest for Quality in Services. Milwaukee: Quality Resources.
• Schumann, J. (1988). Social services and social work practice with the elderly in the federal republic of Germany. of Gerontological.
• Sofulu, F., Özgürsoy Uran, B. N., Ünsal Avdal, E., Tokem, Y. (2023). Afetlerde Kronik Hastalık Yönetimi. İzmir Katip Çelebi Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 8(2), 641-645.
• Sütçü, S. (2023). Kronik Hastalıklarda Sosyal Hizmet. Doğu Karadeniz Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 2(1), 50-59.
• Sieppert, J. D. (1996). Attitudes toward and knowledge of chronic pain: A survey of medical social workers. Health & social work, 21(2), 122-130.
• Yuko, Hon’ya and Matsue Yuko (2004). “The role of medical social worker in acute hospitals (The present of our hospital and the direction in future)”, Journal of the Nissei Hospital Vol. 32; no. 2, p. 140-146.
• Weinstein, J., & Whittington, C. (2003). Collaboration in Social Work Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers