Health workers Essay Example

Health workers Essay Example Health workers Essay Health workers Essay Health workers constitute of an important part of the society in the sociological understanding of issues affecting populations. In the case scenario 14 provided Kelly aged 15 years is an adolescent representing many adolescents who have entered into premarital sex oblivious of risks associated with early sexual onset. Kelly and Tim are barely 18 years and already have started cohabiting despite the fact that they are under the marriage age as provided by the law. At jeopardy is health of the two teenagers, the health of the child they are expecting, the health of the boyfriend (Tim) who has been faced with challenge of taking care of Kelly and the expected baby. In terms of health sociological stratification helps health workers to analyze social factors which contribute to situations as the one demonstrated above. This is because health workers have to play both preventive and mitigative roles if they have to offer the care they are supposed to offer in the society. Just like other social workers health workers are supposed to use a multidimensional approach to solve problems prevalent in the society which in the case of the case scenario provided highlights a problem concerning early marriage as well as early onset of sexual intercourse amongst teenagers. The health of a mother is greatly affected by factors such as the age of the mother, the support available, access to support, access to health services as well as the support from family whether from the father or husband or whether from the parents of the mother. In the case of Kelly the situation is worrying given the fact that Kelly’s parents are unable to afford to offer the necessary care to the expectant Kelly. Equally the boyfriend is unable to offer the necessary support especially financial support needed by Kelly to stay fit and healthy. Sociological approaches to understanding the case scenario calls for analysis of causal-effect factors which will lead the health worker to answer the following questions; why is premarital sex prevalent in the society provided in the case scenario? What are the contributing factors to teen pregnancy in the given case scenario? What are the institutions in place to handle such cases? Why is the society comfortable or unperturbed by cases of premature marriages? What intervention measures are in place to correct or prevent problems such as the ones facing the society in the case scenario provided? If there are intervention measures in place then are they working and if they are not why are they failing? Finally social workers and health workers in particular must dissect the society for answers to the above questions if change is going to be achieved. There is a need for health workers to be better equipped with techniques, knowledge and skills which allows them to effectively interpr et social factors which contribute to social problems with an aim of suggesting counter measures. Housing is a basic need in that without proper shelter human beings are exposed to adverse weather conditions which can harm their health. In the case scenario provided housing is a problem hence the reason why Kelly and her boyfriend Tim share a room in Kelly’s parents housing commission house in an outer suburb. Housing is a major challenge facing governments and the social department’s efforts to ensure dignified housing to every citizen has not been successful. Access to housing boils down to income inequality which leads to a situation whereby some people cannot afford dignified housing. In the case scenario provided it is evident that Kelly and Tim do not have a steady source of income neither do their parents. As a result Kelly and Tim are forced to cohabit so as to capitalize on the available housing whilst if they had a proper or a steady source of income, perhaps both would stay apart to avoid further burdens such as financial constraints associated with havin g to start a family at such a tender age. The problem of housing goes beyond the control of health workers as it also touches on other government departments. This limits the kind of interventions the health sector can implement as policies relating to housing are made from other departments such as housing department. In access to dignified accommodation in the society in the case scenario provided is cramped at best and intolerable due to health risks associated with cramped or congested housing. Health workers can play an important role in advising policy makers on matters of health as it pertains to the permissible number of people who can occupy a house at any given time. Kelly is likely to suffer pregnant related complications as a result of health hazards she is exposed to due to staying in a congested house. For instance, the fact that she is expectant means that her body immunity system is severely low owing to a tender age. Living in a cramped house further complicates matters for Kelly since ventilation and fresh air which is very crucial for expectant mothers will be hard to come by under such an environment. The above demonstrates the need for health workers to move in and enforce health provisions which spell out requirements for housing. This can be very challenging because where the re is a problem of housing and high levels of unemployment, the security is rarely guaranteed and therefore this may contribute to a situation whereby health workers cannot freely move in to the society provided in the case scenario to resolve the issues. Unemployment is fast rising in the society. The situation is worse for uneducated youth who lack the academic credentials as well as skills and experience employers are looking for. The case of Kelly and Tim provides a classic example of the problem which has become very rampant in the society. Tim and Kelly are unable to access well paying job not necessarily because of their age but because they lack the skills and academic qualifications. Tim can only secure job in low wage industries where relevant benefits such as insurance cover and employee benefits are not guaranteed. Both Tim and Kelly are unlikely to land permanent jobs. From the case above there is evidence that Kelly does not have access to proper health care facilities. This is demonstrated by the fact that Kelly who is asthmatic has not been receiving proper health management hence the reason why she had been missing school from an early age. This is pointer to the fact that there is need for more health workers in the community to help manage conditions such as asthma which if well managed, patients can lead quality lives. As a result of inaccess to good health care facilities the health of both Kelly and the child she is expecting are in jeopardy as chances are that she will deliver unhealthy baby owing to a worsening health status. Diet is very central to health and well being of human beings. The case scenario demonstrates that Kelly, Tim and the parents of Kelly are unable to afford nutritional foods for Kelly and the other siblings. Access to healthy foods and nutrition plays an important role in ensuring that bodies can fight diseases. Nutrition is a leading source of high body immune system and where nutritional care is lacking, health is affected hence one becomes vulnerable to diseases and illnesses. Â  As a result of lack of access to nutrition the family of Kelly which has an history of diabetes is likely to fail in the management of the condition which gets worse if poorly managed. This is a challenge for health workers who must intervene in management of diabetes in both Kelly and the father. For Kelly management of diabetes is very important so as to ensure that in her days of preceding delivery she has the right weight and body pressure which if not well managed can cause fatal delivery. Health care workers can intervene in nutritional habits of community members in a number of ways. First of all health workers need to create awareness of the importance of healthy eating. Secondly health workers have a responsibility to de-link health habits from expensive habits. This is important considering the fact that many people associate health eating to costly foods which is not the case. Health workers can help members of the society understand cheaper sources of carbohydrates, vitamins as well as proteins and fats which can be afforded by even those with low income such as Kelly and Tim. Another way in which health workers can intervene in a situation such as the one provided in the case scenario is through advising on the role of sports and exercise in health living. The fact that Kelly has been missing out on exercising due to her asthmatic condition does not imply that she cannot exercise. With proper advice and guidance from health experts, Kelly can settle for less vigorous physical exercises which do not put pressure in her respiratory system owing to her asthmatic condition. There is also a need for the family to be advised on the importance of three meals a day especially for the health of Kelly who is expectant. Unemployment is a social problem which is not in the scope of health workers but which health workers can help alleviate by initiating collaborative programs with other government departments as well as the private sector .Cancican, 1989. Tim and Kelly are in need of a steady source of income as they are heading towards adulthood whereby they will have to stay on their own and become less independent on their parents. This clearly calls for Kelly and Tim to brainstorm options available for them. The fact that their early marriage is impending on education is for sure. McCroskey, 2005. However both can decide to go back to school or occasional colleges to attain some form of experience which will see them access better paying jobs. Wasewer,2003. Alternatively Kelly and Tim can think of income generating jobs which do not require specialized training but rather require talent. This way both can save earnings towards establishing a form of self employment which will consolidate their in come base and help them achieve a better life. This will help solve problems such as problem of food, the problem of housing since they will be able to afford a dignified accommodation.Cazenave, 1979. In addition, they will be able to solve the problem of disease as they will be in a better position to afford nutritional foods as well as manage condition facing Kelly such as diabetes and asthma. The fact that Kelly is expectant requires both Kelly and Tim to start planning for a new born considering that giving birth comes with it responsibilities of parenting. Reutebach, Tim and Charles, 2004. For instance, the new born will require baby care which is costly as well as access to pre-school in a few years. This calls for early planning considering that pre-schooling system is privately run and therefore there are no chances of the government paying for their kids pre-schooling. Health workers will play a big role in determining the kind of family Kelly and Tim will raise.Wasewer, 2003. Due to their relatively low educational level both Kelly and Tim are less likely to be well equipped with reproduction education such as family planning education. Scott,. Treas, and Richards, (Eds) (2004. This calls for the health care workers to offer such training to Kelly and Tim to prevent a situation whereby the two will raise a big family which will further strain their income. If Kelly and Tim are well advised and end up with a manageable family, they will be in a position to bring up a healthy family in better living condition considering that housing is a challenge and accommodation for a big family may cause problem similar to what they experienced earlier at Kelly’s house. Carlson, 1984. In conclusion, it has become evident from the case scenario discussed above that social factors contribute to health problems. Lack of access to steady sources of income, to proper housing, to good health care contribute to poor living conditions which if not well handled can result into a cyclic situation of bad health and poverty. The case of Kelly and Tim indicates the special role health care workers can play in resolving some social problems especially those which are socially constructed such as vulnerability to disease.