Tuberculosis : a social work perspective
Abstract
Tuberculosis is declared by the health authorities as a social disease, which
needs speedy attention. As a social disease and its spread being precipitated by
unfavourable social circumstances, especially poverty, this has become a
concern to social work profession as it strives to alleviate and eradicate poverty.
The social workers thus have little or limited knowledge and skills in assisting
tuberculosis patients. This research is aimed at exploring how social workers
feature in rendering social services with the view of combating the spread of
tuberculosis.
An indepth theoretical study was undertaken to discuss tuberculosis broadly. The
extent, nature, symptoms and treatment modalities of tuberculosis have been
discussed. Poverty as a precipitator to tuberculosis has been explored.
Unfavourable social circumstances that are related to tuberculosis have also
been discussed.
The impact of tuberculosis unto the patient himself and his family has been
looked at. Tuberculosis control measures and the roles and tasks of social
workers in combating tuberculosis have been discussed.
The sample for this research consisted of 150 tuberculosis patients admitted in
sampled hospitals of the North West Province and 20 community members of
Motlhabeng village in Mafikeng. Data was obtained through questionnaires that
were administered to the respondents. A case study was also selected to give an
account of a tuberculosis patient's circumstances as well as the intervention
performed by a social worker.
From the literature and empirical findings, it became apparent that tuberculosis is
precipitated by poverty and that social workers need to be highly involved in
combating the spread of tuberculosis.
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