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CURRENT ISSUE

Volume 7 | Issue 2 | July-December, 2025

Editorial
SOCIAL WORKERS AS FRONT-LINE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
The role of social workers in the wider health care system is critical, as they are frontline professionals who bridge the gap between health care services and the social determinants of health. They are not confined to traditional welfare assistance; they are also integrated into hospitals, community health centres, mental health facilities, and schools, offering holistic care to vulnerable populations. According to Berkman and Harootyan (2003), social workers in the health care setting are best placed to provide psychosocial care to patients who are often not adequately supported by clinical staff. The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2008) has long recognised that social and economic factors (poverty, housing, education, and discrimination) have a major influence on health outcomes. Social workers have been trained to identify and address these determinants through advocacy, case management, and community-based services. In that sense, they do not act as support personnel; they are part of multidisciplinary health teams. Research by Gehlert and Browne (2012) affirms that when social workers are incorporated into the primary health care environment, hospital readmission rates decrease and patient adherence to treatment plans increases.
Review Article
NUTRITIONAL INEQUITIES AND CHALLENGES TO IMPROVE TRIBAL HEALTH IN INDIA: A REVIEW OF SECONDARY SOURCES
Tribes are the indigenous population historically residing in distinct geographical locations from ancient times and are referred to as Scheduled Tribes (STs) or Adivasi in India. According to Census 2011 (ORGI, 2011), they comprise 8.6 % of India’s total population, which was 8.2% in the 2001 Census. There are 705 registered distinct tribal groups in India that display uniqueness in socio-cultural and ethnic-lingual arenas, living in different regions in the country (Negi & Singh, 2018). The Report of the expert committee on Tribal Health (MoHFW & MoTA, GOI, 2018) asserts that the overall nutritional status among the tribals in India is unsatisfactory. The existing gap between them and their counterpart has remained unchanged or amplified. The NFHS-3 found that 65% of tribal women (15-49 years of age) and 77% of ST children were anaemic compared to 64% of all other categories.
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: A SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE
The concept of health is mostly given out as the lack of disease. This is the limited perspective that does not reflect the realities that are complex in determining the well-being of people (Engel, 1977). People are not healthy beings but instead, their health itself is highly affected by their social, economic, environmental and cultural status (Cacioppo and Hawkley, 2003). Poverty, education, family support, gender relations, employment and service access are considered the factors that define who can be healthy and who can be prone to illness (Vlassoff, 2007; Mechanic and Tanner, 2007). It is important to realise these interacting influences in order to come up with a more holistic perspective on health. The traditional biomedical model is very general with diagnosis, treatment, and cure with little regard to the larger social context of illness (Engel, 2012). Although medical interventions play a critical role, they cannot only solve the underlying causes of most i l l nesses (Hawe, 2015). Another and supplementary approach is social work which considers health as a product of social relationships, structural conditions and experiences in life. This school of thought f ocuses on prevention, psychosocial assistance, empowerment, and social justice as well as medical treatment (Green and McDermott, 2010).
ORIGINAL Articles
DIFFERENCES IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES UTILISATION ACROSS CASTE AND GENDER: A STATISTICAL STUDY FROM CENTRAL INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY
Mental health disparities are significant concern in many countries, including India. There are various factors that contribute to disparities in mental health services utilisation, including socio-economic status, caste, gender, and cultural beliefs. These disparities can lead to inadequate access to mental health services and can result in negative outcomes for individuals and communities. Caste is a significant factor that has been shown to play a role in mental health disparities in India. The caste system, which is deeply ingrained in Indian society, has resulted in significant social and economic disparities between castes, leading to unequal access to education, employment, and healthcare, including mental health services. Individuals from lower castes are less likely to seek mental health services and are more likely to receive inadequate care when they do seek help. There are various reasons for this, including lack of awareness and education about mental health, stigma associated with mental illness, cultural and religious beliefs, and financial constraints. Mental health policies can also prioritise a preventive approach. To the extent that discrimination and violence contribute to depression and anxiety in India, reducing them would improve overall mental health. This is especially relevant in low-resource settings such as India, where access to mental healthcare is extremely limited.
RESPONSE TO BURNOUT AND CARING FOR SELF BY THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLORS IN DELHI: A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Burnout is very common among counsellors. Listening to the problems of others throughout the day, and dealing with really difficult cases often makes counsellors prone to burnout. Counsellors face challenging conditions in order to meet the demanding needs of work. Burnout results in fatigue, pessimism, and emotional weakness. The person facing burnout cannot manage the expectations of self and others. They feel helpless in shouldering the new responsibilities and their routine work. In any situation, on any day or time, the counselors extend help to the needy and troubled clients. It is natural to be under stress when you are performing the role of caring for distressed people. Listening to the traumas experienced by the clients also puts the counsellors under tension. Helping a client suffering from life disturbances can also cause disturbances in the counselor’s life. This situation is not new to a person whose profession is caring for people in need. The prerequisite for a professional counsellor is to realize the importance of self-care. All t he professional counsellors are well acquainted with the significance of self-care. The counselors know the principle of help yourself first, but many times this is not practiced by the counselors. It is a known fact that if we invest all our energy in dealing with the client and nothing comes back into restock the energy of the counsellor, then the counsellor will suffer from physical and mental fatigue. Hence, it is essential for the counsellors to care for self. Wellness of both the client and counsellor is indispensable.
PALLIATIVE CARE IN INDIA: THE ROAD AHEAD
As the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) rises worldwide and more patients need long-term care for chronic diseases, palliative care is becoming more and more important (Murray & Lopez, 1997).The World Health Organization defines palliative care as ‘an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering. Palliative care services are crucial for providing patients and their families with comprehensive treatment where the prevalence of chronic illnesses is significant. The diagnosis should be accompanied by the field of palliative care. It i s designed to provide physical, social, mental, and spiritual comfort and respite to people who have been diagnosed with any kind of debilitating illness or life-limiting condition. Palliative care is not just for dying or lessening the process of dying; it can also be given at the time of diagnosis. Palliative care is also not about end-of-life care, despite the common misconception that it is solely provided during these times.
EMOTION REGULATION AND INSOMNIA AMONG CAREGIVERS OF PERSONS WITH ALCOHOL USE DISORDER
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) represents the advanced stage of alcohol addiction, marked by tolerance, where increasing amounts of alcohol are needed to achieve the same effect (Edwards & Gross, 1986). The World Health Organization reported that harmful alcohol use was responsible for 3 million deaths (5.3% of all deaths) and 132.6 million disability adjusted life years (DALYs, 5.1%) in 2016 (Glantz et al., 2020; Lui et al., 2023). In India, the National Health Survey (2016) estimated 17% (10.6 million) of the population were alcohol dependent (Gautham et al., 2020), with Chhattisgarh reporting the highest prevalence at 35.6% (Ambekar et al., 2019). Globally, AUD continues to be a major public health concern, with relapse rates ranging between 40% and 60% even after treatment (Moos & Moos, 2006). The recurrent nature of relapse not only affects persons with AUD but also places significant psychological, emotional, and physical strain on their caregivers (Kalra & Tung, 2024). A caregiver, or “carer,” is someone who provides support to a person whose functioning is limited by illness, disability, or age. Caregiving responsibilities may include assisting with daily activities, managing medical needs, providing emotional support, and ensuring overall well-being (Ortelli, 2021). In the context of AUD, caregivers often report emotional exhaustion, irritability, and helplessness, reflecting difficulties in managing their own emotions (Sharma et al., 2021).
USE OF MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION ON INDIVIDUALS WITH OPIOID ADDICTION
Throughout the world, Opioid addiction continues to represent a significant health crisis, with less than 15% of such individuals seek formals treatments (Mutumba et al, 2021), which is often discontinued, leading to relapses. One of the main reasons for relapse is that of ‘craving’ in individuals with opioid use. Craving, which is the subjective experience of an urge or desire to use a substance (Kozlowski et al, 1987), has been associated with activation of brain networks, l eading to its conceptualization as a motivational and emotional state of an individual. The relevance of craving in clinical field is emphasized by its inclusion as one of the main diagnostic criteria for ‘Dependence Syndrome’ for Substance Use Disorder (SUD), in International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10), among other factors. It has been well documented that, it’s often the mismanagement of the desire (craving) that leads to the individuals to continue with intake of the psycho-active substance especially in case of opioid addiction. As such, opioid and i ts derivates were known to cause physiological and psychological dependency, in the individual quite rapidly, in comparison to the forms of psychoactive substance (Sadoock et al, 2015). Thus, it’s the unmanaged craving behavior, which plays a vital role in the maintenance of the substance intake, there-by increasing the substance use period and consequentially leading to more neuro-chemical disturbances in the individual. This leads to the increase in burden, not only on the healthcare systems but also on the society. Thus, for effective management in case of opioid addiction, minimizing and managing craving behavior becomes essential.
Brief COmmunication
LOCUS OF CONTROL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES AMONG ARMY PERSONNEL
Besides national security, Indian Army personnel are involved in other pivotal duties such as border security, internal security and disaster management (Verma et al., 2013). Across the world, army personnel face arduous and complicated responsibilities, which creates a disposition to develop into various psychiatric issues such as depression, anxiety disorder, substance use and suicide (Argyropoulos et al., 2005). In a study conducted at Hyderabad on 520 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, it was reported that most of the security personnel suffer from generalised anxiety and major depressive disorders (Rao et al., 2008). Additionally, occupational stress is also reported among Indian Army personnel (Pradhan et al., 2020). Moreover, it was observed that locus of control is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (Solomon, Mikulincer, & Avitzur, 1988).
LIFESTYLE DISEASES AND QUALITY OF LIFE
Non-communicable diseases are termed life l ong diseases collectively affected by environmental, physiological and behavioural factors. NCD treatment needs prolonged medication and today individuals from both high socio-economic backgrounds and marginal sections are affected by it. It includes a variety of diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (such as heart disease and stroke), diabetes, certain inherited genetic disorders, various types of cancer, reproductive health issues, poor nutrition, obesity, and more. Social determinants of health (SDOH) play a crucial role in shaping individual and population health outcomes. These determinants are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, and they are influenced by the distribution of resources, power, and money at various levels—global, national, and local. Diseases which were heard after the 60s and 70s among individuals are visible today in early 20s and 30s of a person.
Case reports
ART THERAPY IN PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: A CASE SERIES FROM THE TERTIARY CARE CENTRE
Neuropsychiatric disorders can create disequilibrium in motor functioning, mood, activities of daily living, and overall quality of life of the survivors of neurological disorders (Cucca et al., 2018). Pathophysiology can be infectious, autoimmune, metabolic, or genetic (Isaac & Larson, 2014), apart from neurodegenerative disorders (Willis et al., 2013). Several conditions have neuropsychiatric manifestations that require early identification and management and a unique bio-psycho-social approach to recognition and multidisciplinary management (Butler & Zeman, 2005). The use of art in assessment and therapy has been found to have several benefits from a neuro-biological perspective. People who have participated in art have better self-regulation, relaxation, and improved associated cognitive functioning such as memory, spatial, and visual processing. (Kapitan, 2014). Art therapy activities primarily involve motor, sensory, emotional, visual, and cognitive aspects that connect neurophysiological processes and brain structures. (Lusebrink, 2004).
INSTRUCTION FOR AUTHORS
The Indian Journal of Health Social Work (IJHSW) is the culmination of the collective effort of social work professionals and academicians across the country to create a platform for exploration, discussion, research, and action on the social determinants and correlates of health care. The Indian Journal of Health Social Work is a biannual journal published in January and July of each year. The IJHSW is an official publication of the All India Association of Medical Social Work Professionals (AIAMSWP) and is indexed in the UGC CARE list. The journal accepts original research work, review articles, case reports, informative materials, & brief communications related to social work practice in health care.

ISSN: 2582-1393 (online)

UGC Care List Journal