Social Work Practice in Health Care with Special Reference to Pakistan

Traditionally, social work in mental and physical health has been practiced from the perspective of the bio-psycho-social model. Now there is developing scientific evidence that physical health problems cannot produce psychological and social environmentalproblems for people, but to some extant, may be induced in them. There is also growing recognition that some mental problems have physical manifestation, such as difference in body chemistry, and may be even a genetic component in their etiology. At the same timeboth emotional and social environmental conditions continue to be seen in playing a vital role in the course and management of severe mental illness and in the etiology of less serious mental health problems. Social work in health field does not regard cure as the sole objective of the medical care, prevention and rehabilitation are also important. Cure of disease is only one aspect of theprocess of patient’s recovery; he may become a victim of many undesirable situations. However, every patient does not require rehabilitation; it is only necessary for persons whose cure does not fully restore physical or mental capacity. This study examines the development of social work in health care with special referenceto Pakistan.