Analysis of Sociological and Psychological Concepts in Healthcare

This report examines the application of sociological and psychological concepts in healthcare settings through the analysis of two patient case studies: Raj, a 55-year-old lawyer admitted for alcoholism, and Lucy, a 24-year-old single parent hospitalized due to a painkiller overdose. The report explores key sociological concepts such as functionalism, feminism, and interactionism, alongside psychological concepts like the development concept, to understand how these frameworks can enhance the understanding of service users. It considers the impact of cultural influences on health beliefs and behaviors, including the specific challenges faced by Raj due to his alcoholism and Lucy due to her asthma and socioeconomic circumstances. The analysis includes observational records that highlight income, social class, education, ethnicity, gender, job roles, cultural influences, mental health, and stages of development, personality and the assessment of needs, treatment plans, potential risks, and support services for both patients. The report emphasizes the importance of tailored care plans that address both medical and psychosocial needs, considering the patients' personal circumstances, financial situations, housing needs, and employment or educational requirements. It concludes by highlighting the need for comprehensive support systems to address the complexities of each case, including the involvement of healthcare professionals and support services.

Patient Profile
Patient Information and history:
Raj is 55 year old person, who is currently admitted into hospital in UK, due to alcoholism.
He loss his wife, lives in Kensington and working as lawyer. Raj drink alcohol very much that is the
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reason which make them ill, he recently involved in car accident where Raj lost his two children and
wife.
Patient details and history:
Lucy is another patient, she is 24 years old lady and has been currently admitted in hospital
due to overdosed on painkillers. She is single parent and living in very deprived area in Blackpoll
within two-bedroom flat with her son, who is only four year old.
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How can sociological and psychological concepts help us to develop a better
understanding of the service users in both case studies? Provide an example from your
work setting.
Psychological and Sociological concept
Sociological concept is based three concepts such as functionalism, feminism and
interactionism.
Feminism, it is the range of political movements, social movements and ideologies that share
same goal to establish, define and gain political, personal, economic and social equality of activity. It
includes needs to establish professional and educational opportunities for women that equal to those
for men (Finke, 2018). Feminism concept is based on belief that women and men should have the
equal opportunities and rights to grow in their career more. In accent time most of the women were
close to domestic sphere and men are reserved for public life, it will affect human behaviour the most.
At this movement women are not allowed to take part in any public activities, they need to work or
perform under domestic sphere which is one of the biggest barriers in human healthcare functions.
Feminist movement have campaigned and proceed to campaign for the rights of women's, in addition
right to vote, to work, to hold public office, to earn fair or equal wages or pay, to receive high
education, to have same rights within any relationship like marriage, to enter contracts and to have
maternity leave. Many years ago women were denied rights to study in which men still had the rights
to rule in public life. After the changes in social behaviour or culture women's like to play their role in
public life and prefer for conducting businesses without male person (Hirsch and Keller, 2015).
Feminists movement refers to the range of political campaign which reforms on issues such as
domestic violence, women's suffrage etc. they work a lot for the rights of women's, feminists worked
to assure access to have maternity leave and legal abortions, they protect girls and women from
sexual harassment, domestic violence, rape and other activities that effect their health.
Functionalism concept refer functionalists believe that without shared beliefs and values,
collective conscience, accomplish social order is impossible. Social order is important for well being
of human and society. They trust that value accord forms basic desegregation principles in society.
Functionalism is concept of sociological according to which communities and society consists of
various but connected parts, each of that serves specific purpose. It is the social sciences' concept
based on assumption, that all aspect of society, committee, institutions, norms etc, work together and
serve services with the same purpose. Without any interaction and collaboration individual will never
grow in their lives as whole (Koss Hartmann, 2014). Individual or group of people in society will
need to communicate with another group of members which helps to increase their knowledge and
skills. Without any interactions' society will survive for longer term of period which negatively affect
human and well being of people. One nation or country does not have all the assets or resources to
grow or to become developing country, some extent they need support form another. With the help of
good collaboration and interaction one nation will be able to take helps form the other ones which
helps to grow more and more.
In sociological, interactionism the concept that derive social procedure from human
interaction. In is the concept of how people shape society and are shaped by it through meaning that
create in interaction. Interactionism defines the whole process of interactions with another via
symbols, voice etc (Denzin, 2016). social interaction is face to face procedure that consist of
activities, action, mutual adaption and reactions between two or more people's. It also includes human
interaction and animal interactions such as mating. The process of interaction has been included all
languages and mannerisms, the main goal of interaction is to collaborate and communicate with
another in society.
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Psychological concept-
Psychological concept is used to provide the best model of understanding human emotions,
thoughts and behaviors. All the concepts has been proposed with the common purpose to predict and
explain different aspects of human behavior.
Development concept is one of the best concept, it provides appropriate frame work
for thinking about people growth, learning and human development. This concept defines
basic understanding of human development that is essential to grow. Development means
growth or improvement in human behavior in society. Development of individual person in
society is very important for well being of human (Rayton and Yalabik, 2014). It helps them
to survive in their lives and make people capable to perform well. People go through many
changes in their lives and learn something new or different which helps to grow professional
and personal development. Development concept is based on the growth and development or
improvement of human's throughout its lifespan. Individual experience many things which
make changes in their behavior, nature, emotions and intelligence. In development process
people learn things through observing another person reactions or actions. By learning and
understanding the thought or feeling of another, individual's learn unique or different
activities in which they can use or adopt as development. For example, some people prefer to
watch the activities or actions of other person and then learn, rather than do.
The relationship between culture and concepts of health and disease relating to both case
studies.
Patients and its families bring culture specific values and ideas that is related to
concept of health, reporting symptoms and illness and expectations for how health service
can be delivered and beliefs concerning treatments and medication. Families with orthodox
culture beliefs that only female Doctors or health care specialist can give treatment to
ladies. It defines that culture of people is connected with the concept of health.
Diabetes is one of the disease that effect Raj live and make them ill more and more
before. On the other hand Lucy is facing Asthma disease which also impact on her live.
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Observational Record
Sociological and
psychological
concepts to
consider in care
planning
Raj Lucy
Income He is working as lawyer and his
income is depended on his work.
She is working part-time as carer.
Social class Belongs to good family
background.
Belong to medial class family.
Education Lawyer Part time worker as care taker
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Ethnicity
Alcoholism group Alcoholism and smoker.
Gender
Male Female
Job roles
Working as lawyer Working part time as carer
Cultural
influences Raj is drinking alcohol because of
his wife and children death.
As single parent Lucy is facing
many difficulties because society
beliefs that single parents can
not managed their lives.
Mental health
He is ill due to lost of his two
children and wife.
She is ill and disturb due to
taking care of her children as
being single-parent.
Stages of
development Drink a lot of alcohol Smoke a lot and take painkillers
more and more.
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Personality
He is reluctant, refuses to take
help from family.
Raj
Assessment of Need Treatment/Who would be involved and their role
Medical treatment
required for mental and
physical health, including
medication and therapy
Physical health treatments including therapy and
medication. Nurses, medical staff and doctors involved in
treatment.
Potential risks to own well-
being
and safety and to the
safety of others
Avoid alcohol
Support required if service
user finds themselves in
crisis
Appropriate health care treatments.
Any needs service user may
have as a result of
problems with alcohol or They need to avoid drinking alcohol and spent time with
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drugs (medication,
treatment, support)
good social groups. Medication and staff support is one of
the best services that Raj can used.
Personal circumstances
including family and carers
Raj is upset and drink alcohol due to his wife and children's
death.
Financial
circumstances/needs He is not facing any financial circumstances.
Housing circumstances/
needs Raj need to take big flat more than before.
Employment and education
needs
Raj need to improve his knowledge and skills as lawyer.
Support services involved Provide appropriate health care treatment to him, according
to Raj disease.
Lucy
Assessment of Need Treatment/Who would be involved and their role
Medical treatment
required for mental and
physical health, including
Medical treatments is the best treatment for Lucy. Specialist
and nurse are involved in treatment.
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medication and therapy
Potential risks to own
wellbeing and safety and
to the safety of others
Avoid smoking.
Support required if service
user finds themselves in
crisis
If Lucy finds Asthma, doctors required to give her
appropriate treatment to control it.
Any needs service user may
have as a result of
problems with alcohol or
drugs (medication,
treatment, support)
Medication service is one of the facility that Lucy can used to
solve the problem.
Personal circumstances
including family and carers
Working as single parents.
Financial
circumstances/needs As single parent Lucy is facing financial issues.
Housing circumstances/
needs
No
Employment and education
needs
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She need to take any diploma which helps to make her live
easy.
Support services involved
Heath care staff provide medication services to her for better
health.
Psychological theories and approaches that can be used when caring for service users to
enable positive behaviour change.
Interventions/approaches Raj - Rationale
Cognitive approach How does this encourage positive behaviour change?
It is one of the best approach that helps to change past
experience memory, this approach belied that person
behaviour is resolute by emotions and expectations.
With the help of this approach Raj Avoid alcohol and
overcome within bad memories.
How does this encourage positive behaviour change?
Cognitive approach encourage positive behaviour
change, it helps Raj to remove past experience memory
and encourage him to live health live style.
Outcomes/Review Cognitive approach helps Raj to overcome within its past
memories in which he try to live happly.
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Interventions/approaches Lucy - Rationale
Behavioural approach How does this encourage positive behaviour change?
Behavioural approach helps Lucy to overcome within impact
on Asthma, with the help of this approach she can get the
best outcomes.
How does this encourage positive behaviour change?
With the support of behavioural approach Lucy can avoid
smoking and spent time with good people because external
environment influence positive.
Outcomes/Review Behavioural approach brings positive outcomes as it
helps Lucy to make her health better than now.
Role of healthcare policy and influencing factors
Closing the Gap: Priorities for essential change in mental health
Healthcare policies play important role in deliver health care services to people, it refers to
plans, decisions and action that undertaken by health specialist to achieve specific health well being
goals within community or society.
Socio economic, education etc are the factors that affect health care services the most.
Illness and the impact on healthcare provision
Illness is considered as disease or time of sickness that affect mind or body of person
very much. Illness impacts on health care provision, as Raj drink a lot of alcohol it affect on
health care provisions and also impact on his health and well being.
Mitigating approaches related to different sociological and psychological perspectives
feminism is one of the sociological theory which can be improved in context of equality. By
treating people equal, and provide appropriate health care treatment individual can develop or
improve feminism.
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Psychological perspectives should improved by focusing on people growth and provide carer
opportunities in their lives.
Evaluation of interventions/approaches
Enhancement on diversity of the nations brings wide range of opportunities and challenges
for health care providers, health care system and policy makers in terms to create and deliver
culturally competent services. By maintaining the culture competency the organization can able to
deliver the effective health care services that aids to meet social, cultural and linguistic needs of
patients. In addition to it, relevant training on cultural competence and cross culture issues to health
professionals and creation of policies reduces the administrative and linguistic barrier to care to
patients. Hence, intervention must be used in terms to following background as-
 To show respect for another cultures values and identity.
 To improvise the ability to connect with target community.
 By enhancement of the involvement and participation of member of other cultural groups.
 The cultural awareness must be granted. Thus, lack of cultural awareness and failure
to provide the culturally competent care can greatly increase the stresses experienced
by ill patients and it may results in terms to providing inadequate care provided by
healthcare professionals.
Compare cognitive behavioural therapy to other current therapies underpinned by
theory. How effective are they for service users?
This is theory that referred as a short term, goal oriented psychotherapy treatments
that mainly takes hands on, practical approach over the problem solving (Cognitive-
Behavioral Therapy: Proven Effectiveness, 2011). Therefore, main aim is to have changes in
patterns of thinking or behaviour that are behind the peoples difficulties. It is the most widely
used therapy in terms to have reduction for anxiety and disorders. However, research has
shown that to be effective in the treatment of panic disorders, social anxiety disorders are the
condition that can be treated effective with use of this theory.
In order to changing the behaviour of services users, the health care professionals can also have the
use of theory of planned behaviour. Hence, the key component to this model is as behavioural intent
and behaviour intention that influenced by the attitudes and the subjective evaluation of the risk and
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benefits that outcome. Therefore, the theory of planned behaviour is mainly composed of following
six constructs as-
 Attitude- It defined as degree that in which person has favourable and unfavourable
behavioural of evaluation.
 Behavioural intentions- It is kind of motivational factor that influences the behaviour of the
individuals.
 Subjective norms- it defined as that whether the most of the individuals approve and
disapprove the behaviours.
 Social norms- This is term that is defined as the customary codes of behaviour in the group,
people and larger cultural extent.
 Perceived power- It is the factor that may facilitates and impede the behaviour of individual.
Hence, it can be stated that cognitive theory is more effective than planned behaviour theory
as it aids to get overcome with the anxiety, fear and depression. It aids to develop the
behaviour of person in positive context.
How have these interventions improved the health and well-being of both service users
(case study 1 and 2) from different cultural backgrounds?
If medical staff understand Raj beliefs and its issues they give treatment according to it
which is very beneficial for Raj health. With the help to communication health care service provider
improve health and well-being of Raj more than before.
It also applied over Lucy if she takes right treatment and care via staff, she feels better and
improved her health more and more as compare to before.
Give examples from service users in your work setting.
Raj and Lucy.
Take into consideration the impact of prejudice, discrimination and exclusion on both
service users. How effective have these interventions been for both?
The prejudice makes the victim feel less than fully human. Under this, people ate
undervalues by others, their self esteem suffers at high level and they stop trying improve
themselves. Hence, it can even lead to bullying and other forms of discrimination. If the
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patients are being discriminated against the significant negative consequences. Therefore,
people feel undervalued by others, self esteem tends to get suffered, self worth, self esteem
can be several impacted as a result of discrimination. It is term that creates the atmosphere of
fear and can also lead the person to take their own life.
Effectiveness of discrimination on different population-
Prejudice leads to discrimination and it has harmful impact over society and that
enables to individual treated unfairly due to race, gender, age, ethnic group and religion.
However, results in anxiety, sadness, depression and feeling of guild and emptiness. Thus,
people who have experienced intolerance and prejudice are at the increased risk of
developing negative coping strategies and its inclusive of misuses, aggression, feat and
anxiety etc.
Provide an evaluation of own care planning of both service users compared to an existing
plan and the specific healthcare interventions used and processes (from planning, through
to review).
Medical staff provide Raj good treatment according to his illness, they need to take
plan based on identifies reason behind disease and then start treating Him which is
beneficial for Raj health.
Lucy has start to develop Asthma symptoms which affect her life and make her ill
more and more, with the help to good treatment she can control Asthma disease and avoid
smoking and drinking.
Use relevant psychological and sociological concepts to comment on their effectiveness.
Feminism, Functionalism, interactionism concepts is very effective because it helps to
improve and develop living standards of person and also helps to grow its professional and
personal career.
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References
Denzin, N.K., 2016. Symbolic interactionism. The international encyclopedia of
communication theory and philosophy. pp.1-12.
Finke, L.A., 2018. Feminist theory, women's writing. Cornell University Press.
Hirsch, M. and Keller, E.F., 2015. Conflicts in feminism. Routledge.
Koss Hartmann, R., 2014. Subversive functionalism: For a less canonical critique in critical
management studies. Human Relations. 67(5). pp.611-632.
Prügl, E., 2015. Neoliberalising feminism. New Political Economy. 20(4). pp.614-631.
Rayton, B.A. and Yalabik, Z.Y., 2014. Work engagement, psychological contract breach and
job satisfaction. The International Journal of Human Resource Management.
25(17). pp.2382-2400.
Online
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Proven Effectiveness. 2011. [Online] Available
through:<https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-files/201111/cognitive-
behavioral-therapy-proven-effectiveness>.
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