DQ 3 Holistic Perspective

Summary The holistic perspective of social work in the health field refers to the “whole picture” of the patient when dealing with how to treat a patient. This perspective runs congruently with the person in environment and the bio psychosocial perspective. Although they are all different components of an individual, they don’t operate and affect independently. One affects the other. In order to treat, prevent and understand a diagnosis, one must see the “whole picture” as it were. In the sense of biology, one’s DNA and all that is inherited. One’s mental status and what may have affected it, one’s social environment to include economic status and access to resources. (Cowels, L.A.F., 2013) It is not enough to identify, treat and even cure a diagnosis of an individual if the ailment persists in other or if it is not understood. Take for example Erin Brokovitch. A lawsuit sparked and investigation into a cluster if related illnesses with no other common factor than the vicinity of the affected individuals. The determination of the investigator uncovered the cause of the illnesses and placed responsibility appropriately and implemented changes that saved lives. If no one had looked any further than treated the diagnosis, this could have gone on and many more lives lost. It is not only helpful but essential in treating and preventing future illnesses. Sadly, economic status plays heavily into the quality of health care individuals receive and have access to. Also, social environment can greatly affect one resource. A wise professor one told me, “If you don’t know about resources, you have no resources.” (Dr. Ferrales, Deneese. 2013) I totally agree with this perspective and hope it won’t be too long until this is the standard in which care is provided.