Social Health Dimension of People With Mental Disabilities: Reflections on Social Policy

Pagrindinis straipsnio tikslas - psichikos negalią turinčių asmenų patirties pagrindu atskleisti socialinius sveikatos aspektus, jų problemų struktūrą ir turinį. Tyrimo empirinę bazę sudarė 18 giluminių interviu su 9 psichinę negalią turinčiais tyrimo dalyviais medžiaga. Tyrimas atskleidė tai, jog psichinę negalią turinčių asmenų socialinės sveikatos problemas sąlygoja tarpusavyje sąveikaujančių socialinių veiksnių visuma: kiekybiniai ir kokybiniai socialinio tinklo pokyčiai, ribotos socialinio dalyvavimo galimybės, užimtumo stoka, bedarbystė, skurdas ir išlaikytinio vaidmuo, neigiamas visuomenės požiūris, diskriminacija ir stigmatizacija, išryškėjo psichikos neįgaliųjų susitaikymas su viešoje erdvėje vyraujančiais stereotipais, t.y. ilgainiui vyksta stigmų ir jiems priskiriamo vaidmens perėmimas. Bene ryškiausia socialinių sveikatos problemų linija yra susijusi su stigmatizacija ir neįgaliųjų diskriminacija. Šis reiškinys persmelkia visus kitus socialinės sveikatos aspektus. Reikšminiai žodžiai: Neįgalumas; Psichinė negalia; Psichologinė negalia; Socialinė sveikatos dimensija; Disability; Mental disability; Mental disibility; Social dimension of healthThe interacting biological, psychological and social factors are equally important in the genesis of mental health problems, so the social aspects of health will inevitably become a ground for an effective treatment and care. The aim of the study is to reveal the structure and content of the social-related health problems on the basis of the mentally disabled people experience. The in-depth interview was conducted with four mentally ill participants. The study revealed that the social health aspects of mentally ill persons causes the set of interacting social factors such as quantitative and qualitative changes in the social network, limited opportunities for social articipation, lack of activities, unemployment, poverty and dependent status, negative public attitudes, stigma and discrimination, revealed to terms with the prevailing stereotypes in a public area. Perhaps the most notable social health problem is connected to the stigma and discrimination against disabled people. This phenomenon pervades all other aspects of social health. On stereotypical assumptions employers reluctant to hire people with mental disabilities. In this case, limited social participation, employment opportunities increased social isolation, leads to "rebound" phenomenon - the growing social exclusion and poverty, declining social experiences decreases the efficiency of the treatment and prognosis. And vice versa

Alcohol-related child maltreatment

Aim: To increase understanding of alcohol-related child maltreatment on the basis of child protection cases in Lithuania. The study is based on a document content analysis of 203 case records of families at social risk. It identifies the prevalence of alcohol-related harm by analysing associations between types of drinkers and child maltreatment. It also maps the distribution of people who typically report this maltreatment. Both qualitative and quantitative analytical approaches are employed. Results: Child neglect was the most prevalent type of child maltreatment and was usually reported together with other types of child maltreatment. Child maltreatment was typically mentioned in the context of a caregiver’s heavy drinking. In 85.7% (174) of the cases, the family had at least one problem drinker. More than one problem drinker was detected in as many as a third of all cases. At least one form of child maltreatment was detected in families with a drinking mother in 60% of the cases (w2 ¼ 4.825, p 0.05), and in 15% of the cases (p >0.05) when there was a drinking partner in the family. The most common source of reporting by the authorities was the police (26.6%), and the most typical non-official source was the child’s relatives (16.3%). Conclusions: Alcoholrelated child maltreatment needs special attention if issues of child safety in Lithuania are to be disclosed, evaluated, and responded to. Further research on this topic is needed