SOCIAL PROBLEMSSOCIAL PROBLEMSKingsuk Sarkar, MD

Asst. Prof.Dept. of community Medicine

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• Individual problems

• Social problems

Affects large pop

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Current Social Problems:- Drug addiction/ dependence- Alcoholism- Sexually Transmitted Disease- vagrancy- Juvenile Delinquency- prostitution

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• Social Health Problems:A disease may be termed as social

problem and its social relevance become quite high when following happens:

- When it has got predominant behavioral component in its causation

- When its widespread over large geographic area and affects many( î incidence, î prevalence)

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• Social Health Prob Cont.- It is severe & mortality is very high- Leads to permanent disability &

crippling- Leads to discrimination &

ostracism- When it disrupts trade, affects the

economy of nation- Primarily economically productive

population is affected

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• Social Health Prob. Cont.- Growth & development of young

children is affected- When treatment is out of reach for

many- When the disease is incurable

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Social Problems & their behavioral component

Social Problems Behavioral Component

Population Explosion High fertility, Early marriage, Non-acceptance of contraceptive

Adverse sex-ratio or falling child sex ratio

Female feticide, Infanticide, Gender bias

Smoking & tobacco & alcohol abuse

Habit of smoking in the family or peer group, social acceptability, seen as a social status

Accidents & suicides Rash driving, disobeying traffic rules, driving under influence of alcohol, drugs or stress

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Social Problems & their behavioral component, contd.

HIV AIDS & STDs Pre & extra-marital sex, unprotected sex with multiple sexual partners

Mental Disorder & Behavioral Problem in Children

Broken families, Problem families, adjustment disorder, inability to cope with stress

Insanitary Environment Open field defecation, non- acceptance of latrine, poor personal hygiene

Leprosy & Tuberculosis Social stigma, fear of loosing job, low or non-utilization of treatment facilities, fatalistic attitudes

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• Prostitution:- Urban social problem- Age old social evil Causes:- Changes in environment- Breakdown of inter family

relations- Parental discord- Lack of affection

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- Illegitimacy- Easy access to money & wealth- Low I.Q.- Low morale- Poverty• GOI passed “The suppression of

immoral traffic Act in women & girls”≠bans it in commercialized organized form

• Amended & Ratified on 1986 as “Immoral Traffic (Prevention)Act”

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• Delinquency:- ‘Delinquent’: one showing

deviation from normal behavior & has committed an offence

- Theft, sexual assault, murder, burglary

- Great social problem

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• Causes of delinquency:- Social mal-adjustment- Poverty- Disturbed home- Drug addiction- Alcoholism- Adoption of modern life styles

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• “The children act, 1960” – prevention & control of JD

- Provides specialized approach towards care, protection, maintenance, training, rehabilitation: of delinquent children

- Institution: Juvenile/Children’s court, Child Welfare Board, Remand Homes, Certified Schools, After-care facilities

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• Dowry System:- Innocent Custom Social Evil• Control through: “ Dowry

Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1986

- Min. Punishment for taking/ abetting dowry: 5 yrs or rigorous imprisonment & a fine of Rs.15,000/

- Well sustained effort needed to root out such evils

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• Drug Addiction:- State of periodic/chronic

intoxication detrimental to the individual & society

- produced by repeated intake of habit-forming drugs

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• Precipitating Factors:- Curiosity & natural tendency to

experiment with drugs- Disturbed domestic environment:

broken home, lack of communication between parents & children,

- Escapism from tensions & frustrations

- Adoption of western life styles- Punks)- Ignorance about ill effects of drugs

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• Drug addict:a) Psychosocial dependence:

overpowering desire to take the drug & obtain it by any means

b) Physical dependence: if withdrawn, patient develops withdrawal symptom: irrational & violent behavior, nausea, diarrhea, watering of eye & nose

c) Development of tolerance: tendency to increase the dose

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• Management:a) Identification of drug addicts & their

motivation for drug detoxificationb) Detoxification following

hospitalizationc) Post-detoxification: counselling &

follow-up :clinics,home visit• Simultaneous Changes in

environment: home,school, college • Psychotherapy

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• Preventive measures:- Education of target groups through: o Televisiono Radioo Leafletso PostersCreation of mass awareness“Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic

Substance Act” 1985

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• Alcohol Abuse:- world-wide social& medical

problem- Rapid socio-economic &

cultural changes alcohol seen as symbol of prestige & social status

- î in consumption & frequency

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• Consequences:- Crime- Murder- Prostitution- Malnutrition- Neglect of family life- Unemployment- î debt- Delinquency- RTA- Cirrhosis, alcoholic psychosis, alcohol

dependency

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• Prevention:- Timely identification of risk factors- Wide ranging public education,

dialogue & investigation of public attitude

- Social welfare - Improved health services

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• Unmarried Mothers:- strict social custom- Unfavorable tradition- Insignificant problem in India• Special Needs:- MTP - Health risks- Medical guidance- counseling

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• Handicapped:- Categories :Dec. 2002,

Categories Approx. No.(million)

The blind 2

The hearing disabled 3

The orthopedically handicapped

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The leprosy affected 0.4

The mentally retarded 0.9

The mental illness 1.1

The speech disability 2.1

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• State assumes the responsibility & rehabilitates

• Services avauilable in India:- Medical care- Education for the deaf, blind,

orthopedically challenged- Vocational training- Job placement - Workshops- allowances

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