| Public health social workers are those professionals | | | | worker, one needs to know how to work with |
| who provide psychosocial support to vulnerable | | | | families and larger populations, learn epidemiological |
| populations to fight chronic, terminal or acute illnesses | | | | approaches to social problems and health and identify |
| such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, or AIDS. Social | | | | association between health and social factors. |
| work professionals in the domain of public health may | | | | The coursework in a public health social worker |
| take advisory roles, arrange for post hospitalization | | | | program may include — |
| needs of the patients, act as their counsel and | | | | Social Policy |
| provide psychological as well as emotional support to | | | | Social Work Methods |
| them. | | | | Social Research Methods |
| Public health social workers may join hospitals, social | | | | Human Behavior in Social Environment |
| services agencies, nursing care facilities or | | | | Epidemiology |
| government agencies. They may also work in teams | | | | Biostatistics |
| to study patients suffering from a particular type of | | | | Racial and Cultural Diversity |
| disease. A public health social worker has to work on | | | | While some classes focus on policy or community |
| improvement of health of individuals, families and | | | | factors impacting health, others provide guidance on |
| communities on a whole by focusing on different | | | | how to plan and intervene in different levels of |
| psychosocial factors. | | | | prevention, these levels being specific protection, |
| Education Requirements: | | | | promotion of health, disability limitation, early diagnosis |
| A bachelor's degree in social work is needed as the | | | | and treatment, and rehabilitation (not in any order). In |
| bare minimum educational requirement to qualify and | | | | the duration of the course one may also learn how |
| work as a public health social worker. However, | | | | to reduce social stress which is often associated with |
| degree holders in other relevant disciplines such as | | | | health problems. |
| sociology, psychology, etc may also get through | | | | There are a number of social work programs that |
| entry-level positions. For other jobs in public health, a | | | | offer a joint Masters of Social Work and Masters of |
| master's degree in social work is a common | | | | Public Health degrees including specializations in |
| requirement. | | | | maternal and child health. |
| For a rewarding career as a public health social | | | | |