Advisor
Halide Porras
Course
Practice-Informed Research in Health Systems
Document Type
Capstone
Publication Date
Fall 12-1-2024
Purpose
Preventive care includes essential services that need to be completed routinely to increase health outcomes. Preventive care for individuals who were born with female reproductive organs would include mammograms, screenings for cervical cancers, prenatal care, and yearly physical examinations. The primary purpose of this research study is to explore how much young adults with female reproductive organs know and understand the types of preventative care they should be receiving and the possible barriers where social workers could assist. The researchers surveyed 51 student participants and two medical social workers to assess their insight further.
Methods
The current research on preventive care for individuals with female reproductive organs is minimal. It does not explore the population's age group being surveyed in this study or examine participants' experiences. Previous research has shown that out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and copayments can prevent people from seeking necessary healthcare services. Low preventive care use may be due to lack of access, inability to pay for care, and postponing or going without care. Social workers help to identify the social determinants of health that influence women’s well-being, such as access to safe housing, nutritious food, education, and mental healthcare.
Findings & Conclusions
The findings show that participants were open to having social workers in women’s health to help navigate their care, although 39 percent stated they already had a strong knowledge of preventive care. The medical social worker participants stated they could improve the experience that young adults have with pregnancy or preventative care by creating a nonjudgmental environment and focusing on rapport with patients. Future research is needed to analyze the policies and practices of preventive care services and the role of medical social workers. 92 percent of respondents said they had never encountered social workers supporting them in navigating reproductive choices or services. The medical social work role is underutilized, and patients could benefit from their knowledge and healthcare navigation. The participants were health science students, who are more likely to have higher health literacy than the general population. Most people who would benefit from a social worker to navigate preventive care might lack health knowledge and experience. Another limitation could be the limited number of "women’s” health social workers available to interview. This can be attributed to the lack of research and jobs for medical social workers in the preventive care field.
Recommendations
This study highlights the need for research about knowledge of preventive care among communities with lower socioeconomic status. Changes in healthcare laws, financial resources, healthcare providers, and elected government officials may impact the availability and variety of preventive healthcare services for individuals born with female reproductive organs. Policies can be reformed by eliminating the requirement of needing health insurance to receive specific preventive care services. Implementing careers for social workers in hospitals and medical clinics for social workers to be present in preventive care environments. Improving and increasing education in school environments, whether K-12 or college, so students know about the programs that can support and better understand what type of preventative care they should receive. Finally, social workers should readily be available for patients with low health literacy and difficulty navigating preventative care services.
Recommended Citation
Kauffman, Hannah; Wolf, Amy; and Milare, Maria Lourdes, "Preventative Care for Young Adults and the Role of SW related to Birth Control and Pregnancy" (2024). MSW Capstone Conference. 15.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/msw-conference/15
